88rising artist Joji has returned with another cinematic video. His latest effort for “Test Drive,” an RL Grime produced record, serves as another teaser for his upcoming debut album, BALLADS 1. The emotional track stays on-brand with the Japanese musician’s soothing aesthetic. The video, directed by James Defina, explores the darker themes embedded within the song’s lyrics by taking Joji into the desert to be wrapped in chains, or hung in the air by a straight jacket. Each character Joji takes on alludes to the damages done by a broken relationship. The much-anticipated album, which will drop October 26th, is inspired by human struggles, the inability to change and leave toxic environments full of temptations and self-destruction. 

Words: Paola de Oliveira
Photography: James Defina