The Stray Kids are back at it again with their EP, “ODDINARY.” It has seven tracks and was released on March 17. The EP’s general message seems to be that at the end of the day, you’re going to end up showing your true colors, so instead of hiding your true self, you should embrace it. 

In an interview with Soompi, Stray Kids leader Bang Chan explained the album name and said, “Regular people like us all have something odd about ourselves. It captures the message, ‘What’s odd will soon be normal.’” 

I absolutely love the idea behind the album name, but putting that aside, the following songs are my top three favorites on the album.

“Maniac”

“Maniac” is my favorite by far, not only for the music video, but also for its sound compared to the other tracks on this album. When paired with the music video, the sound only enhances it since you can see and hear how animated the song is. 

I love this song because it outwardly speaks about letting your inner self shine. For example, with the lines, “Like the seam of a torn doll, eventually you’ll expose your real self,” you can easily tell what the song is about, while other tracks on the album send more cryptic messages.

The instrumentals themselves are what automatically pulled me in. The array of beat and tempo switching as the different members sing was put together perfectly. For example, the music video utilized a power drill to imitate the sound you hear between the pre-chorus and the chorus, effectively breaking the song into parts and changing the vibe.

“Muddy Water”

“Muddy Water” is my second favorite song on the album, following close behind “Maniac” due to its hip-hop-esque vibe and the variety of cadences provided in the song. The beat drew me in as well, as it gives off a 90s vibe. It faintly reminded me of “Jump” by Kris Kross.

As this song is performed by the main rappers of the group (Changbin, Hyunjin, Han and Felix), I expected nothing but greatness going in, and I was not disappointed. The song oozed confidence, and even if you aren’t looking at the lyrics, you can still get hyped off the vibes alone. 

If you are into the hip-hop genre, or just really love rap in general, I would definitely recommend this song. The flow and beat draw you in, but once you actually pay attention to the lyricism, your experience will be elevated. This track is definitely worthy of being added to the playlist. 

“Waiting for Us”

I personally don’t enjoy slow songs, as I normally only tune in for the hype music. However, this song is too good not to listen to. The melodies and tempo of the song intoxicated me. Being performed by the talented singers of the group (Bang Chan, Lee Know, Seugmin, and I.N), this song sounded like heaven and that was no surprise. They somehow found a way to perfectly blend each of their unique voices into one big masterpiece.

This song can be interpreted in different ways. Some may see it as a love or heartbreak song. Others may keep the general message of previous songs in mind, interpreting it as encouraging someone to embrace their inner self and assuring that you will be there to support them along the way.

This song is a refresher when paired with the other electro and upbeat songs on the album. It showed the different sides to the group, especially when paired with the “Muddy Water” track, as they contrast each other. Yet again, Stray Kids delivers another song worthy of being added to the playlist.

Moral of the story, Stray Kids never disappoints. I definitely recommend this album to anyone looking for new music. I can’t wait for their next release, whether that’s a single or album.