If you haven’t heard of I Dont Know How But They Found Me (iDKHOW) yet, that’s probably because they’ve intentionally been lurking in the shadows since 2016.
iDKHOW is a solo project conducted by Dallon Weekes, formerly of Panic! at the Disco. With influences and appearances by Ryan Seaman, formerly of Falling in Reverse. iDKHOW started off as a side solo project that Weekes worked on while he was still touring with Panic! at the Disco.
Eventually Weekes roped Seaman in and the two began performing secret, low-key shows in small venues during 2016. The band debuted at an Emo Nite’s two-year anniversary event on Dec. 6, 2016.
The band only started releasing singles in late 2017 and throughout 2018, leading to their 2018 EP “1981 Extended Play.” iDKHOW is heavily themed around ‘80s music and analog media.
Since then, iDKHOW has continued to fly under the radar, releasing singles and only one album in 2020 titled “RAZZMATAZZ.” Still, their most popular song is “Choke” off of their first EP.
Now, with 2.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, iDKHOW released their sophomore album “GLOOM DIVISION” this past Friday.
One of the most prominent, catchy songs on this album is the opening track “DOWNSIDE.” It’s an upbeat track about struggling to see the bad aspects of a relationship when your thoughts are clouded by the love you have for your partner.
“GLOOMTOWN BRATS” is also a fun, danceable song that feels like a satire about being stuck in the spotlight against someone’s will.
The album stuck to the electronic rock genre the band had established for themselves way back in 2018, with heavy influence from glam rock and ‘80s new wave. It’s also noticeable in their sound which has roots in the modern emo genre.
As someone who enjoys the sound of iDKHOW’s music, this album was a little disappointing on that front. No one song really stood out to me because they all sounded the same. Any ranking I do of the album’s tracks is solely based on how catchy and memorable the chorus is, considering there’s not much distinguishable variation instrumentally.
Other stand-out songs on this album include “KISS & TELL” and “iDIOTS OF Oz.” “KISS & TELL” is about a secret relationship that the speaker wants to keep secret.
“iDIOTS OF Oz” kind of starts off sounding like elevator music but has a catchy sound and fun electric guitar. The song is speculated to be a call back to their 2018 single “Choke.” It’s quite repetitive with the lines “it doesn’t matter what you think of us,” which I suppose is a good mentality for them to have, considering I wasn’t a huge fan of the album.
I don’t want this to discourage you from listening to iDKHOW if you’re into fun alternative music. They have some great songs in their discography, but I just feel that “GLOOM DIVISION” sadly does not contribute much to their list of great songs, despite it having a few redeeming tracks. Give “1981 Extended Play” or even their somber Christmas singles a listen before you hit shuffle on “GLOOM DIVISION.”
2/5 stars
jhammer@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @idkhow, Instagram
