Easy (EP)
Easy | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | February 19, 2024 | |||
Studio | Hybe Studio (Seoul) | |||
Length | 13:34 | |||
Language | Korean | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Le Sserafim chronology | ||||
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Singles from Easy | ||||
Easy is the third extended play by South Korean girl group Le Sserafim. It was released by Source Music on February 19, 2024, and contains five tracks including the lead single of the same name.
Background and release
[edit]On January 22, 2024, Source Music announced that Le Sserafim would be releasing their third extended play titled Easy on February 19.[1] The comeback trailer was released on January 26 and 27.[2][3] On February 7, five track sampler videos were released.[4] A day later, the track listing was released with "Easy" announced as the lead single.[5] On February 13, the highlight medley teaser video was released.[6] The music video teasers for "Easy" were released on February 16 and 18.[7][8] The extended play was released alongside the music video for "Easy" on February 19.[9]
Promotion
[edit]Prior to the release of Easy, on February 19, 2024, Le Sserafim held two live events on YouTube and Weverse, aimed at introducing the extended play and connecting with their fans.[10]
Composition
[edit]The album draws from the group members' uneasiness and worries behind their confidence.[11] The intro track, "Good Bones" was described as an "unruly" rock and roll song,[12] and features narrations in Korean, Japanese and English.[13] The lead single, "Easy", is a trap and R&B song, expressing how the group "makes hard things look easy".[11][14] "Smart" has been described as an Afropop-inspired Amapiano song.[12]
Critical reception
[edit]Easy was met with mixed-to-positive reviews by the music critics, NME's Rhian Daly gave the album four stars out of five, writing that it "presents a new evolution in Le Sserafim's oeuvre, not just thematically but musically too".[13] Lee Seung-won from IZM gave the album 2.5 stars out of five, writing that "although Easy has a lot of charm in its sound, it has more flaws than any of the group's other works."[15]
Commercial performance
[edit]According to the Hanteo Chart, the album sold 783,358 copies on its first day of release.[16] In Japan, the album sold 107,000 copies within its first week of release, marking Le Sserafim's highest first-week sales in the country.[17]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Good Bones" |
| 13 | 2:40 |
2. | "Easy" |
|
| 2:45 |
3. | "Swan Song" |
|
| 2:37 |
4. | "Smart" |
| 13 | 2:46 |
5. | "We Got So Much" |
| Noh Ju-hwan | 2:46 |
Total length: | 13:34 |
Personnel
[edit]Musicians
- Le Sserafim – lead vocals
- Score (13) – production, drums, digital editing, vocal arrangement (1–4); keyboards (1, 3, 4)
- Megatone (13) – production, digital editing, vocal arrangement (1–4); bass, guitar (1, 4); keyboards (3)
- Sean Turk – production, main sample, drums, synthesizer (2)
- Joseph Barrios – production, drums, synthesizer (2)
- Alex Fernandez – production, drums, synthesizer (2)
- Slow Rabbit – production, synthesizer, bass, drums (3)
- Noh Ju-hwan – production, guitar, bass, drums, vocal arrangement, digital editing (5)
- Young – guitar (3)
- Kim Jun-hyeok – digital editing, vocal arrangement (3)
- Supreme Boi – vocal arrangement (2)
- Amanda "Kiddo A.I." Ibanez – background vocals (2)
- Sarah Troy – background vocals (3)
- Arineh Karimi – background vocals (4)
- Jasmin Lee Maming – background vocals (4)
- Sofia Vivere – background vocals (5)
Technical
- So Sung-jin – executive producer
- Geoff Swan – mix engineering (1)
- Manny Marroquin – mix engineering (2)
- Chris Galland – mix engineering (2)
- Tony Maserati – mix engineering (3, 5)
- David Younghyun – mix engineering (3, 5)
- Jordan "DJ Swivel" Young – mix engineering (4)
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
- Hwang Min-hee – engineering
- Lee Yeon-soo – engineering (2–4)
- Lee Pyeonguk – engineering (5)
- Matt Cahill – mix engineering assistance (1)
- Ramiro Fernandez-Seoane – mix engineering assistance (2)
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Monthly charts[edit]
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Sales and certifications
[edit]Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Japan (RIAJ)[37] | Gold | 100,000^ |
South Korea (KMCA)[38] | Million | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
[edit]Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
South Korea | February 19, 2024 | CD | |
Various |
|
References
