Oshin (album)

Oshin
Studio album by DIIV
Released	June 26, 2012 (2012-06-26)
Recorded	2011–2012
Genre	Dream pop
Length	40:16
Label	Captured Tracks
Producer	Zachary Cole Smith
DIIV chronology
Oshin (2012) Is the Is Are (2016)

Oshin is the debut studio album by American rock band DIIV, released on June 26, 2012, by Captured Tracks.[1] The album was produced by frontman Zachary Cole Smith.

Composition

Regarding the album's aesthetic and lyrical content, in comparison to its follow-up, Is the Is Are (2016), frontman Zachary Cole Smith reflected: "[Oshin] was hiding a bit behind an image, behind a sound – the vocals being really textural, and a sort of ambient thing. I didn't want it to be about me as a person. The lyrics were almost like universal truths, not personal."[2]

Release

In 2014, Oshin was briefly out of print due to legal issues regarding the original cover art. It was reissued in June 2015 with new artwork.[3]

Reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.5/10[4]
Metacritic	80/100[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
The A.V. Club	B+[7]
The Boston Phoenix	[8]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[9]
The Guardian	[10]
NME	9/10[11]
The Observer	[12]
Pitchfork	8.3/10[13]
Spin	7/10[14]
Uncut	8/10[15]

Critic Ian Cohen of Pitchfork said, "Oshin isn't just a gorgeous and unusually melodic dream pop record; it's an interesting experiment in whether a band based on voice/guitar/bass/drums can rely on the guitar to carry the song's meaning".[13]

On lists of the top 50 albums of 2012, Oshin was listed 22nd by Stereogum and 40th by Pitchfork.[16] In 2018, Pitchfork listed Oshin at number 26 on its list of the 30 best dream pop albums.[17]

Track listing

All tracks written and produced by Zachary Cole Smith.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"(Druun)"	2:07
2.	"Past Lives"	2:21
3.	"Human"	2:57
4.	"Air Conditioning"	4:30
5.	"How Long Have You Known?"	3:33
6.	"Wait"	3:15
7.	"Earthboy"	3:14
8.	"(Druun Pt. II)"	2:46
9.	"Follow"	2:45
10.	"Sometime"	3:05
11.	"Oshin (Subsume)"	3:32
12.	"Doused"	3:42
13.	"Home"	2:29
Total length:		40:16

iTunes Store bonus tracks[18]

No.	Title	Length
14.	"Geist"	4:45
15.	"Bambi Slaughter"	2:50
Total length:		47:51

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Oshin.[19]

DIIV

• Devin Ruben Perez
• Andrew Bailey
• Zachary Cole Smith
• Colby Hewitt III

Additional musicians

• Ben Wolf (Ben Newman) – drums (tracks 1, 8, 11, 12)

Technical

• Daniel James Schlett – recording, mixing
• Nico Testa – engineering assistance
• Zachary Cole Smith – production

Artwork

• Kiakshuk – cover illustration
• Kopapik Qaqyuarqyuk – back cover illustration
• Simeonie Kopapik – liner illustration
• Sandy Kim – band photo

Charts

Chart performance for Oshin

Chart (2012)	Peak position
UK Record Store Albums (OCC)[20]	27
US Top Current Albums (Billboard)[21]	158
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[22]	5
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[23]	33

References

1. Minsker, Evan (June 18, 2012). "Stream DIIV's Debut LP, Oshin". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
2. Finamore, Emma (January 20, 2016). "Lost/Found: DIIV Interviewed". Clash. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
3. Hudson, Alex (June 23, 2015). "DIIV's 'Oshin' Treated to New Vinyl Pressing". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
4. "Oshin by DIIV reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
5. "Reviews for Oshin by DIIV". Metacritic. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
6. Phares, Heather. "Oshin – DIIV". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
7. Anthony, David; Greenwald, David (June 26, 2012). "DIIV: Oshin". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
8. Pelly, Liz (July 10, 2012). "DIIV | Oshin". The Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
9. Smith, Grady; Anderson, Kyle; Rahman, Ray (June 29, 2012). "Albums: July 6, 2012". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
10. Costa, Maddy (June 28, 2012). "Diiv: Oshin – review". The Guardian. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
11. Howard, Tom (July 8, 2012). "DIIV – 'Oshin'". NME. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
12. Empire, Kitty (July 1, 2012). "Diiv: Oshin – review". The Observer. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
13. Cohen, Ian (June 26, 2012). "DIIV: Oshin". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
14. Marchese, David (June 26, 2012). "DIIV, 'Oshin' (Captured Tracks)". Spin. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
15. "DIIV: Oshin". Uncut. No. 182. July 2012. p. 70.
16. "Stereogum's Top 50 Albums Of 2012". Stereogum. December 5, 2012. p. 1. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
17. "The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums". Pitchfork. April 16, 2018. p. 1. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
18. "Oshin (Bonus Track Version) by DIIV". iTunes Store. United States. 26 June 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
19. Oshin (liner notes). DIIV. Captured Tracks. 2012. CT-158.
20. "Official Record Store Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. July 22, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
21. "DIIV Chart History (Current Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
22. "DIIV Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
23. "DIIV Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2015.