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Depression Cherry
Depression Cherry
Depression Cherry
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Depression Cherry
Studio album by
Beach House
ReleasedAugust 28, 2015 (2015-08-28)
RecordedNovember 2014 – January 2015
StudioStudio in the Country
(Bogalusa, Louisiana)
GenreDream pop
Length44:45
LabelSub Pop
Producer
Beach House chronology
Bloom
(2012) 		Depression Cherry
(2015) 		Thank Your Lucky Stars
(2015)
Singles from Depression Cherry
  1. "Sparks"
    Released: July 1, 2015
  2. "PPP"
    Released: August 6, 2015
  3. "Beyond Love"
    Released: August 6, 2015

Depression Cherry is the fifth studio album by the American dream pop duo Beach House. It was released on August 28, 2015, through Sub Pop in the United States, Bella Union in Europe, Mistletone Records in Australia, Hostess Entertainment in Japan and Arts & Crafts in Mexico. The album was arranged entirely by the duo, who also co-produced the album alongside Chris Coady, his third time working with the group.

Reacting to their dissatisfaction with using live drums on tour to play songs from their previous album, Bloom (2012), Beach House returned to a simpler style of dream pop arrangements for Depression Cherry, relying on less usage of live drums and instead constructing around drum machine rhythms, similar to the musical styles of their first two studio albums. The duo began looking of musical inspiration and began writing songs for the album between 2012 and 2014. Soon after, the entire album was recorded at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana, from November 2014 to January 2015.

To promote Depression Cherry, "Sparks" was released as the album's lead single on July 1, 2015, with "PPP" and "Beyond Love" being released as the second and third singles on August 6, 2015. It was further supported with a concert tour from August to December 2015. Upon release, the album received mostly positive reviews from critics, who likened the musical approach to the band's first two studio albums. It debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200, with 27,000 copies sold. Less than two months after releasing Depression Cherry, Beach House followed it up with their sixth album, Thank Your Lucky Stars.

Background

[edit]

On May 15, 2012, Beach House released their fourth studio album Bloom, which was supported by its successful lead single "Myth".[1][2] The album attained critical praise from several publications,[3] additionally being named one of the best albums of 2012, and commercial success, debuting at number seven on the US Billboard 200 with 41,000 copies sold.[4] After releasing the album and completing touring for Bloom, the group took a six-month break.[5] Uncertain about their future, singer/keyboardist Victoria Legrand said, "I didn't feel creative at all... I just thought well, maybe I'll never have another musical idea."[6]

She added, "I just personally felt I needed a couple of months of just not doing anything, I didn't have thoughts."[5] Legrand found herself frustrated and limited creatively by the presence of a live drum set on tour to play Bloom's songs because of "the noise it creates and how much space it fills".[5] Guitarist Alex Scally concurred, saying, "There was a transparent feeling, [the songs] didn't feel as nuanced."[5] On May 26, 2015, the band announced their fifth studio album, Depression Cherry, additionally revealing its tracklist and album artwork.[7]

Recording and production

[edit]
Recording sessions for Depression Cherry took place from November 2014 to January 2015 at Studio in the Country. (pictured)

Beach House came up with a portion of musical ideas for Depression Cherry in 2011,[8] subsequently writing songs for the album in Baltimore, their hometown, between 2012 and 2014; "10:37" was one of the first songs to be written during this period.[9][10] The album was recorded at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana over two months, from November 2014 to January 2015.[11][12] It was co-produced by Chris Coady, who worked on the band's previous two records, Teen Dream (2010) and Bloom.[13] Prior to joining the band in the studio, they sent him phone recordings of some of their in-progress songs.[9]

The band has also stated that they've incorporated live drums on their previous records, but then "[they] got tired of them" and had written the album without using them, as a way of "going back to [their] roots a little".[10] For the recording of "Sparks", the band used a keyboard that they bought in Texas during the recording sessions for Bloom.[14] Additionally, the song contains a running vocal loop that was "accidentally" captured at a soundcheck in Bristol, England.[15] For the song "Days of Candy", they hired eight singers from Pearl River Community College to create a 24-part choir.[16] After completing that song and "Levitation", the band knew they had the album's closing and opening tracks, respectively, and considered the record completed.[9] The album was mixed at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, except "Beyond Love", which was mixed at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas.[17]

Musical style

[edit]

