The album 0.1 flaws and all by wave to earth, a three-member South Korean band, was released on April 20, 2023. The release is the band’s first full-length studio album, and it contains a total of 14 tracks about love and heartbreak, among other themes. The mostly-English album explores what it means to be a human, all while utilizing nature-inspired symbolism and soothing alternative sounds inspired by rock and jazz. The influence of flowers is evident in both the song titles and the almost hypnotic feeling of the tracks, allowing listeners to imagine themselves laying down in a field of flowers playing the album on repeat.
The three men behind the album, Shin Donggyu, Soonjong Cha, and Daniel Kim, created the album during a “studio lock in,” according to Kim in a newlyreleased documentary about the making of the album. The band members describe the process as both fulfilling and challenging, explaining their day-to-day lives while creating the album as a series of conversations that eventually led to production in their rented studio. The relaxed atmosphere of the album clearly reflects this process, as the mellow beats feel unhurried yet profound. Each track settles nicely into the next, with no sense of the hustle and bustle of city life. Listeners are offered a treat for their ears as members harmonize and build upon their composition in a wave-like manner, crashing and falling with every song.
Into The Tracks
Of the 14 songs on the album, the representative track is undoubtedly “nouvelle vague,” the most-streamed song on Spotify out of the track list. In line with the rest of the album, the song uses bass sounds and easy-listening drumbeats which have become signature for the band, although the electric guitar soaring throughout make it stand out as a fan-favorite. In a documentary about the album’s making, Daniel Kim, the main vocalist of the group, described the goal of the album as expanding upon the band’s existing sound, building upon their signature jazz-inspired melodies to create an album that is both airy pop and deep jazz.
The lyrics, unlike most of wave to earth’s songs, are a combination of Korean and English, and speak of the struggle of a chase. The jazz-inspired instrumentals and lyrics come together to create a haunting plea. The song’s title, roughly translating to “new wave,” is a reference to an art film movement in France from the 1950s, characterized by its experimentation.
A similar kind of experimentation can be found throughout 0.1 flaws and all, especially in “calla,” another popular track and fan-favorite. The floral symbolism which is spotted in many of wave to earth’s releases resonates in this track too, as Kim sings “Calla, someone said that your time will be over soon,” a reference to the flower’s relatively short bloom period, followed by the hopeful reprise “but Calla, you can always grow back,” bringing forth a message of hope. The experimentalist mindset comes out in the instrumental choices, such as the heavy reverb and dream-like drumming.
Behind The Album
The inspirations for the album are wide-ranging, from French New Wave cinema to the 1988 Japanese animated cyberpunk film Akira. Over the period of four weeks, wave to earth crafted an album with influences from all over the wo r l d b u t t h e res u l t i n g so u n d transcends language barriers, and even though the album is made of a lyrical blend of English and Korean, an otherworldly feel is still encapsulated within, appealing to listeners regardless of their mother tongue.
This record is sure to keep listeners on the edge of their seat with anticipation for what will happen next for the band, as they are scheduled to embark on a North American tour this summer and continue their newly-started musical journey. Those who enjoy relaxed beats and calm vocals are bound to enjoy the journey that 0.1 flaws and all takes its listeners on.
