Three of the four are songs you already know
X:IN's Japanese pre-debut EP arrived yesterday. One track is new.
In three lines
- X:IN's Japanese pre-debut EP 'Girls On Fire In Tokyo' came out on August 22.
- The music video for the new track 'Girls On Fire' is up on their official channel.
- The remaining tracks are Japanese versions of existing songs.
What arrived yesterday
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Group | X:IN |
| Album | 'Girls On Fire In Tokyo' EP |
| Release | August 22 |
| New track | 'Girls On Fire' |
| Others | Japanese versions of 'Who Dat', 'Creamy', 'RRRUN' |
The phrase 'pre-debut'
This album carries the word 'pre-debut'. Put 'pre' in front of debut and you're saying it isn't the debut yet.
X:IN have been active since 2023. An already-debuted group holding a pre-debut means that when the market changes, the debut happens again.
Three years in Korea count as zero years in Japan. That's what makes the phrase honest: however well known you are here, the album title concedes upfront that you're new over there.
One new song, three translations
Of four tracks, exactly one — 'Girls On Fire' — was newly made. 'Who Dat', 'Creamy' and 'RRRUN' are Japanese versions of existing songs.
The ratio is calculated. Fill it entirely with new songs and you're a new group; fill it entirely with translations and it's an introduction. Add one new track and it does both.
It works for the listener too. Three songs are already familiar and only one is unfamiliar, so the barrier is low while there's still something to hear fresh.
Why a city name is in the title
The album is called 'Girls On Fire In Tokyo' — the song title with 'In Tokyo' appended.
The track itself is just 'Girls On Fire'; only the album carries the city. The same song gets a different name depending on where it sits.
Put a city in an album title and the album becomes an object with a location. It's a recording playable anywhere, yet the title designates one destination.
Discovery note
Start with 'Girls On Fire' alone. It's the only track here that's new.
Then play the three Japanese versions against their Korean originals. With the same melody under a different language, you can see which passages shift.
Last, look again at 'In Tokyo' in the album title. Where these four tracks were aimed is written right there.
Just give it a listen, trust me.
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NONOL Editorial
The NONOL Magazine editorial team — we hear it first, then pass it on.
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