DIIV - "Deceiver" (2019) Album Review
TRACKLIST:
1."Horsehead"
2."Like Before You Were Born"
3."Skin Game"
4."Between Tides"
5."Taker"
6."For the Guilty"
7."The Spark"
8."Lorelei"
9."Blankenship"
10."Acheron"
In DIIV’s third studio album, “Deceiver” , they pick up the pace in such a way that is not necessarily jumping to completely a new genre, but also not writing themselves into a creative corner as seen in their first album “Oshin”. With influences that are reminiscent of Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine, they leave the beach based sounds behind them, while embracing their beautiful, slow burning, shoegaze influences more than ever. This is most certainly an album to get lost to. Get in your car, drive somewhere you’ve never been before, and just play the album from start to finish.
“Deceiver” seems to have an album wide theme of beautiful chaos that can not be ignored. Guitar melodies and effects come unexpectedly, maybe even inviting a positive wince or two from the listener. As heard at the ~1:50 mark in one of their singles “Taker” , there is this gorgeous, yet seemingly out of place guitar melody utilizing what I can only assume is a pitch shifter as the main effect.
Once again, the beauty of this album is impossible to ignore. I do however highly recommend the correct setting to listen to it for the first time. I, alongside many others, am very excited to see what DIIV has in store for us in the future.
OVERALL: 9.3/10 (93%)
SOUND DESIGN: 10/10
ORIGINALITY: 9/10
LYRICS: 8.5/10
REPLAY FACTOR: 10/10
INSTRUMENTAL DEXTERITY: 9/10