Seven boys right in the thick of youth, singing about the dazzling, split-second feeling of falling in love—with “INSTANT CRUSH,” their second single album, aoen pushes into new sonic territory. Read on to hear directly from the group about their four new vibrant, energetic songs in every shade of blue, plus some recommendations they handpicked for fans.

“INSTANT CRUSH” (aoen)
YUJU: All seven of us put our own twist on that moment where you instantly fall in love. Oh, and the one-second dance in the chorus is really lively and easy to follow along to, so give it a try!

RUKA: Just like the “INSTANT CRUSH” the title alludes to, the way the vibe shifts right after the line “down bad in a heartbeat” before the chorus really makes the song. And one of the lines I sing, “the rules of the world can flip just like that,” personally hits home for me, so I hope you’ll listen out for that.

GAKU: Speaking as the performance leader, I want to say the choreography was put together by three legends of the dance world: Sota Kawashima, KAITA, and Ryusei Harada. Thanks to them, the choreo’s sleek, powerful, and impossible to look away from. I can’t wait for you to see it!

HIKARU: The chorus is so catchy, it’ll get stuck in your head the very first time you listen to it. And the one-second dance in the chorus is really unique but also easy enough that even people who don’t really dance can do the moves, so try it out!

SOTA: This song’s a little different from anything we’ve done before. It feels cooler. The spoken-word part in the middle’s a real highlight, so keep an ear out for that.

KYOSUKE: This song’s about falling in love in an instant. What’s great is how the rhythm hits you right away and the lyrics don’t beat around the bush. I think it really captures something that’s unique to our group.

REO: “INSTANT CRUSH” captures that feeling of falling for someone instantly. The chorus is so catchy, you won’t want to stop listening!

“Offline” (aoen)
RUKA: This song’s put together almost like an orchestra, where each of our voices is an instrument as we go back and forth between each other. We actually imitated instruments with our voices for the instrumental, which makes the song really fun and playful.

GAKU: This song’s got a different vibe from anything we’ve done before. It gives off a more mature, more chic vibe from the group. But we’ve still got that up-and-comer energy in there, so it really feels like something new and exciting only we could pull off. Hope you like it!

“Crashing out , I love you…” (aoen)
HIKARU: SHIROSE produced this song and that pop sensibility really shines through. It gets you moving without you even realizing it, and before you know it you’ve been sucked in completely. I’m sure it’d really get the mood going listening to it on a drive, too!

KYOSUKE: I feel like this track has the most personality out of the four on the new album. It’s a really hummable rhythm and I love how direct the lyrics are. The choreography is pretty intense too, so keep an eye out for that!

“BLUE DIARY” (aoen)
YUJU: This song’s about filling up a diary with memories of aoring one by one, or in other words, a sweet message about our future together.

SOTA: The lyrics line up so well with where we’re headed and what we’re working toward. I really love it. There’s something unexpectedly moving and even a little overwhelming in the best way.

REO: I really love the lyrics to this one! It feels like we’re sharing something deep with everyone listening, so I have to recommend it.

“Sasanqua” (SEKAI NO OWARI)
YUJU: You know how some days things just don’t go your way and you end up feeling down? This song’s there to remind you that someone out there sees how hard you’re trying. It tells you that you’re doing just fine as you are, and gives you a little pat on the back just for always trying your best.

“Plastic Love” (eill)
RUKA: There’s just something that feels right about the Japanese lyrics to “Plastic Love” in the same way as with our new song “INSTANT CRUSH.” Every time I listen, I’m thinking, “How did someone make something so sophisticated?” It’s such a beloved song and has been covered by so many different people, and it makes me want us to make music that people will love for a long time, too!

“i wish you cheated” (Alexander Steward)
GAKU: I’ve been in love with this song ever since my trainee days. I often come back to it on late-night walks, or when I want to sit in a dark room and just decompress. The lyrics are great, but what really gets me is the strength behind Alexander Stewart’s vocals and the whole vibe of the song itself.

“toloi” (AKASAKI)
HIKARU: The intro’s pretty chill, but it keeps building and building to something bigger as it heads to the chorus. The rhythm’s catchy enough to keep pulling you back in. It’s also perfect for the spring weather that’s coming up, so definitely give it a listen.

“FaSHioN” (CORTIS)
SOTA: We did a dance challenge with CORTIS before. This is one of their songs. The fact that they produce everything themselves makes me respect them deeply as artists. And “FaSHioN” is my favorite of theirs. The music’s extremely catchy and they can rap like nothing else.

“Jyuugoya” (&TEAM)
KYOSUKE: Personally, I absolutely love the melody and the whole vibe of this song. I can’t stop listening to it. The line “It can’t be anyone else but you / It has to be you” really hits especially.

“Last Festival” (TWS)
REO: This is an upbeat song, but there’s this bittersweet and touching feeling underneath that sneaks up on you. It’s also just a great commute song.

YUJU's recommendation: back number - "Koi"
RUKA's recommendation: Troy, Gabriella - "Start of Something New (From “High School Musical”/Soundtrack Version)"
GAKU's recommendation: ACE COLLECTION － "hourglass (砂時計)"　
HIKARU's recommendation: moon drop - "Uとピュア / Utopia"
SOTA's recommendation: LNGSHOT - "Saucin"
KYOSUKE's recommendation: 82MAJOR - "Need That Bass"
REO's recommendation: Jung Kook - "Standing Next to You"