STAYC – Metamorphic (The 1st Album)
Release Date: 1st July 2024
| Track | Lyrics by | Composed by | Arranged by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Twenty | Jeon Goon | B.E.P, BXN | Rado |
| 2. Cheeky Icy Thang | B.E.P, ILLSON, on2pop, Jeong Hari (153/Joombas), Jeong Nakyung (153/Joombas), Jiggy (153/Joombas) | B.E.P, FLYT | Rado, FLYT |
| 3. 1 Thing | Jeon Goon | B.E.P, FLYT | Rado, FLYT |
| 4. Give It 2 Me | Jeon Goon | B.E.P, FLYT | Rado, FLYT |
| 5. Sieun, Seeun, J – Find | B&NAz (153/Joombas), Jeong Nakyung (153/Joombas), Shin Sakang (XYXX), Yoon Yerim (Jamfactory) | Junhyuk, Arineh Karimi | Junhyuk |
| 6. Let Me Know | Jeon Goon | B.E.P, FLYT, will.b | Rado, FLYT |
| 7. Nada | FFOUR (lalala studio), Pimkin (ARTiffect) | G'harah "PK" Degeddingseze, Tricia Battani, Kirsten Collins | G'harah "PK" Degeddingseze |
| 8. Sumin & Yoon – Fakin' | Jeon Goon | B.E.P, FLYT | Rado, FLYT |
| 9. Isa – Roses | B.E.P, gyuahh, JP, hansen | B.E.P, gyuahh, JP, hansen, blienty | gyuahh, JP, hansen, blienty |
| 10. Beauty Bomb | Young Chance, Youha, gxxdkelvin | Benjmn, Young Chance, Youha | Benjmn |
| 11. Gummy Bear | Yu Seohee (Jamfactory), Woo Seungmyeon (153/Joombas), Jihae (Jamfactory), Shin Jinhae (Jamfactory), Jang Hanbit (Jamfactory) | Moa "Cazzi Opeia" Carlebecker, Ellen Berg, Harry Sommerdahl, Fabian "Phat Fabe" Torsson | BANGERS&CA$H |
| 12. Stay WITH me | STAYC | EL CAPITXN, Maria Marcus, Vendors (Zenur), Vendors (Nano), Vendors (Coll!n) | EL CAPITXN, Vendors (Zenur) |
| 13. Flexing On My Ex | ILLSON, Sean Rhee | B.E.P, FLYT | Rado, FLYT |
| 14. Trouble Maker | Sim Eunji | Sim Eunji, Lee Haesol | Lee Haesol |
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by CronoDroid
28 Comments
STUDIO VERSION OF FLEXING ON MY EX AM I DREAMING
1 Thing should’ve been pre-released or they should have made it a 2nd title. It’s so good.
I need B.E.P to produce my life
Roses is that song, Isa’s voice is perfect and the instrumental goes along so well with it
Only on song 4 but if the quality keeps up this is gonna be one of the greatest KPOP albums of all time no hyperbole
Cheeky Icy Thing is a huge let down for me. With that said these B Sides are amazing. MAN
Haven’t got all the way through but Twenty, Give it 2 me, Nada are bops. I will choose to ignore the song lengths for now -_-
B.E.P. cooked, holy shit. There really is no excuse for a Kpop “full album” to be any less than this, it’s absolute gas. With every song you’d think you found your favorite until you listen to the next one lol. Well worth the wait, not only AOTY, but genuinely one of the GOAT kpop albums I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
Alright, going to listen through this while doing some work and editing this as i go. I did not watch any teasers or the highlight medley but I have loved a lot of Staycs projects before – especially Bubble and the ASAP and Stereotype Minis, so I’m really looking forward to this 🙂
1. Twenty – this is flowing really nice, makes me excited to listend to the rest of the album. Some of the voice filters (?) were a bit surprising but I didn’t really find it off putting. But it’s so short? I was waiting for a bride/break/third chorus and thenit just ended lol. Overall I’d give this an 8/10.
2. Cheeky Icy Thang – (no time to watch the MV). Reminds me a bit of Run2U but more fresh or bratty? Seems like a step back to the proper teen fresh instead of the cute-teen-fresh they’ve done for the past two comebacks. Overall I liked it, especially the instrumental, it reminds me a bit of the mario kart background music. but I didn’t really find it catchy (yet?), and it also ended wayyy to abruptly, I feel like there wasn’t even a build up just a nice song and then it was over. Considering it’s a title track and should stand out/ attract casual listeners I’d go with a 7/10
3. 1 Thing – ohhh I liked this from the beginning. good intro, nice “raps”, pre-chorus, catchy chorus. I will stop saying the songs are too short because I feel like all of the songs of this album are going to be. At least it has a nice bridge and the dance break (?) into the final chorus is great. This is a 10/10 will go into my playlists.
