Sunday Spin: New Releases From BTS, RAYE, The Two Lips, pami, and SPYAIR
Sunday Spin is EnVi‘s weekly music showcase, where we bring you the hottest global hits in our curated playlist. Join us every Sunday for new music that sets the perfect tone for your upcoming week.
Between St. Patrick’s Day and Eid al-Fitr, there’s so much to celebrate — and these new releases offer even more reasons. From highly anticipated K-pop comebacks to laidback indie tracks, march into the second-to-last full week of the month with a collection of new songs that might just make it to your year-end recap.
pami – “cry jar”
Over six months after her debut album puffette, pami returns with the latest entry of her public diary: “cry jar.” The Thai singer-songwriter once again journeyed deep into the crevices of her emotional trenches. What she retrieved this time was heartbreak-induced pain and all the tears she had collected in the song title’s namesake, “a proof that the pain isn’t disappearing — it’s piling up,” as she put it.
The track opens with layered vocals that echo orchestrally, giving way to the soft bedroom pop sound her fans would be used to by now. A simple, uncomplicated production underscores her delicate voice, but don’t let this fool you. Her words are laced with a sharp bite, chastising the source of her emotional aching with lines like “Know there is a consequence / Are you sure you can afford hurting me?” and “If you make me cry, pay up quick / If you don’t wanna fight, make me rich / I need some compensation for the way that you’re behaving.”
RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – “Click Clack Symphony.”
Credit: Aliyah Otchere
RAYE is no stranger to making popular music that carries a sense of grandeur, whether through rich and lush arrangements or impressive vocal flexibilities. It’s no surprise, then, that the last preview for her upcoming album THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE., “Click Clack Symphony.,” enlists one of cinema’s most famed composers Hans Zimmer, who she crossed paths with during the production of F1 the Album. Though it still carries the orchestral nature of its predecessors, “Nightingale Lane.” and “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!,” the mood shifts from soulful sentimentality and dance-ready explosiveness for something more somber, veering close to the sonic world Charli xcx created for Wuthering Heights.
A persistent, marching drum beat underscores a larger-than-life, looming presence of darkness created by an answer-and-call between suspenseful strings and drops of silence. It echoes Zimmer’s previous works like Gladiator, Dunkirk, and Dune that blends traditional orchestral arrangements with electronic elements. The story, though, is quintessentially RAYE. Romantic poeticism undercuts this sense of dread from midlife crises and finding meaning to life beyond a run-of-the-mill routine.
RAYE Socials: IG | TK | X | YT
Hans Zimmer Socials: IG | TK | X | YT
Alessia Cara ft. Norah Jones – “I’m In Trouble”
After 10 years in the industry, Alessia Cara is reflecting on her career, spanning four studio records and multiple different genres. However, for this sophomore live album, Love or Lack Thereof, she’s focusing on one: soulful jazz. She looks no further than her library of songs, reimagining ten of them — including hits like the Zedd–assisted “Stay” to deep cuts like “I’m Yours” from her debut Know-It-All — into a smoky blues-inflected sound.
It makes sense, then, that the only new song in this album, “I’m In Trouble,” is joined by fellow Best New Artist winner Norah Jones. Whether you know her as the songstress behind the likes of “Don’t Know Why” and “Come Away With Me” or a member of the Grammy-winning Bengali-Indian Shankar family, Jones’s addition to the track fits like a sock. Her vocals coast through the delicate and groovy track, intertwining with Cara’s in perfect harmony for the right amount of intimacy and flamboyance.
Alessia Cara Socials: IG | TK | X | YT
Norah Jones Socials: IG | TK | X | YT
BTS – “Body to Body”
After almost four years, BTS is back as seven with ARIRANG. Opening the album is the hip-hop, trap-focused track, “Body to Body.” Leader RM kicks off the first verse, commanding attention, with the explosive statement, “I need the whole stadium to jump / Put your phone down, let’s get all the fun.” It’s a call for fans to fully immerse themselves and set aside distractions to experience the music in the moment.
As the song unfolds, the modern trap beats and snares give way to thunderous traditional Korean folk instrumentation. In the bridge, a sample of “Bonjo Arirang,” a widely recognized standardized version of the ancient Korean folk song “Arirang,” serves as the connecting thread of the group’s cultural roots and their current musical identity.
“Body to Body” is the central introduction to ARIRANG’s theme — a connection that transcends distance, time, and separation. In celebration of their long-awaited reunion, BTS took the stage at Seoul’s historic Gwanghwamun Square with a free comeback concert, livestreamed globally by Netflix.
MINNIE – “Hello”
Ahead of the spring showers, i-dle’s MINNIE is here to capture you in a downpour of heartache with “Hello.” Written for the thriller series Siren’s Kiss, the single is a slow-burning ballad that captures the bargaining stage of grief. Filled with tender hums and harmonies, gentle piano chords and strings wrap around MINNIE’s voice to create a wistful, haunting atmosphere that feels suspended in time.
