JOJI 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: The debut full-length from George Kusunoki Miller, once better known as the YouTube characters Filthy Frank and Pink Guy, came after a poised transition to move his internet celebrity status and legions of avid followers over to a rebranded, sincere musical project under the moniker of Joji. Following on from 2017's promising In Tongues EP, the Ballads 1 LP would drop in 2018 and take the entire cloudrap scene by storm with its nuanced use of vaporwave-inflected trap production, drugged out R&B and melancholic penmanship. Serving as the launching pad for the stratospheric heights the project has reached since, this five year anniversary edition arrives with new artwork in a gatefold sleeve, and boasts some of the most essential cuts from both Miller's catalogue and internet hip-hop as a mass entity, including 'Slow Dancing In The Dark', 'Test Drive' and 'Yeah Right', while also featuring production credits from Clams Casino and a guest-verse from Trippie Redd.

Review: Joji (George Miller) debuted his first album-length solo project Ballads 1 in 2018, after reviving the formerly semi-private moniker whose first incarnation could originally only be found on YouTube. At first, Joji was a low-key outlet, via which the onetime internet comedian (popularly masquerading as Filthy Frank) could explore his sensitive side, in the form of lo-fi beats and whisper-sung verses. Popular intrigue in the Joji alias led to a hugely popular impetus for Miller to release more music under the name, justifying this album's impressive corralling of the production talents of his favourite fellow artists: Trippie Redd, Clams Casino, D33J and Shlohmo. Now reissued, not for the first time, on an indie exclusive version via GLXY, Joji is more than living his introspective side down.

Review: Youtuber-cum-American Indie sensation Joji became a quick TikTok sensation back in 2018 with his career pivot into music. Bursting onto the charts with 'SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK' Joji has created a space of sad-boy indie pop that resonates with young people around the world. Don't mistake that as a declaration of immaturity; 'Smithereens', his fourth studio album opens up with the critically acclaimed ballad 'Glimpse of Us' that took social media by storm. 'Smithereens' is a gloomy, yet ethereal exploration of Lo-Fi hip-hop instrumentals with Joji's pining vocals - very much the male answer to Billie Eilish in the arena of understated pop. The album is understated, though has it's experimental side on the second half of the project with stuttered vocals on 'YUKON (INTERLUDE)' and a light trap instrumental on 'NIGHT RIDER'. Another minimalist vision of indie fused with hip-hop tropes that extends Joji's dominant influence on the music of today

Review: Whereas Joji's acclaimed 2018 debut album was an evocative and atmospheric concoction that sat somewhere between lo-fi trip-hop, experimental R&B and bubbly electronica, this hotly anticipated follow-up is a much bolder and more musically advanced affair. That means that the Japanese-Australian artist's evocative, eyes-closed vocals come cloaked in sweeping strings, crunchy guitars and twinkling pianos, while resting on booming basslines and punchy, tweaked hip-hop and R&B beats. It's a formula that only enhances his already impressive songs, while the presence of some high-profile collaborators - Diplo and Yves Tumor included - only emphasizes the top-tier circles he's now moving in.