mysticnotebook

[mysticnotebook]

Remember those Microsoft Windows wallpapers and screensavers in the late 2000s with their vibrant blue skies and water, and green terrains? For "My World", Aespa might have just taken inspiration from that style and today in Mystic Notebook, we are going to explore this concept change, or let's say evolution, for the want of a better word! 

 

Gone is the hyper pop/Y2K/futuristic-blingy style to be replaced by an aesthetic that seems to be calmer and soothing to the eyes. The girls are shown wearing flowy white dresses in natural landscapes: long stretches of desert and barren land, green grassy fields with glimpses of forest far behind, and frothy seas. At first, the set of pictures seemed rather blah to me, and I couldn't help but wonder if Aespa is doing a simple summer concept, which is so unlike them! But then things started to make sense! In this comeback, they are focusing on THEIR world, and the aesthetic evolved from their Y2K concept to that of "Microsoft wallpapers." This particular aesthetic is known as Frutiger Aero, a style that arose after the late 90s/early 2000s Y2K futuristic style! The evolution signifies a return to their real world ("my" world) from the very artificial and utopic world of Kwangya and the Flat, after defeating Black Mamba. Or maybe they are in the world of Mys, their fans.  

 

Now, Frutiger Aero is the style that has the futuristic element of Y2K aesthetic but with the inclusion of nature and greenery. It's an intermingling of scientific progress and a utopic feeling while keeping in touch with Mother Nature. The aesthetic lacks much of the artificiality of Y2K and inclines towards naturalism and humanism.  

 

In the new teaser video, even the greenery seems to have a sense of eeriness, don't you think? The girls are dressed in white, a symbol of a fresh start and purity and they seem to be searching for something. Maybe remnants of their past in the now barren land? Did someone attack Aespa's world while they were fighting Black Mamba? In my opinion, this real-world concept change was already foreshadowed in "Life's Too Short", which had a simple and preppy concept, very real worldish. The girls are slowly getting in touch with the real human world. 

 

Coming back to the style, I love Karina's outfit. It is by the brand, Kim Zisu, and though it has a flowy white summery vibe, the sleekness of the dress and the white boots are an ode to their futuristic concept. The concept photos can any day replace the old Microsoft wallpapers and screensavers; the wide blue skies with soft wispy clouds, the vast green fields, and the dark vivid seas are very reminiscent of the Frutiger Aero style of screensavers and wallpapers. 

 

The foreshadowing mentioned above perhaps started back in Savage Era, in my opinion. If you closely look at the album covers of "Savage" and "Girls", the colour scheme, floor patterns, and structure in general, are very similar to the Frutiger Aero concept.  

 

I wouldn't be surprised if everything was planned all along! Aespa and SM Entertainment are known for producing music and concepts that are far ahead of their time. Stepping away from Y2K futurism to a concept that is very tricky to notice, is quite a bold step. The teaser video intrigues the audience's mind with its haunting melody and I'm very excited to see how they explore their storyline after Black Mamba's defeat. 

 

 

 

ALL RIGHTS OF PHOTOS AND VIDEO TO SM ENTERTAINMENT.

[mysticnotebook]

Song: Smiley.

By: Yena feat Bibi.

Release Date: 17th January, 2022.

Company: Yuehua Entertainment.

Review: Former IZONE member, Choi Yena's debut was a breath of fresh air, amidst the saturated girl crush and dark songs and concepts in the Kpop scene. The song Smiley perfectly bottles up Yena's fresh, energetic and bubbly image and makes us smile throughout the song.

The singer, through the song, spreads a very simple yet positive message of being happy and just smiling on sad and gloomy days, and it seems like she has taken up the responsibility of making others happy, on her shoulders. The music video, with Yena as a superhero in it, spreading smiles and happiness to people all over the world, is a feast for the eyes. It is fun and colourful, and accompanies excellent animation work! Those who love cartoons and comic books would gladly eat up the music video! A superhero story is not complete without costume transformations and we get to witness some epic costume changes in the film, one of which gives a very 'sailor-moonesque' vibes; galactic and magical!

In the song and the music video, the featured artist Bibi's appearance is quite a contrast to the vivid image and cheery vocals of Yena. Bibi's deeper voice and fierce image, make her the perfect villain in the music video, going against the smile spreading superhero! The rap is something Yena could have done herself, and she gets to spit Bibi's verses herself in the live performances. It is a great way of showing the singer's range and versatility.

The choreography is trendy and is a mix of cute and cool, which of course screams Choi Yena! She is a glowing ball of sunshine while performing on stage.

The solo debut was absolutely perfect! Her bright and vibrant image lets her excel this concept effortlessly. With Smiley, Yena manages to bring big smiles on the audience's faces with her energy and the power of her vocals in the song!

Rating: 10/10!

Picture Courtesy: @yena.jigumina on Instagram, Tumblr.

[mysticnotebook]

Song: Dreams Come True.

By: Aespa.

Release Date: 20th December 2021.

Company: SM Entertainment.

Review: Released as part of the "2021 Winter SM Town: SMCU Express", by SM Entertainment, the quartet released a remake of the 1998 hit song of the same name by S.E.S. Aespa gave the dreamy 90s song their twist by adding elements of hip-hop and dance-pop, with a touch of their signature Synth-pop sound, to it while keeping the dreamy nature of the original song intact. The song is soothing and catchy and will surely make you want to dance along with the girls!

The music video is aesthetically pleasing to the senses. It does a great job at taking the viewers on a vivid visual journey to landscapes of different themes and time periods. A magical fairyland, with gorgeous floral arrangements, has been created and the four girls dance and sing together, wearing beautiful sparkly dresses, even sporting dramatic wings, done with the help of special effects, in some scenes. The two other sets reflect a very hip-hoppish and a futuristic style respectively, which go smoothly with Aespa's futuristic warrior-like concept based on technology and AIs.

Costuming is pretty immaculate. From the white fairy-like outfits to a more mature Y2K style of the 90s and 2000s, Aespa presents the right blend of modern and nostalgic fashion.

Through this music video, the group was able to portray a softer side of theirs but that didn't stop their vocals from going off the charts! The four girls are incredible vocalists and in Dreams Come True, they let their vocals travel from low ranged notes to high ranged notes, making the song a treat for both the eyes and the ears! The bridge has to be one of the best bridges in Kpop! The powerful vocals and the instrumental go together so well that you can't help but put the song on repeat just for that one bridge! Winter and NingNing shined a lot with their powerful high notes, especially at the end chorus.

When it comes to the choreography, certain elements of the old choreography of the 90s song has been incorporated with the dance styles that are trending now. The simple moves of the chorus are pretty doable for dancers of any level, making the song more enjoyable to listen to! It gives you the chance to dance along with the girls whenever you feel like it.

The song and music video gives us an interesting insight into how music and fashion have evolved over the years. The Dreams Come True of 2021 is way different than the Dreams Come True of 1998. It is more extravagant and caters to the taste of 4th generation Kpop fans. Overall, Aespa did justice to the song by making it their own while keeping the essence of the original at the core!  It will surely steal the hearts of modern Kpop listeners as well as the ones who listened to this genre of music back in 1998.

Rating: 9/10!

Picture Courtesy: SM Entertainment, Aespa, Tumblr.