Kai of the K-pop boy band EXO released Monday his third extended play (EP), offering new sounds that slightly veer away from the smooth and sensual style of R&B in his past releases.

The six-track "Rover" and its lead single of the same title both tell the story of a free-spirited wanderer, the 29-year-old singer-dancer said in a YouTube livestream ahead of the EP's release.

"Like a wanderer, I wanted to show free sides and I thought of myself as a rover," Kai said.

Kai noted that the single, which is accompanied by a music video released on the same day, is a reinterpretation of the song "Mr. Rover" by Bulgarian singer Dara.

"The tempo is fast compared to [my] previous songs," he said.

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Another track in the album, "Bomba," also sees Kai explore reggaeton, a genre combining rap with Caribbean rhythms.

"I personally like this song... If you hear it once, you will be hooked," Kai said of "Bomba," adding that the song was a candidate for title track in his previous EP "Peaches."

The album also includes "Black Mirror," "Slidin'," "Say You Love Me" and "Sinner."

In 2012, Kai — whose real name is Kim Jong-in — debuted as the main dancer of EXO, managed by SM Entertainment. He was also launched as a part of SuperM, comprised of members from SM's various boy bands, in 2019.

Kai debuted as a soloist in 2020 with a self-titled EP. His second release, "Peaches," dropped in November 2021.

• K-pop: EXO's Kai releases second solo album

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