Teen Dream

So yeah, I think I finally understand why all my music head friends kept pushing Beach House on me.

Listening to Teen Dream in 2025 is kind of surreal because it’s weirdly both ahead of its time and unmistakably a product of its era. You can hear how this album shaped the whole next wave of indie, but at the same time, it feels locked into a moment—like a time capsule of Tumblr-core, grainy concert footage, and indie kids discovering reverb pedals for the first time. And yet, it still hits.

This is the first Beach House album that actually moves. Their older stuff always felt like it was floating—pretty, but weightless, just kind of dissolving into its own atmosphere. But Teen Dream has a pulse. “Zebra” kicks things off with a light bounce, but by the time you hit “10 Mile Stereo” or “Used to Be”, it’s clear they’re not just leaning into dreamy melancholy anymore—they’re building something fuller, catchier, and more direct. It’s still hazy, but now there’s energy, like a lucid dream instead of just drifting.

And yet, it’s still so Beach House. “Silver Soul” (yes, the one that Kendrick sampled on mother i sober) and “Walk in the Park” still have that classic, slow-burn, wistful sound, and “Take Care” could’ve easily fit on their debut. It’s clear they weren’t trying to reinvent themselves completely, just refining what they already did best.

That being said, some of the same issues that made me hesitant about Beach House in the first place still pop up. Some tracks stretch on a little longer than they need to, hovering in the same sonic space without much movement. There’s a fine line between hypnotic and repetitive, and while this album manages it better than their earlier work, it still leans into that indie-for-indie’s-sake territory at times. You can definitely hear how this album influenced a whole generation of washed-out, dreamy, “ethereal” indie bands that sound beautiful but don’t really stick.

But even with those flaws, Teen Dream just works. It’s a massive step up for them, and even now, it feels like a landmark for the whole dream pop scene. If anything, it makes me wish more bands today had this level of balance—introspective but not aimless, dreamy but not weightless, polished but still raw enough to feel real.

So yeah. Teen Dream in 2025? Still a win.

BEACH HOUSE - TEEN DREAM

RATING - 8.5/10

FAVORITE TRACK - Silver Soul

GENRE - Indie, Pop