''Savage'' is the first

extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...

by South Korean girl group

Aespa Aespa ( ; , stylized in Letter case#All lowercase, all lowercase or as æspa) is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group consists of four members: Karina (South Korean singer), Karina, Giselle (singer), Giselle, Winter ...

. The EP was released by

SM Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1995 by Lee Soo-man. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies and has been responsible for fostering and popularizing the car ...

on October 5, 2021, and is available in three versions—P.O.S, Synk Dive and Hallucination Quest. It contains six songs, including the lead single of the same name. Primarily a pop record with elements of

dance pop Dance-pop is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developi ...

hyperpop Hyperpop (sometimes called bubblegum bass) is a loosely defined electronic music movement and microgenre that predominantly originated during the early 2010s in the United Kingdom. It is characterised by an exaggerated or maximalist take on p ...

and

electropop Electropop is a popular music fusion genre combining elements of the electronic and pop styles. It has been described as a variant of synth-pop with emphasis on a hard electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a rev ...

, the EP was intended to demonstrate the group's musical diversity. Composition and production of ''Savage'' were handled by a wide array of songwriters and producers, including

Yoo Young-jin Yoo Young-jin is a South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer and vocal trainer formerly under SM Entertainment. He has produced and written songs for H.O.T., S.E.S, BoA, Shinhwa, TVXQ, CSJH The Grace, Super Junior, Girls' Generatio ...

, Kenzie, Brandon Green, Marcus Lomax, and

Hayley Kiyoko Hayley Kiyoko Alcroft (born April 3, 1991) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and author. As a child model and actress, she appeared in a variety of films, including '' Lemonade Mouth'' (2011), '' Jem and the Holograms'' (2015), '' Insidi ...

, with SM Entertainment founder

Lee Soo-man Lee Soo-man (, born 18 June 1952) is a South Korean business executive and record producer who is best known for being the founder of SM Entertainment, a multinational entertainment company based in Seoul. He has also been referred to as the "p ...

serving as executive producer. Lyrically, the album continues to expand Aespa's virtual universe. The EP was a commercial success and received positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its dark, futuristic "

cyberpunk Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting said to focus on a combination of "low-life and high tech". It features futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cyberwa ...

" style and incorporation of different music genres. Aespa's first entry on the US ''Billboard'' 200 at number 20, ''Savage'' also topped the

Gaon Album Chart The Circle Album Chart, previously known as the Gaon Album Chart, is a record chart ranking the 100 most popular albums, extended plays and single albums in South Koreabased on their Record sales, physical sales. It is a part of the Circle Chart, ...

and was certified 2× Platinum by the

Korea Music Content Association The Korea Music Content Association (KMCA; ) is a non‐profit organization representing major music content producers and distributors in South Korea. History The KMCA was established on December 9, 2008, and registered with the Ministry of ...

(KMCA) for selling 500,000 units. To promote the EP, Aespa appeared on South Korean music programs such as ''

M Countdown ''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet from the CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul. It features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. First hosted by Leeteuk ...

'', '' Music Bank'', and ''

Inkigayo ''Inkigayo'' (; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform on stage. ...

''.

Background and recording

On September 13, 2021, SM Entertainment announced that Aespa would be releasing their first extended play titled ''Savage'' on October 5, containing six tracks. The EP was released for pre-order on September 14. On September 27, the tracklist and lead single "Savage" were revealed. The tracklist included participation from American singer-songwriter

on the closing track "Lucid Dream". In an interview with the

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

, Giselle revealed that they "actually didn't get to meet her and do an actual collaboration ven thoughthe song was made by her." The making of ''Savage'' marked the first time all the Aespa members recorded together in a studio, a process that turned out to be "a lot of fun for the members, who are all close friends." Ningning said that they had a great time recording the EP and got to try genres they haven't done before. According to the ''

Paper magazine ''Paper'' (also known as ''Paper Mag'') is a New York City-based independent magazine focusing on fashion, popular culture, nightlife, music, art, and film. Initially produced monthly, the magazine eventually became a quarterly publication, and ...

'',

, the founder of

and executive producer of their EP, "personally directed every small detail" of their production, including the pronunciation of every syllable.

Composition

''Savage'' is primarily a pop record, specifically with elements of

and

genres and a dark, futuristic "

" style. It also incorporates an eclectic mix of

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

deep house Deep house is a subgenre of house music that originated in the 1980s, initially fusing elements of Chicago house with the lush chords of 1980s jazz-funk and touches of soul music. Its origins are attributed to the early recordings of Larry Heard ...

