At first glance, Djo’s (aka Stranger Things star Joe Keery) recently-released sophomore album Decide is a fun, synth-pop record that anyone can have fun listening to. It isn’t until you look at the lyrics that the listener can find a deeply relatable journey through early adulthood, touching on subjects like personal growth, the age of social media, relationships, and more, all based on Djo’s real-life experiences through his twenties. There’s a lesson for every twenty-something in this album, and everyone would benefit from a deeper listen. Here’s a little introduction to some of those lessons and themes.
Decide begins with a strong drum line and 8-bit bleeps in “Runner.” This track explores the idea of entering a new era of life and choosing to grow despite the world around you, saying “People never change / But I have to try.” The song leaves you questioning that choice, as many of us do, saying “The future is the same / Why try?” “Runner” has the kind of existentialism everyone has experienced on many a sleepless night. What better message to represent entering your twenties?
With the conclusion of “Runner”, we hear a seamless transition into the second track on the album, “Gloom.” This song has strong Talking Heads influences and features eclectic lyrics that don’t necessarily make a lot of sense upon first listen. In “Gloom,” Djo talks about the desire to leave a situation that just isn’t working. He starts the song with the lyrics, “And now I’m ready to go / I’m sick of hanging out and now I’m ready to go,” and what twenty-something can’t relate to that? We’ve all been in a situation where we’re just ready to be home and away from people.
Decide continues with what I like to call the social media trifecta. The next three tracks, titled “Half Life”, “Fool”, and “On and On” discuss the huge (and often toxic) role social media plays in our lives with lyrics like “God, you’re a fool / You think these people really care for you?” in “Half Life”, “I will be your fool / I’ll perform for you” in “Fool”, and “In my phone / It’s my world / I see the future sitting in my hand” in “On and On”. We all know what it’s like to cultivate an online persona, allowing only the most aesthetically pleasing moments onto our Instagram feeds. It’s exhausting and can take over our lives, and Djo’s tracks show us that we’re not alone in feeling that.
Admittedly my favorite track on Decide, we continue with “End of Beginning.” This song is about what it’s like coming back to your college town after moving on to bigger things in life, and the nostalgia that comes along with it, with the chorus saying “And when I’m back in Chicago, I feel it / Another version of me, I was in it / I wave goodbye to the end of beginning.” This song is much slower and sadder than previous tracks on the record, which fits the song’s message and really brings forth nostalgia for simpler times.
Djo calls back the upbeat vibe from the beginning of the album with “I Want Your Video.” This song brings us to the relationship aspect of your twenties, and the happiness of being in a healthy one. He talks about feeling complete and utter adoration for your partner, singing “I’m your moon / You’re my star” and “Need every bit of you / Babe, you know I want your video.” Relationships can be a huge part of our twenties, and this song perfectly encapsulates that.
Djo returns to the theme of change with a song titled just that— “Change” and what it’s like to have someone in your life inspire you to do better and be a better person, singing “A passing glance I see / In your eyes, the man that I could be.” Our twenties are full of change, and we all have at least a desire to be the best version of ourselves. This song is about actively choosing to become that person and make those changes.
Decide closes with the tracks “Figure You Out” and “Slither,” which explore a sense of self-discovery that he has come to as he leaves his twenties, saying, “I’m beginning to understand / There’s no mystery to this man” in “Figure You Out.” Our twenties are truly a time for self-discovery. While we may not find all the answers the universe holds, “We all wanna be someone / At the end of the day”, as Djo says in the final lyrics of “Slither” and the album itself.
As you can see, there are many things that make Decide a deeply personal and relatable album, and I genuinely believe all twenty-somethings will see pieces of themselves in one, if not many, of the songs. I mean, some of these songs have given me feelings I didn’t know existed, and despite being released less than a month ago, the album has helped me learn a lot about myself. So, when you have some free time, take a listen and see for yourself.