Emotive vocals convey the grief and despair of a connection that’s slowly burning out. The chorus also amplifies that vulnerability and yearning as she sings, “I need you here to stay” and “Please don’t let go of my trembling hand.” It’s almost as if she’s reaching out for a presence that’s slipping further and further away with every passing moment. In a way, “Hello” isn’t a song of greeting, but a plea to hold on, not disappear, and stay.
SPYAIR – “STILL ON FIRE”
Japanese rock band SPYAIR released their new full-length album, RE-BIRTH, which showcases their passion for making music. Originally formed in 2005, the band has made lasting impacts in the J-Rock scene, as well as in the Anime sphere. RE-BIRTH features soundtracks for popular franchises such as Haikyu!! and Sentenced to Be a Hero.
Compiling releases from the past three years, this album captures SPYAIR’s musical shift since integrating vocalist YOSUKE into the lineup. The final song on the 10-track album, “STILL ON FIRE,” is a motivational anthem. With low guitar chords and slow percussion buildup, the track is gritty and dark in tone.
“STILL ON FIRE,” captures the group’s desire to continue their careers through all the changes. No matter what challenges may arise, they are determined to continue to push through it all. In the second verse, YOSUKE sings, “Even if it’s meaningless, rise up / Shout it out loud, this fire in my chest / towards the other side of the despair where I knelt / All I need is to break this pain.” Just as phoenixes rise from ashes into something stronger, so do SPYAIR believe they will continue to pursue greatness. For anyone wanting a heavy rock anthem to remind them they are “STILL ON FIRE,” SPYAIR is here.
BE:FIRST – “BE:FIRST ALL DAY”
The Japanese sextet, BE:FIRST, returns with a special single to celebrate the start of their 5th Anniversary Project. “BE:FIRST ALL DAY” follows the group’s signature sound and image: power in production. Collaboration was essential to the creation of the track and accompanying choreography, including the contribution of member SOTA and choreographer Rhyme. The track carries the confidence of the veteran group through their lyrics as well as performance. In the second verse, SOTA declares, “Nobody can copy us / Nobody can predict us / Living someone else’s dream? Not enough / Play, learn, stay on the cutting edge.” They believe in their hard work and love for being BE:FIRST are what has cemented their spot in the industry.
As they chant the song’s title, the members affirm their legacy as performers. BE:FIRST effortlessly groove through the choreography. What seemingly starts as simple, quickly grows complex through changing formations and bouncing off each members’ movements. The group switches between following the beat to the flow of each melody and adlib. Just as the ever-changing landscape in the music video, BE:FIRST shows how they are continuously developing their skills to show their best image to fans and critics alike.
The Two Lips – “brb”
Credit: Mykel Merritt
Latina-Filipina duo The Two Lips return with a new track, “brb,” a wistful, slow-burning track where dad-yacht rock meets dreamy pop. Built on soft, breezy melodies, the song is a contrast of easygoing with subtle headache, capturing the conflicting emotions of loving someone who promised they’d come back but hasn’t yet.
Sung from the perspective of someone left behind, “brb” lives in between the space of hope and yearning. It’s a push and pull of believing they’ll return and the heartbreaking realization that there’s a chance they may not. Delicate lyrics like “Hope that when I close my eyes / I’ll see you in my dreams” and “Won’t you come back to me?” feel intimate and raw. There’s a sense of trying to hold on to anything that can keep the connection alive across the vast distance. When the outro arrives — a repetition of “Fifteen hundred miles apart / Keep you with me in my heart”— we’re left in an emotional limbo of unresolved, haunting feelings.
The Two Lips are bringing their irresistible sound to the desert this April at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. If “brb” is any indication, the indie duo is preparing a set suited for basking in the California sun.
Ellise – “Her”
Credit: Sandra Jamaleddine
A new track set to be included on her upcoming EP, Bedroom Confessional, Ellise’s “Her,” tackles the complexity between jealousy and adoration with vivid storytelling. In a press release, Ellise disclosed, “‘Her’ is less about one person and more about a feeling. Jealousy to the point of adoration is something we’ve all unfortunately felt at one point or another, which is exactly what this song highlights.”
Ellise centers “Her” around the new woman her ex is now seeing. In the pre–chorus she reveals instead of spotlighting her ex, “All I think about / Is who you’re holding now.” She could care less about him, but becomes fixated on his new woman. Ellise follows this up with a confession in the chorus, “And I’m up all night, I stare at her pictures… / Fantasize about what it’s like to be her.”
Ellise’s obsession shifts from envy and ill feelings to infatuation in “Her.” She puts this woman on a pedestal, comparing herself to her beauty and desperately wishes she could be like her. The existence of clashing feelings is heard through the song’s composition. While the instrumental incorporates eerie synth loops, Ellise’s light vocals bring in a sense of dreaminess. If you’re looking for a new dark-pop release to add to your rotation, give “Her” a listen.
Other tracks in this week’s Sunday Spin playlist include “So What” by Muna, “LUVAGIRL” by Coco Jones, and “Love All” by izna. Listen to everything mentioned and more, curated by Team EnVi only for you on Spotify.
Want more of the latest releases? Check out our previous Sunday Spin!
