After a three-year hiatus, pioneering k-pop girl group BLACKPINK released their highly anticipated mini-album “Deadline” on Feb. 27.
Composed of four members with successful solo careers, Lisa, Rose, Jennie, and Jisoo, BLACKPINK has dominated the k-pop scene since their debut in 2016.
“Deadline” is a unique k-pop EP because the songs are almost entirely in English. It’s also highly unusual for BLACKPINK, whose songs have historically been in Korean with very little English.
“Deadline” has five tracks: “JUMP,” which was released last July as the EP’s lead single and debuted at number one on the Billboard Global 200, “GO,” which was released with a music video, “Me and my,” “Champion,” and “Fxxxboy.”
Here’s my ranking of the five “Deadline” tracks.
- Champion
Although I appreciate BLACKPINK’s feel-good, positive songwriting in “Champion,” the production is clumsy at best. The track lacks a hook and doesn’t display each of the members’ talents as well as it could. Overall, the track ends up disappointing the listener.
- Me and my
“Me and my” is a feel-good, vibrant track about sisterhood and partying. The horns in the production are a fun addition to what would otherwise be an ordinary musical background. This seems like a great song for running and/or working out. However, the song focuses mostly on rap parts, so Jisoo and Rose, the group’s vocalists, don’t get a chance to shine, which is disappointing. While “Me and my” is a fun party song, it doesn’t bring the diversity of talent that BLACKPINK usually does.
- Fxxxboy
“Fxxxboy” brings a calmer, more introspective hue to “Deadline,” and I absolutely love it. The line distribution is fair and the songwriting is powerful. It expresses heartbreak while turning harmful romantic stereotypes against the listener. Jisoo sings, “Played your game but I kept the score / how’s it feel now I’m the f***boy?” The emphasis on reflection wraps up the EP with a well-rounded conclusion.
- JUMP
“JUMP,” the lead single from “Deadline” released last summer, was a wildly successful hit when it was released last summer. The house beat mixed with powerfully confident verses and the only Korean lyrics on the EP is one sure to get you dancing. It brings a lot of energy to the EP, which is why I love it so much.
- GO
“GO,” which was released along with a music video focusing on a fantasy moonscape as the members sing and rap, features an empty chorus, which means it is just instrumental instead of lyrical. The production also accentuates the members’ voices without smothering or overpowering them. I especially love the second verse, when rapper Jennie plays on words revolving around “go,” by rapping about going for it, going out with friends, etc. “GO” stays true to BLACKPINK’s style while showing musical evolution.
Overall, “Deadline” was well worth the four-year wait. The members bring feisty dance tracks, addictive lyrics, and a feeling of sisterhood well-associated with their image. This BLACKPINK comeback combines both creativity and familiarity in the songs, and it makes “Deadline” such a fun listen.