According to the band, Depression Cherry is a return to the simpler style of dream pop from their first two albums, stating in a press release on the Sub Pop website, that "live drums play [...] a far lesser role" and that within the album, they "continue to let ourselves evolve while fully ignoring the commercial context in which we exist".[18] Kevin Warwick of The A.V. Club commented that several tracks from the album are "constructed on rudimentary programmed rhythms as opposed to live studio drumming".[19] Tim Jonze of The Guardian also stated that the album "lacks the bigger pop moments of their last two albums, Bloom and Teen Dream", due to a lack of live drums, though he considered that the band "increase their impressive ability" with this musical approach.[20][21] The album also relies on organ chords and slide guitar licks.[22]

The album's opener, "Levitation", begins with a "high-F♯ drone" which crossfades into a "lovely saturated D chord", as well as a "tap-tapping electronic rhythm", with the song itself being said to succeed the 2012 track "Irene", featured on the band's previous album Bloom.[23][24] It then progresses onto the following track, "Sparks", which begins with a vocal loop played at the start.[25] The loop is then interrupted by a distorted guitar, thus being described as a shoegaze track.[26] Throughout the entire song, a distorted organ and percussion are also used.[27][28] Transitioning onto the third track, "Space Song", it opens with an organ sound and leaps into a sliding guitar and an "8-bit keyboard" arpeggio which run throughout the entire track.[29][21] "Beyond Love", its fourth track, features a slide guitar and accompanying drum machine rhythms.[30][22]

Promotion and release

[edit]
Beach House performing at the Depression Cherry tour in Milwaukee in September 2015.

On May 26, 2015, Beach House announced Depression Cherry along with tour dates supporting the album.[12] Vinyl and compact disc copies of the album feature a cover lined with red velvet, while a limited edition "Loser Edition" of the album was released on clear vinyl record.[31] On July 9, 2015, Depression Cherry was leaked on the internet through a data breach on music site Spin.[32][33] On August 19, nine days before the album's release, NPR Music made a stream of the album available online.[34] The album was released on August 28, 2015, for digital download, CD, LP and cassette formats, though Sub Pop in North America[18] and Bella Union in Europe.[35]

The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200, with 27,000 copies sold in its first week.[36] It also debuted within the top 20 in eight other countries, which are Belgium's Flanders region (13),[37] Canada (16),[38] Denmark (20),[39] Netherlands (16),[40] Portugal (12),[41] Scotland (18),[39] and the United Kingdom (17).[42] About two months later, on October 7 of the same year, Beach House announced their sixth studio album Thank Your Lucky Stars, which was stated to be a follow-up, but not a companion, to Depression Cherry or a "surprise or B-sides".[43][44] The follow-up album was additionally written from July to November 2014 and recorded at the same time as Depression Cherry.[45] On May 23, 2023, Depression Cherry received a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for sales of 500,000 certified units in the United States.[46]

Singles

[edit]

On June 26, 2015, Beach House announced on Twitter that they would perform "Sparks" on SiriusXMU on July 1, adding that it would be the lead single from Depression Cherry.[47] The single was subsequently released on July 1, 2015, alongside its accompanying visualizer, which was released on YouTube;[14] it was also performed on SiriusXMU.[48] On August 6 of the same year, "PPP" and "Beyond Love" were released as the album's second and third singles.[49] The album's three supporting singles were later published through the band's website and could be accessed through the "Single Finder" feature, which allows a user to choose three songs, particularly their favorite ones, from the band's past catalog and depending on their choices, it determines which single would likely be their favorite.[50][51]

"Space Song", the album's third track, was initially released as a promotional single in 2015.[52] The song became a sleeper hit, when about six years later, in 2021, the song attained virality on TikTok and later received a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on January 2022.[52][53] The song was later featured in the Netflix-original television series Wednesday (2022), appearing in its third episode.[54] After its appearance on the series, the song earned over four million streams in the United States, within the November 25–December 1, 2022, tracking week.[55] Following the tracking week, it debuted at number 20 on the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart,[55] later peaking at nunber 13 on the chart the following week.[56] On April 12, 2023, the song was certified double-platinum by the RIAA, for sales of 2,000,000 certified units in the United States.[53]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10[57]
Metacritic76/100[58]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[20]
The A.V. ClubA−[19]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[59]
The GuardianStarStarStarStar[21]
The Irish TimesStarStarStarStar[60]
NME5/10[61]
Pitchfork8.4/10[24]
QStarStarStar[62]
Rolling StoneStarStarStarHalf star[63]
Spin8/10[64]

