By Ethan Kerr, Contributing writer
Joji’s sophomore LP “Nectar,” released on Sept. 25, tries to launch the up and comer to a consistent player in the R&B scene.
Featuring singles such as “Gimme Love and Sanctuary,” as well as featuring collaborations with stars like Lil Yachty and Diplo. “Nectar” clocks in at 53 minutes and has the classic Joji lo-fi sound his fans have loved his previous works for. Not to mention the experimentation on Joji’s part that can be its own double edged sword at times.
“Nectar” opens with “Ew” with an indie psychedelic sound, focusing on the sorrow and struggles of romantic relationships. Not the hard-hitter of the album, but surely a welcome sound that does not throw off the album, and sets the tone for the rest.
Diplo makes an appearance in the song “Daylight,” which emulates Joji’s aesthetic. Diplo and Joji have potential, and this song showcases their skills and how they can work well together. Perhaps a further collaboration is in order for the pair.
The popular song “Gimme Love,” a single released in April, is arguably the showcase of the album. This song set the new standard for Joji with its studio quality sounds and vocals, but the rest of the album does not quite meet the same standard in some eyes.
The rest of the album, including the collaborations with Lil Yachty and rei brown, seem to fall flat from such a roaring start to the new album. The songs tend to follow the same formula as previous works and the experimentations on Joji’s part do not seem to resonate as well.
“Run” features a bass guitar solo, and sets itself far apart from other Joji works, but almost feels out of place in the new album. How so?
Lil Yachty’s appearance is well noticed in “Pretty Boy,” and he sets his own bar in the tune. Yachty saves the song from falling victim to a repetitious Joji sound that scourges the last half of the album.
Overall the album is good, but did not live up to its potential. The hype behind Joji and his work is not undeserved. He is setting his place (Reword) as a professional musician, and his skills are put on display in “Nectar.”
With perhaps more hits than there are duds, the album should preserve Joji’s status of having fantastic vocals and producing lo-fi beats like no other. Hopefully his eclectic sounds keep his career afloat, as more albums from Joji’s studio and teams will not come as a disappointment to many.
kerre20@bonaventure.edu
