Album Review: "Nevertheless" by Jonah Why

Jonah Why is someone I’ve been watching for a couple years now. After moving on from her former alias (Kryolite, where she made instrumental electronic and dance music), Jonah began making her own unique brand of pop that has completely blown my mind. “What Could’ve Been” was a great EP, and it just left me wanting more. Fortunately, Jonah’s first full length release, “nevertheless”, is everything I loved about “What Could’ve Been” and more.

“In the beginning” sucks you in with some gnarly vocals and odd textures, and it preps you for what’s about to happen. “the gig is up”, “windfall”, and “bizarre!” then proceed to punch you in the face three times in a row. On these three tracks, the bass thumps and the hooks worm their way into the deep recesses of your brain. “the gig is up” is some great pop-punk fused with that signature Jonah Why sound, “windfall” mixes a Stevie Wonder-esque Clavinet hook with a catchy dance beat, and “bizarre!” is perhaps my favorite song on this album with its insane production, great use of little bits of ear candy throughout, and a chorus that makes me want to do 90 on the highway and crash my car in the best possible way. Special shoutout to the sick shredding from guitarist and co-writer Julian Bugbee at the end of this one. “fear of falling” opens with some synths that sound straight out of Mario 64, and brings the energy down for an R&B influenced slow jam about overthinking in a relationship.

Fellow Kalamazoo artist Shai-Li lends her signature angelic vocals to the track, which really ties it all together. Keeping the energy down, “dear gracie” is a vulnerable, atmospheric, acoustic-led track that caught me a little off guard. This album knows how to keep your attention, as it never stays in one place for too long. “sulfur” picks things back up with some shoegaze influenced guitar textures, and “exit 100” is perhaps the most emotional track on the album (in my eyes). I love the themes of personal growth and change, and I love the way it explodes into a noisy mess during the last minute. The title track caps off this amazing record with an acoustic intro that is quickly overtaken by beautiful electronic elements and pitched up vocals reminiscent of Porter Robinson's album “Nurture”, which is great. Synth shredding and almost metalcore sounding drums finish out the album, and the final moments are a cool, glitchy little soundscape.

All in all, this is one of the most interesting and dynamic electronic albums I’ve ever heard. Throughout all the genres and styles this album dips its toes into, the production sticks with that “Jonah Why’’ brand of hyperpop laced goodness, and that is definitely the best part. She is an insanely talented producer, and these mixes are just an amazing showcase of that. Her range and consistency are both admirable, and like with her previous EP, I can’t wait for more.

If you like hyperpop, EDM, or just really good pop music, I would definitely give this album a listen.

Recommended if you like sophie, 100 gecs, Porter Robinson, or JPEGMafia

Favorite Tracks: windfall, bizarre!, fear of falling, dear gracie, exit 100