Depression Cherry received mostly positive reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 76, based on 34 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[58] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.5 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[57]

Eric Renner Brown of Entertainment Weekly complimented Legrand's vocal structures and the instrumentals within the album, calling them "exquisite".[59] Awarding the album with the "Best New Music" accolade, Jayson Greene of Pitchfork praised the album's instrumentals, classifying them as "ethereal", and concluded that the band had "never sounded exactly this full and soaring before".[24] Tim Jonze of The Guardian stated that the album "lacks the bigger pop moments of their last two albums, Bloom and Teen Dream", although he approves the band's musical approach and stated that the band "increase their impressive ability to sound like they’re whispering each song".[21]

AllMusic's Heather Phares likened the album's musical approach to the band's earlier studio albums and said that it's "a grower that demands and rewards close listening -- especially under headphones".[20] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone called it "A formula that might seem limiting feels instead like it can contain entire worlds".[63] In a mixed review, John Calvert of NME claimed that the album can "becoming increasingly uninteresting", though he further stated that "the duo stick closely to their signature steady pacing and two-piece dynamic, with diminishing returns".[61]

Accolades

[edit]

Depression Cherry was named as one of the best albums of 2015 by several music publications, including Blare Magazine,[65] Diffuser.fm,[66] and Under the Radar,[67] who placed it in their top 10, while other publications such as No Ripcord,[68] Paste,[69] Pretty Much Amazing,[70] and Sputnikmusic have placed it in their top 20.[71]

Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Blare Magazine Top 50 Albums of 2015
9
 [65]
Complex 50 Best Albums of 2015
42
 [72]
Crack Best Albums of 2015
31
 [73]
Diffuser.fm The 50 Best Albums of 2015
9
 [66]
Drowned in Sound Favorite Albums of the Year 2015
70
 [74]
Gigwise Albums of the Year 2015
28
 [75]
Gorilla vs. Bear Albums of 2015
38
 [76]
musicOMH Top 50 Albums Of 2015
41
 [77]
No Ripcord Top 50 Albums of 2015
19
 [68]
Paste 50 Best Albums of 2015
19
 [69]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2015
28
 [78]
PopMatters 80 Best Albums of 2015
40
 [79]
Pretty Much Amazing The 50 Best Albums of 2015
22
 [70]
Rolling Stone 50 Best Albums of 2015
33
 [80]
Rough Trade Albums of the Year 2015
28
 [81]
Spin The 50 Best Albums of 2015
16
 [82]
Sputnikmusic Top 50 Albums of 2015
19
 [71]
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2015
47
 [83]
The Skinny Top 50 Best Albums of 2015
31
 [84]
The Daily Telegraph The Best Albums of 2015
—
 [85]
The Vinyl Factory The 50 Best LPs of 2015
46
 [86]
Under the Radar Top 100 Albums of 2015
8
 [67]

Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics written by Victoria Legrand; all music composed and arranged by Beach House.

No.TitleLength
1."Levitation"5:54
2."Sparks"5:20
3."Space Song"5:20
4."Beyond Love"4:24
5."10:37"3:48
6."PPP"6:08
7."Wildflower"3:38
8."Bluebird"3:56
9."Days of Candy"6:16
Total length:44:44

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Depression Cherry.[17]

Beach House

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[46] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Depression Cherry

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Depression Cherry is the fifth studio album by the American dream pop duo , consisting of vocalist and keyboardist and guitarist . Released on August 28, 2015, through Sub Pop Records, the album was recorded at Studio in the Country in , from November 2014 to January 2015. It features nine tracks, including "," "," and "Days of ," and represents a deliberate return to simplicity with melody-focused songs and minimal live drums, diverging from the more expansive production of their previous release, Bloom. The album explores themes of loss, time, and existence, drawing inspiration from literary and philosophical sources such as , , and . Co-produced by the band and Chris Coady, Depression Cherry emphasizes their core strengths in crafting ethereal, trance-like soundscapes with lush synths, reverb-heavy guitars, and Legrand's haunting vocals. Critically acclaimed upon release, the album received widespread praise for its emotional depth and sonic refinement, earning a score of 8.4 from , which designated it "Best New Music" and described it as an "impeccably measured step forward." Tracks like "" became fan favorites and achieved significant streaming success in subsequent years.

