Each Measure Feature: Joho
FEATURE
The flavors of “southside thrill ride” are just as exciting as the title implies. JOHO’s new album is an eclectic mix of instruments and samples swirling into a genre-bending eleven-track parade narrated by the steady flow of his versatile vocals. JOHO takes the lead on vocals and production of “southside thrill ride,” with additional behind-the-scenes help from 4D3N and featuring vocals by IIRIIS. This album does everything to cement the unique sound of JOHO as a vibrant and thoroughly modern artist to watch (and listen to, of course).
I love a good genre pusher, especially when it feels defendably authentic (aka not just an accidental confusion). This album kept me engaged from start to finish, sometimes with grimy industrial hip-hop, sometimes with a lulling distressed indie surfer rock vibe. JOHO impressively shows off a fresh sound with intentionality backed by apparent production expertise. Cruising on Bandcamp, it's clear to see that this is not his first rodeo. With a healthy scroll of projects to date, it seems he’s been plenty busy down in hometown Houston. It pays off tremendously.
This momentous ninth album digs deep with mature and personal themes. Family, self-consciousness, and crowd-pleasing themes of love and doubt are rolled out with real honesty and grit. While the lyrics may at times go hard, the musicality provides a refreshing and artistically tender treatment, traveling from distortion and beats to a delicate falsetto. Similarly, when JOHOs shapeshifting voice goes deep and husky with thudding basslines, the effect is playfully counterattacked with a kitschy moment of nostalgic radio chorus singing, a tinkling keyboard ditty, or a bright brassy sax.
It’s albums like this one that really keep my attention. The eclectic taste of “southside thrill ride” is an album where there’s truly no point in forcing it into one singular box. It takes me on a ride to rethink why we even have things like genres in the first place, who gets to decide what they are, is there sanctity of any musical rite...But I could also just enjoy eleven tracks of a truly exciting new album.
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