Oshin (album)

Oshin is the debut studio album by American rock band DIIV, released on June 26, 2012, by Captured Tracks. The album was produced by frontman Zachary Cole Smith.

Composition
Regarding the album's aesthetic and lyrical content, in comparison to its follow-up, Is the Is Are (2016), frontman Zachary Cole Smith reflected: "[Oshin] was hiding a bit behind an image, behind a sound – the vocals being really textural, and a sort of ambient thing. I didn't want it to be about me as a person. The lyrics were almost like universal truths, not personal."

Release
In 2014, Oshin was briefly out of print due to legal issues regarding the original cover art. It was reissued in June 2015 with new artwork.

Reception
Critic Ian Cohen of Pitchfork said, "Oshin isn't just a gorgeous and unusually melodic dream pop record; it's an interesting experiment in whether a band based on voice/guitar/bass/drums can rely on the guitar to carry the song's meaning".

On lists of the top 50 albums of 2012, Oshin was listed 22nd by Stereogum and 40th by Pitchfork. In 2018, Pitchfork listed Oshin at number 26 on its list of the 30 best dream pop albums.

Track listing
All tracks written and produced by Zachary Cole Smith.

Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Oshin.

DIIV

 * Devin Ruben Perez
 * Andrew Bailey
 * Zachary Cole Smith
 * Colby Hewitt III

Additional musicians

 * Ben Wolf (Ben Newman) – drums (tracks 1, 8, 11, 12)

Technical

 * Daniel James Schlett – recording, mixing
 * Nico Testa – engineering assistance
 * Zachary Cole Smith – production

Artwork

 * Kiakshuk – cover illustration
 * Kopapik Qaqyuarqyuk – back cover illustration
 * Simeonie Kopapik – liner illustration
 * Sandy Kim – band photo