8/10

After first breaking through with their incredible debut album 'Oshin' back in 2012, DIIV have kept fairly quiet up until now. While the Brooklyn-based troupe did spend a lot of time in 2015 teasing this new release, finally hearing their sophomore full-length 'Is The Is Are' in its entirety does help to explain the mixture of directions and influences they have adopted this time around.

While all under the light, indie sound that frontman Zachary Cole Smith has built a reputation from, the album does occasionally like to break out from his formulaic songwriting in order to create a record that is diverse and cohesive in equal measure. From its wistful soundscapes to the toe-tapping guitar riffs, 'Is The Is Are' is the indie album we have all been wanting for and then some.

It has that rare quality of being able to paint a picture in your head as it plays, and without being particularly nostalgic in its sound, it creates an image of fond memories within each of the tracks. An album that resonates emotion like this is a seldom seen treat for the ears.