Armageddon (Aespa album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Armageddon
Digital cover
Studio album by
Aespa
ReleasedMay 27, 2024 (2024-05-27)
GenreK-pop
Length31:02
LanguageKorean
Label
Aespa chronology
Drama
(2023) 		Armageddon
(2024)
Singles from Armageddon
  1. "Supernova"
    Released: May 13, 2024
  2. "Armageddon"
    Released: May 27, 2024

Armageddon is the first studio album by South Korean girl group Aespa. It was released by SM Entertainment on May 27, 2024, and contains ten tracks including two singles, "Supernova" and "Armageddon".

Background and release[edit]

On April 22, 2024, SM Entertainment announced that Aespa would be releasing their first studio album titled Armageddon. It was also announced that the album would feature two singles: "Supernova" and "Armageddon", with the former releasing on May 13 and the latter, along with the album, on May 27.[1] On May 2, the promotional schedule was revealed in a trailer titled "Launch Code".[2] Eight days later, the track listing was revealed alongside a highlight medley teaser video.[3] On May 12, the music video teaser for "Supernova" was released.[4] "Supernova" was released along with its music video on May 13.[5] The teaser videos for "Long Chat (#♥︎)",[6] "Licorice",[7] and "Live My Life",[8] were released from May 15 to 17.

Composition[edit]

Armageddon consists of ten tracks and incorporates various genres of hip hop, dance, and pop, as well as ballads.[9] The first track, "Supernova", is a dance and hyper-pop song characterized by "heavy kick and bass", "catchy top line", and "synth melody" with lyrics about "Aespa's expanded world view by comparing the beginning of an event that opens a door to another dimension to a supernova, expressing the beginning of a big explosion".[10][11] The second track, "Armageddon", is a hip hop and dance song described as "old-school yet trendy track" with a "fluid R&B bridge" and lyrics containing the message that "I can only define myself".[12][13] The fourth song, "Mine", sees the group "reflecting on growing up with fear and feeling like the 'fake portrait' that was their reflection in a 'broken mirror' was 'going to swallow me up'", but ultimately "standing tall" despite their worries.[14]

The fifth track, "Licorice", is a dance song featuring "vintage electric guitar sound and strong trap beat" with lyrics "comparing a person with a strange charm to licorice and wittily expresses the feeling of being drawn to it".[15] The "breezy" mid-tempo pop track, "Bahama", features "sleepy, swooning summer chorus" and "details taking a friend on a trip to the titular island" over "handclaps and sunkissed, sparkling melodies".[14][13] The seventh track, "Long Chat (#♥︎)", is a dance song with lyrics "containing friendly conversations that continue throughout the night".[16] The "lilting" pop song, "Prologue", finds the group "getting even more comfortable with following their own path".[14] The ninth track, "Live My Life", is a "cheerful guitar-based" pop-punk song containing a message of "living an independent life confidently" with lyrics about "breaking away from the existing framework as there is no right answer in life".[17]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
NME[14]
The Forty-Five4/5[13]

Rhian Daly of NME praised the album for falling "into the former camp and reinforces what we already knew – that when Aespa are allowed to run free in the sounds and sonics they've made their trademark, they're nothing short of exquisite".[14] Writing for The Forty-Five, Jenessa Williams appreciated the group's "willingness to experiment with both hard and soft [sounds]", and noted that Aespa "really thrive when they stick to the edgier end of their USP".[13] She furthermore stated that the group's "badass alchemy and attitude might just save the musical world".[13]

Track listing[edit]

Armageddon track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Supernova"Kenzie
Dem Jointz2:59
2."Armageddon"Bang Hye-hyun (Jam Factory)
  • Ejae
  • Sumin
  • Waker (153/Joombas)
  • No Identity
No Identity3:17
3."Set the Tone"Jo Yoon-kyung
  • Ludwig Lindell
  • Daniel Caesar
  • Ylva Dimberg
Caesar & Loui3:23
4."Mine"Lee Eun-hwa (153/Joombas)
  • Mike Daley
  • Mitchell Owens
  • Nicole “KOLE” Cohen
  • Adrian McKinnon
  • Mike Daley
  • Mitchell Owens
3:14
5."Licorice"Kang Eun-jeong
PhD2:39
6."Bahama"Kenzie
  • Moonshine
  • Kenzie
3:11
7."Long Chat (#♥︎)"Moon Seol-li
  • Stian Nyhammer Olsen
  • Live Rabo Lund-Roland
  • Nora Grefstad
  • Julia Finnseter
Stian Nyhammer Olsen3:16
8."Prologue"
  • Mola
  • Mi-ah (153/Joombas)
  • Gil Lewis
  • Micky Blue
Gil Lewis3:15
9."Live My Life"Leslie
Edvard Erfjord2:40
10."Melody" (목소리)Lee O-neul
  • MinGtion
  • Sophia Pae
MinGtion3:08
Total length:31:02

