EXID

“Street”

Banana Culture

Five-member K-pop girl group EXID dropped its first LP album, consisting of 13 tracks and titled “Street,” on Wednesday. The album is coproduced by Shinsadong Tiger and EXID’s LE, who shows off her rapping, songwriting and producing talents here.

Over the past four years, EXID has released four digital singles and two EPs.

The new album’s title track “L.I.E,” composed partly by LE, shows EXID in a significantly different light from last year’s hit tracks “Up & Down” and “Ah Yeah,” which were catchy pop tunes heavily focused on danceable beats and risque performances.

This recent song is not as simple and in turn perhaps less addictive than the group’s previous releases. It features a mix of reggae-like melodies, pop-rock instruments, fist-pumping beats and a trap-evoking bridge.

Other tracks on the album include “Hello” and “3%,” mellow, rhythmic ballads performed solo by the group’s members Hani and Solji, respectively. “Cream” is a soft dance track while “Good” is a groovy, funk-influenced number.

Overall, the album shows EXID seeking to go beyond its comfort zone. It features a rich slew of pop instrumentals and genres, making for a compilation that is as eclectic as it is hectic.

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)