2Z Take FromA Higher: Rock Meets Techno in Highness

When it comes to Korean rock, 2Z have never been content with standing still. Since debuting, the quartet—BumJun, HoJin, JungHyun, and ZuNon—have built a reputation for high-octane performances, raw vulnerability, and an unshakable bond with their fandom, FromA. With each release, they’ve proven they’re identity extends beyond your typical rock band as sonic explorers. Now, with the release of their newest EP Highness, 2Z step boldly into uncharted territory, teaming up with acclaimed DJ and producer plomo to create a project that smashes the barrier between rock and techno.

Released under GOGO2020, Highness is a five-track collaboration that brings together the grit of 2Z’s rock roots and the polished, pulsating energy of electronic music -- resulting in a project that feels fearless, inventive, and deeply personal all at once. Two brand-new originals—“Borderline” and “Unreal”—anchor the EP, while three remixes reimagine 2Z’s catalog through plomo’s driving electronic lens. Together, they form a body of work that’s not only a creative experiment but also a reflection of where 2Z are headed: a band evolving without limits.

The collaboration with plomo feels natural. As a senior DJ and producer under the same agency, his work has already inspired ZuNon’s own creative instincts. His style—a mix of techno precision and big beat intensity—adds a new dimension to 2Z’s trademark sound. Where 2Z brings passion, grit, and emotional storytelling, plomo injects hypnotic textures, intricate layering, and club-ready production. The marriage of the two is nothing short of electrifying.

The EP opens with “Borderline,” the project’s centerpiece. More than just a track, it unfolds like a two-part musical journey. The first half wrestles with disillusionment—dreams crushed under the weight of harsh reality, the kind of despair that feels suffocating. But in the second half, the song bursts open into something brighter. It’s a rebirth, one powered by hope and inspired by the constant encouragement of FromA. With its rise from fragility to triumph, “Borderline” is both an anthem and a love letter: a reminder that 2Z’s music has always been a conversation with their fans.

Then comes “Unreal,” a track that’s as dreamlike as its name suggests. Romantic and unconventional, it spins the story of being swept away by awe—the beauty of encountering something extraordinary—and the fear of losing it. But “she,” in this song, isn’t just a lover. She represents music itself. She represents the fans who fill the venues, who stream the songs, who lend meaning to the band’s journey. That intimacy gives “Unreal” its emotional pull, balancing grandeur with tenderness in a way only 2Z could.

The remixes—“How Do We Know (plomo’s Fresh Cooked Mix),” “2020 March (plomo’s Rhythm Institution),” and “25 (plomo’s Screwed Boozy Mix)”—round out the project with a jolt of adrenaline. Each takes familiar tracks from the band’s catalog and spins them into something club-ready, the kind of versions you’d expect to hear shaking a festival stage at midnight. Where the originals may have leaned rock, these remixes thrive on hypnotic repetition, tension-building drops, and the kind of basslines that rattle your chest. It’s 2Z like you’ve never heard them before—reborn through the language of techno.

2Z "Glory Dayz" Tour in LA | Photo by Branson Flores

At its core, Highness is more than an EP. It’s a bridge between worlds: between rock and electronic, between band and DJ, between 2Z and FromA. It’s a reminder that music doesn’t have to live in boxes or stay confined to a genre. Instead, it can morph, expand, and find new life in collaboration. For 2Z, this release proves once again that they’re not afraid of risks, and that they’re ready to chase inspiration, wherever it leads.

And for FromA, Highness is another chapter in a story that’s always been about connection. Whether it’s screaming along in a venue, streaming late into the night, or finding your heartbeat in a remix, fans are at the center of it all. With Highness, 2Z and DJ plomo have created something that speaks to the present while hinting at the future: a sound that’s raw, experimental, and most of all, alive.

So plug in your headphones, turn up the volume, and let Highness pull you into its world. For 2Z and FromA, the journey is only getting started.