STAYC Set A New Standard With Metamorphic

Leave it up to STAYC to come out with the best music. It makes each of their comebacks extra exciting, and their first comeback of 2024 is even more special. STAYC have not only constantly given us iconic title tracks, but their discography never fails with their flawless b-sides. And this time, they’re back with their first full-length album, Metamorphic. Going from pop to hip-hop, passing through RnB, STAYC re-defined their name and refined their art. This is everything you need to know about Metamorphic.

‘Cheeky Icy Thang’

First of all, the title track. As its name indicates, ‘Cheeky Icy Thang’ is cheeky and quirky. With this new title track, we get the best of the retro vibes of ‘RUN2U‘ with something new and refreshing. But don’t let that fool you because there is nothing like ‘Cheeky Icy Thang’ in both STAYC’s discography and the K-Pop scene. STAYC have a talent to own every concept they touch. ‘Cheeky Icy Thang’ is its own genre but is also the culmination of everything we love about STAYC. It’s both cute and cool, both quirky and sophisticated. It’s the perfect song to represent their first full-length album. And, well, it goes without saying that just like any STAYC song – probably even more so – ‘Cheeky Icy Thang’ is so addictive. It scratches the right side of your brain. So yes, STAYC have done it again.

The Sub-units

STAYC took the full-length album title really seriously and released a 14-track album with Metamorphic – and not a single miss. Something we love about K-Pop groups coming out with longer releases is that it allows them to explore different things. For STAYC, apart from exploring various genres, they also surprised us with unit songs – Sieun, J, and Seeun with ‘Find,’ and Sumin and Yoon with ‘Fakin’-‘ and a solo song – ‘Roses’ by Isa.

‘Find’ is a vibey, speedy track at first listen, but it’s full of emotion with bittersweet undertones to it. The production really creates something special with the amount of beautiful harmonies in this track. It’s STAYC after all, of course they were going to serve vocals. ‘Fakin” on the other hand, is a beautiful pop song with incredibly satisfying melodies and striking vocals as Sumin and Yoon sing about the downfall of a relationship. This song is pop excellence and an instant highlight in Metamorphic. And finally, while STAYC are all absolutely incredible vocalists, Isa’s tone is something really special. ‘Roses’ shows the softness of her voice in the most beautiful way. It may seem like a single song, but ‘Roses’ is a song that lingers.

Metamorphic

Metamorphic has so much to offer with its 14 tracks. It opens with an instant highlight, ‘Twenty.’ This intro song serves the most beautiful pop melodies mixed with a rhythmic beat that makes those melodies even more striking. The vocals shine so much with this track, and it shows, right from the beginning, what STAYC are all about. The first b-side after the title track is ‘1 thing,’ giving us a perfect mixture of hip-hop and pop music. With its addictive and fun chorus, ‘1 thing’ shows a quirky twist to the concept of looking for the one.

We’ve always loved STAYC’s discography, and they’ve always given us incredible RnB tracks. ‘Give it 2 me’ is exactly that. With its old-school RnB vibe, this love song is an instant obsession. And that Sieun rap in the bridge… That’s everything to us. In that same RnB wavelength, we have tracks like ‘Beauty Bomb’ – a brighter, fun RnB and hip-hop track about falling for someone. ‘Let Me Know,’ on the other hand, settles in the more pop side of STAYC‘s discography. It’s a sweet and beautiful song relating the first stages of falling in love, wanting to know everything about that person, and confessing your love to them. The b-side that follows, however, is all about the end of a love story. Right from the start, ‘Nada’ traps you. And indeed, ‘Nada’ is the perfect mixture of pop and RnB. So, of course, it’s perfect for STAYC.

The four last songs in Metamorphic can only be described as hit after hit. ‘Gummy Bear’ is a surprising track with many twists and turns. Ultimately, the song gives us bubble-gum pop excellence as STAYC sing about always looking at the bright side and enjoying life. ‘Stay WITH me’ is extra special as it’s a song for their fans. You may have guessed it by the letters in caps spelling ‘SWITH,’ STAYC’s fandom name. The lyrics hit hard as they initially open up about worries and insecurities, going into a chorus about finding strength in the love their fans give them. It’s also an upbeat, bright song full of emotions that gives us the most pop-rock sound in the album, and it is incredible.

STAYC are all about pop excellence, and that’s exactly what they gave us with the two last tracks in Metamorphic. ‘Flexing On My Ex’ serves all the old-school pop from the 2000s energy. It’s bright and addictive and shows the process after a breakup, wanting to get better and move on with your life. And finally, there’s no track as full of energy as ‘Trouble Maker.’ It is simply unique in STAYC‘s discography and a somewhat unexpected closing track. STAYC leave us on a high with this track and the perfection that is their first full-length album.

Metamorphic gives us the best we’ve seen of STAYC throughout their career, with something fresh and new. It’s the culmination of their hard work, flawless discography, and the unique style they’ve established in K-Pop. Metamorphic is already one for the books. We didn’t expect anything less from STAYC.

What’s your absolute favorite song out of Metamorphic? What’s your favorite unit song? Be sure to let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram.

Need more K-Pop coverage? We got you!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STAYC:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE