DIIV have been able to play out one of the most difficult situations on the slippery terrain of modern showbiz. The have outgrown their status of textbook skinny hipsters right up to well-respected skinny hipsters, at least in my book.
After being out of the game for some time due to heroin-induced drama, the NYC-based band made their big return (with a slightly reduced lineup) and in 2018 they managed to score high points by touring with none other than Deafheaven.
We are moving forward as they peak with their third album Deceiver coming out by the end of 2019.
This album is awesome. DIIV draw directly from the spring, and by spring I mean bands like MBV, Ride and even the true masters themselves – Sonic Youth.
Going through the first half of Deceiver is easy, light and airy. 20 minutesthat feel like a pleasant journey along a sunny American highway, like in the movies. In the middle of the album, there’s a slight twist to the band’s own flavor of writing emotionally charged post-punk bangers – much like the single The Spark.
After this (right from the first chords of Lorelei) things go steadily to more dark and moody territories. As the records progresses, the journey continues throughwhat feels like a dense forest and ends up at the edge of an imaginary cliff. There you find Blankenship, which is one of the two true masterpieces on the album. The second is the closing Acheron. We’re already knee-deep into thick, velvety dusk.
In conclusion, these are some of the most perfectly played, strategically endured 45 minutes of recent music that sure feels like a lot of other 90’s goodies, without offending the good taste.
GGWP