The Core (XG album)

The Core - 核
Studio album by
XG
ReleasedJanuary 23, 2026
Genres
Length29:48
LanguageEnglish
LabelXgalx
XG chronology
Awe
(2024)		 The Core - 核
(2026)
Alternative cover
Physical album cover
Singles from The Core
  1. "Gala"
    Released: September 19, 2025
  2. "4 Seasons"
    Released: December 25, 2025
  3. "Hypnotize"
    Released: January 23, 2026
  4. "Rock the Boat"
    Released: February 22, 2026

The Core - 核 is the debut studio album by Japanese vocal group XG. It was released on January 23, 2026, through Xgalx, and was the group's follow-up release to their EP, Awe, in 2024. It is the group's first full-length work since their debut in 2022.

The album is described by the group to be a declaration of "X-Pop", a sonic blend of pop, hip hop and R&B, that crosses genre boundaries.

Background and release

In early September 2025, the release of XG's debut album was announced by their label Xgalx, also teasing the lead single "Gala" ahead of its release.[1][2]

On November 6, 2025, the title and release date for XG's debut album was revealed, with the track list being revealed on December 23, 2025.[3][4]

Composition

Musically, the album is diverse with genres spanning from pop, house, hip-hop, R&B, and pop-punk.[5]

The Core contains ten tracks, with the opening track "Xignal" being a spacey, synth heavy instrumental intro. "Gala" is a ballroom inspired house and rap track that features the members of XG rapping braggadocious lyrics about their style and high fashion. It was released as the first pre-release single to the album. The lyrics describe members turning the a "Met Gala into an 'X-Gala'". "Take My Breath" is an upbeat dance-pop track taking the electronic direction of "Gala" and softening it with a bubbly sound and lyrical contents of romantic love.[6][7][8] It features a French house leaning production with elements of funk.[9]

Staying true to the group's self-described roots, "Rock The Boat", "No Good", and "Up Now" are R&B and hip-hop songs.[8] "Rock The Boat" has lyrics revolving around sensuality and romance. It includes references to the R&B singer Aaliyah, who has a song with the same title.[8] "No Good" is a "silky" track featuring lyrics of confrontation. "Up Now" is a "laid-back" pop and R&B song with sounds reminiscent of the early 2000s similar to Doja Cat.[6][8]

The sixth track, "Hypnotize", served as the album's lead single. The song is a "runway-ready" techno house and dance track with production featuring rhythmic piano lines. Lyrically, the song talks about enchanting the listeners into a dreamy, hypnotic state.

"O.R.B. (Obviously Reads Bro)" is described as a "bratty" pop-punk song that echoes sounds of the 2000s.[5][8] The title references the term of endearment the members call each other and the bond it has represented since their training as idols.[8]

"4 Seasons" and “PS118” separate the group into fully vocal-led and fully rap-led songs. The ninth track, “4 Seasons”, is a laid back R&B song featuring an acoustic guitar. The song consists of vocals from Chisa, Hinata, and Juria. The final track, “PS118", is an "old-school" boom-bap rap song.[5] The song was originally the solo debut of Jurin, the group leader, featuring Rapsody, but was later also included in the final track list. The album version includes Jurin, Maya, Harvey, and Cocona.

Track listing

The Core - 核 track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Xignal (The Intro)" 
  • Chancellor
  • Jakops
  • Doomsday
1:36
2."Gala"
  • Chancellor
  • Jakops
  • Knave
  • Jaeyoung
  • Lyricks
  • Chancellor
  • Jakops
  • Knave
  • Jaeyoung
  • Lyricks
3:47
3."Rock the Boat" 
  • Jakops
  • Tayor
2:51
4."Take My Breath"
  • Chancellor
  • Jakops
  • Knave
  • Paulina "Pau" Cerrilla
  • Nick Kandler
  • Chancellor
  • Jakops
  • Knave
  • Cerrilla
  • Nick Kandler
  • Xansei
3:27
5."No Good"
2:24
6."Hypnotize"
  • Chancellor
  • Jakops
  • Cerrilla
  • Knave, Shintaro Yasuda
  • Jakops
  • Chancellor
  • Yasuda
  • Cerrilla
  • Knave
  • Mason Sacks
  • her0ism
2:50
7."Up Now"
  • Jakops
  • Chancellor
  • Jay Park
  • OZworld
  • AKLO
  • Paloalto
  • Verbal
  • Awich
  • Tak
  • Dok2
  • Jakops
  • Chancellor
  • Yasuda
3:14
8."O.R.B. (Obviously Reads Bro)"
  • Jakops
  • Bluebird
  • Scootie
  • Atterberry
  • Chancellor
  • Tayor
  • Knave
  • Bastian "B" Testori
  • tild tomorrow
  • Anderson
2:28
9."4 Seasons"  4:35
10."PS118"  2:34
Total length:29:46

References

  1. ↑ Dailey, Hannah (September 2, 2025). "XG Announces First-Ever Album Three Years After Girl Group's Debut: Here's When It Arrives". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  2. ↑ "XG's 1st Full Album to be released on Friday, January 23, 2026! - NEWS | XG - Official Site". xgalx.com. August 30, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  3. ↑ "The title of the first full album, to be released on Friday, January 23, 2026, has been decided to be "THE CORE -Kaku"! - NEWS | XG - Official Site". xgalx.com. November 6, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Tracklist for 1st Full Album "THE CORE" Revealed! - NEWS | XG - Official Site". xgalx.com. December 23, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Yeung, Neil Z., THE CORE - 核 - XG | Album | AllMusic, AllMusic, retrieved March 28, 2026
  6. 1 2 "XG is Back With Stellar Full-Length Album THE CORE - 核". The Kraze. January 24, 2026. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  7. ↑ "XG leans into radical self-love with debut album 'The Core'". Los Angeles Times. January 22, 2026. Retrieved March 28, 2026. "Hypnotize," the next single to release, brings in a dreamy element...
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Assis, Tássia (January 27, 2026). "XG are staying true to their "unwavering core": "When we come together, we become stronger"". NME. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  9. ↑ Vélez-Cancel, Carlos (February 20, 2026). "XG - "THE CORE - 核"". Everything Is Noise. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
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