An aura of occult seduction hangs over Badwater. Previous releases have found the Chicago combo tapping into a languid, blues-dipped vein reminiscent of Cowboy Junkies and Mazzy Star. The band’s latest project advances along the same lines, but with better melodic definition and more cogent arrangements. Marie-Claire Balabanian’s sultry vocals remain the band’s focal point, with Karl Briedrick’s insinuating guitar lines, Linda Malonis’ furtive keyboards, and Chris Dyes’ jazz-inflected drums providing plenty of texture. Badwater’s songs are painted in pastel shades, hinting at volatile emotions beneath hazy sonic washes. Balabanian projects a darkly erotic persona as she veers from the narcotized chug of “Caught Up” to the slow psychedelic swirl of “Young Eyes” and the film noir slinkiness of “Live It Down.” The title tune picks up altitude thanks to buoyant guitar work and a nervous groove, while “Watch the Storm” takes listeners into misty interior spaces that recall Bare Trees–era Fleetwood Mac. All told, Speck Mountain weaves a spell on Badwater with an enraptured air, matched by a clear sense of purpose.