4. Give It 2 Me – it’s a nice song, the bridge is good. I wouldn’t skip it if someone played it, but probably not search for it. 7/10.
5. Find – I like it, but honestly I cannot really differentiate it from the previous track? The lalala is memorable. 6/10
6. Let Me Know – ohh i like this. At the beginning I was a bit scared that I would also mix it up with songs #4&5. But no – then there was the chorus. Very nice, I think this will hit even more in the evenings/nights. Have to look up the lyrics for this. 9/10
7. Nada – ok ok we’re starting with an interesting intro. Overall sounds different from the previous tracks but also fits well with the title i think, a similar quirky instrumental. Not really a fan of the song on its own, but definitely needed when listening to the album as a whole to bring something new to it and break it up a bit. So for that I say 7/10.
8. Fakin’ – this also goes into the ‘need to listen to this at night’ category, i think this is the kind of song you put on to dance in your room while the moonlight is shining through the windows. Ohh I love it 10/10
9. Roses – Isas Solo! I like the song, I like her voice. But it doesn’t really stand out too much to me. So sadly a 6-7/10.
10. Beauty Bomb – The beat is nice but I’m not really vibing with this song. I can’t really explain why 🙁 I think it’s the doo-do doo-do do? 6/10
11. Gummy Bear – there’s a lot of different vibes in this song, it’s a bit confusing lol. Not really a fan of the falsetto (?) pre-chorus. BUT now that I think about it, it reminds me a bit of aespas Lingo and I really didn’t like this at the beginning and it ended up being my favorite song from their Girls Album. So let’s see. 6/10 for now
12. Stay WITH me – nice, has teen movie-collage background music vibes. Seems to be the fan song? I’ll look up the lyrics at some point. 8/10
13. Flexing On My Ex – not sure if i like the lyrics but the chorus is definitely catchy. it’s a nice song. 8/10.
14. Trouble Maker – ohh love the instrumental on this. Was expecting a classic ending ballad. But this feels like a musical encore number where all of the cast comes to the stage one last time. A very nice ending. 8/10
Overall a solid album! My only complaint is that all the songs are a bit short – some really would’ve needed a bit extra umphh in order for me to fully notice them. Still – StayC is stepping into IVEs footsteps delivering a very good, cohesive first album.
My favorites: Fakin’ > 1 Thing > Let Me Know
actually such a good album !!
Very solid album, YOUNGLUV your crown might be tilting. K-pop bible album level even maybe. Lots of standout songs, some tracks reminiscent of their previous releases, some new but all still consistent with STAYC’s sound
My only critique are the song lengths- we got 14 tracks but at what cost 🫠 STAYC really said listen twice!
Still not totally sold to the title track though, some songs on the album felt like more instant hits, but who knows it might grow on me
I really like 1 Thing, Nada, Beauty Bomb and Trouble Maker they’re the most Stayc sounding songs.
I also like flexing on my ex but idk if it fits stayc
Really enjoyed this. Did feel a bit safe though especially in the middle but the run from Beauty bomb to the end really impressed me and brought it home. Really liked Stay With Me, Flexing on my Ex and Twenty. 1 thing should be a single as well
EDIT: On second listen im enjoying this WAYY more and the the earlier “safe songs” were far more enjoyable to me. This album feeling like a strong grower
Find is my favorite on the album, I can’t help but think of Mosquito and Passion by PinkPantheress when hearing it
If they don’t promote Nada on music shows I will riot. The instrumentals throughout are so so good, and shine so well with the vocals. My favourite thing about Stayc (apart from the stupidly catchy songs) has always been their range of vocal colours, and how well they complement each other, and this album is such a brilliant showcase of that.
I wonder how they decided on Cheeky Icy Thang as the title track, it feels like there are multiple tracks on here that fit the bill – but tbf, Cheeky Icy Thang gets catchier each time, that bass line is haunting me.
Stand out tracks on first listen: Nada, Twenty, 1 Thing, Beauty Bomb, Flexing On My Ex, Find, Roses, Cheeky Icy Thang, Trouble Maker (fighting the urge to list every track lol)
Skips: none, I even like the fan song and normally fan songs don’t do it for me.
