The ambient, nearly instrumental interlude in “Reanimator” uses electronic instrumentation to create a dark and unsettling song. Hollywood” makes good use of trap instrumentation, contributing to its hypnotic atmosphere. In addition to those previously listed, many other tracks on this album stand out among the rest. Overall, Joji plays to his strengths as an artist, and, combined with his strong vocal performance, creates one of the strongest songs of his career. The quiet-to-loud dynamics of the verses and chorus works to create tension, especially in the drum beat. The cyclical guitar line in the instrumental gives the entire track a dark undertone, making for the best instrumental on the album. Perhaps the best song on the album is the seventh track “Run.” Joji’s vocals sound loud and crisp in some points, he stretches his voice to the point of breaking, which is uncommon for his style. This song is short and sweet, and again demonstrates the importance of a unique vocal melody in Joji’s music. The song only has one verse, but the vocal melody is memorable in comparison to other tracks on the album. However, the track quickly becomes a quiet acoustic song, a large departure from Joji’s typical blend of electronic and R&B sound. The next track “Upgrade” picks up right where “Daylight” left off, with a loud piano melody at the beginning. This song provides the perfect example of a Joji song that combines great production with memorable vocals to create one of his most enjoyable tracks in his discography. Joji sings much louder and more expressively than he typically does, which results in one of the best vocal performances on the album. The off-kilter instrumental, produced by Diplo, complements the lilting vocals. The fourth track “Daylight” has an upbeat atmosphere, unique among Joji’s work. Though the album has its inconsistencies, some of the songs on “Nectar” are among the best that Joji has ever released.
Even the vocals improve markedly in the bridge, with one of the most satisfying vocal melodies on the album. The subtle drum beat, soaring strings and intermittent piano elevate the second half of the song far above the first. As the track continues, however, it gets better, especially when the strings begin in the chorus. Yet, when Joji’s high-pitched vocals begin, they clash with the somber mood. It also effectively uses space, as the piano sounds quiet and distant. The beginning of the first track “Ew” has similar issues as “Tick Tock.” The descending piano melodies at the beginning create a melancholic, reflective mood. If Joji sang with a more distinctive melody in this track, it would have complemented the unique instrumentals and made for one of his best songs to date. Ultimately, this results in the song sounding enjoyable in the moment, but forgotten the second the next song starts. However, the interesting aspects of this track are squandered by the boring vocal melodies in the chorus. In the verses, Joji uses a simple flow which suits the aggressive instrumental. The combination of the guitar and the drum machine creates a haunting and dark mood. The third track “Tick Tock” offers a perfect example of both the good and bad of the album. “Nectar” contains both Joji’s good and bad qualities in nearly equal measure he displays his wonderful ability to build a melancholic atmosphere and some memorable melodies, but many of the 18 songs on the album feel forgettable and have the same whispery, high-pitched and sometimes frustratingly monotonous vocal work. However, “Nectar” still suffers from many of the same issues that have followed Joji throughout his musical career - namely, his nice but unimpressionable tracks. Joji’s most recent album, “Nectar,” improves on “Ballads 1” in almost every way, and is his strongest collection of songs to date.
Much of his work on his debut album “Ballads 1” sounds pleasing however, it also feels forgettable, failing to leave a lasting impression on the listener. Throughout his short career, Joji has made a name for himself with his quiet, soothing voice and downtempo music that draws influence from hip-hop, R&B and electronic music. However, Joji’s transition from fringe YouTube comedian to mainstream R&B artist was more successful than anyone could have imagined. Given his background, a career in serious music sounds unlikely under his YouTube personality “Filthy Frank,” Joji was known for his dark, gross-out humor and his wild alter ego, Pink Guy. Over the past few years, former YouTube star George Miller - better known as Joji - has become one of the most popular internet artists in the mainstream world of music.
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