Cerulean retains the glossy, thoroughly pretty ultra-pop feel of Ocean Blue’s self-titled debut, but ends up showcasing some of the band’s dreamier elements as well. The album comes across as a polished-over combination of the Housemartins and the Cocteau Twins, and it’s certainly the most textured and dreamy of the group’s releases. Given the band’s strict adherence to completely melodic pop, though, that doesn’t say a whole lot — their smooth and pretty songs shine through everything they’ve done, and to say that Cerulean is less immediately accessible than Beneath the Rhythm & Sound only means that its production is a bit more sparkly and washed out. Ocean Blue are, in many respects, masters of soft, gentle pop, and Cerulean does nothing to stray from this skill. – Nitsuh Abebe