Background

Development

Following the expansive production scale of their 2012 album Bloom, , consisting of and , decided to pivot toward a simpler sound for their next project, emphasizing intimacy and to recapture the essence of their early work. This shift was motivated by a desire to strip away the complexities that had accumulated, focusing instead on core elements like melody and atmosphere without the weight of larger arrangements. In interviews, Legrand and Scally described Depression Cherry as a deliberate "reset" to their roots, allowing the duo to reconnect with the organic, two-person creative process that defined their debut albums. Scally noted that felt "burdened by the presence of drums," which had overshadowed subtler aspects during performances, prompting a return to experimentation reminiscent of their initial days together. Legrand echoed this, highlighting the album's role in evolving naturally amid their 30s, free from commercial pressures. The writing process began in autumn and continued through , with initial demos centered on melodic structures and atmospheric textures, such as the early composition "10:37," which set the tonal foundation. This timeline followed a period of recovery, as the extensive touring for Bloom and prior releases left fatigued, leading them to adopt a more insular, studio-centric approach rather than outward expansion.

Title origin

The title Depression Cherry was coined by Beach House during the album's early creative stages as a phrase that intuitively captured its core emotional and artistic essence. , the band's vocalist and keyboardist, described in a 2015 how the words emerged spontaneously to her, instantly clicking together in a way that felt serendipitous and unprecedented. "It was a phrase that had come to me—these two words just worked next to each other immediately. It was a crazy moment," Legrand explained, adding that she and guitarist verified its novelty by searching online, where the combination had never appeared before. This discovery solidified their choice, as Scally noted, "We fell in love with it straight away... We kept trying other titles but nothing represented the feeling of the record anywhere near as well as this does." The title thus embodies a state of emotional rawness and authenticity in the art-making process, drawing from the band's personal experiences of vulnerability and unfiltered expression to evoke a bittersweet, introspective tone. Legrand further elaborated on the title's multifaceted appeal, calling it "visual" and "unusual," capable of signifying "many things" that aligned with the album's hazy, melancholic atmosphere. This raw, unadorned quality mirrored the duo's intent to strip back production for a more direct connection to their inner world, prioritizing genuine feeling over polished artifice. The phrase's duality—pairing the weight of "depression" with the delicate allure of "cherry"—encapsulates the album's blend of sorrow and fleeting tenderness, fostering a sense of pure, unguarded creativity that permeates the record's sound and themes. The associated artwork features a chrome-red cardboard jacket with holographic foil-stamped lettering. Released through , this visual choice uses the vivid yet subdued red hue as a central motif.

Recording and production

Studio

The recording sessions for Depression Cherry took place primarily at Studio in the Country in , spanning November 2014 to January 2015. This isolated rural setting allowed the band to focus intensely, crossing the anniversaries of John Lennon's and Roy Orbison's deaths during the , which added a reflective layer to the workflow. The sessions reflected the duo's desire for simplicity cultivated in the development phase, prioritizing melodic structures with fewer instruments than prior works. Beach House—Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally—co-produced the album with longtime collaborator Chris Coady, marking his third project with the group. The daily workflow centered on a trance-like immersion, where the pair would repeat foundational elements like chords or beats for extended periods, permitting organic evolution without external pressures. Live drum takes were incorporated but played a diminished role compared to Bloom, as the band found traditional kits constrained the subtle arrangements they sought. Overdubs were used selectively, including a notable 24-part harmony on "Days of Candy" recorded with eight singers from nearby Pearl River Community College. Initial tracking wrapped by early 2015, with mixing handled subsequently at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, except for "Beyond Love," which was mixed at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, completing the album in time for its August release. The self-reliant duo process demanded experimentation, building tracks incrementally without a full live band setup, ensuring each element served the album's intimate dream pop essence.

