Joji ‘Nectar’ Review
After completely blowing up on TikTok with the song “Gimme Love,” Joji has served us with his full-length album, Nectar.
The 18-song track list has a different vibe than his previous work. Joji’s 2017 EP, In Tongues, and 2018 debut album, Ballads 1, both had an R&B feel, yet Nectar is high-fi and alternative.
When Joji set the tone of this album with “Run” back in February and “Daylight” featuring Diplo this summer, I knew I was here for it. With dope features and a new sonic exploration of synth-pop and alternative rock, Joji is figuring out how to make sense of love, mental health, and powerlessness — he shares these themes transparently on Nectar.
It can be difficult for YouTube-starting artists like himself to live up to expectations. His previous YouTube personality “Filthy Frank” was known for comedic sketches and an ecstatic persona, but his music serves a completely different purpose.
The first track “EW” is attested to the cramped, confusing feelings of losing a loved one. Whether this be an ex-lover, friend, or family member, I loved how this song contrasts depressing lyrics and melancholy sounds with deep drums and a strong tempo in the middle of the song. The moral of this song, as Joji sings, is “I can’t believe I’m not in love.”
With very similar meaning on that post-breakup wave, “Daylight” featuring Diplo is an up-beat anthem about moving on from elusive love. In a statement on the song, Joji says “It might be nice for people to hear a song about daylight, especially when we don’t get as much of it as we used to.”
If you're looking for more up-beat tracks on this album, “777” really shocked me. It is definitely borderline techno, but I think Joji nailed it. It matches the chill demeanor of the album with a little more funk and energy. The last track on the album “Your Man” also has a techno feel. Likewise, if you have not already caught on to “Gimme Love” from TikTok, I could easily say it was one of the most catchy, fun songs of the summer.
Joji explores low-volume trap with “MODUS,” “Tik Tock,” and “Pretty Boy” featuring Lil Yachty.
On “MODUS,” Joji confronts the pop-star mold that he is expected to fit, and how that doesn’t necessarily let artists express themselves to their fullest capacity. He also opens up about effects that antidepressants have had on him since working in the music industry. “Pretty Boy” nicely combines an indie beat with Lil Yachty’s notorious mumble-rap feel.
“Like You Do,” “High Hopes” featuring Omar Apollo, and “Normal People” featuring rei brown slow down the album perfectly with acoustic guitar and more meditative instrumentations.
Joji’s range on this album is exploratory and wide. His previous projects had maybe one or two songs out of his “sad-boy” lo-fi realm; however, in this crazy year and a socially distant world, Joji’s new tracks hit all the points for me.
Overall, I think this was a great project from Joji as he is becoming a bigger name in music. There are up-beats and slower beats with genuine, unfeigned lyrics-- just what I needed for my Fall playlists.
Rating: 8/10
Written by Stevie Kane, Edited by Emma Barsky
