Three and a half years after their debut, fourth-generation K-pop girl group STAYC craft their first studio album—and it’s a proper one. With 14 tracks, Metamorphic is far more substantial than most other contemporary K-pop offerings, and it notably eschews the common tactic of adding instrumental, sped-up and English-language versions of the same tracks to pad out a release. Looking to expand beyond the “teen fresh” self-descriptor they debuted with in 2020 which defined much of their first three years as a musical group, STAYC make a declaration of musical evolution with Metamorphic. Rather than leaning into the bouncy brightness of 2023 hits “Teddy Bear” and “Bubble”, STAYC’s first full-length album leaves behind much of the group’s energetic earnestness for something slightly more muted, measured and mature in its expression of confidence. Nowhere is this more apparent than in lead single “Cheeky Icy Thang”. Reminiscent of the group’s 2022 retro synth hit “RUN2U”, the runway-ready electro beat shuffle launches with a killer hook: “If it’s beauty and the beast, I’m the beast.” Elsewhere on the album, the individual members get a chance to take up more of the spotlight. Metamorphic includes two unit songs—“Find”, featuring main vocalist Sieun, vocalist Seeun and rapper J, and “Fakin’”, featuring rapper Sumin and vocalist Yoon—as well as a solo track, “Roses”, from vocalist Isa. All the members contributed lyrics for fan song “Stay WITH me”. Eight of Metamorphic’s tracks come from High Up Entertainment’s producer-founders Black Eyed Pilseung, aka B.E.P., who have crafted much of STAYC’s discography thus far. Under B.E.P.’s continued guidance, the album is not a departure from the group’s signature singles, but rather a more textured expression of STAYC’s high-teen homage to classic K-pop sounds.