Now functioning as a road-tested, democratic band in the studio, every member of DIIV has to assert himself, and the slightest alteration to their usual sound brings out new features-a brief glimmer of piano cuts through an enveloping humidity on "Healthy Moon" similar to early R.E.M. Even "(Fuck)" serves its purpose as an 17-second cleanse between the record’s murky midsection and its luminous final stretch.
Whereas Oshin was meditative and static, "Dopamine" and " Under the Sun" are transportive and intricate, taking mid-song off-ramps to more interesting vistas. Written and performed entirely by Smith with every instrument mixed evenly, Oshin relied on its cumulative effect, soft-selling its hooks. Call it Requiem for a Dream-pop, dedicated to a gorgeous yet unglamorous portrayal of addiction.ĭIIV's signature trick is conflating the treadmill momentum of habit with the false hope for escape, and this was about the only trick they had going on Oshin. And like those records, Is the Is Are doesn’t engage in fantasy or open up new worlds-it builds a nearly impenetrable wall around the self.
However, this is more in the spirit of Seventeen Seconds to Pornography: gray, gloomy textures, depressive fatalism. The revelation of a 17-song tracklist promised scatter and sprawl, like a hybrid of Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me and Disintegration. With each of the five singles in its protracted rollout, DIIV confirmed they were making their proprietary sound deeper and more immersive. Though not the Tago Mago or Tusk-style double album Smith originally planned, Is the Is Are makes unusual demands for an indie rock record.
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