A really cohesive, well thought out album, I hope everyone involved is feeling proud of themselves! Well worth the wait, I’m so so happy to have so much new music from them 😭
I still need to listen to the whole album, but I dont like at all that produces use that robotic filter.
It ruins the song 😣😣🤦
Theres like 3-4 songs that I couldnt listen cause of that.
My girls have amazing vocals, they are better than this :/
Let Me Know is so dreamy. What does it feel like to be loved
**Twenty** – OMG, this is like immediately one of my Top 3/5 openings to a Kpop album of 2024. The moment you hear the instrumentals, y’already know it’s gonna be great. Halfway in or ~1:08 is just so nice. Just had to repeat Twenty two times now, lol, it’s that good for me.
**Cheeky Icy Thang** – This is gonna be a divisive track for some people, but oddly enough, I actually like it on first listen (music video was so fun). There’s some vocals/etc. processing going on but it’s clearly a stylistic choice and so it works well. Though ya, no doubt people will dislike it.
**1 Thing** – Wtf, this is also another good song from the start, fam, is this album gonna be AOTY contender (too early to say it, but it’s surprisingly catchy af for me), I’m so sleepy right now, I don’t even have my IEMs to fully appreciate the vocals and production, but it’s already my type of beat. *~I’m just waiting for only one thing, only one thing…~*
**Give It 2 Me** – Okay fam, this is actually already a solid AOTY contender through the production alone and of course the nice vocals of STAYC. I was legit on planning to sleep but it’s been a while since I’ve been in a STAYC release day and so this is legit just superb. The bass on this song is so fun, it’s so basic but holy, I’m addicted. How the hell is STAYC releasing this AOTY in the middle of the year, for real.
**Find** – Is this the STAYC take on the current trendy sounds right now, I like. Sieun (miss her in Kdramaland, hopefully she makes a return sometime in the future) and J are my biases (Seeun is cool too) and so this is nice, pretty short song though (the others were short as well, but this one flew by, lol).
**Let Me Know** – I already know this song will be amazing with IEMs/headphones, it’s got that atmospheric sound. Okay, the album is kinda plateauing for now (still good) but that Twenty to Give It 2 Me Run was wild.
**Nada** – This production sounds almost exactly like what’s that Kpop song (it’s probably a girl group song but it might be from a boy group as well) from a few years ago, forgot now, but I like their take on it. Like the samples are familiar, can’t place it right now since I’m so sleepy and staying up to experience this possible Album of the Year. The bass is so bouncy, sheesh, my subwoofer is loving it right now. And like in the beginning they put the vocals so up far right before the beat drop at ~18 seconds in (and maintained it that way).
**Fakin’** – This song is clearly the more subdued one so far. Sumin and Yoon are solid, I gotta catch up to their variety shows/etc. since it’s been so long. This might be the weakest song so far though, might revisit it later but nothing really stood out so far.
**Roses** – Isa is my bias too and it’s nice to see her have a solo track. Oh damn, it’s got that sensuality to it. *~Is it weird that I want you to love me.~* The production on this song is actually so satisfying, one of my favorites so far.
**Beauty Bomb** – OH MAN, see, another song where you know in the beginning that it’s gonna be fire. I’m a sucker for these predictable pop tricks and so this is right up my alley. Blows my mind how there’s only four more songs left and this is already a solid AOTY finalist for real.
**Gummy Bear** – Ayo, it’s got the electronic/space/etc. intro shooting by. Damn, this song feels a bit too much for me with the first chorus but otherwise I dig it. Not sure if it’s the mixing or something but ya something is not clicking as well as the previous songs, though toward the end it did get better.
**Stay WITH me** – Time to rock! The vocals are too mixed in with the instrumentals (might be different on IEMs/headphones though), but it’s all good. Such a fun song. A bunch of Kpop groups have been dropping these more pop rock/etc. type of songs recently eh, and they’re nice, got me feeling nostalgic. Makes me reminisce for the past.
**Flexing On My Ex** – Another one of those songs where the production is instantly familiar but it’s always appreciated when groups like STAYC make it their own.
**Trouble Maker** – So groovy from the start, great ending to the album. Wish more Kpop groups made songs like this, it’s got that delightful throwback.
