Awaken The World

Awaken The World is the first studio album by the Chinese boy group WayV, the fourth sub-unit and China-based unit of the South Korean boy group NCT. It was released June 9, 2020, by SM Entertainment and distributed by Dreamus. The album consists of ten songs, with "Turn Back Time" as its lead single.
== Background and release ==
On May 3, 2020, WayV was the second group from SM Entertainment to hold a live online concert - jointly organised by SM Entertainment and Naver, as part of the world's first online-dedicated live concert series Beyond LIVE. The live concert, which was WayV's first-ever concert, was titled "WayV - Beyond the Vision". During this concert, WayV performed songs from their prior albums as well as a new song from an upcoming and not-yet-announced release titled "Turn Back Time". At one point during the concert, leader Kun teased plans for a full-length album release, with the words 'Beyond The Vision' hinting at a title. At the time, the album had been recorded already and the release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 29, 2020, WayV announced it would come back with a ten-track full album. On May 30, 2020, promotion for the album started.
On June 9, 2020, Label V announced a delay to the release of physical copies of the album, saying on WayV's official Twitter page that due to "issues regarding accessories on some of the outfits, the album cover will need correction, inevitably delaying its release date". Soon thereafter, they announced a delay to the release of the music video for "Turn Back Time" until June 10, 2020 at midnight China Standard Time (CST). The release schedule for the full tracks remained unchanged. On June 10, 2020, Label V announced the official release date for physical copies of the album to be June 18, 2020.
== Composition ==
The title track, "Turn Back Time", was produced by Yoo Young-jin and Stockholm-based duo Moonshine, written by Yen Yun Nong, and composed by Moonshine, Tay Jasper & Adrian McKinnon.
WayV members Yangyang and Hendery participated in writing the lyrics to the b-side tracks "Only Human", "Electric Hearts" and "Stand By Me".
According to its entry in the China Copyright Protection Center as intellectual property, the title track "Turn Back Time" is about WayV's steadiness and starting to advance towards bigger world class stage. "Bad Alive" is mainly composed of arpeggio and 808 drums, full of strong energy. Irregular trap drums and a siren sound overlay the dynamic bass line and melody, giving a sense of power. The domineering lyrics show a confident attitude. "Unbreakable (执迷)" is an urban mid-tempo song with a majestic and mysterious sound added to the traditional music style. Although the song contains Trap elements, it also contains chords influenced by Michael Jackson to provide greater musical depth. It is the final installment of a trilogy with "Say It" and "Come Back" from WayV's first mini album Take Off. Continuing the story, it describes the love in the lyrics, the state of mind of the tragic man who was hurt. "After Midnight" is a pop song with a calm and downbeat style; the harmony of the powerful funk guitar and the arpeggio of synth waves lead the dynamics of the whole song. The lyrics describe dwelling on the romance of spending time alone with someone special the moment after a party, comparing it to the time after midnight. "Interlude: Awaken the World" represents the overall concept of the album as a whole, combining a grand and dreamy piano and string sound, marrying Eastern and Western concepts. "Only Human" is a hip-hop song based on the arpeggio element of the acoustic guitar and the low synth sound. The lyrics show that in ordinary life, even if there are moments of uneasiness and fatigue, there is also a feeling of hopefulness toward the future. "Domino (多米诺)" is an R&B pop song combining rhythmic melody and rhythmic beat that fully attracts the ear. The lyrics express the loss of control when people are in love; this unstoppable relationship between the two parties is likened to the lyrics of the game of domino. "Up From Here (浪漫发酵)" is full of dancing bass lines and unique elements, a light song that reflects the refreshing feeling that matches the theme of love. The lyrics are about the fluttering & happy feeling of friendship growing into love. "Electric Hearts" is a song that highlights the vivid drumbeat rhythm and synth sound of electronic music. It shows WayV in a wider range, trying a new musical concept. "As long as you are in love, you can communicate with each other's soul even if you are far apart." Just as the theme of luminous energy fluctuations connecting the two individuals, energy fluctuations in the melody reflect the lyrics. "Stand By Me" is an urban pop song that combines the repeated performance of acoustic guitar and group singing. It is a healing song full of joy and hope. Hendery also participated in the creation of rap lyrics. Through the lyrics like "Culture From WayV", he expressed the friendship of the members of WayV. It highlights gaining strength from relying and comforting each other, becoming one another's strength.
== Music video ==
=== "Turn Back Time" ===
The music video was released on June 9, 2020.
== Track listing ==
Credits adapted from Spotify and Naver.
Notes
* "Only Human" is performed by Winwin, Lucas, Hendery, and Yangyang
== Release history ==
Region 	Date 	Format	Label
China 	June 9, 2020 	 	
China 	June 18, 2020	 	
Korea 	June 9, 2020 	 	
Korea 	June 18, 2020	 	
Various	June 9, 2020 	 	
Various	June 18, 2020	 	
== Awaken The World in the Media ==
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== References ==
Category:Albums
Category:Studio Album
Category:Chinese boy bands
Category:2020 albums
Category:2020 in Chinese music