SuperM Unveils First Full Album, Super One
At long last, SuperM has released their very first full-length album! Titled Super One - The 1st Album, SuperM racks up a total of 15 tracks on this monstrous first album. All summer long, SuperM has been building anticipation for the release of this album with pre-released tracks “100” and “Tiger Inside,” which the album follows up with something even more massive and intense.
Note: This review will not be covering “100” and “Tiger Inside” as the two songs were previously covered in their own respective articles.
Tracklist:
One (Monster & Infinity)
Infinity
Monster
Wish You Were Here
Big Chance
100
Tiger Inside
Better Days*
Together At Home
Drip*
Line ‘Em Up
Dangerous Woman
Step Up
So Long With You
*Author’s Picks
“One (Monster & Infinity)”
Taking a page right out of the SHINee legacy notes, SuperM is the next group to take on the concept of combining two different songs into one ambitious song, like how SHINee combined “Clue” and “Note” in order to achieve “Sherlock (Clue + Note).” Their song “One (Monster & Infinity)” is a combination of the songs “Monster” and “Infinity,” and it will take a few listens to fully grasp the complexity of the song. On one end, the song has a lot of heavy beats fused together with EDM stylings, which is the “Monster” half of the song, giving it that gritty and hard-hitting feeling that carries the same kind of rawness that “Tiger Inside” offers. Then the track transitions into the more majestic and powerful sound of “Infinity.” In a way, it bridges the gap of light and dark coming together to create the epic “One (Monster & Infinity).”
Taking a deeper dive into the lyrics, the song is filled with confidence and charisma. The SuperM members know they are at the top of their game and their level is untouchable. They are very much aware of the monstrous power they hold, and if no one can step up to the challenge, then it’s over and done. The world isn’t ready for SuperM, but they are here and ready to seize the day, whether the world likes it or not.
Like their previous videos, the “One (Monster & Infinity)” music video is heavily focused on choreography and visual effects. While there is no actual plot line for the video, there is a distinguishable difference between the “Monster” version of the members, who are seen wearing darker outfits, and the “Infinity” version where they are wearing what seems to be a high fashion take on military-like apparel with bright and colorful pieces. But viewers should take careful note of the end of the video: there are additional individual scenes that reveal more details into the SuperM universe. It seems like each member is going to be getting his own individual arc, and fans may be getting more backstory of how these members came together. While the first scenes are rather dark and mysterious, the last few seconds showcase a calm and peaceful TAEMIN before he receives a mysterious symbol on his mobile phone. It’s safe to say that there is much more in store for SuperM than one may think.
The Album
With a whopping 15 tracks on the album, Super One - The 1st Album is a 50-minute journey of energy, hype, healing, and positivity. From club bangers like “Drip” and “Line ‘Em Up” to the smooth and velvety R&B tracks of “Dangerous Woman,” “Step Up,” and “So Long,” there is a song meant for everyone on this album. By pre-releasing “100” and “Tiger Inside,” SuperM definitely built the anticipation for this full album and, quite frankly, did not fail to deliver a solid album through and through. SuperM created a slow burn of anticipation, and while there may be some who weren’t feeling it initially at the start of their promotions, SuperM strategically had these two particular songs up first to ease the intensity of what the album has to offer.
With SuperM continuing to push the “Avengers of K-Pop” agenda, listeners should take note that “Infinity” as its own respective track is the song that will define this superhero theme they have going on. “Infinity” is a song that you can imagine hearing in an Avengers movie soundtrack or during an action sequence. With the very grand fanfare mixed with hip-hop/EDM beats, “Infinity” is not only the Avengers theme song off the album but also one of the most energizing songs within the tracklist.
As previously mentioned, there is a song for everyone on this album, and each member gets to show off his strengths in vocals and rap. One song in particular that deserves its own spotlight is “Better Days” as it is one of their only all-English tracks and is the healing anthem off the album. As many are dealing with the current state of the world, “Better Days” is that song that will lift one’s spirit and is a positive ray in these dark days. If at any time one is feeling down and the world is against them, “Better Days” is the song to put on and help them keep pushing forward.
Final Thoughts
This is only the beginning for SuperM and with their recent collaboration with Marvel, their story and universe as “The Avengers of K-Pop” has yet to be fully revealed. While there is no established storyline for SuperM, the end of the “One (Monster & Infinity)” confirms that there is much, much more left in store. SuperM does not fail to deliver a highly satisfying album. As their first full-length album, it surely doesn’t disappoint and deserves all the hype and anticipation that they have been building up all summer long.