The Up Next alumni’s first studio album reaches for the stars

Fourth-generation K-pop phenoms aespa may be best known for their hyperpop sound and ambitious metaverse concept, but it’s their next-level confidence that lingers long after their songs fade to silence. On their first studio album, Armageddon, the four-member girl group calls on the large-scale language of the universe to express themselves, most especially in the dual lead singles “Supernova” and “Armageddon”.

On the pre-release track “Supernova”, members Giselle, Karina, Ningning and Winter compare the group’s work to a star’s explosion: “Bring the light of a dying star/Watch this universe I've brought out.” The song’s synth melody builds to a sample of Afrika Bambaataa’s 1982 “Planet Rock”, paying homage to the hugely influential electronic hip-hop track. The hip-hop dance anthem “Armageddon” brings things a bit closer to earth, warning others off of defining the group’s success for them: “Another me/Don’t stop us/We never play nice.”