The Crux hotel is back and edgier than ever. Multi-hyphenate musician and instrumentalist Djo, also known as acclaimed actor Joe Keery, surprise released a deluxe companion album to his hit 2025 album, The Crux. With 12 new tracks for fans to dig into, this "after dark" version of The Crux reveals a self-assured, experimental, and passionate side to the sound fans fell in love with on the original album.

Storytelling starts at the visual level before one presses play on the first song. The clever album artwork for the deluxe is a masterclass on how imagery can reflect the lyrical concepts each song explores. The focus of the artwork is the Crux hotel at night, after the gaggle of kooky characters has dispersed. While the standard album tackled the concept of sonder, or "one-of-many," this barren artwork reflects the intimate and personal setting of being alone with one's thoughts at night. Djo can be seen in the middle right window, no longer dangling outside in a state of chaos but confidently leaning on the frame. When compared to the five stages of grief, the first album conquers a sadness and anger whereas the deluxe has an air of bittersweet acceptance and self-reflection.

The album opens with the mesmerizing track "T. Rex is loud," an outtake from Djo's 2022 album Decide. Its acoustic rock production and grungy melodies make it a perfect match for The Crux Deluxe when compared to the electronic production featured on Decide. Lyrics like "T. rex is loud / Bolan figured it out / I'm in heaven / I hear that sound, my feet / Leaving the ground" detail how one can find comfort through music, in this case, the band T. Rex. Music can lend a hand during hard times and make listeners feel like their feet are leaving the ground. That feeling of catharsis can also arise from creating music. In this case, Djo details his experience from the perspective of a listener, forming a connection with fans who turn to his music for the same reason.

Djo divulged that the band crafted over 50 songs for The Crux, with some of these deluxe tracks originally slated to be on the standard edition. During a listening event on Stationhead, Djo revealed that the hyper-pop-esque track "Mr.Mountebank" was placed after the lead single "Basic Being Basic" before being pulled from the original tracklist. It takes a similar jabby approach, this time targeting exploitation and the darker side of the industry. Over the past year, one of Djo's tracks, "End of Beginning," went uber viral, joining the billion streams club and becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Instead of trying to create copies of this track, he remains unafraid to experiment. "Mr.Mountebank" is his first track with a crunchy auto-tune sound, perhaps influenced by his Laneway Festival buddy Charli xcx. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the noun "mountebank" refers to "a boastful unscrupulous pretender," similar to those who push for manufactured virality these days.

Lyrics like "Climb fast, money talks / Then they wanna sell you on what you're all about...Each cut bigger, my little man" detail a money-driven response to success, where those not involved in the making of the music suddenly believe they have a say in what the artist should do. By employing a fresh sound, lyrics like "Not afraid, not for sale / Long game, class acts never fail" exemplify him walking the talk. The lyrics reinforce the idea that authenticity is what resonates with audiences instead of trying to fit into a genre box or pandering.

Across the album, instruments like drums, sitar, guitars, and more leave nothing for Djo and his lyrics to hide behind. Even without darker synths and electronic production, these acoustic elements create rich and layered, hard-hitting soundscapes. The closing track, "Awake," is perhaps one of Djo's most exciting tracks to date. Incorporating sounds from iconic groups like Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins, this track is a masterclass on how to harness sonic contrast to add depth and drama.

The first three minutes feature an acoustic guitar and breathy vocals that draw the listener in. Off-putting imagery like "Come on, swallow that / Cat claw in the basement / Dog inside a bag" evokes the feeling of being trapped, and personal details like "Brother's off to college / Little sister's sad" relate these feelings to his real life as an older brother. Djo has been in a constant state of motion, touring and filming in several countries for about a decade. On this track, he grapples with how to handle the changing seasons of life and moving away from the comfort of known environments. The chorus features Djo droning and repeating the words "I'm awake," eliciting the uncomfortable feeling of insomnia, where one only has one's own thoughts. The guitar hinges at 3:06, and a surprise cacophony of noise rock and post-hardcore drums and electric guitar falls over the listener like an out-of-control crashing wave. The sudden commotion feels like a moment of clarity when one becomes wired for the rest of the night and truly awake until the next day comes. "Awake" has off-the-charts live performance potential and unlimited headbanging catharsis.

Djo is heading back out on the road for the Another Bite Tour, which starts in just six days in Rochester, NY, on September 24. The MA native just headlined his first performance in New England at a sold-out Roadrunner on May 2 and returned for his first arena performances during two opening sets at TD Garden in July. What songs from the deluxe will make the setlist? While most stops on this tour are sold out, click here to see if there are any tickets at a show near you to find out.