Stray Kids’ “This & That” is an Interesting Swing

Stray Kids are consistent. As a casual listener, I can’t speak to their deep collection of b-sides. But I’ve constantly been struck by how of-a-kind their title tracks are. They are loud and largely rap-driven with pretty, but often abrupt, melodic interludes. They almost always center on self-hype (which given Stray Kids’ self-generated creativity and industry achievements, fair enough). And they are usually accompanied by MVs with stereotypical “tough” and “cool” imagery and a dash of humor, though the specific genre influences vary. This rock-solid identity has undoubtedly contributed to their longevity and success. Formulas, however, are a double-edged sword. Stray Kids have a winning one, but they flirt dangerously with repetition and a lack of evolution. To be honest, this is one of the reasons I’ve struggled to get into them beyond a general sense of respect. To a certain extent, if you’ve seen one Stray Kids title track, you’ve seen them all. At first glance, “This & That” looks like more of the same. It ticks all the requisite Stray Kids boxes and lacks the standout momentum of their best singles, such as “God’s Menu” or “Maniac.” However, a closer listen reveals that ...