Teen Dream (2010)

Teen Dream is the third studio album by American dream pop duo Beach House. It was released on January 26, 2010, through Sub Pop, being their first full-length release under the label following their departure from Carpark Records in 2009. Internationally, the album was released by Bella Union in Europe, Mistletone Records in Australia, and Arts & Crafts in Mexico. The album was produced and arranged by the duo, with Chris Coady as co-producer.

After Beach House finished touring in support of their previous studio album Devotion (2008), the duo began writing Teen Dream, which took about nine months. Recording sessions took place in July 2009 at Dreamland Studios in Hurley, New York and DNA in New York City. After it was announced that the duo signed to Sub Pop, they announced the album in October 2009, and released its lead single, "Norway", on November 17, 2009. Days after the single's release, Teen Dream was leaked onto the Internet. The album's second single, "Zebra", was released on Record Store Day, on April 17, 2010.

The album was met with critical acclaim from music critics, who praised the duo's change in sound and the album's instrumentals. It was also named as one of the best albums of 2010 by several publications. It debuted at number 43 on the US Billboard 200 with 13,000 copies sold within its first week of release, eventually selling a total of 137,000 copies in the United States by April 2012. In May 2012, they released the album's follow-up Bloom, which was met with similar acclaim.

Background

Beach House released their self-titled debut studio album in October 2006, which was recorded on a four-track recording tape under a budget of approximately $1,000. It was met with a positive reception from music critics. They followed this with the release of their second studio album, Devotion (2008), which was announced in June 2007. That album became Beach House's first to appear on the US Billboard 200, debuting at number 195, selling roughly 3,000 copies within its first week. While touring in 2009, they stated that they were planning on recording new material during the upcoming summer. In September of that year, it was announced that the duo had signed onto independent record label Sub Pop, along with a confirmation that the duo were recording their third studio album. This would mark their departure from Carpark Records, where they released their first two albums. In October of that same year, the duo announced their third studio album, Teen Dream.

Recording and visuals

Unlike the writing process for Devotion (2008), where they wrote in between tour dates, the duo began writing songs for Teen Dream right after they finished touring, being done within nine months. Lead vocalist Victoria Legrand stated that while on tour, they preserved their energy and any concepts in mind for the album, additionally showing their excitement for once the touring cycle concludes. Most of the album's recording took place at Dreamland Studios in Hurley, New York, in a matter of three weeks in July 2009. Most of the instruments used on the album have also been used on Devotion. With the duo's record deal with Sub Pop, they were able to hire an outside producer for the album, Chris Coady.

Their record deal also allowed them to produce a DVD version of the album. This was conceptualized for a while, with Legrand stating that the album had a precise amount of energy for it to be done. In June 2009, a few demos were sent to video artists, in order to obtain accompanying music videos for the DVD. For "Norway", Guitarist Alex Scally had contacted Showbeast to create a visual interpretation of the song. Two videos for the track were released on the DVD; one version contained the track and the other one omits the usage of the track, also titled "Snorway". Scally had also stated that the album was considerably more expensive, stating that, "Every bit of money we got, we spent. The recording was insanely expensive. Every single step of the way, we've just tried to go more, go further".

Musical style

Teen Dream has been described by publications as a dream pop and shoegaze album. According to Paul Lester of The Guardian, the album uses "simple elements – spectral piano, shimmery organ, steady percussion, pedal steel, and languorous female vocals". The duo strove to create a more "sophisticated" album and, according to the group, the demos of this record were comparable to the final tracks that made up their previous record. Also, their use of extensive reverb was held back significantly, according to Scally.