With Stray Kids recently turning one year old and the release of their newest project Clé 1: Miroh, I figured we'd take a look back at some of my favorite tracks of JYP's newest boy group and possibly give anyone who's reading it an introduction to the sonic landscape of Stray Kids. Here are some of the essential Stray Kids songs.
1. "My Pace"(2018) from I Am Who
While I had heard about Stray Kids since their March debut in 2018 (and was consequently blown away by the talent showcased in a group only at the start line of their careers), it wasn't until their comeback release with "My Pace" in August of that year (and their equally impressive B-sides from their sophomore album "I Am Who") that I was sold. Stray Kids doesn't tone it down when it comes to their aggressive sound, but if "District 9" is edgy and serious, "My Pace" is rebellious youthful joy.
2. "해장국 (Hero's Soup)" (2018) from I Am You
Stray Kids embraced a gentler, softer side with their fall release (and last 2018 release) with I Am You, and "해장국 (Hero's Soup)" is the kind of soft, mellow Stray Kids that is rare but warmly welcomed nonetheless. I just really love the lyrics in this. It's sad but showcases Stray Kids' maturity. One of their rappers Felix also has a surprisingly sweet set of (sung!) lines. I shed a little tear whenever I listen to this song.
3. "District 9" (2018) from I Am Not
Marking the group's official debut, boy did these boys make a name for themselves. I was blown away by the group's commitment to their sound and their breath-taking execution of that aggressive, hip-hop + rock + EDM influenced sound. One year later, "District 9" hasn't lost that intensity and energy after many repeated listens.
4. "Rock" (2018) I Am Not
Showcasing the eccentric, weirdly charming energy of Stray Kids, "Rock" is the kind of song you can't not bop your head along. Propelling it's fierce, high-energy vocals is the equally intense, edgy, loud production. "Rock" is a wild ride of a song. It's best if you just hold on for the ride.
5. "19" (2019) from Clé 1: Miroh
Written and composed mainly by Stray Kids' youngest producer Han (born in 2000, which is hard to believe considering how talented the kid is), "19" is the kind of sad bop that perfectly sums up the nostalgic, just-want-to-stop-the-clock mindset one has transitioning to adulthood. Reading the lyrics for the first time really affects you in a lot of ways, and Stray Kids' ability to perfectly sum up how their generation feels is why this group is so great and why this song is deserving for an essential track (at least in my opinion).
6. "M.I.A." (2018) from I Am Who
Another one of those sad bops Stray Kids is so good at making, "M.I.A." is a clever play on words of the English acronym meaning "Missing in Action" and the Korean word 미아 (romanized to mi-ah), which loosely translates to "lost child". This double meaning across languages is meaningful, and the lyrics set up the speaker addressing someone who they no longer recognize anymore. This whole looking-into-the-mirror-and-not-recognizing-yourself theme is "M.I.A." in a nutshell, and it really hits the nail on its head with its emotional impact. I'm not even mad about the auto-tune, because the idea of distortion of the voice fits so well into the lyrical meaning of not even to recognize yourself to the point of even your voice not being recognizable to you.
7. Their EP intros (2018-19) from the I Am Not ("Not!") I Am Who ("Who?"), and Clé 1: Miroh ("Entrance")
Stray Kids' production has always been top-notch, and they've developed a habit thus far of introducing their albums with an atmospheric, thematic intro. Take I Am Not's percussive, old-school hip-hop inspired production and spoken word approach to their intro in "Not!", written and produced by leader Bang Chan. "They say people are born different/But why does it feel like we’re all the same," Bang Chan passionately delivers in the very opening. "Us brainwashed into the same system/They expect perfection/So how can we be different," he continues, before the track (now with the addition of members Seungmin and Lee Know) references other I Am Not tracks such as "Mirror" and "Awaken".
I Am Who's intro "Who?" is like walking into a dream, written by members Han, Felix, and Woojin, and produced by Han. Felix asks the central question to the album in the beginning: "I am WHO/I am WHAT/What’s the reason for my real existence/Don’t know why/Don’t know why". Lyrics in "Who?" that reference I Am Who tracks include "question, question" (a reference to track "Question"), "Tonight too, thinking through the night/Sleepless night, insomnia" ("Insomnia"), "voice, voice" ("Voices"), and "I lost my path like a lost child" ("M.I.A.").
Last but not least is "Entrance" from Clé 1: Miroh, produced by Bang Chan. Chan speaks in French, asking "Où suis-je?Quelle est cette grande porte que je viens d'entrer?" which roughly translates to "Where am I? What is this great door that I have just entered?" This not only connects with the album's title (clé in French means "key"), but it also establishes our album's concept and the setting this album's story takes place. The Congo drums and the vocal samples from the other tracks on the EP blend into a truly awe-inspiring instrumental track, as if one has entered a city jungle. In the words of their label's founder Park Jinyoung himself, "high quality for no reason".
8. "극과 극 (N/S)" (2018) from I Am You
While I Am You was less edgy overall and showcased Stray Kids' softer, brighter sides to their personalities and dynamics as a group, the boys threw in "N/S" for the heck of it and obliterated all of their fans with a track rapped by all members of the group. "N/S" is nothing but good fun and their low-budget music video filmed in the streets of Bangkok, Thailand is a reflection of that. Highlight of the track has to go to the battle-of-the-deepest-raps-in-K-pop section between lead rapper Felix and main rapper Changbin.
9. "Miroh" (2019) from Clé 1: Miroh
While I have loved everything Stray Kids has had to offer in 2018, I sort of missed the edgy, fierce energy of their debut song "District 9" that was missing off the their lead single in their previous EP I Am You. "Miroh" is a sort of callback to where it all started with Stray Kids, with the release of this track on their one-year anniversary far from coincidental. "Miroh" is an eccentric dance track, ruled by unconventional song structure and shot with a jolt of intense energy that culminates in the head-banging EDM chorus drop. It's fun and wild and very much Stray Kids, and you'll have to listen to it again and again to even begin to understand the complexities of the track.
Honorable Mentions: Their Mixtape tracks (aka pre-debut material): "Hellevator" and "YAYAYA"