, R&B,

dubstep Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken ...

trap music Trap music, also known simply as trap, is a subgenre of hip-hop music which originated in the Southern United States, with lyrical references to trap starting in 1991 but the modern sound of trap appearing in 1999. The genre gets its name from t ...

trance Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...

, and

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

. Divyansha Dongre of ''

Rolling Stone India ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known f ...

'' described the EP as "multi-genre", and

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

noted that ''Savage'' "blends dance and pop with elements of house, trap, rap, and other genres." ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' stated that the record "showcases futuristic elements in its visuals and sound" and "further expands on the virtual world of Aespa."

Songs

The opening track, "Aenergy", is an "uplifting anthem" that explores "the group's members and the characteristics they showcase throughout their superheroine-like story, declaring each members' in-universe skills and abilities." Lead single "Savage" was described as "brilliant" in its eclectic blend of genres, including

and intense power balladry with "drums and basses" as the main focus. Narrating the group's ongoing efforts to defy the Black Mamba, the track further elucidates Aespa and ae proceeding to the virtual world of Kwangya with the help of nævis. The song blends "addictive" hooks, rap verses and ad-libs while displaying the group's ability to take on varied vocals. ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'' positively compared the track to the work of Scottish musician Sophie Xeon. "I'll Make You Cry" is a

dance-pop Dance-pop is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit ra ...

"fierce revenge anthem" with "a unique rhythm", "twinkling beats" and "ear-catching synth sound". "Haunting" belts escalate the song's "tenacious" atmosphere, along with "strong" vocal performances and "fierce" lyrics. The "eccentric", "high-energy" song "Yeppi Yeppi" is "bubbly" and features a combination of "

synthwave Synthwave (also called retrowave, or futuresynth) is an electronic music microgenre that is based predominantly on the music associated with the Film score, film soundtracks of action films, science fiction films, and horror films of the 1980s. ...

, and trap" genres, with lyrics containing the "positive message that if you think of yourself as beautiful rather than other people's opinions, then you will be happy". Winter named the song as her personal favorite. "Iconic" was described as a dance-pop song with "a force of revving production and fizzing hooks." It starts with "strong"

and turns into "a series of alternatingly sweet and sassy verses all about how iconic Aespa is." The closing track, "Lucid Dream", is a

dream pop Dream pop (also typeset as dreampop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such ...

alt R&B tune that emits a "hazy, ambient vibe" and features a " glitchy" electronic

bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...

. The song is a "poignant blur" of "hypnotic"

synthesizer A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...

s and "gentle" trap beats mixed with "intricate" layers of breathy vocals.

Promotion and release

On September 14, 2021, ''Savage'' was made available for pre-order in three versions: P.O.S, Synk Dive, and Hallucination Quest. From September 23 to 25, the Hallucination Quest version of concept photos for the extended play was released. Synk Dive version and additional Hallucination Quest concept photos were released on September 26 and 29, respectively. The EP tracklist was revealed on September 27. The teaser for the music video of the lead single of the same name was released on October 4. The album was released on October 5, 2021, in physical and digital formats. The music video for lead single "Savage", directed by 725 (SL8 Visual Lab), was released on SM Entertainment's

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

channel in conjunction with the release of the EP. On October 5, Aespa held a live event called "SYNK DIVE: aespa Savage SHOWCASE" on

to introduce the EP and communicate with their fans. The group also performed on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

's ''

The Kelly Clarkson Show ''The Kelly Clarkson Show'' is an American daytime television variety talk show hosted by Kelly Clarkson. It is produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and features Clarkson interviewing celebrities and segments about "ev ...

'' on October 16, their broadcast debut on US network television.

Critical reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

critic David Crone stated that the EP is "a glitchy, futuristic take on the K-Pop mini-album" that continues to "demonstrate the star power of Aespa's leading foursome". Tamar Herman of the ''

South China Morning Post The ''South China Morning Post'' (''SCMP''), with its Sunday edition, the ''Sunday Morning Post'', is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper owned by Alibaba Group. Founded in 1903 by Tse Tsan-tai and Alfred Cunningham, it has remaine ...

