Song of the Week: Stray Kids Find Another Gear with High-Powered Single “S-Class”

Mary Siroky and Consequence Staff
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The post Song of the Week: Stray Kids Find Another Gear with High-Powered Single “S-Class” appeared first on Consequence.

Song of the Week delves into the fresh songs we just can’t get out of our heads. Find these tracks and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist, and for our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Stray Kids land their latest comeback with energetic single “S-Class.” 

The members of K-pop group Stray Kids — Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, HAN, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N — possess the gift of transformation when they step onstage. In conversation or interviews, the band members are polite and sweet; their performance personas, however, are another story.

Stray Kids are known for making unapologetically noisy music (their 2021 record NOEASY poked fun at the criticism, with the album artwork confirming that they were very much in on the joke). Their in-house production team, 3RACHA, is made up of members Bang Chan, Changbin, and HAN, who also shape the band’s direction lyrically, with Bang Chan in particular leading the way.

Stray Kids’ music gives them room to be far more braggadocious or provocative than they might be offstage. Take 2022’s “3RACHA,” for example, in which HAN shrugs with the line, “Yeah, I’m famous,” or later when Bang Chan delivers, “Our copyrighted numbers won’t be ever stoppin’/ ‘Cause we still constructing, keep it comin’/ Why you mad?” (With nearly 100 songwriting credits to his name already, it’s a flex he’s able to back up.)

With their latest release, a full-length project titled 5-STAR, Stray Kids have broken a major record: Clocking in at 4.93 million pre-orders, it now holds the title of the most pre-ordered album in K-pop history. Anticipation was clearly high, and the lead single, “S-CLASS,” delivers all the energy for which the group is known. “They wonder how my spotlight is so bright,” Felix sings before the crew dives into a glitchy chorus and, later, drops into one of their best dance breaks.

As seriously as they take their work, there’s the other side of the coin with Stray Kids that leaves room for an abundance of silliness. Parts of the music video for “S-Class” are ridiculous — an alien attacks? Sure! Cute choreography in a stairwell being raided? Why not! It’s fun, it’s contagiously dynamic, and it verges on campy. Stray Kids’ star is continuing to rise, and they’re bringing us all up with them, seated in an S-Class — which, according to Seungmin, is the most luxurious place to be.

— Mary Siroky
Associate Editor

Honorable Mentions:

Valley – “Have a Good Summer (Without Me)”

There’s an ease to music from Valley, the alt-pop project out of Canada, and discovering their music feels like uncovering a hidden gem. Ahead of their album being released later this month, titled LOST IN TRANSLATION and due out June 23rd, the band have shared heartbreak bop “Have a Good Summer (Without Me).” Reversing the trope of end-of-summer breakups, Valley are instead kicking off the season by stepping into singleness. It’s dreamy and light, offering the perfect introduction to the hottest time of year. — M. Siroky

Jason Isbell – “Save the World”

“Save the World,” the latest single from Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit’s upcoming Weathervanes, finds the songwriter and his backing band attempting to find hope, comfort, or any semblance of security in a cold, chaotic world. Over an ominous country rock backdrop, Isbell tackles gun violence from the perspective of being a father, from wanting to keep his daughter safe at home to having a panic attack at the supermarket after hearing a balloon pop. It’s a touching account, one that’s matched by emotionally charged performances from the always excellent 400 Unit. — Jonah Krueger

Grrrl Gang – “Spunky!”

It’s a bold move to kick off your two-minute-long song with a nearly thirty-second, saturated intro, but in the case of Grrrl Gang’s “Spunky!,” it’s one that pays off in spades. After the vibe-setting first leg of the tune, the Indonesian trio burst to life with driving rhythms and enough attitude to sustain a small aircraft. Throw this one on at the function, and get ready to move. — J. Krueger

Oscar Lang – “Everything Unspoken”

British singer and songwriter Oscar Lang has shared another cut from his forthcoming sophomore album, Look Now, the acoustic guitar-forward “Everything Unspoken.” On this track, Lang’s filtered vocals take the backseat in favor of rollicking guitars and flourishes. Lang is no stranger to psychedelic arrangements, but it’s a pleasure to hear him command a song like “Everything Unspoken” at such a rapid pace. Movements within the track unfold and bloom like flowers, arpeggios dance around Lang’s passionate vocals, and emotion rises to the surface like water droplets. It’s one of his most complicated and rewarding tracks to date. — Paolo Ragusa

Big Time Rush – “Weekends”

It’s comeback season for four-member band Big Time Rush, who first found stardom through a show on Nickelodeon over a decade ago. Still intact with their original lineup, the band is now decidedly in a different era of their story. A new album, Another Life, echoes that idea, keeping the band grounded in a light, playful, and easy space. “Weekends,” which arrived alongside the record today, June 2nd, is the perfect introduction to the group’s next chapter. — M. Siroky 

Top Songs Playlist:

Song of the Week: Stray Kids Find Another Gear with High-Powered Single “S-Class”
Mary Siroky and Consequence Staff

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