Stay Kids is another rookie idol group under the big South Korea JYP Entertainment. Their debut song called Hellevator gained them attention as a digital single then they released their first mini album; I am NOT. They've unveiled demos of songs that didn't make the official first album release as well two mini albums in total. I am Who is their second mini album.
01. WHO?
02. My Pace
03. Voices
04. Question
05. 불면증
06. M.I.A.
07. 갑자기 분위기 싸해질 필요 없잖아요
I liked Stray Kid's first song but didn't care for their releases after that. I didn't listen to their first mini album either. The title track didn't peak my interest in amy way. My Pace is Stay Kids chosen track to promote the album. It honestly sounds like two songs in one. One song that plays until the hook then the chorus plays out like another song. The section closing out the chorus is kinda childlike to the degree that it feels stupidly fun. My Pace is that song that you love to hate because you actually like the song while trying to hate it. I am Who stays pretty cohesive as an album after the wacky title number with tracks such as Voices and Question. Producers are etching a place in Korea's music industry as the catchy pop kings as their music is energized using dance beats in strong strategy that makes Stay Kids create their own unique style of music. JYP could have simple made this boyband a GOT7 rip off. I wouldn't advise that though since GOTZ isn't doing as well as they use to though. While GOT7 grasps at straws to find a new music style that they really own, Stray Kids continues to use Kpop friendly familiar traits inside their music in their own special way. Question really surprised me when it came on the speakers in spunky attitude, pushing out a different side to the boys to showcase. I love how this track is hip hop inspired but uses all the members equally for a manly youth pop vibe. The rappers shine in their raps consisting of legit bars that gloss over Question's production. Each guy's voice couldn't sound more different from each other, this does stop the vocals from flowing together well however. Voices isn't usually a track that I would frequently listen to. Stray Kids green lights an addictive dance pop genre that's a bit dark in lyrical content unlike other groups and the vocal parts weave through the dance breaks without letting the beat take over the track completely. Hellevator was a good track because of these exact reasons. Their experiences in some of Stray Kids's lyrics are the emotion that become the inner structure of all tracks on the album. From a nonkpop fan who hates fandoms point of view, tracks 1-5 are pretty good for a idol group you would expect to be generic or unoriginal as hell. Tracks 6 & 7 are generic Kpop that I love to avoid.
The rappers shined as much as the vocalists in these songs. Rappers are normally the members of the group to make them look cool for a few lines. Care is never taken in making idol rappers be more than the hype man. Stay Kids solved the problem by letting the rapper perform the same amount of time as the vocalists. It even seemed like the rappers were singing at some parts.
I am Who? exceeded my expectations a little bit. I wasn't expecting to find Bops but I apparently did. Stay Humble and work hard boys. Also, please don't inspire to be like BTS. Be yourself guys. Stay on the look out for these rookies everyone.
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