Words by Skylar Sanders
Following the installation of mysterious billboards in several countries and a cryptic Instagram post captioned “see u soon,” Japanese-Australian artist Joji returned Oct. 14 with his new single “PIXELATED KISSES,” accompanied by a hypnotic visualizer. The drop came as a welcome surprise for fans who had been patiently awaiting the expansion of his discography after years of silence following his third studio album, “SMITHEREENS,” released in 2022.
“PIXELATED KISSES” opens with grimy, layered production that leans into a glitchore-inspired soundscape. While brief, the track delivers a striking meditation on intimacy in the digital age. The lyrics are minimal, limited to a chorus and post-chorus, but Joji’s haunting, reverb-soaked vocals cut through the distortion — “Pixelated kisses got me goin’ insane / Replicate this moment from a million miles away / Waiting for the signal, baby, never make a sound / If you never hear from me, all the satellites are down / Yeah, they’re all fuckin’ down.”
The accompanying visualizer loops glitching footage of rockets, outer space, and fleeting images of Joji holding what appears to be a human heart. The overwhelming, almost chaotic visuals mirror the challenge of finding a connection amid digital static. Following the chorus, Joji pleads, “Falling through the atmosphere right now / Baby, are you really down? / Baby, are you really down?”
A moment of calm swells between the chorus and post-chorus, carving out space for inevitable heavy feelings, in classic Joji fashion. He searches for meaning, trying to distinguish the difference between reality and the digital world as he traverses this modern romance. It’s almost as if he sees his digital self communicating with his lover as a separate but equal extension of his physical self – a powerful depiction of the modern ache for connection in an increasingly pixelated world.
As of now, Joji hasn’t commented on whether more music is on the way, but given the surprise rollout of “PIXELATED KISSES,” fans can’t help but hope this is just the beginning of his next chapter.
Loudspeaker Collective 