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The sophomore album from I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, GLOOM DIVISION is a glimpse into the gloriously strange wonderland of Dallon Weekes’ mind. Over the course of 12 shapeshifting songs, the Salt Lake City-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist follows his wildest impulses toward a combustible sound encompassing everything from R&B to post-punk to art-pop, approaching each with equal parts unfettered imagination and exquisite attention to detail. As he shed all creative inhibitions, Weekes widened the scope of his songwriting and expounded on such matters as love and sex, satanic panic, and his lived experience with neurodivergence (to name just a few). The most autobiographical work to date from Weekes, a former member of Panic! at the Disco, GLOOM DIVISION ultimately leaves listeners with the very same sense of euphoric fascination that sparked the album’s creation.

Produced by Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, MGMT, The Flaming Lips), GLOOM DIVISION marks the follow-up to iDKHOW’s critically lauded full-length debut Razzmatazz—a 2020 release featuring “Leave Me Alone,” a #1 hit on Alternative radio. In bringing the new album to life, Weekes embraced a highly collaborative and free-flowing process that involved joining forces with the likes of Joywave’s Daniel Armbruster, Louis XIV’s Jason Hill, Miniature Tigers’ Charlie Brand and Rick Alvin, and British singer/songwriter Will Joseph Cook. “We worked in a way where nothing ever felt forced—I’d send an idea to someone whose work I admire, and if they felt inspired they’d add to it,” says Weekes, who co-produced GLOOM DIVISION and plays guitar, bass, piano, and more on the album. “Sometimes the songs took a complete left turn, which made me want to go even further into a direction I never would’ve pursued on my own. It reminded me how exciting collaboration can be when you’re working with likeminded people who treat their art with care.”

Recorded at Fridmann’s own Tarbox Road Studios (and in Weekes’ basement studio), GLOOM DIVISION opens on the song that set the tone for the album’s unbridled originality, an elegantly frenetic and exhilarating track called “DOWNSIDE.” “Sometimes we become so enamored with a romantic partner that, for better or for worse, it can be difficult to see the negative aspects of the relationship. Even if you’re looking for them,” says Weekes, who names avant-garde artist/composer Laurie Anderson as an inspiration for the track’s kinetic vocal percussion. “It turned into a song about trying to find the downside in a relationship, but you’re so enamored that you’re unable or unwilling to.”

Another song capturing the all-consuming thrill of obsession, “INFATUATION” examines what Weekes refers to as “indulging in your own sexual fixations and fantasies and the shadow of religious guilt that can come with it,” setting that exploration against a gorgeously airy and groove-heavy backdrop. (“It’s meant to sound like Hall & Oates joined a cult , with Michael McDonald, and the cult was held on a yacht,” he notes.) And on “WHAT LOVE?,” Charlie Brand joins iDKHOW for a sensually charged and spellbinding portrait of a darkly twisted romance, intensifying the track’s sultry mood with slinky guitar riffs, potent basslines, and lyrics channeling an aching desperation (e.g., “You only sacrifice the things I never ask you to”). “When we were working on the verses for that song, I hit record and started messing around and came up with this melody that sounded like ’90s R&B,” Weekes recalls. “At first I was laughing at the ridiculousness of it, but after sitting with it, I realized it was exactly what the song needed.”

Elsewhere on GLOOM DIVISION, iDKHOW’s forward-thinking musicality manifests in songs like the irresistibly sardonic “GLOOMTOWN BRATS”—a dance-ready diatribe against a social phenomenon Weekes describes as “an apocalypse of vanities.” “It’s a song about different kind of privileges—rich privilege, white privilege, pretty privilege—and the people who occupy those spaces with very little or no self-awareness,” he says. Meanwhile, on “SATANIC PANIC,” he reflects on his childhood and the baseless moral hysteria that infiltrated the American consciousness in the 1980s. “My parents weren’t as up in arms as a lot of religious families across the country at the time, but there were definitely things I wasn’t allowed to have as a kid because they were considered evil in some way: Garbage Pail Kids trading cards, Big League Chew bubblegum, those candy cigarettes that blow out fake smoke,” says Weekes. “That song came from thinking about that now as an adult and realizing that anything can be labeled as evil if your goal is to frame it that way.” One of the most galvanizing moments on GLOOM DIVISION, “Satanic Panic” unfolds with such unexpected flourishes as the fantastically warped saxophone work of Brooklyn-based jazz duo Moon Hooch, then bursts into raw catharsis at its fuzzed-out and explosive bridge.

