Beach House nearly fell off the map after 2012’s success “Bloom”, with a slow tour and little talk of an upcoming album. The trickle of shows sped up in the fall of 2014, but came to an abrupt halt. With little to no talk of recording sessions, the rumors multiplied—could Beach House be over?

That question was met with a resounding “no” this May, when they announced their fifth album and a supporting world tour. “Depression Cherry” marks a step back from the elaborate arrangement and instrumentation of “Bloom”. The simpler, almost stripped sound works well for the band and gives the whole album an intimately personal feel that “Bloom” sometimes lacked.

Lead single, “Sparks,” is far from the piano and big sound of earlier hit single “Myth” and the rest of “Bloom.” The song seems as if half the sounds of the previous album were packed into a tenth of the space in a distorted and in-your-face wall of sound. The shift is big for Beach House, and one they executed impressively; while dense, the song is melodic and intricate.

The rest of the album is less packed than “Sparks”, as Beach House returns to their hazy dream-pop style. The songs still retain the thick reverb and simple instrumentation of “Depression Cherry”, especially on tracks like “Wildflower” and “1037”. At their center, Beach House’s songwriting remains much like it has been since their formation in 2004—simple, attractive and easy to listen to.

While the new sound does bring Victoria Legrand’s voice to the forefront, the generally slower and more relaxed melodies and textures lack the urgency and emotional release that made Beach House’s own past albums so powerful. Similarly, the album’s consistently relaxed and slower pace can make it feel one-note at times, to the point where distinguishing between songs is difficult.

These weaknesses don’t diminish the hypnotic charm of the album or the songs themselves, and “Depression Cherry” remains a listenable, calming and well-made album. The album is easily among Beach House’s best, but despite this, it is hard to shake the feeling that the album is just short of becoming an indie classic.