I met “you” who very much resembled me and became a strongly bonded “we.” The boys who have nothing to fear now that they are together shout their “War Cry” to mark the beginning of their new adventure. &TEAM is “NOW” courageously headed out to the wider world. This is an introduction to the music that will keep them company along the way.

&TEAM - “War Cry” 

EJ: I was confident that we would be able to show our LUNÉs completely new sides of ourselves while we prepared for “War Cry.” That made us want to share this song with you more, and I’m so glad that we were finally able to. I think the powerful rock sound is one of the main features of “War Cry.” Also, listen out for the members’ amazing singing rap too.

FUMA: This song and its performance will show you never-seen-before sides of us, but it also captures the quintessential “&TEAM-ness,” too. We wanted to express the strength that emerges when we meet our friends and gain courage. I hope you can feel that through the song and performance.

K: “War Cry” is a song that you need to watch with the performance! It’s a song about the nine of us embarking on a new journey. I’m sure you’ll be energized by this song. 

NICHOLAS: I think that “War Cry” is a “visual song” meant to be enjoyed with your eyes. The song is definitely a bop, but you’ll really see what’s so special about it if you see the performance.

YUMA: We took special care when we prepared for this song because it’s our lead single. I hope you listen out for the powerful sound and addictive singing rap!

JO: You can feel the heat of a concert venue from our song and powerful performance. I could really feel it again too, while we were shooting the music shows.

HARUA: This song which expresses the essence of &TEAM is linked to our ORIGINAL STORY DARK MOON: THE GRAY CITY. You’ll feel energized from listening to this song because of the powerful sound! It’s much more powerful than our previous lead singles, so it took longer to get the gist of expressing the complex emotions, but my range became that much wider, and I think I grew a bit more. 

TAKI: This album is the aggregate of the First Howling series, and the lead single “War Cry” is filled with a lot. We growled like wolves when we recorded the song, and we synchronized not only our counts but also our breathing when we practiced the choreography. After all that, our teamwork has gotten even better than before, and I knew that each of our nine members could perfect our performance like we’ve become wolves.

MAKI: This is a really meaningful song for me because it was my first time singing the first verse chorus in a lead single. I think I did my all-time best out of all the songs I recorded. I’m really happy with my work. I also recorded the back vocals and lots of ad-libbing, too. I put a lot of thought into recording - I even tried scratching my vocals a bit to suit the vibes of the song. I really like it because you can see new sides of us and hear our new vocal techniques.

&TEAM - “Dropkick”

EJ: This is a bright and fresh song. I listen to this a lot - I especially love the climax in the second half of the song, and the ad-libs!

FUMA: You feel like you found freedom the moment you listen to the intro. That gives me a lot of energy whenever I listen to it. There are a lot of positive lyrics too, so I hope that a lot of people can feel good when they listen to it.

K: This is a fresh and dynamic song - I recommend that you listen to it on your way to work or whenever you’re on your way out! Listen out for the key change at the end!

NICHOLAS: “Dropkick” is my absolute favorite song off this album! It’s super bright and full of energy, but it also gets you nice and calm. I listen to this song a lot before I go to sleep - highly recommend.

YUMA: Many renowned producers such as Ryan Tedder, Grant Boutin, and David Stewart worked on this song. It’s a song that everyone can enjoy, and it has a freshness that is different from the lead single “War Cry.” Have fun with it!

JO: I feel like I’m becoming at one with our LUNÉ whenever I do the “Dropkick” performance. I love it more because it’s light and bouncy.

HARUA: “Dropkick” is about expressing hopes for a bright future. It’s full of positive energy, so anyone who listens to it will be filled with courage and strength. I had a bit of a hard time recording it because of all the high notes, but it’s super fun, and great to sing along with your buddies! (laughs)

TAKI: There is a charm to this song that’s a bit different from the lead single, and you can really have fun with it. It’s a song that I feel will be really fun performing live outside. There’s a sporty move in the choreography, so looking out for those parts can be fun too.

MAKI: My first impression of this song was really memorable. There’s this vibe that’s reminiscent of the pop songs that I used to listen to when I was a kid, so it felt familiar. There are a lot of English lyrics, and it’s bright too, so getting the right emotions across wasn’t so hard. There are a few parts in the choreography where I had to lock eyes with the members - and whenever the other members laugh, I’d laugh too. That’s why I came to really enjoy the song, and I like it all the more because of it.

Yerin Baek - “Square (2017)”

EJ: I listen to this song a lot because I feel cozy and happy every time!

SHINee - “Selene 6.23”

FUMA: The title “6.23” refers to the super moon that was seen on May 23, 2013. The lyrics, which liken unrequited love to the moon—seemingly close but actually far away—tug at your heartstrings. I listen to this song with noise canceling earbuds whenever I feel like being alone. I hope many people listen to the song and empathize with its beautifully lovelorn lyrics.

Keyshia Cole - “Love”

K: This is the song that got me hooked on R&B after I started my career in music. This is the song that helped me take up music when I was quite a bit older!

&TEAM - “FIREWORK” 

NICHOLAS: This is my absolute favorite song. I feel much more energetic whenever I hear this song. This song is a comfortable listen whenever, and wherever.

ENHYPEN - “Sweet Venom”

YUMA: I love this song because of the melody and feel! The music video goes really well with the music, so I watch it over and over again.

The Weeknd - “Out of Time”

JO: It feels like an easygoing evening, and I feel calm whenever I listen to this song. I feel really relaxed and calm whenever I listen to it.

ENHYPEN - “Still Monster” 

HARUA: I really love the feel of this song. I want to listen to it when I’m feeling relaxed, watching the sunset. I especially like the pre-chorus. (laughs)

BTS - “We are Bulletproof : the Eternal” 

TAKI: This is one of my favorite songs. I get deeply moved by the song, especially because BTS have always been my role models. I teared up when I first heard it.

Crush - “Bittersweet” 

MAKI: I first listened to this song when I was a trainee, and I fell in love with it again after I heard it again a while ago. I’ve really liked Crush’s vocal techniques. I especially like his vocals when he sings these really refined, chill songs. I love how he adds the slightest vibratos at the end of each bar, then connects it to the next. I try to imitate him often. I hope you listen to it, LUNÉ!

EJ’s Recommendation : SOLE - “I’ve Lost My Heart”

FUMA’s Recommendation : TAEMIN - “Rise”

K’s Recommendation : Jung Kook - “Too Sad to Dance” 

NICHOLAS’s Recommendation : Jung Kook - “Standing Next to You”

YUMA’s Recommendation : Jung Kook - “Seven” (feat. Latto) - Clean Ver.

JO’s Recommendation : IU - “Ending Scene”

HARUA’s Recommendation : Jung Kook - “Somebody”

TAKI’s Recommendation : keshi - “less of you”

MAKI’s Recommendation : ​Justin Bieber - “I Can’t Be Myself” (feat. Jaden)