[Dispatch=Park Hye-jin Reporter] Stray Kids knows exactly how to captivate listeners from the opening. The first track "Legend" from the third full-length album "5-STAR" (2023) did that. So did "Megaverse" from the mini-album "Rockstar" (2023) and "S-Class" from the fourth full-length album "Karma" (2025). This time, it's "RUN IT." They ignite from the first track. "RUN IT" is the most grand opening since their debut. A majestic brass and powerful rapping draw in listeners. Conversely, the title track "THIS AND THAT" was played loosely. Stray Kids made a comeback with an easy-to-listen track, not pressing hard for the first time. In their ninth year since debut, at a point approaching their ninth consecutive No. 1 debut on "Billboard 200," it's a time when they could turn up the firepower to maximum. Yet they actually eased up. That's how they push and pull within the album. They proved through music that they can do "everything." Dispatch listened to their new album "THIS AND THAT." ◆ Languid Hip-Hop The title track "THIS AND THAT" has a different texture from Stray Kids' title tracks thus far. They mainly showcased hardcore hip-hop. It was full of vigor and high intensity. The genealogy of "God's Menu," "Maniac," and "S-Class" exemplifies that. This time, they chose languid hip-hop. A chill vibe is the characteristic. Both the vocals and movements ease up. The song structure is simple too. In C minor key with D♭m-Cm, the song is led mainly by two chords. They move between two chords with a semitone difference. As harmony is stripped down, groove and voice stand out more. Instead, they embedded a unique sound into the track. A cold-textured beat like striking metal is the characteristic. The pronunciation "THIS AND THAT" itself makes you move to the rhythm. The song's density is lowered, but sound texture is densely filled. The title track mixing was handled by Manny Marroquin, a Grammy-winning engineer who has worked with Kanye West, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, and Kendrick Lamar. The entire album was mixed in Dolby Atmos. It can also be enjoyed as a festival version. Separate "THIS REMIXES" and "THAT REMIXES" versions were presented. Latin rhythm and EDM sound were added. By presenting one song at multiple temperatures, they filled the listening senses. The lyrics cleverly express confidence by saying "I do this and I do that," suggesting they do everything well. The attitude of delivering whatever they want sounds more like composure than bluster. Visual care was taken as well. They traveled seeking places with Korean beauty and filmed over five days. The members' drawings filled the music video background. Particularly, Changbin's scene rapping in the kitchen evokes "God's Menu" from 2020. The combination of kitchen and brass band was recreated after six years. ◆ Genre Experimentation The album tracks contain diverse genres. From the strong hip-hop shown in the team's early days to EDM, 2000s pop, acoustic, and band sound—they showcased a broad range of genres. First, "After You" is a progressive house genre. A dance music structure that stacks elements layer by layer before bursting them all at once. This is a genre Three Racha wanted to challenge. With vocals from Felix, Hyunjin, Lee Know, and Seungmin, a buildup gradually begins. An EDM drop bursts in the chorus. The emotion of love at first sight was translated into song structure. "FARMING" originates from the gaming term "farming" and the internet meme "aura farming" (the act of accumulating coolness). It's a hip-hop song. Like game sound, synth riff and shuffle rhythm add impact. The distorted vocal creates a different texture. Particularly, Felix's cavernous low notes shine above it. "I Do" used 2000s rock and pop sound. Changbin wrote the lyrics entirely alone. The retro melody calls for a group sing-along. It can be seen as a comfort song conveyed to fans. Stray Kids-style sensibility tracks also exist. "Way Out" is acoustic hip-hop. It's about declaring a breakup. The phrase "Get lost" is expressed in English, Japanese, Spanish, and French. Unlike the cold delivery, an acoustic guitar creates a warm atmosphere. "That Day," sole-written by Han, is a band sound. It was written after being inspired by the drama "That Year, We." Omitting flashy technique, it simply promises eternity saying, "No matter how many hundreds of thousands of times your flower withers again..., I'll bloom a brighter flower in your heart." ◆ Stray Kids' Vibe They didn't let go of their roots by widening their genre range. Stray Kids' killer move, "intense" hip-hop, is there too. That's "RUN IT." A track that takes responsibility for the Stray Kids identity fans expect. It's also the name of their new world tour. It's an anthem made for large crowds to sing along to. It was aimed at group singing from the start. Majestic brass and marching drums create forward momentum, and thick percussion rhythm scales up the sound. The sound is bigger and rougher than previous works "Legend" and "Megaverse." Actually, this song's highlight is the end. After the bridge, in the latter half, the beat reaches its peak, and Han and Changbin literally pour out their rap. They created the largest-scale sound in Stray Kids' discography. The lyrics also contain the long narrative of Stray Kids advancing from Seoul to the world, with lines like "Started in a small room / From Seoul to the world." Music critic Kim Do-heon evaluated it as "the work with the most powerful melody so far. The melody is alive" and "the members seem to have a lot of composure. It's the best-sounding work they've put out recently." However, there are disappointing aspects. Kim noted that "the song serves largely to add variety to the tour" and added, "Rather than functioning as one song, I think it would be nice if it went into a festival setlist." Indeed, Billboard said of "After You," "It's specially designed to get live audiences excited. It will definitely explode on tour," but also noted, "For Stray Kids, who have built a career on musical surprises, it's too safe a song." It's natural for a team touring stadiums to make stadium music. K-pop's center of gravity shifted from recordings to live performance long ago. In stadiums, grand stages fill the gaps in songs. After the lighting and group singing fade, is there something left in the ears? This is a question K-pop must keep asking. Until now, Stray Kids' music had a "maniac" aspect. This album came a step closer to the general public. The melody, lyrics, and sound are all catchy. It's experimental for Stray Kids, but the barrier to entry has lowered. Stray Kids will celebrate their ninth anniversary next year. Despite the high seniority, they still brim with drive, still wander, still experiment, and still find fun. Like Three Racha's first beginning in 2017, they remain a "hustling" group. That's something to welcome.