While last month's power ballad "SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK" continues to dazzle and place on charts, Joji, the multi-faceted visionary with a cult following from every corner of the internet, returns with another parable from his debut album BALLADS1. Produced by RL Grime, "TEST DRIVE" explores the complexities of commitment and is a lyrical masterpiece of visceral intensity. To illustrate the intangibilities of relationships, official visuals directed by James Defina were released to complement the evocative message.
Continuously defying conventions, "TEST DRIVE" is but his signature downtempo sound; melancholic in nature and layered with soulful croons amidst eclectic sonic textures, Joji melds multiple genres into one lush soundscape. Perhaps a reflection of his evolution, the singer and producer utilizes ambitious percussions as the basis of the track and a soft yet deep-hitting bass for further emphasis. The fierceness of the lyrics shines through the warm, hazy undertones of the video which depict Joji tied up and alone in the desert. In a telling metaphor, he is hanging from the sky and encased in a straitjacket, locked in the proverbial chains of a relationship that could have been. The various shots of Joji in varying situations, are all provocative allegories of the intangible complexities one might have in commitment.
BALLADS1 will be out October 26th via 88rising. Preorder the album here.
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