Production choices

In the production of Depression Cherry, opted for a return to , structuring songs around core melodies and a limited palette of instruments to emphasize intimacy over grandeur. This approach marked a deliberate shift from the more expansive sound of prior s like Bloom, where the band resisted the urge to inflate arrangements simply due to their growing resources. Co-produced by the duo and Chris Coady, the was kept concise at 44 minutes across nine tracks to ensure a seamless, cohesive flow that maintains momentum without excess. A key decision involved minimizing live drums, which played a far lesser role compared to previous works, in favor of programmed elements and old drum machines to create a subtle, evocative . This choice contributed to the album's texture, enhanced by reverb-heavy guitars that deliver a spacy, reverberated quality—evident in tracks like "Levitation," where slide guitars add a brittle, ethereal edge without overpowering the mix. Victoria Legrand's organ work emerged as a central element, with prominent vintage-organ patches providing dissonant washes and upfront presence, as heard in "Sparks," where it injects a layer of discomfort amid the . Her vocals were layered extensively in the mix, with backing harmonies positioned closer to the foreground to evoke worried whispers that ground the soaring lead lines, fostering a dense yet intimate sonic depth. Coady and the band pursued a hazy, analog aesthetic through an organic recording process at Studio in the Country in , emphasizing tape-based capture and minimal post-production editing to preserve raw emergence. This involved repeating foundational elements like chords until natural developments arose, avoiding heavy manipulation to retain a warm, soulful authenticity akin to theater or silent-film scores.

Composition

Musical elements

Depression Cherry exemplifies Beach House's signature aesthetic, infused with elements that create a hazy, immersive soundscape through swirling synths, echoing vocals, and steady mid-tempo grooves. The album's sonic palette draws on vintage keyboards like organ washes and buzzing synthesizers, layered with bejeweled guitar effects that add texture and depth without overpowering the arrangements. Victoria Legrand's multitracked vocals float ethereally above the mix, often grounded by subtle chords and machine drum patterns that maintain a somnambulant . Key tracks highlight these elements distinctly; for instance, "Space Song" features a , buzzing that propels its trance-like progression, while "" builds an ethereal atmosphere from a saturated and underlying drone. Alex Scally's guitar work, processed through reverb and delay effects, contributes to the album's prismatic glides and repetitive motifs, evoking shoegaze's wall-of-sound without aggressive distortion. Legrand's keyboard contributions, including organ and , provide harmonic foundations that emphasize ambiance over sharp hooks. The album comprises nine tracks averaging around five minutes each, prioritizing hypnotic repetition and atmospheric immersion to foster a cohesive, trance-inducing flow. Production techniques, such as layered reverb, enhance the overall haze, allowing the music to unfold gradually like a series of abstract expressionist canvases.

Lyrical themes

The lyrics of Depression Cherry revolve around recurring themes of love, loss, introspection, and escapism, presented in an abstract and poetic style that invites personal interpretation. Beach House frontwoman Victoria Legrand has described the album as centered on "love, pain, getting older, dealing with loss, letting go," emphasizing emotional vulnerability and the passage of time. These motifs often manifest through evocative, open-ended imagery that blurs the boundaries between reality and dream, fostering a sense of melancholic release. In tracks like "Sparks," the lyrics explore fleeting connections and the ephemerality of emotional sparks, with lines such as "And then it’s dark again/ Just like a spark" capturing the transient nature of intimacy and its inevitable fade into obscurity. Similarly, "PPP" evokes a surreal longing through its fragmented, spoken-word delivery and abstract phrases like "Body electric, body electric," suggesting a disorienting yearning for connection amid uncertainty. Other songs, such as "Space Song," delve into loss with poignant reflections on heartbreak—"Tender is the night for a broken heart"—while "Levitation" hints at escapism by promising transport to an undefined place, underscoring introspection and the desire to transcend personal turmoil. Legrand's breathy, melancholic vocal delivery plays a crucial role in deepening the emotional resonance of these themes, blending soaring highs with intimate, grounded tones that convey both vulnerability and fatalistic calm. Her androgynous, languid phrasing—often layered in harmonies or shifted to spoken-word—amplifies the introspective mood, making the abstract lyrics feel viscerally personal. This style draws from her wide vocal range, which shifts fluidly to evoke the album's hazy emotional landscape. The word choice and motifs are influenced by Legrand's personal experiences, including relationships that inspire lovesick memories, as well as her nomadic upbringing and immersion in Baltimore's bohemian scene, infusing the lyrics with a sense of emotional authenticity tied to themes of change, grief, and letting go. The musical backdrop of droning guitars and organs subtly amplifies this lyrical mood without overpowering its poetic subtlety.

