With their first three releases, GHOST9 has risen with a kind of gritty intensity. Their title tracks, “Think of Dawn,” “W.ALL,” and “SEOUL,” have visually dark music videos with sci-fi themes and intense choreography to complement their discography laden with noisy electronic beats. But they’re turning their image on its head with NOW: When we are in Love, an unexpected bit of K-Pop candy with its title track and summer anthem “Up All Night.”

“UP ALL NIGHT”

“Up All Night” gives us the boys in their first cute concept, and now is a good time to admit I’m a little biased. I’m a huge sucker for vibrant colors (their new hair!), clips of my best boys having fun together, and kicky feel-good songs, and “Up All Night” checks each box a few times over. With member Jinwoo setting the tone right off the bat as their cute maknae, "Up All Night" takes us on a fun journey filled to the brim with sunny visuals.

In terms of story, the video is pretty simple; it opens with GHOST9 setting up a board game resembling Jumanji—which of course whisks them away to someplace new, and they don’t even mind. They show up in a few different places (a forest, a beach, a brightly painted neighborhood, etc.) where they explore, singin’ and dancin’ along the way. It actually fits the song very well, which is equally simple and equally delightful, as a song about being so giddy and excited about the new love you’ve found yourself in that you can’t sleep.

For new fans—affectionately named Ghosties—this is the kind of video you watch when you’re ready to get emotionally attached, so tread carefully.

NOW: When we are in Love

The album’s title is a straightforward dictation of the facts: We are in love, and the time is now. There’s a running theme of adolescent love declarations, such as wanting to run away together someday on “Runaway,” intention to stay together on “Antenna,” and wanting to “Double Click” your way into someone's heart. Including the intro and title tracks, there’s a grand total of six on this mini-album, and they’re just as sweet as “Up All Night.”

Nobody asked, but this one has been on repeat for me since the summer weather has come in full force; the energy makes for a perfect atmospheric matchup, and it comes highly recommended.