Alternative Media Group

Alternative Media Group RSS feed

CD Reviews News Article

DIIV – OSHIN

Author:
Posted:
Saturday, 21 July 2012

DIIV is the name of an alternative-indie band with so much momentum in their atmospheric debut album Oshin, that they will no doubt find themselves rushing into the mainstream soon enough. Originally christened as Dive by creator and lead man Zachary Cole Smith in honour of the Nirvana song, he once said, “everybody in the band is a water sign, that’s why the name Dive really spoke to us”. The original name was changed out of respect to Dirk Ivens, a Belgian industrial musician who already had a solo project with the same moniker. Identity crisis aside, the first impression of Oshin is like listening to Coldplay in a sensory deprivation tank without the dramatics of a symphony orchestra overshadowing the message. It’s that calming, autumnal feeling of enjoying a memory or uncovering something  you never knew existed; a pleasing reaction spurred on by the minimal use of lyrics throughout the 13-track album. Simplistic undertones of bass and drum are led strongly by guitar in each song. It is a classically American underground style that is worth listening to more than once. *** 1/2

DIIV-oshin

Like this article? Register as a subscriber here. It's free! We'll keep you up to date with new stories on the site.

Post a comment

  • KRIS MENACE - FEATURES

    On this commendably varied album, Kris Menace (Christoph Hoeffel) examines his contact list and compiles a goody-bag of collaborations with some of EDM’s finest including Julian ...
    Read more

    Kris-Menace-Features

  • ILIAS - SOMEWHERE IN TIME

    Mellow moods and chilled complacency are just two of the many times that Ilias’ latest offering would fit perfectly. Looking at the collection as a whole, the ...
    Read more

    Ilias

  • LEONARD GRIGORYAN – SOLO

    Leonard Grigoryan is one of Australia’s most talented collaborators. He has made a name for himself working with his brother as guitar duo Grigoryan Brothers and ...
    Read more

    LeonardGSolo

  • BLISS N ESO - CIRCUS IN THE SKY

    Sitting in the intimate theatre at the Sydney QT, Jonathan Notley, Max McKinnon and Tarik Ejjamai aka Bliss, Eso and DJ Izm, look positively relaxed - ...
    Read more

    Circus

  • HAYLEY WESTENRA – HUSHABYE

    Hayley Westenra’s album of lullaby melodies and soothing arrangements is a pretty little offering from this New Zealand songstress who was signed with Universal Records in ...
    Read more

    Cover_Hushabye_300CMYK

Arts & Entertainment