CRYSTYLE

Crystyle presents a dramatic shift for CLC—away from the retro-soul bops that characterized their first few releases and into darker, fiercer territory. Single “Hobgoblin” sets the tone with intense trap beats and attitude-heavy raps (cowritten by labelmate HyunA), and its witchy vibe resonates through the whole EP, bringing a harder edge to the pervasive ’90s R&B and tropical house rhythms. Even the closing ballad, “Depression,” avoids the soft and twinkly route, instead going for dramatic string sweeps and minor-key melodies.