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Decide
Studio album by Djo
Released	September 16, 2022
Genre	Synth-pop synthwave alt-pop
Length	36:03
Label	Djo Music AWAL
Producer	Joe Keery Adam Thein
Djo chronology
Twenty Twenty (2019) Decide (2022)
Singles from Decide
"Change" Released: June 22, 2022 "Gloom" Released: July 25, 2022 "Figure You Out" Released: August 26, 2022 "Half Life" Released: September 9, 2022 "End of Beginning" Released: March 1, 2024

Decide is the second studio album by the American actor and singer-songwriter Joe Keery, under his alias Djo. It was independently released on September 16, 2022.

Decide was supported by five singles: "Change", "Gloom", "Figure You Out", "Half Life", and "End of Beginning". The album was described as synth-pop.

Background and development

The American actor and musician Joe Keery started releasing music under the alias Djo in 2019, when he left the band Post Animal after three projects between 2015 and 2018. His debut studio album, Twenty Twenty, was released on September 13, 2019, and supported by three singles and concerts in the United States. In an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Keery stated that the decision of performing under the name Djo was made after he had the idea to not be "directly connected" to him. He also plays wearing a wig, inspired by the entertainer Andy Kaufman. In an interview with NME, he said that it started to separate his musical career from Steve Harrington, his character in the series Stranger Things, but he then liked "the camaraderie that it creates".

Keery and the producer Adam Thein started developing Decide in 2019, in parallel to a series of concerts in promotion of Twenty Twenty. They continued working on the album during the COVID-19 pandemic through screen-shared Ableton sessions. The two were bandmates in Post Animal and also collaborated on Twenty Twenty. In 2020, he told Rolling Stone that he was "recording for fun, downloading music". During the development of Decide, Keery had moments of "self-doubt", attached to his character in Stranger Things. Watching The Beatles: Get Back (2021) helped him; it showcases the Beatles creating their final studio album Let It Be (1970). Keery listened to the personal lyrics of the rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamar, and took them as a reference to not "edit" himself on the album. In late 2021, they recorded the album at The Sound Factory in Los Angeles.

Composition

Decide is a synth-pop, synthwave, and alt-pop album, with perceived elements of funk and 1980s pop music. It marked a departure from the psychedelic rock of Twenty Twenty, predominantly containing synthesizers and several vocal affections. It has a wider range of music genres in comparison to his previous effort. Lyrically, Decide centers on Keery's reflections about relationship, technology, and self-growth, as well as his anxiety about changes and identity. It served as a document from his previous years, and he described it as a "sort of aural history of late 20s". The musician David Byrne was one of the biggest influences for the album, while Keery also cited the duos Daft Punk and Justice, the singers Charli XCX and Julian Casablancas, and the band the Strokes. Charli XCX's 2022 album Crash was mentioned by Keery for sharing similarities in their humorous moments. Inpired by her girlfriend, Keery focused more on the song's lyrics instead of the melody, in contrast to his debut album; he described that process as cathartic. Some songs on the album deviate from the traditional writing form, as he wanted to do something "surprising". The DIY critic Neive McCarthy opined that the album contains a energy based on synthesizers, with self-analytical but optimistic lyrics. It also includes Auto-Tuned vocals and chiptune.

The opening track "Runner" showcases a personal songwriting, where he addresses his own dilemma, "People never change, but I have to try", in a falsetto. Josh Glicksman of Billboard said that it "would fit" on Currents (2015) by the music project Tame Impala. On the dark synth-pop song "Gloom", Keery's voice is accompanied by a kick drum and guitar. Influenced by the bands Devo and Talking Heads, it depicts him listing a series of excuses for leaving. The futuristic third track "Half Life" focuses on the struggles Keery had gone through online. He revealed that the first lyric is about him "trying to resist the urge to search name". Sonically, it is build over a Blade Runner-like production, and has sophisti-pop elements, and a groovy chorus. It is followed by the R&B "Fool", which is reminiscent to the funk band Cameo, according to The Line of Best Fit's Christopher Hamilton-Peach. "On and On" describes the feeling of losing faith and monotony with the addiction to scrolling through the internet. It later contains "explosive" drums, similar to those of the arena rock subgenre, according to Quinn Moreland of Pitchfork.

The lyrics of "End of Beginning" are about reconnecting with a past version of himself in Chicago. He described it as "saying goodbye to a certain part of your life, and it being a sad thing, but also looking onward". It contains a sentiment of nostalgia and dissociation, and was compared by Glicksman to the bands INXS and Crowded House. Musically, it includes a low guitar line and synthesizers. The lyrical content of "Climax" is a comfrontation to the future: "It terrifies me there is no plan/The future breaking right on top of me". It was compared by Daniel Hartmann of Exclaim! to the Strokes. "Change" is a synth funk song predominantly containing synthesizers on a funk rock and psychedelic rock base. Keery named the bands T. Rex and Parliament-Funkadelic as inspiration for the track. It drew comparisons to the works of Tame Imapala, with Stereogum's Chris Deville compared it to a "poppier" The Slow Rush (2020). According to NME's Tom Disalvo, it encompases the psychedelia of Twenty Twenty and the pop-punk of his 2020 single "Keep Your Head Up". The only interlude on the album, titled "Is That All It Takes", precedes "Go for It, which contains synthesizers reminiscent to those from "Hell of a Life" by Kanye West, according to Glicksman. The track starts with a bass and a staccato melody and turns into a pop ballad, centering on a love that fades quickly. The twelfth track, "Figure You Out", describes a disconnect from reality through questions: "Is the memory really mine?/Is the story I told just fake?/How can you get to know yourself?". The album closes with "Slither", with lyrics showcasing hope.

