aespa's Japanese mini album turned out to be a really enjoyable listen, but what stood out most to me was just how sultry and natural their harmonies are. They feel completely tailor-made for the group's voices, and after hearing this project, I'd absolutely love to hear SM lean into a full R&B release in the future.

There weren't loads of surprising vocal moments this time around, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Instead, this mini reminded me just how well aespa's voices blend together, especially on songs like "Kiss N Tell." I also hope SM keeps this brighter, upbeat direction for their next mini because the reception to this era has been so positive.

As always, I break down the vocals using my Civilian, Athlete, Olympian and World Class ranking system, while looking at the harmonies, layering and arrangements that make these songs work.