One of the most potentially fascinating albums hovering on the horizon right now is ZIRP!, the latest project from Brooklyn’s fuzz-guitar veterans DIIV, created in collaboration with PC Music’s co‑founder A. G. Cook, who has also worked with Charli XCX. In their press materials, DIIV position the record as part of a broader “New Alternative” movement that also features Slayyyter, Eartheater, and Turnstile. Sure—why not? Let’s give it a go! We’ve already had a teaser of how this revamped DIIV could sound on the lead single “The Fountain.” Today, we’re treated to a different direction.
DIIV’s new track “Kid” doesn’t resemble “The Fountain” very closely. It also doesn’t bear a strong resemblance to the sounds that are typically associated with either DIIV or A. G. Cook. That’s a promising sign, because ZIRP! might be the kind of record that really shakes things up from song to song. “Kid” unfolds as a tender acoustic piece that gradually swells into a fuzz-drenched finale. The track also features distinct touches from A. G. Cook — punchy hi‑fi electronic drums and layers of cotton-candy synthesis. Those elements complement one another quite well, and I’m keen to hear how this tune and “The Fountain” fit into the album’s overall tapestry.
On “Kid,” Zachary Cole Smith delivers lines along the lines of, “We’re all a bit of a kid, hiding from your feelings or something you did… Breathe in, are you having fun? You were someone’s little baby, just like everyone.” In the video directed by Jaxon Whittington, we watch the band perform on a stage arranged to resemble an audience. The clip was shot by Smith’s young son Roy and Roy’s friend Julian, with a few chirps from them audible throughout. Check it out below.
ZIRP! drops on 10/30 via Fantasy. You can pre-order it here. I’ve just finished reading Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber’s forthcoming memoir Weird Era: How Pitchfork Changed Music Forever, in which Zachary Cole Smith plays a part, and I’m very curious to see how it’s received.