'' summarized ''Savage'' as "cohesive listening experience" that is "invigorating and satisfying", adding it was "successful in showcasing what the members of Aespa have to offer as one of most ambitious newer female K-pop acts out there." She also included it on her list of best K-pop releases of October 2021. Carmen Chin of ''

'' awarded the EP four stars out of five, writing that "Savage's brand of vibrant, punchy electronic pop falls perfectly in sync with the unconventionality aespa have so boldly presented in their one year as a group."

's Regina Kim stated that "Savage provides a sonic backdrop that exists outside this imagined world," and added that the mini album is "giving listeners glimpses into an overarching fable." In her review for ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...

'', Ana Clara Ribeiro described ''Savage'' as "a well-scripted, high-budget cyberpunk film" that "doesn't necessarily make you feel good, but it is good, and that’s why you watch it" because it "entertains and fascinates." She also named the track "I'll Make You Cry" a highlight on the EP.

Year-end lists

Commercial performance

On October 5, it was reported that pre-orders for ''Savage'' reached 401,088 copies. According to the South Korean Hanteo Chart, the EP was the "best-selling debut album for girl group's on the chart" after it sold more than 200,000 copies on the second day of its release. In South Korea, it debuted atop the

on the chart issue dated October 3–9, 2021. The EP also topped the daily and weekly editions of album charts such as Hanteo Chart, Synnara Record, Kyobo Bookstore, and Gaon Retail Album Chart. Within 15 days of release, it was reported that ''Savage'' sold 513,292 copies. In Japan, it peaked at number 18 on ''

Billboard Japan ''Billboard Japan'' is a sister organization of the U.S.-based music magazine '' Billboard''. It is operated by the Japanese Osaka-based company Hanshin Contents Link (a subsidiary of Hanshin Electric Railway), holding an exclusive licence fr ...

''s Hot Albums chart and at number seven on the

Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...

Albums Chart. In the United States, Aespa made their debut on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' 200 chart, with the EP entering at number 20 and becoming the highest-charting debut album by a K-pop girl group in ''Billboard'' history. ''Savage'' also placed first on ''Billboard'''s World Albums and

Independent Albums The Independent Albums chart (previously titled Top Independent Albums) ranks the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays (EPs) in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by '' Billboard'' mag ...

charts and debuted at number two on the

Top Album Sales The Top Album Sales is a music chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine listing each week's top-selling albums in the United States. The chart has been published since December 13, 2014, although the magazine also retrospectively recognize ...

chart with 17,500 units in pure sales.

Accolades

Track listing

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the EP. Musicians *

(Karina, Giselle, Winter, Ningning)vocals , background vocals *

Korean lyrics , composition , background vocals , arrangement * KenzieKorean lyrics , composition * Korean lyrics , background vocals * SaayKorean lyrics , background vocals * Jo Yoon-kyungKorean lyrics * Ellie Suh (153/Joombas)Korean lyrics * Kill Davecomposition , arrangement * Pat Morrisseycomposition , arrangement , keys & synths , piano & bongos , bass * Jess Corazzacomposition * Kirsten Collinscomposition , background vocals * Jia Lihcomposition , arrangement * Hautboi Richcomposition * Timothy 'Bos' Bullockcomposition , arrangement * Brandon Greencomposition , arrangement * Imlayarrangement , bass , sound fx * composition , arrangement , keyboard * Sophie Curtiscomposition * Val Del Prete (153/Joombas)composition * Timothy Tancomposition , arrangement , drum programming , sampling *

composition * Paul Phamouscomposition * Marcus Lomaxcomposition *Kwon Ae-jinbackground vocals *Ciara Muscatbackground vocals *David Dahlquistkeys & synths , piano & bongos , bass Technical * Yoo Young-jindirecting , recording , digital editing , mixing engineer , mixing * Kenziedirecting *Deezdirecting *Hwang Hyunvocal directing , digital editing *Kim Yeon-seovocal directing *Noh Min-jirecording , mixing engineer , digital editing *Kang Sun-youngrecording , digital editing *Kang Eun-jirecording , digital editing , mixing engineer *Coach & Sendocomputer programming *Lee Ji-hongdigital editing , mixing engineer *Jang Woo-youngdigital editing *Kim Chul-soonmixing *Jeong Eui-seokmixing *Nam Koong-jinmixing *Jeon Hoonmastering *Kwon Nam-woomastering *Shin Soo-minmastering assistant

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

Release history

References

{{Aespa Aespa EPs 2021 debut EPs Korean-language EPs 2020s Korean-language albums SM Entertainment EPs Hyperpop albums