Tag: Stray Kids

Yesterday, Stray Kids made their return to the Korean music scene with the single Walkin on Water and their mixtape album Hop. It is their first Korean release since ATE (led by the single Chk Chk Boom) and their Japanese release GIANT last month.

Unsuprisingly, the track Walkin On Water is a hip-hop centric number. You can hear that within an instant. Personally, I quite like the choruses. I felt they were are good embodiment of old-school hip-hop in terms of the members delivery and instrumental-wise. I do find the members’ “Brrkt Brrkt” to be cringy, but the rest of the choruses were fine. I do like the infusion of rock elements in the end, which freshens up Walkin On Water and intensifies the song as it hurtles towards its finish. The verses containing the more interesting material, with CHANGBIN, HAN, HYUNJIN rapping and vocals from SEUNGMIN and I.N. BANGCHAN and LEE KNOW feature more in the choruses, while FELIX’s deep vocals make a presence during the bridge and the end of the choruses. Given that this is a mixtape, I wished they could have experimented a bit more with FELIX, who I think needs to be better utlisied (i.e., more than his deep vocals) and have his own rap sequence. And no offense to HYUNJIN, but I prefer his vocal work in the first chorus compared to his rapping in the song. Overall, Walkin On Water is a good track from Stray Kids.

Despite Walkin On Water is a different song than usual for Stray Kids, I liked how their music video doesn’t really differ. There are a lot more solo moments between each member, but the misplaced background people (which is a recurring element to Stray Kids videos) feature in the music video once again. We have motorcyclists and jet-skiers at the traditional Korean building. We also have horses eating out of the car engine and a basketball court at the same location. I also liked the arrow surrounded dance locations for this music video. The music video set at the traditional Korean buildings and FELIX’s solo moment in the bridge also gives off Thunderous vibes.

The footwork in the performance is a highlight. They add the bounce and embodies that hip-hop energy quite well. The synchonisation of their upper bodies must also be commended. Altogether, a very cool routine.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.5/10

As part of their ATE album (led by the title track Chk Chk Boom) released earlier this year, Stray Kids released some videos to accompany some of the side tracks on the mini-album (making them eligible for a separate review). Thus far, I have reviewed the side tracks MOUNTAINS and Stray Kids. Today, I am focusing on the final song with a video, JJAM.

JJAM features a strong EDM backing that really defines the song. The EDM, accompanied by the thumping beat, gives JJAM character and personality, similar to how EDM defined and made DOMINO (another Stray Kids track from their NOEASY era). The tight back-and-forth synth in the chorus (which, when paired with the choreography, became the critical point of JJAM) was quite memorable, as was the rest of the chorus. What made JJAM more special was how it features the three units of the group. Following the first chorus, we get solid and refreshing vocals from VOCALRACHA (SEUNGMIN & I.N). This is followed by an instrumental break that allows DANCERACHA (LEE KNOW, HYUNJIN & FELIX) to execute a dance break on stage, while fast-paced EDM that keeps me on my toes each time I listen to JJAM backs 3RACHA’s rap sequence (CHANGBIN & HAN). Leader BANGCHAN gets his own section, bridging the units’ section back to the rest of JJAM. Their delivery elsewhere in JJAM is top-notch. It is an exciting way to present Stray Kids that keeps true to their style and sound.

The music video shows Stray Kids going underground to make some “sticky and attractive” jam, which is probably the code for their music. I did like the killer vibes Stray Kids were giving off, either through vampirism (based on the red substance in the corner of HAN’s mouth or SEUNGMIN/I.N’s scene where they are smashing something up to source the red substance). However, they should have better vetted the place to avoid the ghostly presence that gets them. It is a hodge-podge of a video, but it was a fun and cool concept.

The accompanying choreography proves why Stray Kids’ performances are always something to look forward to. As mentioned above, the vibrating move accompanying the synth in the chorus was the key point of the song. It was such a cool move that it needs to be mentioned again. DANCERACHA’s dance break, as well as the all-member dance break towards the end, was also another highlight in the routine.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

Another single off Stray Kids’ ATE mini-album is the self-titled Stray Kids. It is the seventh track on the mini-album, which includes the title track, Chk Chk Boom, and other side tracks like MOUNTAINS and JJAM.

Stray Kids features a more nostalgic and sentimental tone, much different from the “noisy” side of Stray Kids that many people associate with the group. After all, Stray Kids‘ lyrics speak to their journey as a group thus far. I do like the pleasantness that the song brings to the mini-album. The chorus is easy on the ears (mainly thanks to the all-English lyrics, which makes it easy to follow) and features straightforward melodies that help convey the track’s nostalgic and emotive side. As usual, the rappers did a great job of showcasing the passion behind their delivery and tweaking their style to fit the pop ballad style Stray Kids was going for. What makes Stray Kids extra special is that the song features a few references to some of their old songs. These include lyric references from their old songs that are well-strung to create a cohesive set of lines that encapsulate that nostalgic feel. They include Hellevator, LALALALA, TOPLINE, Blueprint and Lonely St.. The second is that the song references their introduction – Step Out! The third, though I am less sure about this one, is that trap elements in the song are reminiscent of DOMINO, although softened for the direction of Stray Kids. Altogether, I am sure STAYs (Stray Kids’ fans) will find this track touching.

