Joe Keery, the actor who plays Steve Harrington on Stranger Things, is also a musician — not an “actor with a vanity project” musician, a guy who clearly knows what he’s doing. Keery used to be in the Chicago psych band Post Animal, and now he’s focused on his solo project Djo. This fall he’ll follow up 2019’s TWENTY TWENTY with a new one called DECIDE. I like the lead single a lot.

That song, “Change,” is a slick synth-funk track that reminds me of a poppier spin on recent Tame Impala. Like, imagine if The Slow Rush was a collaboration with Justin Timberlake? In a good way? Keery claims inspiration from T. Rex and Parliament Funkadelic here, and I can hear that stuff in “Change” too, I suppose, but yeah, mostly Tame Impala and Justin Timberlake. In a good way. Hear for yourself below, and imagine how Kevin Parker (or Joe Keery!) might be able to help Timberlake bounce back from Man Of The Woods.

TOUR DATES:
07/30 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge (SOLD OUT)
07/31 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/17 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Sea, Hear, Now Festival
10/15 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits

DECIDE is out 9/16.