July Multi-Song Review Pt. 1 (aespa, Snow Man, NewJeans, BLACKPINK)

aespa - Girls

I initially found Girls a little overwhelming, a cacophonic menagerie of every single soundscape into four-and-a-half minutes, not giving a single second to breathe. Over time, however, I grew to appreciate the song. While initially written for NCT, Girls works great for aespa, blending grunge, hip-hop, and celebratory brass with a brash and loud attitude.  As with much of aespa's music, it makes little sense, with lyrics that feel that they could have been generated by an AI. Nonetheless, the song comes together with some strong hooks and an anchoring post-chorus.

Rating: 8.75/10

Purchase aespa's Girls album here!

Snow Man - Orange Kiss

I feel like my enjoyment of Snow Man's music has been inversely related to their commercial success. They have slowly but surely grown into one of the biggest acts in Japan. Orange Kiss does not live up to their golden dance-pop days of Dancing Dynamite or Grandeur but is likely their best song in a long while. It is a classic Johnny's pop song, with fun hooks, lovely beats, and musical-ready energy attached to it. Orange Kiss won't change your life, but it will entertain you for its runtime.

Rating: 8/10

Purchase Snow Man's first album... or just purchase something else while waiting for a discount... right here!

NewJeans - Hype Boy

To be honest, I really have been wanting to talk about NewJeans, their debut single series has been fantastic, and I am glad to see them get the hype they deserve. At the same time, they continue a disturbing trend I have been seeing with minor fourth-generation idols; sexualization. Thankfully, individuals have taken note of this issue, and hopefully, companies will now stop doing that. That said, NewJean's Hype Boy is a fantastic Y2K-era pop song, with some clever song structure and a melody that worms itself into your head as you follow the song through the four MVs. I must especially note that catchy chorus.

Rating: 8.75/10

Purchase NewJean's debut EP right here!

BLACKPINK - Ready For Love

After ages, Korea's most internationally popular girl group comes back with a CF for a mobile port of a game from 2017, which has been leaked in some form or the other since the time of their last comeback. YG know fans will eat up any music and are certainly taking advantage of that. BLACKPINK are more influencers than musicians, which is unfortunate, given their musical talent. Ready For Love sounds like a leftover b-side from their 2017-19 phase, with atmospheric verses leading into a tropical drop. This works in a nostalgic sense, but I could hardly call this song groundbreaking.

Rating: 7.25/10

Purchase BLACKPINK's last album here!

Image Source: The Bias List