Best of September 2026
Photo: CLOSE YOUR EYES Official X
September was one of the strongest months for comebacks this year with so many incredible new releases making their way onto my playlist since the start of the month. With so much to listen to last month, here are some of my favorite tracks that I still can't get enough of.
“That's My Girl” - MONSTA X
MONSTA X serenades their beloved fandom, MONBEBE, with a smooth, R&B delivery of “That's My Girl” in their latest EP, The Phase. Both the vocals and the song's arrangement offer strong influences of late '90s and early 2000s R&B-pop, with a sound that channels the likes of Michael Jackson, *NSYNC, Bruno Mars, and other artists who have had, and continue to have, an influential stamp on music, becoming the next installment of musical excellence for MONSTA X's catalog. With this, the song drips with groove, suavity, smoothness, sensualness, and more, with the distinctively charming R&B vocal flair in SHOWNU's tone allowing him to take center stage across the track, making it an immediate standout track that leaves fans eager to see it performed live one day at a future MONSTA X show.
“Slowly Bleed” - CLOSE YOUR EYES
CLOSE YOUR EYES continue to be one of the most compelling acts in today's K-Pop scene, consistently releasing goose-bump inducing tracks, complete with strong, captivating vocals that has me never wanting to skip their music. Released on the very last day of September, CLOSE YOUR EYES’s latest EP, 256th Note, offered fans a bit of everything across genres, with the fourth track “Slowly Bleed” taking the reins as my favorite track on the album. With an electro-pop, alternative R&B arrangement, a delightful twang of country-pop intricately seeps through the instrumental for “Slowly Bleed,” with the beautiful concoction of genres becoming the perfect backdrop for the CLOSE YOUR EYES members to place their dulcet vocals over. With this, “Slowly Bleed” entices listeners with an irresistible vocal charm that keeps them returning to “Slowly Bleed” on a constant loop, never wanting to break away from their spell, fueling anticipation for what CLOSE YOUR EYES will do next.
“Runaway” - ONEUS
As we head towards the winter months of the year end, the heat remains on a high thanks to FIRST LIGHT : 井, the latest EP from ONEUS. Among the five-song tracklist, FIRST LIGHT : 井 opens with the satisfyingly warm, afrobeat sounds of “Runaway,” allowing TO MOON (their dedicated fandom) to escape the upcoming cold temperatures and, instead, enter a place of warmth and serenity through the song’s production, sounding like a perfect soundtrack to summer. At just under two minutes, “Runaway” leaves behind a craving for more from ONEUS, serving as an effective intro track to FIRST LIGHT : 井 for fans to step into the group's latest musical direction, running away together with the blissful sounds of their music and each members’ stunning vocals guiding them into ONEUS's world.