Pushing Boundaries and Finding His Sound: Djo’s ‘The Crux’ is Anything But Basic
Just over a year ago, millions of fans around the world discovered Stranger Things actor Joe Keery had a second identity – musical artist Djo
With his first album release in 2019, it took Djo a few years to become an overnight success. His 2022 track End of Beginning blew up on TikTok and topped the charts in early 2024. Today, Djo brings us his third full-length album, The Crux, which brings listeners on a psychedelic ride through Keery’s life.
12 tracks in length, The Crux has proven Djo to be a multifaceted artist, with infectious hooks and his beloved indie-boy vocals coming to life. Opening track Lonesome Is A State of Mind is a slow burn, beginning with melancholic vocals expressing the feeling of living a monotonous life – “I swear I’ve had this dinner before / I know I’ve heard that song / My future’s not what I thought / I think I thought it wrong”. The lyrics hold a layer of pain, however, the song picks up before ending on a more optimistic note with “Lonesome is a state of mind / No, I won’t be lonely anymore”.
Already surpassing 15 million streams, up next is the album’s debut single Basic Being Basic, an upbeat retro-pop song that dives into Djo’s aversion to living a “basic” life – “I don’t want your money, I don’t care for fame / I don’t want to live a life where that’s my big exchange”. With catchy vocals, the song implies that society’s obsession with chasing appearances and recognition is hollow and ‘basic’. The repeated “What an empty epitaph that is” finishes off the track, throwing one last punch at the things that modern society holds so highly.
Following this, Link begins with a sound reminiscent of 70’s rock band The Cars – the kind of rhythm that gets you tapping your feet. Electric guitars and powerful vocals tell a story about an overachiever suffering an existential crisis over the thought of adult life. In the next spot we have the most recent single Potion, offering light and heartwarming acoustic strings, while still delivering lonely lyrics – “I’ll try for all of my life just to find someone who leaves on the light for me”. Although melancholic in nature, the melody of this song feels peaceful as Djo expresses what he is searching for in love.
Delete Ya brings an 80’s synth-pop sound, while again delivering heart-wrenching lyrics such as “I’m locked, she’s the key / I’m a boat that’s sinking, guess who’s the sea”. Djo has found a way to create witty breakup music that picks up the pace and allows you to forget you’re feeling sad for just a few minutes. Finishing the first half of the album, Egg incorporates a Bohemian Rhapsody style of music that feels like scraps of different melodies stuck together beautifully. This song’s vocals evoke powerful emotions, and the combination of musical landscapes leaves listeners in a trance by its finale.
Commencing the second half of the album, Fly slows things down and gives listeners a glimpse into Djo’s thoughts on a possible past relationship. Backed by a hazy melody, Djo contemplates returning to a past love while knowing deep down that he must move forward. “Falling back to her could be easy to do / But I must fly, fly away from her”. The next track, Charlie’s Garden, begins abruptly with a catchy piano melody drawing in some influence from The Beatles. The song is bouncy, creative, and eccentric, incorporating recorded phone calls from Keery’s Stranger Things co-star Charlie Heaton.
Listeners get a taste of Djo falling head-over-heels in the next track Gap Tooth Smile, offering another taste of The Cars’ unique sound while paying homage to musical icon Freddie Mercury with lyrics “Freddie said it right, ‘cause she’s my killer queen”. Following this, we hear a softer side of Djo’s vocals with the sentimental track Golden Line.
Nearing the end of the album, the penultimate track, Back On You, commences with an angelic choir made up of Keery’s sisters’ voices. Not long after, the song picks up into a groovy bass line that will make you want to get up and dance – while painting a picture of the immeasurable bond between brother and sister, as Djo tells listeners how lucky he is to have them. “I’d lay my life down on the line for you, that’s the truth, yeah / Sisters made a better brother”. Closing title track, Crux, kicks off with a soothing piano and low vocals, and with Djo’s final message of “Get back to your heart”, listeners are left with a glimpse of hope following the rollercoaster of emotions the album has sent us on.
With ever-changing vocals and a wide range of musical styles, The Crux is a bright and refreshing cinematic masterpiece and proves that Djo has been successful in his transition from actor to musician. The songs are dramatic and bring several different musical eras and genres together with thoughtful and introspective lyrics. Djo took off on tour on April 3, and will be performing across the US, Canada, and Europe until mid-June accompanied by his former musical group Post Animal. With this album, Djo has come home – and his live performances will be ones you won’t want to miss.
