Brooklyn shoegaze vets DIIV have officially detailed ZIRP!, their upcoming fifth studio album, which was produced by A.G. Cook. The follow-up to 2024’s Frog in Boiling Water is set to be released on October 30th via Fantasy Recordings. The 11-track album derives its name from the “zero interest rate policies that drew us into a world of failed startups and turned us all into atomized ‘users,’” according to a press release.
The album’s title fits with the band’s introduction of “The New Alternative,” which is described as “a new genre…for music’s optimized VC-funded super deluxe remixed AI-enhanced algorithmically perfected wild west 2020s, where a million streams is great, a billion even better, and a trillion well within reach.” Across ZIRP!, themes like “Palantir, societal breakdown, and streaming’s endless hamster wheel are all fodder for rich, sparkling pop songs.”
Collaboration and Recording Process
In discussing the nature of their collaboration, A.G. Cook said they all came together “in the spirit of destroying & rebuilding their demos, Screamadelica-style, into a finished product, but that hybrid, half-remix approach felt completely wrong to me.” Cook added, “I became a bit obsessed with their live sound, and insisted on recording live drums before most of the songs were even finished. We spent a lot of time recording intricate guitar parts with specific guitar pedals, and as little time as possible doing anything on a computer, at least by my standards. After a few rounds of that, ZIRP! emerged as a concept, and a sort of utopian, dystopian mantra. For me it became a vehicle to push the band into new territory.”
Lead Single and Tour Dates
Our first taste of ZIRP! comes with lead single/album opener “The Fountain.” The track “pairs the sprawl and squall of DIIV records past with a jolting rhythmic guitar section that has arena-filling potential.” The track also typifies DIIV’s new interest in melodies, and using those to indicate how the band’s “more than ready to make good on its ability to play in the mainstream.”
DIIV have a run of shows from late September to late October supporting Interpol. They’re also slated to play San Francisco’s Psyched! Fest on October 21st. Check out the full schedule below; tickets are available via Ticketmaster.
Album Details
ZIRP! is set to be released on October 30th via Fantasy Recordings. Pre-orders are available here. The album’s tracklist includes 11 tracks, starting with “The Fountain” and ending with “Idiot In The Sky.”
The DIIV 2026 Tour Dates are as follows:
09/27 – Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Balaclava Fest
09/29 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Meadows
09/30 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
10/02 – Toronto, CA @ Sobeys Stadium *
10/03 – Montreal, CA @ L’Olympia *
10/06 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE *
10/07 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre and Ballroom *
10/09 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Jack White Theatre *
10/10 – Columbus, OH @ Kemba Live! *
10/11 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed *
10/13 – Chesterfield, MO @ The Factory *
10/15 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern *
10/16 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern *
10/17 – Nashville, TN @ The Pinnacle *
10/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Expo Hall ^
10/21 – San Francisco, CA @ Psyched! Fest
* = w/ Interpol
^ = w/ Basement
In conclusion, DIIV’s upcoming album ZIRP! is a highly anticipated release, with a unique sound that blends the band’s shoegaze roots with a new interest in melodies and pop songs. With a strong production team, including A.G. Cook, and a set of tour dates supporting Interpol, DIIV is ready to make a big impact in the music scene. Be sure to check out the lead single “The Fountain” and pre-order the album here.
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