The music video continues referencing their past works, featuring footage from Hellevator, Lonely St., and You Can STAY. It also recreates scenes from the music videos of MIROH and BLUEPRINT or contains elements from their Hellevator and District 9 era. Identifying these references as the video progresses was definitely fun and, once again, nostalgic. We also get footage of the members sitting in a cinema, re-watching all of the above and, figuratively, their journey. But what gets me is seeing the members packed into the elevator, just like they were in their pre-debut era.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

Over the last week, Stray Kids have celebrated STAYs in their annual STAYweeK event. Amid the behind-the-scenes video, special dance practice of their latest single, Chk Chk Boom, and other special videos, Stray Kids have also released music videos for two side tracks from their recently released ATE mini-album. The first was MOUNTAINS, which is the first song on the mini-album.

Stray Kids knows how to select a song to kick off the album! MOUNTAINS is an explosive hype track that will undoubtedly get the crowd roaring when performed live during their world tour later this year. One thing that has me addicted to MOUNTAINS is its instrumentation, which features a mixture of rock influences and some hip-hop on the side. The stomping drum beats definitely bring on the adrenaline, while the electric guitar keeps an ongoing vibrant and electrifying factor in MOUNTAINS. The rapping from CHANGBIN, HYUNJIN and HAN was very boastful and powerful. If you have been a Stray Kids listener for a while now, you would know they are more than capable of this. But something in MOUNTAINS just took their delivery to a whole new level. BANGCHAN, LEE KNOW, SEUNGMIN and I.N’s vocals sounded very crisp and fresh. Some of their parts coincided with the less powerful moments of MOUNTAINS, giving us great moments of reprieve from the explosiveness of the track. But later on, they roared when carrying us through the chorus and delivering shouty yet memorable lines like “Mountains, Mountains, I woke up on the mountain“. But FELIX’s deeper and raspier vocals were the best out of the team. It gave MOUNTAINS an aggressive texture suitable for the rock influences that MOUNTAINS channelled. With the praises (and the lack of criticisms), it is safe to say that MOUNTAINS is one of my favourites from the ATE mini-album, for the hype it brings and how well Stray Kids executed it!

MOUNTAINS speaks to where Stray Kids are now in their careers—their journey now leads them to the top of the mountain. In the video, FELIX and HYUNJIN create their own content, alluding to their self-producing reputation. HAN roams around people who aren’t interested in them (which speaks to their beginnings in the industry), while BANGCHAN has lasers pointing at him, representing the hate and criticisms that Stray Kids got. I also like how the lasers are pointed at him only and not the rest of the group, indicating that he would do anything to protect the rest of his team. Later in the video, the same people HAN was walking around join Stray Kids at the foot of the mountains, creating a path for Stray Kids to walk up the mountain to reach the top, which is undoubtedly where they are in their careers. Elsewhere in the video, some other members are playing chess with buildings and interacting with a smaller city. I’m not sure the exact meaning of this, but I think it has something to do with the power they feel they have now – they can control the weather and the city. The ending (per the featured image) shows the group peering over a bright, cloudless city, which I assume represents their fandom. On their faces are proud looks. I’m not sure if my interpretation is correct, but I like the confident messaging that the video sends and the energy it boasts throughout the video.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

Following the announcement that Stray Kids will be sticking around for a little while longer (Stray Kids renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment earlier this week), they have made their long awaited return with their latest mini-album, ATE, and the lead single Chk Chk Boom. This comeback follows the release of ROCK-STAR (lead by LALALALA) and their first English single Lose My Breath with Charlie Puth. Into the future, the group will be embarking on their third world tour and featuring in the soundtrack for the latest Deadpool movie.

Going back and forth over the song, my main critique about Chk Chk Boom is around the song’s imbalance in some areas. The autotune in Chk Chk Boom felt heavy-handed and excessive. I wish this was toned down in the studio version of the song. The live performance does tone this down to make way for their actual vocals, and it makes Chk Chk Boom sound so much better. On the flip side, the vocals sequences in the verses failed to stand out. Listening back, they lacked intensity that the title promises, and I wished that was turned up. I felt the chorus warranted similar comments, but with a more explosive effect. Additional listens has helped warm me up to the chorus and made it sound more explosive, but I felt the members could have turned up their delivery to give the centrepiece more oomph and reflect the Chk Chk Boom‘s title better. But there were some definite strong elements in Chk Chk Boom. I do like the groovy undertones in the instrumentation, especially during the chorus and in the chanty end of the song (which is actually my favourite part of Chk Chk Boom). It came through prominently during these sections and fits in with the current trends whilst also maintaining Stray Kids’ signature synth-heavy dance sound. CHANGBIN and JISUNG’s rapping was definitely intriguing and different from how they usually present themselves in the title tracks, but in a good way. They are my pick for the standout members in Chk Chk Boom. The inclusion of Spanish in the lyrics made the song interesting, though some refinement in their delivery (i.e., less slurring) would have made this stand out stronger. Overall, Chk Chk Boom is a great track, with certain parts needing some tweaks to be even better.

Unexpected cameos from Ryan Reynolds (as himself and Deadpool) and Hugh Jackman (as Wolverine) are definite highlights to the music video. Not sure if anyone saw this coming, but this definitely showcases Stray Kids’ reach worldwide. I do think a fair amount of the budget was spent on getting both of these famous actors in the music video, as the visual effects in the video did not feel as bold and memorable as in past music videos. We still get some, but they just do not amaze me as much. That being said, Stray Kids hold the ground with their charismatic and intense looks and choreography, which do make up for lesser presence and prominence of visual effects. I did like the comedic flair that the cameos brought, as well as the Deadpool-like theme the music video had.

I was excited for the choreography from when the music video teasers were released. While the song could have used more intensity and explosive energy, the members make it all up in execution on the stage. I have already mentioned their live vocals in the song section of the review. Now, it is time to shout out the members’ kicks, jerky and synchronised execution of the choreography routine, which just had so much of that intensity and explosive built into it. I really like the chorus routine, in particular.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8/10