DIIV
Frog In Boiling Water
Fantasy Records [2024]
Album Overview: DIIV, formed in 2011, is a band known for their contribution to revitalizing dream-pop and shoegaze genres. Over the last decade, they’ve grown from a cohesive rock quartet into a group characterized by collective artistry. Their previous album, Deceiver, was released in 2019 and marked a significant genre showcase as the band pushed their shoegaze with sharper edges. Frog in Boiling Water, DIIV’s fourth album, finds themselves at a crossroads—out of contract and free from external obligations. This newfound independence allows them to pursue a record that is even more true to their artistic vision without compromise. Frog in Boiling Water combines elements of breakbeats, post-industrial sounds, and their signature dream-pop and shoegaze influences, creating a soundscape that is both powerful and ethereal. Most of these tracks dig deep into the shoegaze haze and never get too much beyond a mid tempo pace giving Frog in Boiling Water a warmth that wraps around you.
Musical Style: The album features a blend of rhythms inspired by breakbeats and post-industrial power, layered with shoegaze guitars and vocals. The sound is both dynamic and atmospheric, with influences from electronic music and traditional rock elements, creating a soundscape that is both intricate and expansive.
Evolution of Sound: DIIV’s sound has progressed from straightforward dream-pop and shoegaze to a more complex and layered musical approach. This album incorporates a variety of textures and influences, moving away from purely guitar-driven tracks to include electronic samples and experimental elements, demonstrating their growth and willingness to explore new sonic paths all while crushing you with their walls of shoegaze. The vocals mostly now ride right under the music which pulls the listener in closer.
Artists with Similar Fire: Fans of Beach House, Slowdive, Whirr and My Bloody Valentine may find similarities in DIIV’s latest work. These artists share the combining of atmospheric, shoegaze soundscapes with more grounded, rock-based elements, creating music that is both immersive and reflective.
Pivotal Tracks: “Reflected” is a song that balances softness with intensity, dealing with themes of self-deception and survival. “Brown Paper Bag” is a perfect melding of dream-pop and post-rock, channeling feelings of dejection and angst into a delicate yet robust composition. It has a consistent defined edge in its distortion that makes you want to play it again. “In Amber” opens the album with an existential contemplation, transitioning from downtrodden to uplifting, symbolizing resistance against despair. “Soul-Net” near the end of the record features a muted funk rhythm, providing a backdrop for a narrative on the dangers of online conspiracy theories.
Lyrical Strength: The lyrics on Frog in Boiling Water are characterized by their depth and introspection. They provide a candid look at the human condition, balancing between despair and hope, and often reflect on the complexities of modern life and the band’s own experiences. DIIV is a band that can attest to the struggles that life puts out there and musically create a template on getting through.
DIIV REVIEW HISTORY
Deceiver (2019) / Is The Is Are (2016) / Oshin (2012)
DIIV LINKS
Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Fantasy Records
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