/ Wave to earth’s newest album encapsulates the full spectrum of youth

The Korean indie band, wave to earth is slowly becoming a household name for their lax music, bittersweet lyricism, and lovely album artworks. The trio embarked on a new journey surrounded by stardom following the release of their debut album 0.1 flaws and all which performed tremendously after going viral on multiple platforms.
The band has managed to release yet another charming album with a pleasant twist. Play with earth! 0.03 is the second album from wave to earth featuring only seven tracks. Through their new album, the band doesn’t stray far from their usual sound. Instead they add to it; elevating the sound to make it feel more complete.
In fact, the first thing that caught my attention was the incorporation of a more confident yet playful flair. The first half of the album specialises in laying out the essence of “playing with earth” as the songs juxtapose comfort with excitement, without disturbing their signature melancholia. The relatability of the songs peek through the lyrics where the bitterness of a monotonous life is emancipated with a “playful” sound.
One thing about wave to earth is that they never fail to exhibit the youthfulness of their songs. Instead of featuring a single aspect, their music encapsulates different parts of youth and blends them with sonic tranquillity. This is best reflected in tracks like “annie.” and “beck.” especially when the entire album is heard from front to back. The fourth track “Pueblo” which is a remaster of their old track, seamlessly ties the themes of the two halves of the album. 
The latter part of the album brings out the bittersweet relaxation the band is infamous for. However, with songs like “slow dive” and “holyland” it becomes apparent that the band has learned to steer clear of being overindulgent with any one sound. The melancholia in these tracks is gentle, soft, and melts away slowly but surely.
Nonetheless, I do have some reservations. The album’s runtime is less than half of their debut album with the entire record clocking in at only 25 minutes. And the fact that such a short duration includes an intro as the opening track as well as a remaster of an old song did rub me the wrong way.
Overall though, Play with earth! 0.03 is a calm, youthful, and melancholic album that should be a proud inclusion to wave to earth’s discography. Even if they don’t belong in the same bracket with bigger names yet, wave to earth have proven themselves as an act that is capable of more than just making hits for internet reels.
Shaikh Sabik Kamal exists at [email protected]