On “iDIOTS OF Oz,” GLOOM DIVISION closes out with an anthemic manifesto against those who wield their negativity as a weapon (from the shout-along-ready chorus: “It doesn’t matter what you think of us/We aren’t beholden to the idiots of Oz”). As Weekes reveals, the title to the lush and futuristic track acts as a play on the derogatory but once-commonplace term “idiot savant.” “Years ago I wrote a song that had the words ‘idiot savant’ in the lyrics, and later on I had fans point out to me how that can be offensive,’ he says. “The song ‘iDIOTS OF Oz’ is a way of changing that phrase, and hopefully communicating that I want to do better and make everyone feel welcome.” “iDIOTS OF Oz” also draws from Weekes’ own journey as a neurodivergent person. “My whole life I’d been wearing a mask that I didn’t even know I was wearing, and in the past few years I found out that I’m on the autism spectrum and have ADHD,” he says. “I’m still learning about myself in that regard, but it’s been pretty revelatory to finally start understanding that part of myself at 40-years-old.”

Looking back on the making of GLOOM DIVISION, Weekes notes that the album restored a profound sense of playfulness to his process. “It reminded me of playing music with my friends when I was a teenager, when it was all just about having fun and being creative for its own sake,” he says. Growing up in the Northern Utah town of Clearfield, he first started writing songs on a pawn-shop acoustic guitar at the age of 15, fulfilling a then-lifelong aspiration. “One of my earliest memories is being about five years old and seeing a guitar hanging in a pawn-shop window—I didn’t really even know what it was, but I knew I wanted it,” he says. Naming ecstatically mind-bending albums like Beck’s Midnite Vultures and Weezer’s Pinkerton among his early influences, Weekes played in bands throughout high school and co-founded an indie-rock outfit called The Brobecks in the early 2000s, soon opening for acts like Phantom Planet and Ben Kweller. Weekes launched iDKHOW in 2016 and introduced the band with their debut project 1981 Extended Play EP (a 2018 release featuring the gold-certified single “Choke”). With the arrival of Razzmatazz, iDKHOW earned praise from the likes of The Line of Best Fit, who hailed the album as a “fun, bizarre, and thoughtful listening experience.”

For Weekes, the writing of GLOOM DIVISION served as a major breakthrough on multiple levels. “Writing has always been an outlet to exorcize demons and difficult emotions, but with Gloom Division I made a conscious effort to stop censoring myself when it comes to subject material, or what I wanted to say,” he says. When matched GLOOM DIVISION’s pure sonic abandon, the result is a body of work primed to leave a sublimely mystifying impact on its audience. “When I think about all my favorite records, like The Soft Bulletin by Flaming Lips and This Year’s Model by Elvis Costello, the thing they all have in common is that the first time I heard them I thought, What is this?” says Weekes. “On the second listen it was more like, This is weird, but I like it, and then by the third time I heard it I was absolutely obsessed. That’s my favorite reaction to experience when I’m discovering something new, and I’d love for this album to create that same feeling for everyone.”

Lyrics

GLOOM DIVISION LYRICS

DOWNSIDE

GA (⇦ repeat in perpetuity)

I know that I can be impossible.

I’d say I’m sorry but I’m never gonna let go

It feels like my heart broke

The second I said “no”

But I regret it now,

I didn’t know

I couldn’t live another minute in your blue light

Like Mazzy in starlight

Oh god

I left you at midnight

Darling I need

(⇧ Repeat x3)

Darling I need you here tonight

You’re all that I wanted

& It’s so hard to see the downside

(⇧ repeat)

I wanna listen to you whisper to me

I wanna watch bad American movies

Don’t wanna give another kiss with my baby on my mind

It wasn’t kind, But it was kind of boring

I put a pill in my cup every morning

And when I die, I’ll get those cold copper kisses on my eyes

And now I’m fighting for a look at the downside

It took a moment to disintegrate

So curious about the noise you make

In bedrooms

I don’t know what I’d do

But we could find out soon

Darling I need

(repeat x3)

Darling I need you here tonight

You’re all that I wanted

It’s so hard to look at the downside

(⇧ repeat)

I want listen to you whisper to me

I wanna watch bad American movies

Don’t wanna give another kiss with my baby on my mind

It wasn’t kind, But it was kind of boring

I put a pill in my cup every morning

And when I die, they’ll put those cold copper kisses on my eyes

And now I’m fighting for a look at the downside

Oh the pennies on your eyes

Will pay the toll at your demise

And carry you far away

It’s so hard to take

a look at the downside

GA GA GA

GLOOMTOWN BRATS

Hey, what you on about?

