In Tongues

About

When Joji's debut EP, <i>In Tongues</i>, was released in 2017, it was out of character for Japanese-born singer, producer, and actor George Kusunoki Miller, who previously ruled the internet meme kingdom with shocking, absurdist personas like Filthy Frank and Pink Guy. He'd gained millions of followers across social media, ignited the 2013 Harlem Shake dance craze, and released the massively viral Pink Guy album, <i>Pink Season</i>. Though his shift toward the Joji project—with its downtrodden R&B crooning and lo-fi beats—was deemed a suicide mission, it would ultimately prove not just a titanic creative rebirth, but a lifesaving personal transition. Back in 2014, the star uploaded a video explaining how a recent dip in meme output was due to his stress-induced seizures. The confines of his internet fame had begun taking a physical toll, and Miller hungered for a way out. Joji took shape as a vlogs channel later that year, with the occasional atmospheric rumination popping up on streaming platforms shortly after. Following the 2017 success of <i>Pink Season</i>, which was an unexpected swan song for his beloved rose-hooded character, <i>In Tongues</i> arrived less than a year later showcasing Miller's newfound introspection and the beatmaking skills he'd honed during his meme days. Drawing heavily from the lo-fi beats boom of the late 2010s and the DIY cloud-trap movement, Joji's <i>In Tongues</i> is earnest, somber, and minimalist, signaling a seismic departure from his maniacal online personalities. Cuts like “Will He” and “Pills” wallow in the sorrow of heartbreak, longing and daydreaming for a life beside someone who’d rather avoid him. The irreverence of his comedy days rears its head on “Bitter F**k” and “worldstar money (Interlude),” though Joji holds the reins tightly to keep his sober confessionals from straying back into meme territory. A deluxe edition of <i>In Tongues</i> dropped in 2018, featuring the paramour intrigue and sadboi R&B coos of “I Don't Wanna Waste My Time” and the collaged soundscapes of “Plastic Taste.” This re-edition also includes a bevy of remixes from DJs and producers that Joji connected with during his time exploring EDM and the internet's electronic underground, propelling his sparse compositions to the most recondite, head-scratching corners of the dance floor.

via Apple Music