They’re back and pretty quick with a mini album.

They never take a break and it’s because they have lofty goals in sight. Also, probably because they didn’t release as many albums last year perhaps they were just itching to come back with this.

So, on with it…

거미줄Venom

The Korean title is Spider Web and both titles work well to capture the essence of the song.

I feel like this song, even though it has its own video, goes the best with the storyline of the trailer. Felix, wanders into the spider web as he gets attracted and then get stuck in this dangerous situation. The members influence him and that can be linked to the poison or venom referenced in the song and then he’s caught with no way out.

The catch is, like the last line of the song, Felix does not want to leave.

Maniac then gives me another perspective on the trailer but I’ll get into that.

Although, now that I’ve seen the full MV (this post was written in parts) the MV does go well with the lyrics too especially the ending where they could leave through the Exit… and they don’t leave!

Couldn’t be me. You chose the wrong animal to charm me. Nope!

In terms of melody, this is a grower for me. I really like the beat and *hand gestures* the way it does that, like gears turning.

I also like the way they do things with their songs. As they write their own stuff you get these creative/cute nuggets that I enjoy. Hyunjin’s part tickles me (in a good way) with the soft pew, pew, pew. I also just like his rap section, it’s my favourite part of the song along with the chorus.

Maniac

The title song. I was wondering if they would incorporate the trailer for Oddinary into Maniac’s MV but nope. How does that work anyway? I only got into Stray Kids in 2020, do they always do the trailer like that?

Anyway, Maniac. I really liked the teaser for the song so I was wondering how the full song would go because teasers can be deserving.

It wasn’t as sexy as I was expecting it to be, I’ll say that much. Felix poured too much sexy into that one section that they said, “OK, no more, we’ve reached our quota!”

His voice though, I know everyone says it but his voice though! They utilise it in the best way. Bass voices in singing are gold mines but only when used correctly. When they’re not used correctly it will sound out of place especially if everyone else’s voice is high. However with Felix they utilise his natural voice so well! It never feels out of place or like it doesn’t fit.

And as seen when he does the pre chorus he can go a little higher and do different things with his voice. It’s probably Felix’s best album for me.

Oh, you can still hear him in the word “Maniac” even when he’s not singing the first part of the chorus as like a backing (don’t know the technical term) I thought that was cool.

It is a shame he can’t dance fully this comeback but he did in the MV so hopefully they’ll release a dance version of the MV because as Form of Therapy’s PD would say, they have the footage!

Back to the song, I really like the lyrics. I related 100%. My friend always says that. What is normal? And who determines what normal is? Are there people who genuinely fit the ‘normal’ standard?

So in the song they’re like release your inner weirdo. It’s perfectly ok, in fact embrace it. My favourite line was where they’re like we go back to putting on our ‘normal person’ cosplay after letting out our real personality momentarily.

Oh and I also love the section where Changbin and Felix are like, “If you think I’m just pure and innocent, you’re wrong!”. I love the lyric and I also like it melodically… and the dance I’m not gonna lie. That section is just… perfect.

As for the song, apart from simping for Felix, I did find the transition from the verses to the chorus a bit weird at first but somehow it works. I also like that this song is melody heavy. The way Chan opened the song with his singing *chefs kiss*.

Oh yeah, in terms of the trailer. I thought they were killing Felix and bringing him to the bad side but what if they were releasing him from the shackles of society? Like, “I release you Felix, be your bad self!” Which is why he gets a fresh fit at the end of the trailer.

Charmer

They can’t help setting new trends and influencing the tide. They’re taking about their effect on the scene. Due to the title and the lyrics it made me think of how a snake charmer controls or influences the snake and that’s basically what they’re doing (also they do mention snakes in the song).

They also have the flute sound that goes with that whole vibe.

Also, didn’t Felix’s last word sound hiss like? When he sings, “Yes.”

