The 20 Best K-Pop Albums of 2024 (So Far): Staff Picks #4 PLAVE, ASTERUM 134-1

Article published: July 8,2024

Original source: https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-k-pop-albums-2024-so-far/

Beyond any sci-fi connotations that one might conjure up when listening to virtual boy band PLAVE, ASTERUM: 134-1 album shows proper musical depth with heavy involvement from all five members in the songwriting, production and instrumentation. (PLAVE’s five members utilize motion-capture technology to track their movements and expressions displayed by computer graphics.)

The smooth reggaetón influences on album opener “Watch Me Woo!” quickly set an intriguing soundscape, before moving into the album’s centerpiece in rock-pop single “Way 4 Luv.” Later tracks “From” and “Our Movie” keep the sentimentalism of the lead single: “From” highlights the group’s harmony and falsetto work over stark piano production and “Our Movie” brings back up the tempo with a snappy R&B beats paired with shout-along choruses. The highly clever “Virtual Idol” even directly addresses those who might not think of PLAVE as “real” enough. Instead, it uses a singalong, hip-hop production to declare the group’s worth in a self-empowerment anthem for fans.