Flower of Devotion

Chicago trio Dehd reached new emotional depths on their 2019 sophomore album, Water, a collection of songs informed by the breakup of bandmates Emily Kempf and Jason Balla. Dehd's minimal and sometimes surfy garage pop bloomed into something more distinctive on that set of vulnerable and aching songs, with each of the three players revealing more of themselves in Water's sweet but melancholic tones. Third album Flower of Devotion continues exploring the sunset-colored moods first achieved on Water, but heightened production and experimentation with performance push the album into even sharper expressions of longing and languor. The last album was already a move away from the band's lo-fi beginnings, and everything is even clearer here. In addition to more adventurous guitar leads and a more defined sound across the board, songs like "Loner" and "Drip Drop" incorporate layers of synths and accentuate drummer Eric McGrady's steadfast, minimal rhythms with electronic drum machine samples.