[edit]- ^ Moon, Wan-sik (January 22, 2024). 르세라핌, 2월 19일 컴백..미니 3집 'EASY' 발매 [Le Sserafim, comeback on February 19th..3rd mini album 'EASY' released] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Lee, Min-ji (January 26, 2024). "세상이 우리한테만 쉬운 거 같니?" 르세라핌, 예사롭지 않은 메시지 ["Do you think the world is just easy for us?" Le Sserafim, an unusual message] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Ji, Min-kyung (January 27, 2024). 르세라핌, 건강·세련美 돋보이는 트레일러..한 편의 패션 필름 [Le Sserafim, a trailer that stands out for its health and sophistication..a fashion film] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Baek, Ji-eun (February 7, 2024). 르세라핌, 역대급 메시지 담은 수록곡...트랙 샘플러 공개 [Le Sserafim, a song with the greatest message of all time...Track Sampler Revealed] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim, Na-yul (February 8, 2024). 르세라핌, 'EASY' 트랙리스트 공개..전 멤버 곡 참여 [Le Sserafim, 'EASY' tracklist revealed...all members participate in the song] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Yoon, Jun-ho (February 13, 2024). 장르·메시지 모두 새롭다...르세라핌, 미니 3집 'EASY' 하이라이트 메들리 공개 [Both the genre and message are new...Le Sserafim releases highlight medley for 3rd mini album 'EASY'] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ 르세라핌 'EASY' 뮤비, 도자 캣 그 감독이 연출 [Le Sserafim's 'EASY' music video directed by Doja Cat]. Sports Kyunghyung. February 16, 2024. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim, Ji-hye (February 18, 2024). 르세라핌, 신곡 퍼포먼스 일부 공개..강렬한 올드스쿨 힙합 [Le Sserafim reveals part of new song performance... Intense old school hip hop] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim, Ye-na (February 19, 2024). 르세라핌, 오늘(19일) 컴백...역대급 퍼포먼스 예고 [Le Sserafim, comeback today (19th)...A preview of the best performance ever] (in Korean). Xports News. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Lee, Seung-hoon (February 19, 2024). 르세라핌 온다..올드스쿨 힙합 입은 '이지' 오늘 발매 [Le Sserafim is coming..'Easy' in old school hip hop released today] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ a b Cho, Yong-jun (February 19, 2024). "Le Sserafim's 'EASY' depicts the dark side of the group's rise to fame". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ a b Delgado, Sara (February 22, 2024). "LE SSERAFIM Talk New Mini-Album "Easy" & Coachella 2024 Plans". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ a b Daly, Rhian (February 19, 2024). "LE SSERAFIM – 'Easy' review: fearless girl group shine new light on their strength". NME. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Yoo, Hong (February 19, 2024). "Le Sserafim talks about their fear and doubts in 3rd EP 'Easy'". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Lee, Seung-won (February 2024). "Easy Album Review – Neo Music Communication IZM". IZM. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Kim, Ju-yeon (February 22, 2024). "Le Sserafim's new EP 'Easy' scales charts in Japan, US". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Yoon, So-yeon (February 27, 2024). "Le Sserafim's 'Easy' breaks Japanese record with over 100,000 copies sold". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Le Sserafim – Easy" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Le Sserafim – Easy" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of March 9, 2024". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ "Easy – Week 11, 2024" (in Croatian). HDU. March 19, 2024. Archived from the original on March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Le Sserafim – Easy" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2024. 9. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-03-04" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Albums: 2024-03-04" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of February 29, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "Official Top 100 Albums: March 8th, 2024 - March 14th, 2024". TurnTable. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 26, 2024. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
- ^ "Circle Album Chart – Week 8, 2024". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Veckolista Album Fysiskt, vecka 14". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (March 3, 2024). "Twice Achieves First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With With You-th". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ "World Albums: Week of March 9, 2024". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-02" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- ^ "Circle Album Chart – February 2024". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
- ^ "Oricon Top 100 Albums: 2024" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – 2024 Year-End". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ "Japanese album certifications – Le Sserafim – Easy" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved March 8, 2024. Select 2024年2月 on the drop-down menu
- ^ "South Korean album certifications – Le Serrafim – Easy" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). Retrieved April 11, 2024.