Pro-funk artist Leven Kali uses his penchant for bouncing rhythms, rich bass and dynamic lyrics to raise social-cultural issues that date back to the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement. Like the title, the point of the song lands again and again on the same desire - the pursuit of joy. The incredibly slick production, the choral bursts of “joy” and Kali’s velvety vocals make this track sound impossibly smooth and, on the whole, cheery. However, there’s bumps in this road. Kali drops in serious issues surrounding racial prejudice and gun crime in lines like “It break my heart every time I turn the news on and see the police shot another young brother.” Despite the current situation, this politically motivated songwriter encourages the listener to not be discouraged, that equality and joy is part of everyone’s future. As a leaving note, Kali samples Martin Luther King Jr.’s most famous speech before finishing with a final, triumphant “joy”. - HT