—
Holy, I nearly overhyped myself with Twenty but that song is amazing… Like wtf. I was expecting more from the album based on it, but yo, I’m still satisfied and the whole album still has that AOTY aspirant status. Literally just looped Twenty again as I started typing this, lmao.
1 Thing is also another bop and I understand why the other fans want it as the title track/etc. as ya that chorus is so catchy, rofl. And like the instrumentals go hard while being so easygoing at the same time.
Give It 2 Me has that hiphop vibe that I love as an older hiphophead, but ya some people will probably not like the autotune/vocal processing/etc. with this one as well, just like with Cheeky Ice Thang, but Give It 2 Me legit has the aura/vibes/atmosphere/etc. that I just really enjoy and so yup, once more, that run from Twenty to Give It 2 Me is going down as one of the best for this past several years.
Or actually, forgot to include Find there with Sieun, J, and Seeun. So good, it’s unreal how unexpectedly enjoyable this whole release was. Include Let Me Know as well, essentially everything, smh lmao. Though ya the first half was better for me than the second half, but I’ll definitely be looping this album over and over though, as it’s so gratifying since STAYC legit has so much potential still despite the setbacks. And yup, you can see it unquestionably with this great 1st full-length album.
Cheeky Icy Thang is receiving mixed reception as predicted, lol. But yup, it somehow works for me and so it’s crazy how this album is legit an Album of the Year contender despite the title track being divisive.
Wait wtf, this is too long (still sorta surface-level commentary/first impressions though) and I gotta sleep for aespa’s Japanese debut (titled as Hot Mess) tomorrow or two days from now, lol.
This album is possibly gonna be a permanent part of my Kpop playlist when testing IEMs/headphones, it’s just that good from first listen, like holy shit, I cannot understate how much I loved Twenty as the introduction to this album, that’s my type of sound right now even if it’s been done so many times before, the vocals and production be just insanely satisfying.
Sieun main rapper goes so hard!
I’ll forgive the diabolical title track because all the B-sides are amazing! Standouts for me were Twenty, 1 Thing, Nada, Roses, and Beauty Bomb; I also really enjoyed Find, Stay WITH me and Flexing On My Ex but calling every song a standout would defeat the purpose.
I like the whole album, but the last 4 songs could have been a mini-album on their own and it would probably be my second favorite mini from STAYC only behind Young Luv. Gummy Bear feels like it could have been a title track but they didn’t want to have another “_____ Bear” title and risk establishing some weird theme. Stay WITH me had all the expected signs of a ballady fan song, so I was very surprised to hear a straight up pop rock song and I’m always glad to have more rock. Flexing On My Ex has been a known thing for a long time, but it’s great to finally have a studio version. And to close it out strong, Trouble Maker might be my favorite of the whole album and is such a fun high energy closer.
This is entering the history books as one of the best full albums in K-pop EVER like what??? How is every song excellent???
If I want to nitpick I’ll say that the song lengths are kind of annoying being mostly under 3 minutes but the songs don’t feel incomplete. And for some reason I thought Flexing on my Ex was going to be in English
Also not to be _that_ person but 1 thing could totally have been a TT as well
STAYC IS SO BACK
Cheeky Icy Thang is certainly an acquired taste. A taste I haven’t acquired yet. But the rest of the album is so good! I can’t even pick my favorites yet
Roses caught my attention right away. Sounds like the producers just had so much fun creating that song and kept adding in layers. ISA’s voice also does the production justice.
1 Thing was a nod to the previous STAYC, nice that we got another tune like that.
Hmmmm idk no hate pls, and I’m a huge StayC fan. But this album isn’t doing it for me? I just finished my first full listen from start to finish and I was disappointed. I only liked maybe 2-3? The rest just felt off too me. All their previous albums just hit so hard, and always had that StayC vibe.
I’m gonna give it a couple more listens through again in hopes some of these are just growers for me. But for now I only like “1 thing”, “Find” and “Let Me Know”. I don’t mind the title track, I think a few more listens and it’ll grow.
But yeah I’m really hoping il vibe with this album more, i haven’t looked forward more for a album then when Loona was together
These song lengths should be outright criminal. 14 tracks and doesn’t even hit 40 minutes??
edit: Stayc I forgive you because the album is straight up fire. Banger after banger so I’ll let it slide for now <3
still making my way through the album but the instrumental of 1 thing reminds me a bit of 3 by britney spears omg i love
Roses. Wow. Isa, ion know you were down like that 🗣️
That is my standout song, she can easily do more like this and be hella successful
Amazing album