Awesome Music / Astro

Because they debuted with a cute concept, there have been instances where people fail to look past that cute and bubbly image, and deem their music 'shallow'. However, those who do choose to explore Astro's discography are quite aware of the variety it boasts - ranging from bright bubblegum-pop and tropical house to emotional ballads, R&B and EDM, electro house and trap, and later a more funk-based sound, though the B-sides tend to be varied too.

Title tracks:

Astro may not have had any notable 'hit' songs, but that hasn't stopped them from releasing some pretty awesome title tracks:

• "Crazy Sexy Cool", the lead single of Dream Part.02, their fifth extended play. The song itself is catchy, and the music video is arguably one of the best ones in their videography, particularly due to the fun and mind screwy story-line MV.
• "All Night" not only left the fans mesmerised, but also caught attention of non-fans due to its elegant R&B sound and the highly aesthetic music video. The stages for the song were some of the prettiest, especially the princely styling, cladding them with shiny, glittery outfits and glitter make-up. It remains one of their best title tracks.
• "After Midnight", the title track of Switch On, boast an upbeat melody, fast tempo, and simple but sweet and heartwarming lyrics. It is also a revisit to Astro's older, brighter songs, albeit with a more mature sound, and was an absolute hit within the fan-base, even winning a good amount of praise from casual listeners of the group.

B-sides:

• Jinjin and Rocky write their own raps, and both of them have a really good way with words. So expect there to be some cool wordplay(s) and pretty imagery in the rap verses of a lot of their b-sides:
  • Jinjin's rap in "Love Wheel" has references to all the planets in the solar system, in chronological order. While rapping, he also puts subtle emphasis on the enunciation of the syllables that are the of the names of the planets.
  • Rocky's extremely fast-paced rap in "ONE" not only cemented him as the fastest rapper in Astro, but also added him to the list of some of the fastest rappers in the 3rd-gen boy groups.
• "Bloom (피어나)", a majestic orchestral ballad composed by MJ and Jinjin, is one of the best ballads in their discography. The performance stages of the song had quite beautiful mic stands decorated with flowers, and an orchestra playing for them, adding to the glory.
• All Light, Astro's first full album, was not only loved by the fans, but also received a lot of praise from casual listeners and critics alike, with many people agreeing that it is a no skip album. It presented to the audience a whole new mature and developed sound of Astro while still keeping their signature freshness. A good amount of the b-sides, like "Treasure", "Love Wheel", "Heart Brew Love", and "Merry-Go-Round", have a dream-pop based sound, giving off quite an airy and magical vibe, and are very pleasant on the ears.
• "Go and Stop" from Blue Flame. The ear-catching instrumentals, and the chorus, which is also really catchy, easily make it one of the best b-sides of the EP. It is also one of their darker songs, as the lyrics could be interpreted as the perspective of a person who is stuck in the cycle of a potentially toxic relationship.
• "When the Wind Blows", written and composed by Rocky, has always been a fan favourite. A song based on the fall season, it talks about the complicated and bittersweet feelings that linger in one's heart after a break up, and how moving on is more difficult than expected. The soft yet strong vocals and the melody itself give the song a nostalgic and poignant undertone throughout.
• "gemini (별비)", a song that MJ wrote and composed while thinking of Astro and Aroha as the twin constellation (the Korean name, "별비", translates to 'star rain', or, literally, a rain of stars). The Background Music is filled with chiming sounds that automatically form an image of shooting stars in the mind of the listener. The celestial effect, combined with Moon Bin and MJ's harmonies during the bridge are absolutely wonderful to hear, making "gemini" one of the best ballads on their discography.
• "Footprint", written by Moon Bin, is a refreshing feel good EDM-based track, and includes references to all their title tracks since debut. And not just in any order, but in exact reverse order, starting from "One" to "Hide and Seek".
• While Astro has always excelled at ballads, "Waterfall" from Switch On takes it to a whole another level, from the intricately layered instrumentals to the beautiful imagery used throughout the song, particularly in Jinjin's rap verse. The song starts off powerful with MJ's high note and then the chorus, "You're my little waterfall", which then continues into the first verse. The chimes and falsettos, and the harmonies during the chorus add a whole new magical charm to the song. The layering of vocals in the chorus makes it sound full and rich, making them literally feel like calm waters, and then it builds up to the actual waterfall which breaks out in the chorus. There's a very subtle rustling/shaker sound after 'waterfall' and 'wonderful', that is reminiscent of a spray of water droplets from a waterfall. Jinjin's rap stands out due to the beautiful and detailed imagery that he uses in his lyrics:
  Riding on transparent waves,
  The leaf called 'dream' flows
  As if drawn to it without realising, my outstretched fingertips
  Touching it, it's a feeling I've never felt before
  I want to go with the flow
  At the end of the journey, what would be there?
  Would I have arrived?
  Let's go together
  Thanks to you the process will be more than I deserve
  Even if we lose our way it's okay,
  Because we have each other, we believe in each other
  Let's wash our wounds away, and just follow the flow
• "My Zone", written and composed by Jinjin, makes for a very catchy song with its strong beat, particularly during the chorus; it's almost impossible to not get an adrenaline rush while listening to this b-side. It was a candidate for the title tracks of Switch On.
• "Don't Worry" boasts one of their best bridges yet, followed by MJ's beautiful and breathy falsetto as he sings the line, "We'll get through everything if we're together". During the bridge, all members sing one line each, one after the another, which is then followed by MJ's line, "Remember all the love by your side". This is meant to emphasise one of the main themes of the song, that is, "We are not alone in our hardships".