When they say Charmer it sounds like the Korean word 참아, so I wondered if that was deliberate (according to one lyric video and how they translated it, it is. Learning Korean does pay off *cries*).

During my first listen this was an instant fav. I just really like the melody and the way they sing. It’s my vibe.

Freeze 땡

This song fits with the melodic theme of the album and I would say it is the hypest song, even more hype than the title track.

I don’t mind it but I don’t love it. It’s ok.

Those who really enjoy EDM I think would like it… is it EDM? Hmm… I think so but not purely EDM. But that’s true for a lot of Stray Kids’ songs, their songs are rarely, purely one genre and I’m not mad at that.

The lyrics talk about letting nothing hold you back. They’re saying to crush your obstacles to blast them out of your way and strive for your goals. Even if life knocks you down, you slip on the ice, get back up and try again.

I quite like the lyrics. I like how they incorporated the Korean game of tag in it too.

Lonely St.

This song brings the melancholy with a dash of hope. It talks about how they still feel lost and alone but they’re still striving to make their own path.

I did read a lot of stays relating with song and feeling comforted by it and I love that. It’s great when a song speaks to you.

I would call this a hype ballad. Or an emotional belter. It has that feeling. It’s softer but it’s not a ballad and it still has that energy to it that gets you hype but in a way that is meant to be motivational.

At least, that’s what I got.

Waiting for us

This song is soft and lilting. I don’t typically like ballads but I love me some acoustic guitar. Ooh this hits my guitar loving spot!! Best instrument ever created, perhaps. I hope whoever invented the guitar was given all the loving in the way they desired.

It’s like the potato of the music world. It can do some many things excellently.

I love how the song builds. It’s such a soothing beautiful song, another one I loved on first listen.

The lyrics are sweet too, talking about how they’ll wait till they can meet again. They miss them but they know the time apart will not be forever.

*cue Sex Education meme* “You waited?” “Of course”

Ugh, it is just a beautiful song! It’s exactly what my ears needed.

Muddy Water

It starts all cute like a Charleston and then in comes the sickest beat! I love tracks like this! Ugh, it hit the spot.

I love that Felix found a place for Demon Slayer in his lyrics. Listen, I love when anime fans write music! Give me more references that I can geek over!!

Each of their raps had similar themes but different content…

That sounds obvious but like I could tell they were related but they all went about it in different ways and had different messages to give.

It’s like in school when our teacher gave us all the same first line for a story and then it was up to us to decide what story to create around it and when we shared we all had such wildly different stories. That’s the vibe of the lyrics for me in this song.

For example: Felix is like it doesn’t matter the hate you throw at me, it won’t stick. I’ll keep going and keep doing well whilst supporting/contributing to my team. Whereas, Hyunjin is saying, some of the goals he had he has now achieved. With him I get the sense that he’s saying keep your eye on the prize and keep confidently going forward no matter what muddy water gets splashed on you. Also, his reaction to haters is to not show how it affects him. The line: “Resenting someone pretending it doesn’t hurt inside” is interesting.

In general, they are saying they are the fresh water that is falling and their haters are people who are stuck in one place not progressing and not moving… stagnant water.

So it is a song addressed to haters and not just one in particular but people who try to bring you down in life or look down on your achievements or who want to slow down your progression. Famous or not I feel we all have experience with such haters.

I also love how they all have very different styles of rapping and how they all played with the beat.

Hyunjin’s voice in this though, when he sings the pre chorus *chef’s kiss*.

Again another favourite off of the first listen.

So that’s it for my thoughts. I’ve listened to the album a few times now and Charmer, Waiting for Us and Muddy Water are still my favs with Venom knocking on the door wanting to be let in. Charmer was my top favourite at first but now I think it’s Muddy Water.

It’s a solid mini album. I liked it overall.

It’s not my favourite Stray Kids album, I think NOEASY still takes that title. The king still reigns! *metaphorically lifts NOEASY like in The Lion King*.