WJSN came back only a few months ago with “Save Me, Save You,” so it was surprising to hear the group would be returning so shortly with an entirely new album. What can be expected in these circumstances? Will they stick with their signature dreamy concept, or go for something completely different due to how closely “La La Love” releases after “Save Me, Save You?” Based on the title, the answer to that question is already clear.

“La La Love”

When I think WJSN’s general sound, heavy EDM is definitely not the first thing that comes to mind; that fact alone made the first listen of “La La Love” a strange ride. The change in musical direction is reminiscent of what Oh My Girl did with their “Remember Me” return, but on a less drastic scale. While surprising initially, the change shows off that the girls have enough vocal talent to tackle different musical genres, and the beat is definitely modern and addictive. Whether a fan of WJSN or not, you’ll find this song stuck in your head without a doubt.

The visual concept is quite a switch as well. While we often see otherworldly themes fitting of the name “Cosmic Girls,” the main concept of this music video is the carnival. While we have seen other groups toy with this concept, the girls add their own personal twist to it with an added dreamy feel. As expected of the carnival, we see the use of a lot of bright colors, but especially a bright purple that is the main color in the video’s palette. The luminosity of the colors gets an extra pop thanks to the mostly black-and-white outfits of the members, making for an overall pleasant experience for the senses.

The Album

WJ STAY? features seven new tracks for fans. The title kicks off the album, followed by equally as bright and upbeat “You Got,” which sets the tone of the album. “You Got” has a bit more of a retro, disco feel to it for a little musical variety. “1억개의 별” is the lovely ballad track of the album, a slow and emotional piece that highlights the strong vocal backing of the group.

Marking the midway point of the album are the tracks “그때 우리” and “칸타빌레(노래하듯이),” both traditional and cheerful pop tracks that we often see in the group’s B-sides. “12 O’clock” sticks out from the rest of the crowd with its jazz and big band influences in the melody, which is drastically different from the other strictly pop tracks. WJ STAY? concludes with “우주정거장,” a light and mid-tempo acoustic song that leaves your heart feeling warm and light. Overall, this is another solid release from the sophomore girl group, even while missing their three Chinese members to activities in China. Be sure to check out the full album and support their comeback!