Gloom Division by I Don’t Know How But They Found Me

Review written by Yippee_173

GLOOM DIVISION by I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, known as IDKHOW, is a 12 song solo album by Dallon Weekes, who is best known for being a previous member of The Brobecks and Panic! At the Disco. This album is a conglomeration of music genres that spans distally yet selectively and concisely within the 1970s-80s aesthetic that Weekes is known for, such as indie pop, glam rock, and post-punk. While many themes of love, sex, and demonization are found within a majority of the songs, the album is also about Weekes’s personal struggles and experiences with latent neurodivergence and his recent diagnosis of ADHD and ASD. As he sings his drawn out woes, each song is met with a forward presence of snappy drums, direct bass picking and synthy vocal harmonization that fans have become accustomed to. These elements mix with his’s incredible control over his vocal portamento and vibrato to create a sound that will suck you in by the heart through its sheer dramatization and theatrics.

When listening to the album, my mind is dragged in many different directions, but two things remain consistent: a sense of spinning in circles aimlessly; and, like the cover art, sitting on the edge of something tall looking down at and reflecting on all my memories. This spinning feeling comes from an interpretation of spaciousness that the instruments and vocals have with one another, as each is catching and attentive on their own, paired with how the progression of each song feels similar to a record spinning on a turntable. Next to the feeling of spinning is a sense of elevated thoughtfulness that puts us in the shoes of eekes, as if we the listener are experiencing his same meditative thoughts. This combination of spinning hopelessness and reflective onlooking creates a direct view into the thinking processes of the brain and how its cogs have to always be turning and perceiving in order to survive. The overarching combination of neurodivergent themes and the perceptiveness of reality fit perfectly imperfectly together, showing the struggles that many neurodivergent people face.

Moving to the vocals, there is a wide range and variety of elements that come together to create such a dramatic sound. Starting off, there is an ever present amount of airiness that can be heard when Weekes sings, as it feels like his words are gliding on his breath in a very intimate and sensual tone. This smooth nature of singing allows for Weekes to not only create a sense of close connection to the listener, but also allows for him to transition easily into oncoming verses. Secondly, he is able to clearly and precisely enunciate each lyric while still maintaining a contrasting range of pitch that goes from deep lows to falsetto highs. The fact that he can do this with his voice alone shows a clear dedication to being able to be understood and seen clearly, letting him not get misconstrued or lost in what he is trying to say to his audience. Lastly, Weekes creates amazing cohesion within each song by having his voice contrast balance out with not only the singing but also the main melody. Many instances of this can be found in the main choruses as a way to create depth and drama in what is always the catchiest part of each song.

Underneath all of his singing, thematic and keen eyed instrumental choices sell the retro style that Weekes creates to a tee. What makes this so special is not its uniformity to style but instead the fact that it is in such intense cohesion, all while being maintained by primary three instruments: a drum set, a bass guitar, and an electronic keyboard. The way that the drum and bass sit in the background of the music during the main verses create an intense vacuum of energy for the lyricism to sit on. This vacuum is then released as songs hit their choruses, allowing for both vocals and melody to each have their own spotlight moments. Where the keyboard really shines in all of this is how it is used as a way to replicate and mimic the old feelings of retro technology as it creates a sense of connective nostalgia for the audience regardless of age. Many of these uses can be through small horns, older educational video language, sparkling piano adjacent sounds and many more. Each sound brings the listener closer and more intimate with the emotions of each song, and pushes for them to feel each desired emotion for themselves through Weekes’s perspective.

Going from the structure of the music, what I feel separates IDKHOW from other bands in the space is the level of dedication to not only their consistent aesthetic but how they continue to experiment through the genre. They continue to strive to push the boundaries of what sounds can blend the past with the present in such a way that listeners can be in both time periods at the same time. Even the subject matter of each song can be related back to past decades, not as a way to be regressive but instead to show how life today is not all that changed and that we as a people are just opening up more.

Overall, I think that this album is carefully crafted with dignity and thoughtfulness in mind. It takes on the themes of relationships, demonization, and neurodivergence with a perfect understanding of intention. As someone with both ASD and ADHD as well, I felt very connected to each and every song in ways that are able to branch experiences together with so much understanding. There is a level of togetherness felt between the singer and the listener such that each can know that they will truly never be alone in their experiences and will always have someone who gets it.