The first week of May (May 4-10) was packed with excitement as groups NAZE, BABYMONSTER, KIRAS, and Billlie all launched new albums and kicked off their promotions!
◆ NAZE – ‘NAZE’ (Released May 4)
NAZE’s first mini album ‘NAZE’ features four tracks, including the title song ‘People Talk.’ The album tells the story of the members gathering in Seoul and cherishing their most vivid and precious moments. The title track is a dance-pop gem that starts with a bouncy piano sound, blending rhythmic beats and addictive vocal chops for maximum listening pleasure. The lyrics capture moments of pure happiness, remaining unfazed by the words or gazes of others.
Kim Ji-ha: A calculated debut album that targets the market with rookie energy and hooks that stick in your head.
Kim Han-gil: A debut work that explores the group’s unique color over trendy sounds.
Kim Jin-seok: A feast of dreamy sounds and a sensory, bold beginning for NAZE.
◆ BABYMONSTER – ‘CHOOM’ (Released May 4)
BABYMONSTER returned with their third mini album ‘CHOOM,’ featuring four tracks including the title song ‘CHOOM.’ With a bold ambition to turn the whole world into one big dance floor, the title track is a hip-hop dance song highlighted by an addictive synth riff and heavy bass. It carries a message of inviting everyone to let go and become one through dance.
Kim Ji-ha: While they expanded their genre, the focus remains on performance, resulting in “music to be seen.”
Kim Han-gil: An album where the balance between the members’ vocals and rap has become stably established.
Kim Jin-seok: Hip attempts and sophisticated sound textures that prove BABYMONSTER’s undeniable presence.
◆ KIRAS – ‘TA TA’ (Released May 6)
KIRAS released their second single ‘TA TA,’ containing three songs including the title track ‘TA TA.’ The album captures the fluttery excitement and curiosity of a new relationship, along with the joyful energy that grows when together. Embracing a “global teen” concept, it expands the various moments of girls with bright and free energy. The title track is a dance song with a short and powerful hook. Starting from the word ‘TA,’ which means ‘OKAY’ in Portuguese, the lyrics send a super-positive signal to the world.
Kim Ji-ha: A tracklist specialized for performances and challenges rather than musical experimentation.
Kim Han-gil: A chorus structure perfectly optimized for short-form content.
Kim Jin-seok: Cheerful beats and fresh energy, delivering a pleasant sense of excitement.
◆ Billlie – ‘the collective soul and unconscious: chapter two’ (Released May 6)
Billlie dropped their first full-length album, ‘the collective soul and unconscious: chapter two.’ The album features 12 tracks, including seven new songs (with the title track ‘ZAP’) and remix versions of Ultraviolet, Anonymous, Unconscious, and Collective. The title track ‘ZAP,’ referring to a flashing shock, is a dance song about blocking out the flood of gossip and external noise to return to one’s true self.
Kim Ji-ha: An expansion from easy-listening pop to a Billlie-style album that is “music requiring interpretation.”
Kim Han-gil: Experimental sounds and storytelling are organically combined.
Kim Jin-seok: A bold variation that showcases Billlie’s complex worldview; track 3 is highly recommended.
