“The game’s over and you just played on it.”
aespa is the 4-member newborn girlgroup from SM Entertainment. The members are Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning. They’re still very young, literally a baby, but their power in the K-Pop industry is undeniable.
Debuting in November 17th, 2020, aespa shows a very stable fame for the past 11 months. Their debut single Black Mamba, sets a record for an MV views from a rookie. It has the highest number of views on YouTube in the 24 hours after a song’s release. Black Mamba recorded 21 million views within just a day (straitstimes.com).
Next thing we know, they released a “christmasy” ballad song in February, Forever. Forever is a remake from a Yoo Youngjin’s song, that has a very strong vocal point. Yet, they killed it.
Their next single, Next Level, is just another record-breaking song. This song is a remake from Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw’s OST, that being rewritten to match aespa’s storyline. And even after 5 months after the release on May, 2021; Next Level is still very strong in the K-Music chart. Even nominated for first place in so many Music Shows, against new releases.
Next Level’s fame is still far from over, but aespa released their very first mini album, Savage, in October 5, 2021. This is where it gets real. Even without an album, aespa’s songs is still charting everywhere and being nominated as the winner for Music Shows. And now, they released an album? The power is just uncontainable.
As of today, aespa’s Savage has surpassed 290K copies sold on Hanteo, and reach 100 times Real-time All Kill (RAK) on K-music platforms.
The achievements are without doubt, making aespa one of K-Pop monster rookies of all time.
But what about the songs?
I’m here to break it down for you.
First track of the album, aenergy is kind of an introduction of aespa, the members, and their world. They’re talking about their superpowers, and some terms in their universe in the lyrics.
One of the lyrics goes:
카리나 (Karina) rocket puncher, 윈터 (Winter) armamenter
지젤 (Giselle) got Xenoglossy, 닝닝 (Ningning) E.D hacker
Which also explain the members’ skills in their previous MV and the SMCU Video.
The song itself has a very fun melody, it’s easy to follow and pretty sure it will be easy to get stuck in your brain. For me, aenergy is a perfect track to start the album.
Yoo Youngjin wrote the lyrics, which also reminds me of when he wrote the same kind of introduction song for another SM girlgroup, Girls’ Generation, called Beautiful Girls. And aespa members said on their Showcase in Youtube that they actually asked Yoo Youngjin to write them the similar song like Beautiful Girls. So that explain a lot about the lyrics.
The next song is the title track itself, Savage.
I have to admit that this song reminds me a lot of NCT song. The way Karina starts the song with a rap and it way not be easy listening at first, but it will grow on you. Especially when you listen to the pre-chorus, chorus, and the bridge.
Karina and Giselle’s catchy rap style is very satisfying, and also Winter and Ningning’s vocal that arguably the best vocals in the K-Pop industry today. But what really surprise me is Karina’s vocal in one of the choruses (I’m a savage, 널 부셔 깨 줄게, oh). Her vocal sounds very stable singing the line and even hitting the adlib. It’s very impressive.
This is obviously not an easy song to sing. And yet, they give enough prove that they’re one of the best right now.
The third track is I’ll Make You Cry.
I’m loving the title already even before I listened to it. The high note in the chorus gives me goosebumps. I really really like it. Especially the bridge where you can hear their various voice, and all of it blends in one. It’s pretty nice.
The lyrics are very powerful and I like it as well (you can look it up online). The image of fierce and powerful girls are really being highlighted here.
YEPPI YEPPI is the next track on Savage.
The song has EDM sound that makes you want to move your head and go party. The chorus is will make you question, is this really aespa? But it is! This song will show you how versatile these girls are. They’re not only can pull fierce concept, or ballad concept like we saw on Forever, but also fun and candy girls.
This song is the prove.
ICONIC is a very familiar song for me, I don’t know why. Maybe the music is quite similar with some girlgroup songs I listened before. I swear one song came up in my head right after ICONIC ended just like it’s from the same song.
But I should put two thumbs up for the rap and it really in some way claimed the ownership of this song to aespa and aespa only. Giselle’s rap starting to have a grip on my ears and I will always recognise it everywhere if it’s her rap. Amazing.
The last one on the album is Lucid Dream.
And it really does sounds like a dream. The melody and their voices will sway you in the best way possible.
Winter’s dreamy voice + Giselle’s English narration gently pampered me, put me to sleep, then take me to dreamland and I don’t mind at all. Actually, I might do it again and again and again for as long as I can.
Kinda dramatic but yes I am lol.
And there goes my first experience with aespa’s First Mini Album: Savage. I have to say this been a nice experience and if I have to pick one favorite track, I will choose I’ll Make You Cry. I think the lyrics and the vocals there is just amazing and blends well with the girls’ concept.
But then again, who am I to pick a favorite lol.
So, see you in the next review? :D
