aespa is one of the few K-pop groups right now who have a very defined concept and are simultaneously pulling it off to the highest caliber- truly the definition of ‘pushing boundaries’. Supernova is their latest pre-release that encapsulates practically everything that makes them so great.
Despite coming out only one day ago, I think it is quite safe to say that Supernova has one of if not the best piece of production within a K-pop song this year. The warped bass delivers some of the most satisfying tingling to my ears, and the sound palette within the song is simply immense. The song continually chugs forward, yet doesn’t forget to be dynamic when needed. The chorus comes in almost unexpectedly, like a millisecond ahead of what one may expect, but I’ve grown to really like this lurching effect it gives. I’m also a big fan of the switch-up in the bridge, which is effortlessly cool and doesn’t feel out of place in the slightest despite being of a completely different sound palette. The only thing that I wish it could have done was incorporate more vocal lines, and it doesn’t make the most of aespa’s vocal ability. This is coming from a place of someone who highly values melody.
The song’s main hook lies in its chorus, which is surprisingly catchy. It is easily one of the most catchy aespa title tracks on first listen. However, aside from its chorus and the chant that they do a few times (most noticeably in the bridge), I have a hard remembering the rest of the song. It appears that the star of the show was definitely the production, and most of the rest of the song was delivered in a sing-talk kind of manner. The girls execute it beautifully, a far cry from how they sung Next Level (at least in my opinion, though the song itself is amazing). However, it still hurts its memorability a bit.
For now, it is definitely a contender for SOTY. I’m not sure how it will age however, and Karina mentioned that the main title track Armageddon is even better than Supernova. That sets really high expectations- of which I think they will deliver.
Hooks – 9
Production – 10
Vocal Delivery – 10
Overall – 9.75
K-pop Evaluated 
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