That name (pronounced "dive") seems just too perfect. Founded by former Beach Fossils member Zachary Cole Smith, DIIV creates hypnotic dream pop that undulates as hauntingly as the sea. On their 2012 debut, Oshin—a woozy blend of shoegaze and The Cure—Smith's vocals swim deep under the mix as if just another ambient instrument. On the band's follow-up, Is the Is Are, Smith's vivid observations on addiction float a little closer to the top, while shimmering guitar evokes the melodic ring of Johnny Marr, and Krautrock-inspired rhythms pick up the pace. It all makes for a soothing, otherworldly escape.