It’s a little past mid-October, and needless to say, midterms have gotten the best of me (damn you, post-secondary education!). This means that, among other things, I’m either too busy playing the same album on loop while working and studying to check out new releases, or I spend hours venturing into brand new genres.

This time around, it seems I’ve done more of the former. However, there are two brand new singles on my recent playlist that I’ve been listening to—and loving—that I’d like to share.

Kris Wu — “Deserve” ft. Travis Scott

It was a secret to pretty much no one that Kris Wu was to come back to the music scene sometime this year. He had been teasing it for a while now (I’ve been waiting for an album since he hinted at it on his birthday in November of last year), and so I was more than impatient to hear this new single upon its announcement. Apparently, the feature of American rapper Travis Scott was no surprise to fans; there were enough rumors leading up to the release to pretty much confirm the collab.

Released on October 11, “Deserve” is pretty straightforward both in sound and in lyrics: it’s very much a trap song and very much about how some girl or another just has to stick by Kris’s (or Travis’s) side—so much so that she “deserves a song.” It has a distinct American sound to it that goes beyond its English lyrics, and it might not please everyone—I myself am not that big of a fan of the lyrics, in particular. But you know, it’s a catchy tune and it’s mellow enough without getting boring. It’s perfect for late night studying, though you might get distracted by how great the beat is as you attempt to study on.

Doyoung (NCT) & Sejeong (gu9udan) — “Star Blossom”

On a totally different note, SM Station’s single from October 13, “Star Blossom,” is another song I’ve been addicted to. It’s thoroughly enchanting, absolutely charming, and just… incredible. Featuring Doyoung from NCT and Sejeong from gu9udan, the track is a lovely orchestral ballad that will make you feel as dreamy as the song itself. It lilts and it waltzes, and the melody itself is so well choreographed with the way the strings, the piano, and the glockenspiel (a glockenspiel!) come and go throughout the song. Most of all, Doyoung and Sejeong’s wonderful voices not only stand out, but they shine, almost literally. Their tones are so different from each other; Sejeong’s is high and almost tinkly, while Doyoung’s is rich and steady, which is exactly why they fit so well together. These elements work to produce the amazing track that is “Star Blossom.” It might remind you of a very good musical number, or some romantic movie you’ve never seen but have surely enjoyed—and if not, the music video will definitely make you smile along as you watch.