Starkissed

From the *Star Seekers* webtoon to the *Star Chapter* album series, K-pop group TOMORROW X TOGETHER (aka TXT) has often drawn inspiration from the celestial sphere. On *Starkissed*, the Big Hit boy band’s third Japanese album, trap-infused Korean hits “Beautiful Strangers” and “Deja Vu” get Japanese-language versions, as does “Song of the Stars.” Titled “Hoshi No Uta” in Japanese, the sentimental rock ballad renews a promise previously made in Korean: “Even if we part ways, let’s meet here again.” Lead single “Can’t Stop” is one of three wholly new tracks on *Starkissed*. The ’80s-inspired electro-funk song uses its propulsive, synth-fueled energy to capture the feeling of an irrepressible love. The energy turns buoyant on “Where Do You Go?,” a soothing pop-rock track in which members Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai encourage listeners to live their own stories. “SSS,” a track about the “secret signals” sent between idol and fan, was produced by Japanese rock star HYDE, grounding the album more firmly in the Japanese music scene. Previously released Japanese singles “We’ll Never Change” and “Kitto Zutto” and Japanese OST tracks “Step by Step” and “Rise” bring a fullness to *Starkissed*’s 33-minute runtime. The 12-track collection has many tracks originally released as part of other projects, but it works as a story in its own right, with atmospheric “Intro” and “Outro” tracks that bring listeners into and out of the world of the album.