Lipstick

quick wit

with a dirty mouth

Don’t let your mother down

You’re deadlocked at night spots

in Gloomtown

And now you’re in the right place

At the wrong time

And you can sell your soul

If you’re so inclined

You just perpetuate expensive things

And an upscale life

With the rich girls in Gloomtown

(⇧ repeat)

It’s your last chance to get…

Down

You’re so polite girl

Well educated with a wicked mind

Negative white girl

With the predilection for a proper good time

And with the right last name

You can cut in line

Or you could sell your soul

If you’re so inclined

You just perpetuate expensive things

And an upscale life

With the rich girls in Gloomtown

(⇧ repeat)

Don’t we love all the rich girls in Gloomtown?

And you’ve been so polite

Thank God for charm school

But if I read this right

Then all this attention

Is intentionally cruel

(⇩mandatory rap subdivision)

Night heat

Back again

Turn them on

play pretend

Blue blooded fantasy

Apocalypse of vanities

Sex is a weapon

Girl, you’re cruel intentions

Life is a bitch

When you’re rich girls in Gloomtown

(⇧ repeat)

INFATUATION

Ooh and I need you now

But it’s infatuation

⇧ repeat

Love is the drug

All my diction disappears for her

And I’ve been listening too long to

Lucifer

Something is wrong

This obscene occupation

What a drag to drag you down

Into infatuation

You’re my Latest

Sick obsession

(And I need you now)

You’re my latest

Sick obsession

(But it’s infatuation)

⇧ repeat

Pale is the moon

Pay attention if you’re counting stars

‘Cause Mephistopheles would love to leave you scars

And Something is wrong

With this blank invitation

To retrieve your outworn evening gowns

Shooting my brain

Little shots of salvation

What a drag to drag you down

Into infatuation

CHORUS

You’re my Latest

Sick obsession

I could watch you *** **** *********

You’re my Latest

Sick obsession

But it’s infatuation

WHAT LOVE?

What love

⇧ repeat x3

What love could get this vicious?

That’s right

But never mind

This blood sometimes holiness brings you

⇧ repeat x2

Get down

Ooh

I think you’ve got a hold of me

So don’t let go

And I’ll never set you free

You only come around

When I’ve got somebody new

You only sacrifice the things I never ask you to.

Lord help me

I think I’m gonna cry

I guess I met you at the wrong time

What love

⇧ repeat x3

What love could get this vicious?

That’s right

But never mind

This blood sometimes holiness brings you

⇧ repeat x2

This feeling

It’s coming like a tidal wave

Forget the things you heard

Forget the things I say

Leave me in misery

A formal casualty

Over an overture of sexual perversity

Lord help me

I think I’m gonna cry

I guess I met you at the wrong time

CHORUS (same as before)

This night

Is this the one?

Where you climb up on me

And we have some fun?

Or is this the night

Where we go too far?

Where we get untethered

And we learn our lesson

I promised you things that I didn’t mean

Pushed you to the edge of insanity

I shook all the wrong hands

At all the right times

Who did you expect me to be?

CHORUS

(you should know this bit by now)

I’ve got to get to you

I can’t fight this feeling

⇧ repeat x2

SPKOTHDVL

Your front page boy is finally here

And he looks so good, but he’s insincere

If you speak of the devil

(⇧ TITLE)

then he will appear

Now your front page boy is finally here

Stop the press

Are you waiting for the world to end?

Turn the record off

Because it doesn’t sound like them

Now you’re crawling on your knees again

Turn it off because it doesn’t really sound like them

Does it?

Hey are you waiting for the world to end?

Well turn the record off because it doesn’t really sound like them

Are you hoping that it’s just pretend?

Turn it off because it doesn’t sound like them

Bones will break and blood will spill

When death is crawling up the hill

And with every drink that you distill

means your crawling up the hill

Now come crawl for me

SIXFT

I kept hope alive

So that I could be with you

Tried to bewitch your mind

But I let love die

How I failed

But oh how I tried

Darling

Don’t

Don’t push me around

I don’t wanna see you buried

Six feet underground

Fuck around and find out

No i don’t want to see you darling

Six feet underground

Six feet underground (again)

Overemphasize

All these grandstanding gaslights

Black eyes and fist fights

I “romanticize”.

All this pretense was meant to

misrepresent you

So Don’t

Don’t push me around

I don’t wanna see you buried

Six feet underground

Fuck around and find out

No I don’t wanna see you darling

Six feet under

What’s your excuse for coming over?

Six eyed with a champagne shoulder

unexpectedly

Don’t

Don’t push me around

I don’t wanna see you buried

Six feet underground

Fuck around and find out

No i don’t want to see you darling

Six feet underground

Six feet underground (end)

FIND ME

LONELY.

