Super One -The 1st Album

Editors’ Notes Rarely does a supergroup successfully prove the sum of its parts is greater than the individual talents that made it, but then again, most supergroups aren’t SuperM. The K-pop boy-band septet—SM Entertainment heavyweights including SHINee’s Taemin, EXO’s Baekhyun and Kai, NCT 127’s Taeyong and Mark, China-based NCT sub-unit WayV’s Lucas and Ten—dubbed “the Avengers of K-pop”—has existed for just a year, summiting unfathomable heights in that time: a No. 1 mini album in 2019, sold-out arena shows worldwide, and now, a dynamic debut full-length LP, the 15-track Super One – The 1st Album.

Unsurprisingly, bringing together some of the industry’s most seasoned rappers, dancers, and singers pays off: Super One is a massive work, a fully realized introductory statement. The Charlie Puth-meets-’90s-boy-band optimism of “Better Days,” the Ariana Grande-sampling “Dangerous Woman,” the R&B balladry of “Step Up,” and even the opener, “One (Monster & Infinity)”—a hybrid remix of the songs that follow it, “Infinity” and “Monster”—deliver pleasures at every turn. SuperM’s strengths are clear: If you want the best, get the best.