Leaving 1.6 seconds empty right before it bursts: A2O LITE's 'NEON'

Today's NONOL PICK is 'NEON', the debut single A2O LITE released on October 13. A2O LITE is a nine-member girl group from A2O Entertainment, led by Lee Soo-man, and the Bugs credits list Dem Jointz and Yoo Young-jin for the lyrics, music and arrangement alike. On release day it went straight in at No. 2 on the Bugs daily chart. The song repeats 'Neon and beyond' from the first bar to the last, and right before every big burst it leaves the drums and bass out for a second or two. Those gaps are easy to hear, which is why we picked it. The music video divides itself into chapters with 'Stage' captions, like a game. Times follow the official music video. The video opens with a 15-second intro that isn't in the audio, and from 0:15 on it's the same recording as the track (3:28).

0:15 · The song starts with 'Stage 1'

The first 15 seconds, from 0:00, are a dance by two members in a white room, a part that isn't in the audio. When the track's first sound starts at 0:15, 'Stage 1', drawn in red dots, appears at 0:16. The song sings 'Neon and beyond that's what we on and beyond yup' three times, then cuts the fourth line off at 'that's what we on and' and moves on.

0:57 · Before the chorus, 1.6 seconds of voice alone

Right before the first chorus, 'We are neon and beyond', the drums and bass drop out together from 0:57.6 to 0:59.2, leaving only the voices. When the beat returns at 0:59.4, the picture widens too, to the members dancing together in front of a round wall.

1:21 · 'Stage 2' and numbers drawn on the floor

At 1:21, as the first line of the second verse, '낯선 내가 나타나' (an unfamiliar me appears), arrives, 'Stage 2' appears in pink dots. Then, in a blue room, numbered circles 1, 2, 3 and 4 joined by arrows cover the walls and floor, and the members point to the numbers or step across them. At 1:28 a white shoe steps on one of the number circles.

1:49 · Twice as long the second time

In the Bugs lyrics, there's one more 'We are' before the second chorus. This time the drums and bass drop out from 1:49.2; the bass comes back first at 1:51.0, but the drums only return at 1:52.8. The drums are out for 3.6 seconds, more than twice as long as before the first chorus. Meanwhile, the members stand side by side looking into the camera. That's our main photo.

2:15 · 'Stage 3', and behind the camera

When 'Stage 3' appears beside a green circle at 2:15, the video moves into a pink room. In the bridge, the opening 'Neon and beyond' comes back with new endings: '계속 위로 올라가' (keep climbing higher), '꽉 잡아도 위험해' (it's dangerous even if you hold on tight) and '빛을 따라와 와 와 와' (follow the light, come, come, come). At 2:30.5, as the drums thin out, the picture pulls back behind the set to show the members posing among monitors and lighting gear.

3:06 · After 'right before it bursts,' 'Let There Be Right'

On '마침 터지기 직전 it all explodes' (just before it bursts, it all explodes), the drums and bass drop out again from 3:06.8. 1.6 seconds later, at 3:08.6, the moment both return together and the final chorus bursts in, a big 'RIGHT' and the words 'Let There Be Right' flash on screen. In the final chorus, the members dance together in a white room open to the sky. Apple Music

A2O LITE's nine members are Young, Oa, Ayune, Aijing, Himeki, Rada, Xili, Vora and Merci. The music video description reads 'Zalpha Pop by A2O' and 'Produced by S.M. LEE'. The debut news is in our October 15 news briefing.