Red Velvet Expands Its Signature Summer Sound With 'Velvet Summer'

Red Velvet is taking a different approach to its trademark summer music with upcoming mini album "Velvet Summer," moving beyond bright seasonal anthems in favor of a more refined, genre-blending sound.

Set for release on Aug. 3, the five-track record incorporates bossa nova, reggae, house, acoustic and classical influences while maintaining the group's signature vocal harmonies. The title track, "Surfin' Boy," pairs laid-back guitar melodies with reggae rhythms and house grooves, offering a more mature take on a summer release than past hits such as "Red Flavor," "Power Up" and "Umpah Umpah."

The album also reunites Red Velvet with several longtime collaborators. Joy wrote the lyrics for both "Surfin' Boy" and B-side "Hawaii," while KENZIE, who helped create songs including "Red Flavor," "Peek-A-Boo" and "Psycho," contributed to "Hot Girls Cold Vibe." Producer Hwang Hyun and lyricist Jo Yoon Kyung also returned for the project.

Ahead of the album's release, Red Velvet is meeting fans through its three-day "A Day in Red & Velvet" fan-con in Seoul, where the group is set to perform "Surfin' Boy" for the first time.