ODDINARY: 6th Mini Album (Jewel Case Version)(ランダムバージョン)

The Korean groups first release after signing with Republic Records, Stray Kids Oddinary EP achieved the remarkable feat of topping the Billboard 200 upon release in early 2022. Celebrating the "odd" in us all, the short set showcased their aggressive blend of dance-friendly electronic and hip-hop. The alluring slink-and-stomp of "Charmer" and the bombastic hit single "Maniac" are body-quaking highlights, while "Freeze" and "Venom" offer unexpected production delights that one might expect from an electronic-trap DJ mix. "Lonely St." smooths it out to more yearning, mainstream-friendly K-pop fare, which allows the octets vocals to shine. The EP closes by splitting Stray Kids in two, with Bang Chan, Lee Know, Seungmin, and I.N tackling the sweeping ballad "Waiting for Us," while Changbin, Hyunjin, HAN, and Felix take the old-school, Wu Tang-esque, hip-hop rhymefest "Muddy Water." Encapsulating the many sides of the group, Oddinary does its job well, offering hard-hitting anthems, earnest R&B-inspired vocal harmonies, and proof of rap prowess on the mike. ~ Neil Z. Yeung