Din

Din

Up

Dka

***On Up, the fourth and fullest offering from D.I.N., the Los Angeles outfit has effortlessly navigated a path of paradox. JOSIE VAND's feathery vocal contrasts with GREG VAND's persistent electronics, falling in and out of harmony with coy leads and unceasing rhythm. Nothing is hidden here beneath reverb and chicanery; sounds are clear and precise, forcing the listener to confront the splendor and mystery of dry electricity. Syncopated percussion drives beneath floating melodies, threatening discord while drawing us toward something wistful, sweet and earnest. On “Something,” a playful synth lead welcomes before its menacing partner joins in lower register; at first we feel undermined, but in fact the space has been transmuted—it now points forward. The titular track is the most direct invitation to this new city, where light refracts through strange architecture. Fluttering harmonies point unhurriedly ahead beneath Josie’s delicate singsong. The record itself is a beckoning, and one can only accept. Rigorous adherence to the palette of hardware might suggest pastiche, but here D.I.N. sidesteps a pitfall of so many contemporaries: D.I.N. plays with the past without aping it. It is through this intermingling that Up becomes a record not only about the experience of living now, but about the common experience of living always.

Din

Real Dirt

Dka

***BACK IN STOCK!!!  DIN, the project of Los Angeles's JOSIE VAND and GREG VAND, are able to extract choice elements from eras past and distill it into an impressively focused and modern sound. Every sound, every texture, every voice falls perfectly into place, as the palette effortlessly winds from warm and pastoral to cold and sharp, leaving you room to both dance and dream. The Real Dirt LP is infectiously understated from start to finish, and as the follow up to their Saturate EP on Ascetic House it proves that DIN is a serious force in modern synth music. Those familiar with the label may recognize Greg Vand from his role in the great HIGH-FUNCTIONING FLESH, however DIN will likely appeal more to fans of Factory Floor, Tropic of Cancer, and Boy Harsher. Josie Vand has previously performed as a member of DVA DAMAS and contributed her visual art talents to the Jealous God label.