CENTERSPREAD

joji’s smithereens blows its listeners away

By Callie Yuan

Staf Writer

George K. Miller, famously known as Joji, released his long-awaited third studio album SMITHEREENS on November 4 after a twoyear hiatus. SMITHEREENS serves as a culmination of Joji’s evolution of sound and production, expertly blending his signature alternative, R&B, and trap sounds into a fowing stream that carries the listener through his pensive emotions.

The album consists of two discs: the frst follows Joji as he takes the growth he’s achieved in his sophomore album Nectar and delves deeper into ruminating ballads while the second mixes in lo-f, returning to his roots as heard on his debut album BALLADS 1. SMITHEREENS opens with the charting single “Glimpse of Us,” a heart-wrenching song accompanied by elegant piano motifs. Joji cherishes his current partner and considers their perfect relationship a blessing with how much she’s helped him, “She’d take the world of my shoulders / If it was ever hard to move.” However these feelings of wanting to treasure his perfect partner confict with his disloyal thoughts that stray back to a previous lover. “Said I’m fne and said I moved on / I’m only here passing time in her arms,” Joji laments as he reminisces on his past relationship through his current lover’s eyes.

Throughout the rest of the album, Joji dissects the aftermath and the recollection of all the shattered smithereens of one’s heart from this failing relationship. The repeated opening chords on “Die For You” imitate Joji’s incessant self-degrada-

GAMEBYTES

By Tushara Devapatla Staf Writer

Released in May 2019, missed messages. is an indie horror-romance visual novel created by software developer Angela He. With a moving soundtrack and detailed graphics, the game takes 15-30 minutes to play through, though, with four diferent endings the game can take over an hour to play fully. Focusing on the importance of receiving and ofering help for those in need, love and friendship are vital themes throughout the game.

The game starts with the player getting a message from someone named “goth gf” asking them out. As the game progresses, the player sees how their choice impacts the people around them, specifcally her relationship with her roommate May. The game is story-based, limiting the number of interactive elements to two or three for every 20 frames, making each choice afect the ending signifcantly.

With great nuance, He discusses incredibly complex topics through her game, the innocuous beginning juxtaposing the rest of the game as it delves into more serious issues such as depression and suicide through the player’s roommate May. Using ofhand comments and sparse interactions, the game lets the player choose whether they should check on May or not, urging the audience to check on their loved ones or at least to reach out.

With this story-based approach, the game allows the developer to show of her strongest skill set: art. Having worked on games such as a new life. and YOU LEFT ME. previously, He’s colorful and immersive art is a constant throughout her games, adding another layer of emotion the audience can feel. As the game delves into emotional topics, the art gives them more depth, making the story more heartfelt. missed messages. is a free game available for PC, Mac, and Linux with the fan pack costing $4.99, which includes extra art as well as in-game wallpapers. With a moving plot and amazing art, anyone looking for a heartfelt, impactful game would adore this. ▪

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tion and bombardments of regret. Despite the character’s mental health steadily declining and his heart having been blown to pieces because of the breakup, Joji belts in the chorus, “I heard that you’re happy without me,” wishing for his ex-partner’s happiness nonetheless. As Joji pieces together his fragmented heart, he maneuvers through the aftermath of the breakup in “Before The Day Is Over.” With the opening verse, “Things changing course, smiles fade to grin / Now the moment’s gone, just as I feared / … and I was hoping this time,” he acknowledges their relationship has to an end, but abhors that fact and instead tries to latch on to the remnants of their time together. Finally, Joji realizes the eternal devotion to each other he had wished for was naive since just as the warmth of the day is gone after the sunset, relationships also all reach an inevitable end.

In comparison to Joji’s previous works, SMITHEREENS is much more cohesive in regard to melodic zeniths and consistently captivating vocals. All the tracks craft a world of broken relationships that tie into each other like no other album of his has done before. This is considering his frst self-produced song “NIGHT RIDER” since BALLADS 1, which features syncopated beats paired with crescendoed singing that enchant the listener. However, with its short run time of a little over 24 minutes, Joji’s third album has less content and lacks Nectar’s musical diversity. Even so, the short album allows the audience to spend more time engrossing itself in and relistening to the tracks.

Joji crafts an atmosphere the audience can immerse itself in by contrasting the universal feelings of fervent attachment to bygone times and numbing isolation from losing what’s precious all in only nine tracks. As he cleans up his production and sound, SMITHEREENS serves as a paragon Joji album, and both diehard fans and new listeners can look forward to more ambitious projects that have yet to come. ▪

Grade: A-

November 2022 MSJ Faves

MOVIE: American Psycho —Ethan Tang, 11 TV SHOW: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. — Melissa Jin, 10 ALBUM: Her Loss by Drake, 21 Savage — Anish Sanku, 12 BOOK: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini — Alyssa Chen, 9 GAME:Guardian Tales — William Wang, 11

drake and 21 savage nearly win in her loss

By Waylon Li

Staf Writer

Canadian rapper Aubrey Drake Graham and British American rapper Shéyaa “21 Savage” Bin Abraham-Joseph released their frst collaborative album Her Loss, following two of their recent hit songs, “Knife Talk (with 21 Savage ft. Project Pat)” and “Jimmy Cooks (feat. 21 Savage).” Released on November 4 after a week-long delay, Her Loss comes less than fve months after Drake’s heavily criticized Honestly, Nevermind. However, despite the excitement surrounding Drake and 21 Savage’s long awaited collaboration, Her Loss doesn’t live up to the hype; rather than a collaboration, the project feels like a solo album by Drake with an occasional 21 Savage feature.