LOOKING

FOR SOMEONE TO

FIND ME.

WHAT HAVE WE HERE?

WHO MADE THIS MESS?

YOU TRY TO CLEAN IT

IN YOUR THOUSAND DOLLAR DRESS

BUT THE STAINS ARE BLACK

JUST LIKE YOUR SOUL

YOU TRY TO CUT THEM OUT

BUT YOU GET LEFT THERE ALL ALONE

AND NOW IM:

LONELY

(I’ve been so lonely and I’m)

LOOKING

(I’ve been out looking for)

FOR SOME

(for someone)

ONE TO

(to come and)

FIND ME

(to come and find me oh)

LONELY

(oh I been lonely and I’m)

LOOKING

(I’ve been out looking for)

FOR SOME

(for someone)

ONE TO

(to come and)

FIND ME

(Now come and find me)

SEDUCE A FRIEND

NOSE IN THE AIR

COORDINATED MATCHING LUGGAGE

POLYESTER LEISUREWEAR

NOW DRAG THE FLOOR

SINK TO THE VOID

MAKE SURE THE TAPE IS ROLLING

AND THE CAMERA FEED IS LIVE

AND NOW IM…

LONELY.

LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO

FIND ME

KISS & TELL

Keep your magic

Save your savage little games

I’ll admit we’re both to blame

But

I’ve been a fool for your love too long

How could it be so sweet

But your bad for me

Leave me with a heartbreak and a tragedy

I can’t give you what you want

No more

So if you kiss & tell

C’est La vie

⇧ perfectly spoken French

Farewell

I’ll be sure this tragedy ends

Oh c’est la vie

⇧ magnifique

farewell

If you kiss

If you tell

we can never speak

never see each other again

So go fight off all your demons

Maybe you’ll find someone to keep

⇧ repeat

until then you can dream of me

In your sleep

So if you kiss & tell

C’est la vie

Farewell

I’ll be sure this tragedy ends

Oh c’est La vie farewell

If you kiss

If you tell

we can never speak

never see each other again

Oh, nobody needs to know

What we do

Where we go

Or who with

So just mind your own business

And if you kiss & tell

C’est La vie (🇫🇷)

Say farewell

I will be your imagin’ry friend

⇧ incorrect pronunciation

Oh c’est La vie farewell

If you kiss

If you tell

we can never speak

never see each other again

A LETTER

(REDACTED)

SATANIC PANIC

Had to get on top of the world

Took out the gloves hit the sister of pearl

Pass around the fake cigarettes

The invocation is as good as it gets

Yeah he says

please oh please

Believe in what I say

Silver screens

Project your damnation

That’s entertainment

Easy come

Easy go

We wanna save your soul

Satanic panic takes it all

Easy come easy go

Dying to save your soul

The satanic panic takes hold

Preachers coming togged to the bricks

He got a pocketbook of social tricks

Captures it on videotape

Looks like the devil in a two dollar cape

CHORUS

SUNNYSIDE

Stop where you are

let me explain

Drown your doubts away in cheap Champaign

Palms bleed

Gold leaves

You might not get another chance

So take her mother dancing

Don’t overthink the irony

Here I go

Running my mouth again

Left foot in the dark

Cause I’m sunny side up

Take a skip and a jump

Now you’re sunny side up

⇧ repeat

Here I go

Running my mouth again

Left foot in the dark

Now you’re sunny side up

⇧ repeat

No, we don’t give a…

(use imagination at own discretion to complete lyric)

Don’t hesitate

To take the blame

Surely something will go wrong again

Stop these

Heart strings

A sucker for the circumstance

With post traumatic accents

And transatlantic expertise

CHORUS

There’s more to life than meets the eye

Intrusive thoughts will make you cry

Play through the pain & ignore what’s creeping in

Someday we’re all going to die

CHORUS

iDIOTS OF Oz

It doesn’t matter what you think of us

We’re aren’t beholden to the idiots of Oz

Post boredom couldn’t get me higher then I am

Look! here comes the

Mistress of the destructive one liner

Couldn’t give a damn

About the idiots of Oz

What do they think?

It doesn’t matter what you think of us

We’re aren’t beholden to the idiots of Oz

Make your name

Steal a thought

Don’t thank anybody else

Stick and stones

In the trunk

Keep your feelings to yourself

Or ego trip through the streets

Only break for the applause

And for the idiots of Oz

Stand up

Sellout

It doesn’t matter what you think about

⇧ repeat

It doesn’t matter what you think of us