Oshin
by DIIV
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. The Boston Phoenix
    Jul 10, 2012
    100
    Smith seems to struggle with whether he wants to write emotional pop songs or dark experimental soundscapes, but the push and pull between the two sentiments is ultimately gorgeous.
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    Jul 12, 2012
    90
    DIIV need you, and you sure as hell need DIIV.
  3. musicOMH.com
    Jul 6, 2012
    90
    There are, of course, echoes of the past, but there is also something pleasingly fresh in the way DIIV take an age old sound and turn it into something magical that's at times deeply beautiful.
  5. Entertainment Weekly
    Jun 29, 2012
    83
    Oshin's moody, reverb-soaked hooks and unrushed vocals induce a similar state of hazy pop bliss [as The Cure]. [6 Jul 2012, p.73]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Pitchfork
    Jun 26, 2012
    83
    A compelling debut.
  7. The A.V. Club
    Jun 26, 2012
    83
    It may be out to sea, but Oshin is anything but lost.
  8. Beats Per Minute
    Jun 25, 2012
    81
    Oshin is undeniably a record tailored for driving around with some friends in the dead heat of summer, but the music also packs a range of raw emotions.
  9. Clash Music
    Jul 18, 2012
    80
    It's an album in the true sense, each song a building block on an overall journey.
  10. Boston Globe
    Jul 16, 2012
    80
    As in most dreams, it seems to make perfect sense when you're hearing it.
  11. Sputnikmusic
    Jul 10, 2012
    80
    So good are these songs that you don't realize they're all sort of the same until you've gone through, like, seven of them, and even then it's difficult to fault DIIV for sticking to one sound since they do it so well.
  12. The Fly (UK)
    Jul 6, 2012
    80
    DIIV exist in the hazy, blissful end of the shoegaze spectrum, where every day is a stoned slice of summer.
  13. Exclaim
    Jun 27, 2012
    80
    Oshin is remarkably consistent, both in terms of style and quality, and there isn't a dud amongst these 13 tracks.
  14. CMJ
    Jun 27, 2012
    80
    These songs seamlessly trickle from one to the next in a perfect collection of sounds, showcasing both complexity and musical depth in this mostly instrumental music.
  15. Under The Radar
    Jun 26, 2012
    80
    It's clearly the product of a band in a conventional sense, one tightened like a corkscrew by relentless touring and songwriting.
  16. Blurt Magazine
    Jun 26, 2012
    80
    An exciting and distinct new spin on the dreampop revival.
  17. Uncut
    Jun 25, 2012
    80
    Smith's heartfelt songs take on a more melancholic hue. [Jul 2012, p.70]
    All this publication's reviews
  18. Drowned In Sound
    Jun 25, 2012
    80
    Pitched somewhere between physical pleasure and mental torture, is Oshin, dream-weaving, benevolent, sadistic puppet masters Diiv playing havoc with your sense of contentedness.
  19. Filter
    Jun 25, 2012
    78
    In all, a dreamy plunge.
  20. AllMusic
    Jun 27, 2012
    70
    Oshin is a pleasant listen, especially for anyone partial to Beach Fossils or the Captured Tracks sound in general.

Awards & Rankings

88
#88 Most Shared Album of 2012

User Reviews

All reviews »

There are no user reviews yet.