Self-titling an album later in a band’s career usually signifies a restart or redefinition of sorts. It’s an artist’s way of saying that they want this project to represent them, perhaps even more so than prior releases. And as much as it’s unreasonable for a band to decide how they’ll be defined, The Helio Sequence’s sixth album does, in fact, veer in a new direction for the band. This collection of songs is lush and atmospheric, leaning heavily on layered, orchestral ambience rather than on the chirping indie-pop choruses of the band’s past. Album opener “Battle Lines” surges with melancholy, each note fraught with a moody pensiveness. It expands from there, as if the musicians are not necessarily expressing anything different, but expressing the same things differently. The collection as a whole is lovely and contemplative, building a certain feeling around the listener. It would be telling to know what The Helio Sequence would have titled this album if they hadn’t named it for themselves.