For a new group, making an impactful first impression is crucial — especially in the saturated K-pop landscape. Korean rookie band Cravity, however, came out guns blazing with their debut album Cravity Season1. [Hideout: Remember Who We Are]. The seven-track album, led by title track "Break All The Rules," bursts with the buzzy high-energy of voracious newcomers, but also contains a boldness that usually is held by more mature acts.
This confidence likely stems from the fact that the nine-member group hail from Starship Entertainment, home to K-pop juggernaut Monsta X. Following in the footsteps of a powerhouse group isn't easy, as expectations were understandably high. But just as their sunbaes (seniors) defined themselves with a particular aesthetic and sound, Cravity — a portmanteau of the words "creativity” and “gravity” — seem to be carving their own signature from the start.
“Break All The Rules," laden with drama and a boundless, anthemic drop, describes the feeling of letting go of expectation and going against the grain. But while that may seem like a solo venture to many, Cravity's members Serim, Allen, Jungmo, Woobin, Wonjin, Minhee, Hyeongjun, Taeyoung, and Seongmin assert that using the strength and support of those around you to collectively help each other fulfill your ambitions is the key to success. Cravity know that this feeling is shared by their fans and thus wanted to make an album that those who look up to them can relate to. “The album encompasses tremor of excitement, and our desire to give delight and comfort to our fans,” rapper and leader Serim said in a press release.
The video for the single is visually stunning in its seamless weaving of dark and light — beauty and power. As the members dance under pulsating strobe lights, scenes are interspersed throughout that find each individual posing and serving in rich, striking settings: Serim raps in a bed of flowers, dancer and former X1 member Hyeongjun is thrown into an explosion of copper glitter, vocalist Wonjin emotes as he's washed in a deep lilac.
From notable B-side "Jumper," produced by Monsta X rapper Joohoney, to the swaggering "Top Of The Chain" and the lithe hip-hop/trap track "Blackout," Hideout shows off the spectrum of talent contained in Cravity. It's the group's first vivid, unique fingerprint — igniting excited curiosity among fans around the globe about how they will continue to make their mark.
