Is the Is Are
| Is the Is Are | ||||
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| Studio album by DIIV | ||||
| Released | February 5, 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 2015 | |||
| Studio | Strange Weather Recording Studio; The Bunker Studio (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) |
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| Genre | Indie rock, shoegaze, dream pop, krautrock, post-punk revival, chillwave | |||
| Length | 63:20 | |||
| Label | Captured Tracks | |||
| Producer | Zachary Cole Smith | |||
| DIIV chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Is the Is Are | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 71/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Drowned in Sound | 7/10 |
| The Guardian |   |
| NME | |
| Pitchfork | 8.1/10 |
| Spin | 8/10 |
Is the Is Are is the second studio album by American indie rock band DIIV, released on February 5, 2016 on Captured Tracks. Self-produced by vocalist and guitarist Zachary Cole Smith, the album was recorded at Strange Weather Recording Studio and The Bunker, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It was preceded by the singles, "Dopamine", "Bent (Roi's Song)", "Under the Sun" and "Is the Is Are".
Work on Is the Is Are began in 2013, a year following the release of the band's debut album, Oshin (2012). Its recording, however, was plagued by various factors, including, failed recording sessions with Girls' Chet "JR" White; Smith's drug addiction and eventual arrest; controversy surrounding online remarks made by bass guitarist Devin Ruben Perez; and the eventual departure of drummer Colby Hewitt, due to his own drug addiction.
"I know I have to stay alive at least until the album's done. This is one shot at immortality, if I ever have one. I know it's by far the most important thing I'll ever do. That's very empowering, no matter what fucked-up shit is going on. Every day is a struggle, but I have to be the best I can, stay sober and finish this record."
In 2013, while touring in support of the band's debut studio album, Oshin (2012), vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter Smith canceled the band's planned European tour, citing exhaustion and a desire to work on new DIIV material: "As an artist, the biggest, most important reason for me to do this is to write and create. That then becomes the thing that falls by the wayside because you have to keep all this other stuff going." Initially writing and recording with former Girls bassist Chet "JR" White, in San Francisco, Smith noted: "I've been writing a ton of stuff, in bizarre different circumstances. It feels like the last year has been the most insane of my life so far, moving around, being on tour and doing a lot of writing in different scenarios. The music coming out of it has been pretty bizarre."
The sessions with White, however, proved unsuccessful, with Smith stating: "I had these glorified ideas about San Francisco and its drug culture. I thought inspiration would just hit me and I would get these San Francisco drugs in my system and all of a sudden an amazing record would come out. But that's not really what happened at all. We sat down in a studio and, instead of picking up a guitar and having some beautiful thing come out, I just had no idea what the fuck I was doing there and gave up before I even started."
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