In 1996, the first announcements of Joi's second album, Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome, started to surface. It was rumored to be an awesomely funky concoction with Fishbone as the backing band. Unfortunately, it was delayed over and over throughout 1996 and into 1997.

To Joi fans, it seemed the album was held up unnecessarily, but there was some rationale for the delays. In 1996, EMI was close enough to releasing Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome that there was a promotional CD released to radio. At the last minute though, the powers that be decided to hold off on releasing the album until Joi could write some more songs (hopefully with greater commerical appeal).

In 1997, it looked like the waiting paid off because at least five new songs were recorded, including the infectious groove of Ghetto Superstar. Incidentally, when Ghetto Superstar debuted on MTV's Twelve Angry Viewers, it was one of the few songs to ever get a unanimous positive vote.

Unfortunately, EMI Records shut down prior to releasing the Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome album to stores.

In late 1997, Dallas Austin's FreeWorld Records acquired the rights to release the album. FreeWorld Records went as far as to release two different promotional EPs for radio with a selection of songs from the long-awaited album. Unfortunately, FreeWorld Records went out of business before Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome could be released.

Here are the track listings for the three different known promotional releases for Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome (we've included the time/durations for each song as they appear on the back of each CD):

Joi Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome (1996) EMI Records, DPRO-37574 / 7243-8-37574-2-8

Highlighted items are unique to this release.

1. Welcome Amoeba Spirit 1:20
2. Move On 5:17
3. Answering Machine :24
4. If I'm In Luck I Might Just Get Picked Up 4:12
5. After Show :17
6. I Believe 4:51
7. Darling :18
8. Hurts Sometimes 5:58
9. E'en So Lord Jesus 1:24
10. Soul 4:43
11. My Brother's Letter 4:12
12. Dirty Mind 4:45
13. Fierce :27
14. So Tired 4:55
15. If I Could Fly 5:02
16. Dandelion Dust 5:48

Joi Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome (1997) EMI Records, DPRO 37574 / 7243-8-37574-2-8

Highlighted items are unique to this release.

1. Welcome Amoeba Spirit 1:18
2. Move On 5:17
3. Answering Machine (interlude) 0:24
4. If I'm Lucky (I Might Just Get Picked Up) 4:12
5. Ghetto Superstar 3:40
6. After Show (interlude) 0:17
7. Time To Smile 4:20
8. My Brother's Letter 4:11
9. You Turn Me On (Featuring Peach of Whild Peach) 5:08
10. Hurts Sometimes 5:58
11. E'en So Lord 1:27
12. Soul 4:44
13. It's Over 3:38
14. I Believe 4:51
15. Dirty Mind 4:45
16. Dandelion Dust 5:48
17. If I Could Fly 4:46
18. Copy Cat 0:44

Joi Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome [Limited Edition College Sampler] (1997) FreeWorld Records, FP37248-2

1. I Believe 4:51
2. Dirty Mind 4:31
3. Ghetto Superstar 3:39
4. Answering Machine/Interlude :08
5. Move On 5:17
6. Soul/Clean Version 4:39
7. Dandelion Dust 5:48

Things of interest about these different releases:

1. Though the above information does not indicate this, on the spine of the 1996 version does not include the full album title - the spine of the CD lists the album as JOI AMOEBA CLEANSING whereas the 1997 versions displays JOI AMOEBA CLEANSING SYNDROME.

2. Though the serial numbers are identical for the 1996 and 1997 EMI releases of Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome, there is a slight typographical difference: on the spine of the 1997 version, there is no hyphen/dash in the top serial number (DPRO 37574 as opposed to DPRO-37574).

3. If you look closely at the time/durations for the song "If I Could Fly" on both the 1996 and 1997 EMI releases, it appears that the version on the 1996 has 16 extra seconds. This is a printing error - when you put the CD in the drive and display the total track time, it clearly shows 4:46.