Starting with perhaps the biggest song of not only this album but his discography, ‘Sanctuary’ reached critical acclaim after it’s release in mid 2019 with it’s ideal fusion of lo-fi and sci-fi. Accompanied by a Star-Trek inspired music video, this track is 3 minutes of powerful, contrastingly idyllic melodies and emphatic vocals which elevate the listeners to a whole other level. When I had the pleasure of seeing him perform the track live at Leeds in 2019, which now seems like a distant memory, I clung on to every lyric, particularly “Pull me oh-so close // Cos you never know // Just how long our lives will be”.
Other smashing singles include ‘Run’, released earlier this year with it’s stripped back, acoustic vibes, which was followed by ‘Gimme Love’. The latter may have one of the greatest music videos of 2020 (seriously, if you haven’t watched it you really should), but it’s visual partnership only works to support the driven and upbeat percussion of the trap-inspired track, which crescendos into a symphony of euphoria and melancholy.
If his first album wasn’t enough to transform the minds of those who only saw him as a YouTube-artist, then this second album has surely committed Joji, or George Miller, to a status in the music industry he’s deserving of. This fresh talent has a lot more to explore, discover and share.
4.5/5