K-pop pioneers EXO return with their eagerly-anticipated eighth full-length album, “REVERXE”, today. Featuring the powerful dance title track ‘Crown’, the album is the group’s first new release in over two-and-a-half years. Listen HERE via SM Entertainment.
Debuting in 2012 with a unique otherworldly concept that shook the K-pop industry, EXO is often credited as pioneers of immersive storytelling and world-building. The scale and grandiose of their visuals and lore are only surpassed by their artistry; a forward-facing fusion of contemporary R&B and electronic-pop with theatricality, executed with impeccable vocal technicality and a wide range of impactful performance styles.
On “REVERXE”, EXO returns to their universe for a new chapter, reinterpreting the word ‘reverse’ through their own stylistic lens to convey the meaning of a new world opening once again. The album was preceded by two contrasting new songs unveiled at the end of 2025 – the winter ballad ‘I’m Home’, which was exclusively performed at EXO’s fan meeting concert, and ‘Back It Up’ at the MMA (Melon Music Awards).
The title track ‘Crown’ is a powerful dance track blending Atlanta trap drums, heavy metal guitar riffs and EDM synths, propelled by EXO’s signature dramatic vocal delivery. The lyrics – which liken a loved one to a coveted crown that deserves to be protected at all cost – is the perfect vehicle for a comeback performance worthy of the Kings of K-pop. The performance also weaves in richly realised symbols drawn from EXO’s universe, thoughtfully incorporated for the fans. Watch the music video HERE.
‘Crown’ kicks off a relentless run of wall-to-wall bangers on “REVERXE” with an urgency befitting of a long-awaited comeback album. ‘Back It Up’ further underlines EXO’s polished ease in executing bold and experimental tracks with beat switches and weighty 808 bass. Next, on ‘Crazy’, they hang electronic pop with Brazilian funk elements on a backdrop of shifting BPMs, taking listeners yet another layer deeper into EXO’s immersive sonic universe.
The break-up banger ‘Suffocate’ layers their smoky vocals with a restrained groove and pulsating house beats, while the cinematic ‘Moonlight Shadows’ paints a romantic portrait of two shadows meeting under the moonlight. The alluring R&B midtempo ‘Back Pocket’ draws out desire with chunky guitar riffs and a funky bass line. ‘Touch & Go’charms with lyrics that liken falling for someone to a row of dominoes toppling. The album also features a pop-rock track ‘Flatline’, showing EXO’s agility across different musical terrains, before closing with the heartfelt winter ballad ‘I’m Home’.
“REVERXE” follows from EXO’s last full-length studio album, 2023’s “EXIST”, which became the group’s seventh million-selling release. The album earned four stars from NME and was praised for its “vocal depth, range and maturity”: “On ‘EXIST’, EXO gave us exactly what we’ve been craving for: a record fronted by their powerhouse vocals and steeped in sultry R&B… so smooth that it’s hard to pick a favourite”.
With “REVERXE”, the veteran group projects a strong sense of identity and well-honed confidence in their craft while still making room for experimentation – hinting that in EXO’s vast universe, there’s always more beyond the silver horizon.
