With all of the darkness that’s occurring on this planet, don’t we deserve a little bit of enjoyable? (G)I-DLE, no less than, appear to suppose so – main their newest mini-album ‘I Really feel’ with a track like ‘Queencard’ definitely isn’t a transfer made by a bunch eager to linger on the bleakness of Earth’s present plights.
Campy, frothy enjoyable – and served with a wholesome dose of irony – the garishly vibrant title observe acts as a tongue-in-cheek collection of affirmations. “Highlight, have a look at me / I’m a star, star, star,” Soyeon and Yuqi share on the refrain, but it surely’s the lyrics on both facet of that tame declaration which have been elevating eyebrows. “Queencard, I’m scorching,” they start, completely acceptably earlier than all of it unravels: “My boob and booty’s scorching […] Queencard, I’m the highest / I’m twerking on the runway.” Cringy? Tacky? An affront to the English language? Sure, sure, and fairly presumably, however strive singing these strains with out them making you smile – and good luck protecting them out of your head, too.
As enjoyable because the track is, it’s a reduction that the remainder of ‘I Really feel’ doesn’t attain fairly as ridiculous ranges. Its remaining 5 tracks, although, refuse to get completely critical, as an alternative splitting between extra light-hearted moments and deeper subjects. On the happier finish, the 5 ladies unite in the hunt for a very good time on ‘Lucid’ and ‘All Night time’, prowling by slinky, noirish pop. “Do you need to dance with me?” Shuhua asks, every phrase delivered tantalisingly slowly earlier than she follows up with the whispered command: “Let’s simply have enjoyable collectively.”
‘All Night time’, in the meantime, loosens issues up extra. Co-written by Yuqi and PENTAGON’s Wooseok, it’s pushed by a low-slung, elastic bassline that’s sometimes punctuated by huge rock riffs. “All night time, we dance ’til the morning / All night time, we up all night time,” the women purr excessive, inviting you to hitch them of their ultra-chic dance occasion.
Rounding out the extra bubbly facet of the report is ‘Paradise’, a crystalline pop ballad that’s fairly however suffers from being surrounded by songs with such robust personalities. Lyrically, it’s an ode to an individual who makes “all ache in my reminiscence fade” and filled with comparisons to films and flying by the clouds – candy, however somewhat predictable.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum, (G)I-DLE discover their insecurities. The pop-punk chug of ‘Allergy’ affords up emotions of social media ennui and feeling out of step with the remainder of the world (“Each night time within the search tab / Am I the one one with out Chanel?,” Soyeon assesses. “Right this moment’s teenagers appear extra mature than I’m”). Coming proper after ‘Queencard’, its self-loathing is a whole 180, however even listened to in isolation there’s one thing that falls flat – not fairly sufficient angst to drag off the malaise of the style they’ve chosen to work with right here.
‘Peter Pan’, in the meantime, is misleading. Its instrumental is constructed of vibrant acoustic guitar strums and snapping beats, however the five-piece are feeling removed from sunny. “Nonetheless a infantile grownup / Just a bit taller / So insignificant, so pathetic / I need to make an excuse that I’m too younger,” they sigh. “However I’m an grownup / Even when I exploit a number of time / Silly, dumb, fool / Please get your act collectively.”
‘I really feel’ won’t be (G)I-DLE’s strongest launch to date, but it surely presents a bunch unafraid to make daring strikes as they develop creatively (each track was co-written or co-composed by no less than one of many members). Their behavior of constant to problem and experiment is what makes their comebacks so thrilling – lengthy could it proceed.
Particulars
- Launch date: Could 15, 2023
- Document label: CUBE Leisure
