DIIV will release their sophomore LP Is the Is Are next year on February 5th via Captured Tracks, and this week the band previewed a second single from the upcoming album, “Bent (Roi’s Song)“. While the band has endured it’s fair share of well publicized trials and tribulations in the interim since releasing their breakout debut LP Oshin in 2012, what seems more important is that the band’s frontman, Zachary Cole Smith, has remained incredibly productive throughout the downward spiral. In fact, last year he informed Stereogum that he’d written over 150 songs in two years. A monumental task considering the chaos, or maybe because of it.
The band’s newest offering, “Bent (Roi’s Song)“, is the audio equivalent to seeing a ghost, and it seems to bear the scars of the group’s turbulent times. Opening with the kind of chiming guitar DIIV is best known for, the band builds soaring layers of exuberant melody. That is, until Smith starts singing. If it sounds like he might not make it to the song’s end, it’s because he almost didn’t–explaining via Twitter that the feelings conjured by the track were “too emotional”. That’s the beauty of “Bent (Roi’s Song)” though, it’s the record of survival; and while Smith is frank about the crippling emotion at the root of this cut’s genesis, he is able to conclude his post of the track by reporting that hearing the final product, “makes me smile”. For more about the very personal matters behind this song/album, you can checkout Smith’s comments here.
DDIV is currently playing a few live shows in the US, before heading out for select gigs around the world! Here is a list of the band’s upcoming dates…
11/06 – Richmond, VA – The Broadberry+
11/07 – Washington, DC – Black Cat+
11/08 – New York, NY – Webster Hall+
11/14 – Santiago, CL @ Primavera Fauna*
11/19 – Buenos Aires, AZ – Club Araoz
11/21-11/22 – Mexico, City, MX – Corona Capital
01/30 – Singapore, CN @ Laneway Festival^
02/01 – Auckland, NZ @ Laneway Festival^
02/05 – Adelaide, AU @ Laneway Festival^
02/06 – Brisbane, AU @ Laneway Festival^
02/07 – Sydney, AU @ Laneway Festival^
02/09 – Sydney, AU @ Factory Theatre
02/11 – Melbourne, AU @ The Corner
02/13 – Melbourne, AU @ Laneway Festival^
02/14 – Fremantle, AU @ Laneway Festival^
+w/ Sunflower Bean, No Joy
^with Battles, Grimes, FIDLAR, Beach House, & more