Drake and 21 Savage don’t need introductions. Drake’s iconic music career has consisted of intense musical variety on albums such as Take Care and Views, and 21 Savage rose to fame quickly with staple albums such as Issa Album and Savage Mode. 21 Savage often incorporates themes of his troubled, violent past, trickling in traumatic experiences of gang violence in his childhood. On the other hand, Drake is known for his melodious, moody tone while lyrically rapping about his past and romantic relationships. Drake’s and 21 Savage’s past songs are a mix of two worlds, and their musical diferences often result in experimental, fascinating pieces of music. The album opens up with “Rich Flex,” with the two rappers hyping up each other preceding a beat switch. Drake speaks directly to 21 Savage in the chorus: “21, do your thing 21, do your thing (21).” This explicit collaboration is rare in Her Loss, but when it happens, it’s fawless. In the sixth track “Spin Bout U,” Drake and 21 Savage feature a 1995 R&B sample that transitions

SPOTIFY.COM the album’s tone from trap-based and cocky to romantic and brooding. One of the deep cuts in the album “Hours in Silence,” details one of Drake’s relationships in a melodious R&B tone. Although the song’s low energy mood perfectly fts Drake’s voice, it drags on for more than six minutes, and the melody quickly becomes stale.

In addition, Drake takes unnecessary stabs at other icons such as Megan Thee Stallion and Alexis K. Ohanaian. In “Circo Loco,” Drake toys at Stallion’s claims of being shot by rapper Tory Lanez. In “Middle of the Ocean,” Drake calls Reddit co-founder and husband of athlete Serena Williams a “groupie.” The small comments of misogyny and controversy play a major role in the album’s overall feel, as the project’s enjoyability is tainted by Drake and 21 Savage’s lack of sensitivity.

The pair’s musical synergy fails to overcome the imbalance to deliver this long-awaited album. Her Loss is not a fulflled masterpiece due to unnecessary comments and controversiality, but it can be considered as an undeniable, unique evolution into the modern rap industry. While the album had smooth rhythms, cadences, and high energy, Drake and 21 Savage indubitably have not unleashed the potential they created from previous song collaborations. ▪

Grade: B

black panther: wakanda forever’s lasting impact

By Praamesh Siva

Staf Writer

Filled with breathtaking visuals and action-packed thrills, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever exceeds expectations and leaves viewers fulflled. Though there was uncertainty regarding how the flm would turn out after the tragic passing of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, Director Ryan Coogler and countless others involved in the production of the flm honor the late actor’s legacy by creating a sequel that lives up to the original.

At the end of the frst movie, viewers are left with excitement and suspense as T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) reveals the true nature of Wakanda to the United Nations. In the beginning of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, T’Challa passes away from an unidentifed ailment that he kept a secret from everyone, sufering alone while inspiring hope. Following T’Challa’s demise, Wakanda becomes more accessible to the world, just as he promised. However, without T’Challa’s leadership, Wakanda fnds itself in a compromised situation, with other nations trying to gain possession of their coveted metal, vibranium. The US discovers the Talokan underwater realm while searching for vibranium, which angers its king, Namor (Tenoch Huerta), resulting in a major confict between the two kingdoms.

Throughout the movie, two of the prominent female characters, Shuri (Letitia Wright) and Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) overcome their state of desolation following T’Challa’s death. They struggle to come to terms with a loss that neither they nor the viewer expected; in this way, the viewers and the characters are interlocked on a deeper level. The sudden loss of their hero challenges their beliefs, their culture, and everything that they know. The core part of the flm is how the characters process and learn to overcome this tragic loss.

Apart from just the intriguing set-up, the actors are what make Black Panther: Wakanda Forever stand out. For example, Bassett’s passion and tenacity as Queen Ramonda bring the character to life: in a meeting with the representatives of Wakanda and the United Nations, she threatens that the countries plotting to steal vibranium will be met with appropriate responses if they don’t stand down, showing that she is not afraid of anyone and is willing to go to extreme lengths to protect her homeland. This scene is memorable because Bassett’s loud and passionate voice defes everyone who is plotting against her country.

The soundtrack mirrors the emotions of the movie very well. The lead single, “Lift Me Up” by Rihanna, uses a slower, almost spiritual tempo to create emotional remembrance. The speed of Rihanna’s ballad is reminiscent of a hymn, swathing its listeners in an embrace of comfort and hope. Each line of the song is powerful and compelling, honoring the memory of the deceased.

Though stellar in many areas, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever doesn’t quite reach the splendor of its predecessor. The flm struggles with narrative and pacing issues that create a runtime of two hours and 41 minutes In addition, Namor’s backstory is explored well, but hard to connect with. Compared to Killmonger’s intensity and charisma from Black Panther, Namor falls short as the villain: his history and struggles do not feel as personal and impactful as Killmonger’s.

Despite a few shortcomings in plot, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is still a terrifc flm. The movie is more emotional compared to the other movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it handles this emotion with grace and nuance through its takes on grief, growth, and unity. Coogler proves once again that he is a flmmaker to be reckoned with. Overall, with fantastic cinematography, direction, and phenomenal acting, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a mustwatch. ▪

Grade: A