Release Date: April 8, 2021
Track Listing
- ASAP
- SO WHAT
- LOVE FOOL
- SO BAD (TAK Remix)
Review
High Up Entertainment’s STAYC made a solid first impression in late 2020 with their debut single EP Star To A Young Culture and the strength of its lead single So Bad. Four months later, they returned with their second EP STAYDOM. It features the lead single ASAP and their secondary promotional single SO WHAT.
Can STAYC recapture the magic of their debut? Or will they fail to live up to expectations of delivering another home run?
Just by listening to ASAP, there should be no worries about STAYC not coming out with another banger. Rather than continue with the pure girl crush of their debut single, the group changes things up by adding a bit of pop flair to this release. The final result is an incredibly catchy piece of dance-pop that shows an unseen sweeter side.
The remainder of STAYDOM follows the same type of musical path. STAYC’s other promotional single, SO WHAT, is a fun slice of hip-pop mixed with light EDM sounds in the background. After hearing this song, it makes sense why this was a secondary promotional track. It’s just as strong as the a-side and arguably has the better hook of the two songs that have been pushed on music shows.
The real surprise on STAYDOM is the third track, LOVE FOOL. This song is STAYC’s first foray into the mellower type of material. In this case, we get a mid-tempo love song that gives us a softer version of the group.
Despite not being a dance number, LOVE FOOL is on par with the other tracks on the album in quality. If you think real hard, you can imagine how great this type of song would be in front of a live crowd waving their cell phones and light sticks along during the breakdown near the end.
STAYDOM does not end with another new song but a remix of their debut single SO BAD. The only positive thing I can say about it is that the remix adds a bit of an edge. However, those who are more dedicated to the original may find this interpretation lacking.
Overall, STAYDOM gives listeners a better picture of the type of group STAYC could be. Given that this is only their second single, nothing is set in stone, and by the time their third comes around, they could be trying other types of music not present here.
If you combine this with Star To A Young Culture, you have a promising girl group to keep a close eye on.