“The title STEP means steady, step-by-step movement,” Zhang Yixing tells Apple Music. “Regardless of who we are, I hope everyone who hears this album can step forward without limitations.” Known professionally as LAY, the artist stepped out of K-pop group EXO into a solo career where he infuses Mandopop with the sounds of hip-hop and EDM. On his 2024 album, he ventures into untrodden territory with bops and ballads that tap the energy of classic pop and dance grooves to move the body and excite the soul. Created in Beijing, Seoul and Los Angeles, and refined in cities throughout Asia, the songs are a testament to Zhang’s ambition—the title track, a sensual funk number that features a Chinese suona in the horn section, is a case in point. The album is also a linguistic step forward as Zhang rises to the challenge of crafting his first wholly English-language LP. “Your delivery and lyrical expression are definitely different in different languages,” he says. “I want to use English to communicate with a wider audience, to get them more interested in my music and in C-pop.” That aim is exemplified by the slinky, garage-driven R&B anthem “Psychic”, included here in a monolingual version but also released in two bilingual versions that interpolate Mandarin and Korean lyrics. Aiding the artist in his mission is a host of talented writers and producers, including alt-R&B singer Lauv who features on opener “Run Back To You”, a retro celebration of repeated mistakes, as well as pop-soul artist MAX, who co-wrote and co-produced the bass-driven “Music Is Your Love”. Tracks like “Fresh”—a cheery, mid-tempo dance cut interrupted by a throwback rap breakdown and punctuated with intriguing samples and ornaments—mix up familiar elements in stimulating ways, illustrating Zhang’s approach to arrangement. “I’m more concerned with listenability and the mass appeal of the song’s overall style than with pop trends,” he says. “When it comes to pairing arrangement and melody, I see a huge influence from Jay Chou’s generation of artists.” Of course, when it comes to danceable, disco-flavoured pop, one giant of the form can’t be overlooked. “The biggest influence on me is definitely Michael Jackson, an extraordinarily talented artist and an inspiration to me in both music and dance,” Zhang says. “I really wanted a track like ‘Human In You’ on this album, one that calls people to peace and love the way MJ did.” The song’s Chinese title, which translates to “global village”, underlines his commitment to stepping across borders.