The album about Steve Harrington’s hair.
2019 was weird, we didn’t know what was coming but yes unfortunately it happened, Stranger Things kept getting worse, Joe Keery didn’t though, his on the side project Djo is a magnificent entry into the glamourous and weird world of Psych-pop from start to finish “Twenty Twenty” blew me away.
The lead up to “Twenty Twenty” was a nice surprise all three leading singles were great and it’s probably what I’ll focus most of the review on as to not spoil it’s 44 minute run time and it’s small and weird tracks like “Showtime”. The first release in July 2019 is “Roddy” one of my fave tracks from the whole year, it’s sweeping chords and heavy vocal effects are truly fab, it’s a great advert for Joe’s creativity and the players around him both matching each other’s melancholy to no end. Thematically it’s a guaranteed gold for us over at Half a music blog we love lyrics dealing with our own insecurities as you will have already seen all over the website! Added bonus is the last 60 seconds collapsing into haunting vocals and and heavy synth chords, very nice! Very nice indeed.
I’m sure we’ve all felt the unlove of a selfish lover at some point, haven’t we?
Not wanting blow smoke up his ass but undeniably one of the strongest songs in his catalogue and it was the second commercial release! “Chateau (Feel Alright)” is a slow and moody beast, a very minimalistic sound, the feeling of going back to just be in that moment again is powerful and the overall repetition of the chorus at the end plays into this feeling, that happy place we all have and for some of us it’s the only thing that bring us happiness, wanting to go back and back is what makes this song so perfect because in parts you also don’t want it’s hook to end.
And finally as singles go we end with “Mortal Projections” released three weeks before “Twenty Twenty”, “Mortal Projections” rounds off the sounds you’re gonna hear on the album from slow synth pop to your more traditional psych-pop it’s all covered within the album just like the singles. Out of the singles it’s the weakest for me and the one I probably have the least to say about but as I sit and type this in a dark bedroom like he did, I understand it more, the feeling of being a throwaway character in someone else’s story, I’m sure we’ve all felt the unlove of a selfish lover at some point, haven’t we?
Overall “Twenty Twenty” is an astonishing debut, I genuinely fell in love with the Djo project and I honestly hope you can too, honourable mentions have to be put towards “Ring” it’s closing couple lines and instrumental are heavenly, something you’d probably find on a rough cut of “Lonerism”, “Flash Mountain” is also a great little stomper and would liven any playlist up, stick it on in front of your grandparents and I can guarantee they won’t survive.
“Twenty Twenty” is great, you should listen to it. I’ll be back soon for Part Deux of my Djo review keep your eyes peeled and enter the Goofinverse!
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