Newbeat. Photo: courtesy of Beat Interactive.
Newbeat has dropped their first full-length album, Raw and Rad, offering a definitive introduction to the rookie group’s sound, persona, and creative vision.
Newbeat, formerly known as HinLove, is a seven-piece boy group under Beat Interactive. Featuring members Park Minseok, Hong Minsung, Jeon Yeoyeojeong, Choi Seohyun, Kim Taeyang, Jo Yunhu, and Kim Riwoo, the group steps into the spotlight with Raw and Rad—a dynamic collection of tracks that, according to Park Minseok, reflects the true essence of Newbeat. “Every track on Raw and Rad tells a different part of our story, and we hope listeners can feel our honesty and passion in every beat.”
The album features the pre-release singles “Jello (Sleepers)” and “Hiccups,” rife with funky beats and percussion breaks, serving as a preview to the mood of the record. Meanwhile, the intro and outro tracks frame the listening experience, along with seven new songs to round off the offering.
Each track on the album is like a new episode in Newbeat’s unfolding story—for example, the title track, “Flip the Coin,” conveys how different viewpoints act like a catalyst influencing opinions. The song “F.L.Y (Fu**ing Lovely, Lonely Youth),” on the other hand, juxtaposes the charm and melancholy of adolescence or the experiences of becoming an adult, while “Wonder” is a love song sung by Jeon Yeoyeojeong. “Recording ‘Wonder’ was a special experience for me,” he states, adding, “It’s a dreamy, emotional track that captures the feeling of unspoken love and youth. I hope listeners can imagine their own story as they hear it—and feel the same butterflies I felt while singing it.”
Strategically placing previously released singles within a set of new songs is a well-calculated move, as we’ve seen many artists do, notably in K-pop to create a dynamic interplay between the known and the novel. Not only does this invite listeners to engage with the band or the artist’s evolving soundscape, but it also helps to build a sizable body of work that allows them to experiment with different musical genres and subjects.
Park Minseok shared in a press statement that while the members’ debut with a full-length album was both exciting and nerve-racking, Raw and Rad is an authentic reflection of their emotions, fearless spirit and vulnerabilities.
Raw and Rad, in essence, articulates Newbeat’s emotions, fearless spirit, and vulnerabilities. That’s why I believe the band decided to release a full-length album rather than a shorter EP to quickly build a sizable body of work—one that has allowed them to experiment with different musical genres and subjects.
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