ZEROBASEONE (ZB1) is reigning in 5th-generation K-pop artist with their debut mini-album, YOUTH IN THE SHADE.
The team first burst onto the radar of fans around the world through the popular K-pop survival show Mnet's BOYS PLANET.
Before its release, YOUTH IN THE SHADE made headlines for breaking the record with their pre-orders and naming the group as the first "million seller" with a debut album, with over 1.08 million pre-orders only 13 days after the pre-order opened.
Their tracklist includes six songs: title track "In Bloom" along with "Back to ZEROBASE," "New Kidz on the Block," "And I," "Our Season," and "Always."
"In Bloom" defines the identity of the group's debut album, as this track teases ZEROBASEONE's first steps that are incomplete and immature yet going to bloom beautifully and brightly. It's a fusion of vintage sentimentality and the trendy drum and bass genre that vividly portrays the brilliance of youth alongside its underlying instability.
For the title track, ZEROBASEONE sampled A-Ha's "Take On Me" exhilarating tempo, uplifting the overall mood of the track while subtly introducing a sense of heaviness through the slower melody and vocals that are meant to signify the weight of youth.
YOUTH IN THE SHADE includes a solo track by ZHANG HAO, the ZEROBASEONE member who clinched the first place in the final ranking of BOYS PLANET. It is an alternative R&B track, and it delivers ZHANG HAO's gratitude towards the fans and his solemn promise to always be there through his calm and warm vocals.