Release and promotion

Marketing strategies

Beach House announced Depression Cherry on May 26, 2015, through their label Sub Pop Records, revealing the album's tracklist, release date of August 28, 2015, and accompanying world tour dates. Pre-orders opened immediately following the announcement, offering limited edition clear vinyl pressings alongside standard black vinyl, CD, and digital formats bundled with instant access to select tracks. These exclusive physical editions, limited in quantity to drive collector interest, were promoted through Sub Pop's online store and select retailers to generate early buzz among fans. The band utilized platforms to share teasers, including close-up snippets of the album's distinctive red velvet sleeve, as well as behind-the-scenes studio photographs from the recording sessions in . These posts on and built anticipation by emphasizing the tactile, luxurious packaging and the album's intimate production aesthetic. Following the expansive promotion of their previous album Bloom in 2012, Beach House adopted a more streamlined, self-directed promotional strategy for Depression Cherry, focusing on direct fan engagement via social channels and label partnerships rather than extensive traditional media outreach. This approach aligned with the album's title, which evoked themes of raw emotional vulnerability and was subtly woven into the marketing narrative around simplicity and introspection.

Singles

The lead single from Depression Cherry, "Sparks", was released digitally on July 1, 2015, through Sub Pop Records, accompanied by an official audio stream on YouTube and SoundCloud. A promotional CD single was also issued to select recipients. "Space Song" was released as a promotional single on August 28, 2015, coinciding with the album's release, available as a digital download and on promotional CD. The track later gained significant viral traction through memes on platforms like TikTok—most notably a widely shared clip featuring actor Pedro Pascal—and licensing placements in television series including Atlanta, Euphoria, and Wednesday. Subsequent promotional singles included "PPP", released on October 30, 2015, and "Beyond Love", released on September 28, 2015, both available digitally and as promotional CDs. Both "Sparks" and "Space Song" were distributed exclusively in digital and limited promotional formats, with no 7-inch vinyl editions, b-sides, or remixes produced, reflecting Beach House's indie label approach under that prioritized the album's integrated listening experience over traditional single-driven radio promotion.

Critical reception

Contemporary reviews

Upon its release on August 28, 2015, Depression Cherry garnered generally positive reviews from contemporary critics, who praised its return to the intimate, atmospheric that defined Beach House's early work. The album earned an aggregate score of 82 out of 100 on , based on 34 reviews, signifying "universal acclaim" for its lush, restrained soundscapes. rated the album 8.4 out of 10, commending its atmospheric purity and balance of dim, lush tones that progress at a deliberate pace, marking an impeccably measured evolution while retaining the band's signature dreaminess. Reviewers widely viewed the record as a return to form, emphasizing how the pared-down production—eschewing the grander arrangements of Bloom (2012)—allowed the duo's emotional core to shine through more vividly. AllMusic echoed this sentiment, highlighting the album's emotional resonance and noting that, though it lacks the full melodic impact of prior releases like (2010), it delivers a confident exploration of vulnerability and introspection. The publication described it as a "grower" that rewards close listening with its subtle, evocative layers. However, some outlets offered mixed assessments, critiquing the album's perceived repetitiveness in adhering closely to familiar tropes. , for instance, pointed out that appeared "stuck in a groove," producing consistently gauzy pop without bold departures, which could feel like "non-specific pastels" to listeners not fully immersed. Rolling Stone lauded frontwoman Victoria Legrand's vulnerability throughout, observing that the album masterfully evokes bliss and loss in equal strength, with her seductive croon anchoring tracks that build subtle tension without resolution. Overall, the critical consensus celebrated Depression Cherry for refining the band's ethereal style into something intimately immersive.

Accolades

Upon its release, Depression Cherry earned widespread critical acclaim, culminating in several notable honors and rankings from prominent music publications. Pitchfork awarded the album its prestigious Best New Music designation, praising its hazy synth textures and emotional depth as a refined evolution of Beach House's dream pop sound. It also ranked at number 28 on Rough Trade Shops' year-end Top 100 Albums of 2015, reflecting strong support from the independent music retail community. In critic polls, Depression Cherry placed at number 33 on The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop ballot, an annual aggregation of votes from hundreds of music journalists that underscored the album's resonance within indie and alternative circles. Despite its positive reception, the album received no nominations at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards in 2016, a notable omission amid categories like Best Alternative Music Album.

