7/10

Since the release of their explosive self-titled debut LP in 2016, Chicago-based outfit Dehd have largely sat on the peripheries of the indie-rock scene. Their bold and adventurous sound has led them down countless avenues over the years, dabbling in a diverse array of influences ever since that have included post-punk, dream-pop and so much more. But with their recent EP 'Empty In My Mind' bringing forth the next wave of inspiration to their direction earlier this year, they return with their fourth studio album 'Blue Skies', a record that sees them find solace within their style to date.

Arriving fresh in the wake of their heavily-praised 2020 full-length 'Flower Of Devotion', 'Blue Skies' aims to continue the broad and vibrant energy that collection brought to their legacy so far. But rather than pursue a rough and ready cacophony of instant earworms, the band have chosen to rein in some of their more thunderous offerings in exchange for a warmer and more assured listen. Keeping the overall production as calm and tranquil as possible, they deliver a beautifully sweet and woozy effort that sees them far more comfortable within their chosen guise than ever before.

It may not come out all guns blazing, but 'Blue Skies' manages to showcase some of the band's more heartfelt and romantically-charged angles like never before. There is this subtle pride to how they sound within these new songs, giving us an insight into their healthy state of mind and where we can expect to hear them going next.