TUIDE Brings a Fresh “Soultronic” Groove to Debut EP ‘TUNE & PLAY’
HYBE’s newest girl group has officially arrived. TUIDE made their debut on August 24 with first EP TUNE & PLAY, a five-track introduction that moves freely between soulful melodies, glossy electronics, R&B, dance-pop, and flashes of UK garage without losing sight of the seven voices at its center.
Comprised of SEOHEE, SEOYEON, ELENA, JIA, SAKI, SEAH, and YI HANI, TUIDE are the first act to emerge from ABD, HYBE MUSIC GROUP’s newly launched label focused on girl groups. Their name comes from the phrase “Tune the tide,” reflecting the idea of seven members bringing different musical instincts into a shared rhythm. Across TUNE & PLAY, that philosophy takes shape through what the group calls “Soultronic”: a meeting point between the warmth of soul and sleek electronic production.
Lead single “SUN KISS” offers the clearest entry point. Breezy and rhythm-forward, the song pairs a laid-back topline with polished electronic details and an addictive “Ba-da ba-ba-ba” refrain. Its message of trusting your own voice rather than moving according to somebody else’s expectations fits naturally with the easy confidence surrounding TUIDE’s introduction.
The accompanying video carries that freedom into a road trip across Iceland. TUIDE move through black-sand beaches, waterfalls, open roads, and small villages by camper van, giving “SUN KISS” the atmosphere of a youthful travel film with an almost dreamlike sense of possibility. Even the choreography feels relaxed by design, using shifting formations and individual moments that allow the seven members to register separately while still moving as a cohesive group.
TUNE & PLAY Pushes TUIDE Beyond a Single Sound
The rest of the EP makes clear that “Soultronic” is meant to be flexible. “ABD” opens with hypnotic guitar and drums beneath richly layered vocals, while “Echo” pushes their genre-blending instincts even further. Its bright, nostalgic opening carries a touch of Janet Jackson’s “All for You” before veering into newer electronic terrain, making it perhaps the strongest example of how TUIDE can connect familiar pop warmth with more contemporary production.
“Flip-Flop Girl” takes another turn, dropping into a heavier bass groove with chant-like hooks and a carefree, slightly mischievous streak. “GRLS” pushes the energy higher with strings, buoyant electronic production, and a brisk dance-pop pulse that makes it one of the EP’s most immediate tracks. Across all four songs, TUIDE avoid simply reproducing the breezy appeal of “SUN KISS,” allowing TUNE & PLAY to reveal several sides of the group within its relatively compact runtime.
GroovyRoom’s production across all five tracks helps keep those shifts connected. Guitar, percussion, strings, bass, and electronic textures move in and out of focus, while TUIDE’s layered vocals provide a consistent thread through the changing styles. There is enough contrast to make each song register on its own, yet the EP never feels like a collection of competing ideas.
Cohesion ultimately makes TUNE & PLAY an especially promising debut. TUIDE already have a recognizable musical foundation, but “Soultronic” leaves them enough flexibility to move between the hypnotic textures of “ABD,” the genre-blurring pull of “Echo,” the playful low end of “Flip-Flop Girl,” and the high-energy rush of “GRLS.” Rather than narrowing the group’s possibilities from the outset, their first five songs suggest an identity with plenty of room to evolve.
