It’s been more than three years since I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME’s (iDKHOW) much-anticipated debut album, Razzmatazz. In sophomore outing GLOOM DIVISION, Dallon Weekes proves that the project is far from a one-hit wonder.
Weekes is the master of writing upbeat songs with mismatched, darker lyrics, and GLOOM DIVISION is no exception. ‘SIXFT’ follows in the vein of previous releases ‘From The Gallows’ and ‘Mx. Sinister’; a sweet tune hides a violent and threatening story, and we’re presented with an unsettling, twisted version of romantic imagery.
The effect of this contrast between lyricism and melody is amplified by the instrumentals, which often feel just on the edge of tipping into chaos. As in previous releases, there’s an extravagant use of different instruments across the album. Synths play alongside brass, percussion and, of course, innumerous fun basslines. GLOOM DIVISION also sees Weekes experiment further with vocal styles. The album’s first track, ‘DOWNSIDE’, is performed in a deeper tone than listeners will be familiar with, and songs make full use of his impressive baritone-to-falsetto range.
When iDKHOW first started playing shows, and publicly acknowledging their own existence, a limited repertoire meant that the majority of the setlist was comprised of covers, a handful of which reprised songs from Weekes’ early-2000s band The Brobecks. This was enthusiastically welcomed by existing fans and provided a gateway into a considerable backcatalogue for new listeners, and before long the band, most of whose songs are only available through ripped YouTube videos, gained newfound popularity. Two such tracks that have been in iDKHOW’s rotation since their inception are ‘Clusterhug’, which was rerecorded for Razzmatazz, and ‘A Letter’, now the ninth track on GLOOM DIVISION.
This inclusion will be particularly appreciated by long-term fans, who will have seen Weekes’ transformation of energetic audiences into well-behaved, harmonising choirs on tour over the past few years. That choir can be heard in the final moments of the track, a detail that pays homage to the band’s journey so far.
‘SATANIC PANIC’, beginning with a funky brass intro and pacy bass, is ready-made for screaming along to at concerts. Weekes’ almost whispered verses explode into a raucous chorus: “Easy come easy go, we want to save your soul—satanic panic takes it all”. Equally bouncy is ‘SPKOFTHDVL’, which has an old-school rock vibe and a catchy guitar riff that’s almost impossible not to tap your toes to.
‘SUNNYSIDE’, the penultimate track, is an energetic number tinged with a carpe diem existential fear. “There’s more to life than meets the eye,” Weekes sings; “You’ve got to play through the pain and just ignore what’s creeping in/some day we’re all going to die”. English singer-songwriter Will Joseph Cook is credited as a co-composer on this song, and his influence on the instrumental style is clear.
Several tracks on GLOOM DIVISION have come into being thanks to artistic collaboration. Weekes explained that he’d send works-in-progress to fellow musicians to see whether they were inspired to add anything to them. This allowed songs to go in unexpected new directions, and compelled him to develop them further.
That being said, none of these songs ever sound overwhelmed by external inputs or suggestions. Each track is uniquely iDKHOW, a sound that can’t really be found anywhere else. The songs on GLOOM DIVISION sway between soft and sad to bold and bombastic, with influences drawn from across ages and genres.
Weekes’ creative output thus far has proved that he’s anything but predictable. GLOOM DIVISION is a strong second album, a more mature release that builds on the band’s already impressive discography. It’s well worth the prolonged wait, and is sure to send iDKHOW to even loftier heights.
Words by Lucy Carter
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