Most Korean bands typically release multiple mini albums a year, consisting of four to six unique tracks, and more modern bands typically have an English version released as well. After two or three mini releases, groups will usually compile a full album, which is more similar in length to the western music artists. The band I’m covering in this article goes by the name of Aespa and they officially debuted in 2020. Despite being around since then, they didn’t end up putting out a full album until the summer of 2024, when “Armageddon, The 1st Full Album” was released.
This album has a very dystopian and futuristic concept, with most of the tracks being upbeat and fast-paced until the last quarter of the record. “Supernova” was the first single released two months before the official album, and it also ended up being the first on the tracklist, serving as the introduction to the project. I’ve always preferred good beats and production over lyricism when listening to music, so I don’t find the language barrier of these songs to be a big issue. If I had to guess, I would estimate about 40% of the album is in English, with the remaining 60% being in Korean.
The titular track “Armageddon” is the second song on the album and my personal favorite. Accompanied by a beautiful music video, this track explores an apocalyptic world in ruin with a combination of hums and prolonged vocals throughout. Korean groups rarely have explicit lyrics and normally have some kind of meaning showcased in music videos or interviews, so there isn’t much to say about the meaning of the song. These albums also don’t aim to tell a story. They normally aren’t very cohesive and songs can sound drastically different and blend together poorly.
“Live my Life” is the ninth track that also has a very upbeat melody similar to the beginning of the record. This is the sound that I think works best for this group. It genuinely just makes you appreciate life. This song just carries a feeling of joy and being content; I was a huge fan. The slow ballads do sound nice and all of the members are exceptional singers, but these high-energy songs just outshine the sadder songs for me.
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The last track I want to highlight is the fourth on the record, “Mine.” It’s a lot slower than the other three songs I’ve discussed, but it fits in very well thematically and carries a lot of the same instrumental styles as the other strong tracks. All four members of the group really shine on this track and they all get moments to stand out.
In general, I listen to K-pop as my genre of choice and Aespa is always my go-to recommendation for anyone curious about the genre. Their discography is very diverse and the members have the talent to back it up, showcased by records like this. Out of all the full albums I’ve heard from Korean artists, I still haven’t found one that compares with “Armageddon” in quality.