Singles

The album's lead single, "Change", was released on June 22, 2022. The album's second single, "Gloom", was released on July 25, 2022. The album's third single, "Figure You Out", was released on August 26, 2022. The album's fourth single, "Half Life", was released on September 9, 2022, one week prior to the album's release.

The album's sixth track, "End of Beginning", became Keery's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart following its increased usage on the social media app TikTok, debuting at number 51 on the chart dated March 2, 2024. It was released to Italian radio on March 1, 2024, as the album's fifth single.

Reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	77/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
Clash	8/10
DIY
Dork
Exclaim!	7/10
The Line of Best Fit	8/10
Pitchfork	6.8/10
Under the Radar

Decide received a score of 77 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on six critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. Quinn Moreland of Pitchfork praised the album's overall concept and its influences from Daft Punk and Tame Impala. Neive McCarthy of DIY gave the album 4 stars, praising its musical and lyrical departure from Keery's previous album, Twenty Twenty.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Joe Keery and Adam Thein.

Charts

References

1. Disalvo, Tom (June 23, 2022). "Joe Keery releases new single 'Change' ahead of sophomore solo album, Decide". NME. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
2. Mier, Tomás (July 25, 2022). "Joe Keery Channels Talking Heads on Djo Single 'Gloom'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
3. "Ones to Watch". Ones to Watch. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
4. Lombardi, Lauren. "A Critique of the Internet by One of Its Favorite Stars: Djo's "Half Life"". The Fordham Ram. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
5. ^ "Djo: Decide Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
6. ^ Benitez-Eves, Tina (June 22, 2022). "'Stranger Things' Actor Joe Keery Releases "Change" Off Forthcoming Album 'Decide'". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
7. Thiessen, Brock (August 29, 2019). "'Stranger Things' Star Joe Keery Unveils Debut Album as Djo". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
8. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (July 25, 2022). "Djo (AKA 'Stranger Things' Star Joe Keery) Drops The Jaunty Alt-Rocker 'Gloom'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
9. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (August 11, 2022). "Joe Keery: "I want my stage persona to surprise people"". NME. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
10. ^ Glicksman, Josh (August 26, 2022). "Joe Keery Is Turning Expectations Upside Down With Music Project Djo". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
11. ^ Disalvo, Tom (June 23, 2022). "Joe Keery releases new single 'Change' ahead of sophomore solo album, 'Decide'". NME. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
12. ^ Paul, Larisha (August 26, 2022). "Joe Keery Feels Disconnected From Reality on Djo Single 'Figure You Out'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
13. ^ Kaufman, Gil (June 22, 2022). "'Stranger Things' Star Joe Keery Drops 'Change' Single, Preps Second Solo Album as DJO". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
14. ^ Ackroyd, Stephen (June 22, 2022). "Joe Keery's Djo has announced a new album, 'Decide'". Dork. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
15. ^ Hartman, Daniel (September 14, 2022). "Djo Looks Back to the Future on Neon-Hued Decide". Exclaim!. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
16. ^ Holden, Finlay (September 16, 2022). "Djo – Decide Album Review". Dork. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
17. ^ Hamilton, Christopher (September 16, 2022). "Djo Decide". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
18. ^ Goodman, Jessica (September 15, 2022). "Djo: "Humour is part of my identity, in a lot of things that I do"". Dork. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
19. Jackson, Hannah (September 12, 2022). "Joe Keery Leans Into Nostalgia as His Alter Ego, Djo". W. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
20. ^ "Djo – Decide". DIY. September 16, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
21. ^ Lane, Kwase (July 25, 2022). "Djo (Stranger Things' Joe Keery) sounds like a modern-day DEVO on new single "Gloom"". Alternative Press. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
22. Kress, Bryan (July 25, 2022). "Djo (Stranger Things' Joe Keery) Shares New Single "Gloom": Stream". Consequence. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
23. Segall, Dora (September 15, 2022). "Joe Keery's Saturn Return as DJO". Spin. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
24. ^ McDermott, Lauren (September 14, 2022). "Djo – Decide Review". Clash. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
25. ^ Deville, Chris (June 22, 2022). "Djo – "Change"". Stereogum. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
26. "Djo - Joe Keery - Shares New Single 'Change'". Clash Magazine. June 23, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
27. Mier, Tomás (July 25, 2022). "Joe Keery Channels Talking Heads on Djo Single 'Gloom'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
28. "Djo, aka Stranger Things' Joe Keery, unveils new track "Figure You Out"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
29. Arnone, Joey (September 9, 2022). "Djo (Joe Keery from "Stranger Things") Shares New Single "Half Life"". Under the Radar.
30. Zellner, Xander (February 27, 2024). "Hot 100 First-Timers: Djo (Joe Keery From 'Stranger Things') Debuts With Viral Hit 'End of Beginning'". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
31. ^ "Decide by Djo Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
32. Fechik, Mariel (September 26, 2022). "Djo: DECIDE (AWAL) - review". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
33. "Djo Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
34. "Dutchcharts.nl – Djo – Decide" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
35. "Offiziellecharts.de – Djo – Decide" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
36. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2024. 11. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
37. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
38. "Djo Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
39. "Djo Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
40. "Djo Chart History (Top Rock & Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2024.

• 2022 albums
• Joe Keery albums
• AWAL albums