Commercial performance

Chart positions

Depression Cherry debuted strongly in the United States, entering the at number 8 in September 2015, marking Beach House's second consecutive top 10 album on the chart. The album also performed well on alternative and indie-focused charts, reaching number 2 on the CMJ Top 200 and reflecting its appeal within the dream pop and communities. Internationally, it charted modestly, with entries driven primarily by digital downloads and streaming availability upon release. The album's chart performance was bolstered by the release of singles like "Sparks" and "PPP," which increased visibility through radio play and online promotion.
Chart (2015)Peak position
US Billboard 2008
US CMJ Top 2002
UK Albums (OCC)17
UK Independent Albums (OCC)2
Australian Albums (ARIA)34

Certifications and sales

In the United States, Depression Cherry achieved RIAA Gold certification on May 23, 2023, recognizing 500,000 equivalent units, which include a combination of physical , digital downloads, and streaming equivalents. The 's first-week totaled 27,000 units in the , propelled significantly by high demand for its vinyl release, which debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200. In the United States, the album has sold over 500,000 copies as of 2023 estimates. As of 2025, the album has surpassed 1.87 billion streams on , contributing substantially to its commercial longevity. The popularity of special vinyl editions, such as clear pressing with a red velvet-flocked jacket and the accompanying flocked CD reissue, has driven collector interest and secondary market value, with these variants often commanding premiums due to their .

Album content

Track listing

The standard edition of Depression Cherry consists of nine tracks with a total runtime of 44:49. All tracks were written by Beach House's and . The album was published by in the United States and internationally. The initial release includes no bonus tracks, and the digital deluxe edition is identical to the standard version.
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1"Levitation"Legrand, Scally5:55
2"Sparks"Legrand, Scally5:21
3"Space Song"Legrand, Scally5:20
4"Beyond Love"Legrand, Scally4:25
5"10:37"Legrand, Scally3:49
6"PPP"Legrand, Scally6:09
7"Wildflower"Legrand, Scally3:39
8"Bluebird"Legrand, Scally3:55
9"Days of Candy"Legrand, Scally6:16

Personnel

Depression Cherry was primarily created by the duo , consisting of on vocals, keyboards, and organ, and on guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals. The album features additional live drums and percussion by on tracks 1, 3–5, and 7–9, with Chris Bear providing live drums on tracks 2 and 6. The production was handled by and Chris Coady, who also co-mixed the album, with mixing occurring at Sunset Sound for tracks 1–3 and 5–9, and at for track 4. was led by David Tolomei, assisted by Jay Wesley at Studio in the Country and Morgan Stratton at Sunset Sound. Mastering was performed by at Sterling Sound. The album's visual elements were designed by Brian Roettinger, with photography credited to . All songs were written and arranged by .

Legacy

Cultural influence

Depression Cherry contributed significantly to the dream pop revival of the , transforming the genre's atmospheric foundations from 1980s influences into a distinctive modern form that emphasized emotional depth and sonic immersion. The album's hazy, reverb-drenched production and introspective melodies helped define the era's indie aesthetic, blending nostalgia with subtle innovation to inspire a wave of artists exploring similar ethereal soundscapes. The single "" saw a notable viral resurgence in 2019 after featuring in the soundtrack of HBO's , which amplified its reach on and drove substantial increases in streams, turning it into one of the decade's sleeper hits from the indie canon. Depression Cherry's iconic cherry motif has permeated fan culture, sparking widespread creation of artwork, posters, and custom merchandise that extend the album's visual and thematic allure into personal expressions of indie fandom. In analyses of dream pop, the album is recognized for its atmospheric innovations, adhering to the genre's core values of blurred textures and emotional ambiguity while advancing a refined musical through layered, evocative arrangements.

10th

In August 2025, music publications marked the 10th of Depression Cherry with retrospective articles revisiting its creation, themes, and lasting influence in the dream pop landscape. Polyvox Magazine published "Ten Years of Depression Cherry by ," a feature that explored the album's intimate recording process in and its role in solidifying 's ethereal sound. Similarly, MAGNET Magazine commemorated the release date by highlighting the album's essential status, linking back to their original 2015 review and emphasizing tracks like "" that gained viral traction over the years. Bloomsbury Publishing announced in July 2025 a new installment in the acclaimed 33 1/3 series dedicated to Depression Cherry, authored by Amanda Ogeani, which delves into the album's artistic development, production challenges, and broader cultural resonance. The book, slated for release in the series' typical short-format style, underscores the album's ongoing scholarly and fan interest a decade later. No official reissue or anniversary tour was confirmed by or their label as of November 2025, though fan discussions on online communities speculated about potential celebrations tied to the milestone. This surge in availability aligned with the album's persistent streaming popularity, reflecting its enduring cultural relevance.

References

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