Joji - Nectar ALBUM REVIEW
George Miller has been in the public eye for quite a while, but you may not realize it. Remember the “Harlem Shake?" Why everyone was flailing around to an EDM track was because of him and his now-retired YouTube channel, Filthy Frank. He used that newfound fame, along with his dedicated fan base, to jumpstart a full-time career in music, already having put out two mixtapes under the name Pink Guy, which his final project under the name PINK SEASON debuted at the top of the iTunes charts when it released and has become a generation-defining project in the comedy-rap genre. Now under the name Joji, he’s put out two projects through the 88Rising label, his debut EP In Tongues, a somber and lo-if project that was a strong contrast to his ventures as Pink Guy. Then, in came BALLADS 1, his full commercial debut and mainstream breakout project. While I did like BALLADS 1 and can appreciate it for launching the sad bedroom-pop sound into the stratosphere, it was a pretty flawed project. I really dug the vibe and overall lo-fi hip-hop aesthetic, but Joji’s vocals needed a lot of work. Now, after over a year-long rollout, his second LP Nectar is finally here. I loved nearly every single from this project, with “Run” being one of Joji’s best songs ever, which showcase his overhauled, alternative sound and his MASSIVELY IMPROVED performances. Nectar has to be my highest anticipated album this year and maybe even longer, and I can’t wait to talk to you about this. Now, let’s get into it.
Nectar is an alternative album with R&B, hip-hop, and pop influences. I did have my worries about this project, though. This thing is 18 tracks long, and I was worried that I was going to feel bored at some point. The features are all over the place too. They were mainly fine. BENEE is a rising star that I think is very talented, and I’m happy she’s getting more exposure. Yves Tumor and Joji on the same song is something I never expected in the slightest, and that’s being said in the nicest way possible. Omar Apollo and rei brown have never really appealed to me, but the songs that they’re on could be pretty fun. The one feature I was deeply concerned about was Lil Yachty, who tends to just not have the best music in general, but who knows? Overall, this didn’t hurt my hype for the album, and I’m just going to be honest, there wasn’t a single lull on this album.
Nectar is sweet as honey (pun intended). Every track feels like a snippet into a rom-com written by a group of Gen Z’s, each of them experiencing emotions ranging from heartbreak and revenge to love and pure braggadocio. Songs like “Afterthought” with BENEE and “Like You Do” highlights the aforementioned heartbreak, while the surprisingly great “Pretty Boy” with Lil Yachty is a sad-boy banger. While all of these tracks are great, “Mr. Hollywood” has to be my favorite song off Nectar, and quite possibly my favorite Joji song ever. I interpreted the track as a direct response to his success, specifically to “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK,” and how he doesn’t wanna lose what he holds dear because of his fame. Honestly, that’s pretty much all of my thoughts on this album for now.
Damn, Nectar is good. Actually, no. It’s fucking amazing. The amount of growth that Joji has gone through in between BALLADS 1 and this project right here is absolutely insane. Production, writing, and performance were all massively improved on Nectar, and even as a fan of Joji, I’m both shocked and impressed at the quality of this album. I debated what score I was gonna give Nectar, but this really deserves what you see below. This is one of the best and high quality albums I’ve heard in a long time. Just listen to it.
10/10
Stream Nectar here
Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube Music
Nectar is an alternative album with R&B, hip-hop, and pop influences. I did have my worries about this project, though. This thing is 18 tracks long, and I was worried that I was going to feel bored at some point. The features are all over the place too. They were mainly fine. BENEE is a rising star that I think is very talented, and I’m happy she’s getting more exposure. Yves Tumor and Joji on the same song is something I never expected in the slightest, and that’s being said in the nicest way possible. Omar Apollo and rei brown have never really appealed to me, but the songs that they’re on could be pretty fun. The one feature I was deeply concerned about was Lil Yachty, who tends to just not have the best music in general, but who knows? Overall, this didn’t hurt my hype for the album, and I’m just going to be honest, there wasn’t a single lull on this album.
Nectar is sweet as honey (pun intended). Every track feels like a snippet into a rom-com written by a group of Gen Z’s, each of them experiencing emotions ranging from heartbreak and revenge to love and pure braggadocio. Songs like “Afterthought” with BENEE and “Like You Do” highlights the aforementioned heartbreak, while the surprisingly great “Pretty Boy” with Lil Yachty is a sad-boy banger. While all of these tracks are great, “Mr. Hollywood” has to be my favorite song off Nectar, and quite possibly my favorite Joji song ever. I interpreted the track as a direct response to his success, specifically to “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK,” and how he doesn’t wanna lose what he holds dear because of his fame. Honestly, that’s pretty much all of my thoughts on this album for now.
Damn, Nectar is good. Actually, no. It’s fucking amazing. The amount of growth that Joji has gone through in between BALLADS 1 and this project right here is absolutely insane. Production, writing, and performance were all massively improved on Nectar, and even as a fan of Joji, I’m both shocked and impressed at the quality of this album. I debated what score I was gonna give Nectar, but this really deserves what you see below. This is one of the best and high quality albums I’ve heard in a long time. Just listen to it.
10/10
Stream Nectar here
Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube Music
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