Release history[edit]

Release history for Armageddon
Region Date Format Label
South Korea May 27, 2024 CD
Various

References[edit]

  1. ^ Kim, Myung-mi (April 22, 2024). "역대급 스케일" 에스파 첫 정규앨범 'Armageddon' 5월27일 발매[공식] [Aespa's first full-length album 'Armageddon' released on May 27th with "largest scale ever" [Official]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  2. ^ Lee, Ye-joo (May 2, 2024). 에스파, '아마겟돈' 스케줄 포스터 공개...업그레이드 된 '쇠맛' [Aespa releases 'Armageddon' schedule poster...Upgraded 'taste of iron'] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  3. ^ Yoon, Sang-geun (May 10, 2024). '컴백' 에스파 6월 서울 콘서트 전석 매진..티켓파워 입증[공식] ['Comeback' Aespa June Seoul concert sold out..Ticket power proven [Official]] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  4. ^ Ahn, Tae-hyun (May 12, 2024). 에스파, 신곡 '슈퍼노바' MV 티저 공개...힙한 비주얼 '눈길' [Aespa releases MV teaser for new song 'Supernova'...Hip visual 'eye catching'] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  5. ^ Kim, Ye-eun (May 13, 2024). 에스파, '슈퍼노바' 오늘(13일) 선공개...강력한 쇠맛 선사 [Aespa, pre-release of 'Supernova' today (13th)...Provides a strong iron taste] (in Korean). Xports News. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  6. ^ Yoon, Jun-ho (May 15, 2024). 다중우주 속 에스파...신곡 무드 엿보기 [Aespa in the multiverse...A sneak peek into the new song's mood] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  7. ^ Hwang, Hye-jin (May 16, 2024). 에스파, 민트초코가 괴물이라니...'Licorice' 톡 쏘는 매력 기대 [Aespa, mint chocolate is a monster...'Licorice' is expected to have a spicy charm] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  8. ^ Kim, Na-yul (May 17, 2024). 에스파, 'Live My Life' Universe' 트랙비디오 공개..27일 첫 정규 컴백 [Aespa releases track video for 'Live My Life' Universe'..first full-length comeback on the 27th] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  9. ^ Kim, Ye-eun (April 22, 2024). 에스파, 세계관 시즌2 시작된다...5월 27일 첫 정규앨범 발매 [Aespa, worldview season 2 begins...First full album released on May 27th] (in Korean). Xports News. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  10. ^ Kaufman, Gil (May 13, 2024). "Aespa Flash Fangs, Lift Cars, Show Off Superpowers in Futuristic 'Supernova' Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Jeon, Hyo-jin (May 13, 2024). 에스파, '쇠파민' 폭발 예고...오늘(13일) '슈퍼노바' 선공개 [DA:투데이] [Aespa predicts explosion of 'dopamine'...'Supernova' pre-release today (13th) [DA: Today]] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  12. ^ Ahn, Yun-ji (May 20, 2024). 에스파, '슈퍼노바'로 차트 올킬..'쇠맛' 도파민 행보 [Aespa, all-kills the charts with 'Supernova'...'Iron taste' dopamine action] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024 – via Naver.
  13. ^ a b c d e Williams, Jenessa (May 27, 2024). "Aespa – 'Armaggedon' review: long-awaited debut from K-Pop Titans". The Forty-Five. Retrieved May 27, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ a b c d e Daly, Rhian (May 27, 2024). "aespa – 'Armageddon' review: the girl group shine brightest at their most experimental". NME. Retrieved May 27, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Seon, Mi-kyung (May 16, 2024). '컴백' 에스파, 감초처럼 달콤+톡 쏘는 매력..'Licorice' ['Comeback' Aespa, sweet and tangy charm like licorice..'Licorice'] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  16. ^ Geum, Bit-na (May 15, 2024). '다중우주' 속 에스파, 사랑스러운 'Long Chat (#♥)'...통통 튀는 매력에 '시선집중' [Aespa in 'Multiverse', lovely 'Long Chat (#♥)'...'Focus on the plump charm'] (in Korean). MK Sports. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
  17. ^ Ahn, Tae-hyun (May 17, 2024). 에스파, 자유로운 밴드로 변신...신곡 '라이브 마이 라이프' 콘셉트 공개 [Aespa transforms into a free band...New song 'Live My Life' concept revealed] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024 – via Naver.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Armageddon_(Aespa_album)&oldid=1226030975"