Album Review: Beaches - She Beats

If you've been dying to bring a bit of smooth, psychedelic rock to your speakers, She Beats by Beaches is the album you've been searching for. It's funky, dreamy and a very easy listen. It's the second album from the Melbourne based all-female quintet, whose self-titled debut was released in 2008. They haven't strayed too far from the mould that they created with the production of Beaches, but She Beats sees the girls perfect their textured and hypnotic sound while making it appear effortless.

Guitars are heavily distorted, set amidst a looping of soft vocals that seem to echo into eternity. All the while, there is a steady beat in the background and plenty of wah-wahs that cut through the layers. Some of the tracks, such as Dune, so closely resemble '60s revival rock that there is no doubt Beaches drew some inspiration from this era. Send Them Away is one of their most likeable tracks; it is jam packed with rocking guitar riffs and is sure to get you grooving. In fact, the entire album is pretty upbeat and snappy. The exception is Veda, which creates an almost solemn tribal vibe, only then to be interrupted by the shrieks of a distant cello momentarily before the track terminates.

She Beats is a fantastic album, not dissimilar to Beaches' first, yet so much better. The tracks are more carefully constructed and the album flows fluidly; the entire thing positively pulses with an energy that seems to be gleaned from decades past. The surf-rock feel Beaches have created is infectious and really draws you in. It's all too easy to get lost in the psychedelic, dreamy ambience She Beats creates.