putting this here because i meant to write something short for bluesky and then i realized i was writing a whole ass review. too many thoughts in my head for such a small character limit!!!
music video
props to the director. very fluid CGI animations without it being overbearingly fake, fluid transitions that make me feel like i'm watching a trance visualizer, and full-body shots and angles that make the members seem massive. also love how the color palette reinforces the braggadocio of this group; popping golds and shiny silvers mixed into a dim palette make the members stand out quite well. i really don't know how to word how seamless this video appears to me; i guess the best way i can describe it is dynamic.
the idols look great.... except for the grating amount of cultural appropriation going on. it doesn't come as a surprise given the label they're signed to, but to see a k-pop dude with braids and grills on in 2025 is beyond outrageous and at this point it leaves me dumbfounded how YG continues to pull this shit after over a decade of criticism for it. maybe it's because they know people will continue to engage. i'm probably part of the problem, given i watched this in the first place.
song
when i first heard the teaser for this, i was immediately excited over the level of pure bass all over it; the way it swelled and boomed was exhilarating. i hear less of it in the full song, but it's likely because my earbuds are not picking up on them. (please can the audiophiles bother the music companies for me so i can get extremely cheap but actually not dogshit earbuds. no i won't try IEMs.)
the bits of acoustic guitar are definitely unexpected, but they add a nice contrast to the song's otherwise deep, pulsating tones. it reminds me a bit of latin pop, which makes it seem out of place, but it somehow works. also the light haired guy rapping over that guitar is fucking euphoric. love that shit.
i really do not get this label's obsession with swerving to a different sound for the end of their songs. i like where the song goes at the end, with that gritty synth and the clinking sounds alongside heavy slams, but it is so insanely abrupt that i feel they could've ended the song before it and it would've made more sense. also, the chant of "WE AIN'T EVEN FAMOUS" seems nonsensical to me. granted, i haven't read the lyrics translated to english, but based on the english lyrics, i'm just gonna guess that these are standard k-pop bullshit lyrics that make no sense. fine by me as long as the song is listenable. and i'm happy to say that, despite my criticisms: yes, it is listenable!
i really expected some absolute bog-level shit from TBL/YG, considering they let MEOVV out of the gate with whatever the fuck that debut of theirs was. but overall, i'm happy to say that i quite like this one. so many parts of this, like the guitar strums and the latin pop influence, feel like they wouldn't work together, but i think it all joins together to create a song that contrasts a lot without sacrificing fluidity and continuity.
conclusion
i only really checked this out because i adore bailey sok. i really could not give less of a shit about what YG does these days except for somi, but when i heard that my girl bailey was FINALLY making her debut, i had to take a look! i'm quite disappointed that she signed with this fuck-ass label of all choices, and especially her participation in egregious cultural appropriation, but i just have to hope that things on that front will improve over time, even if my cynical side says they won't.
overall, my initial impression is that this group wants to kick ass. given what we're shown here, they seem like they have the power to make a real impression on the scene. i just hope they aren't kneecapped by their label and direction's own utter ignorance before the members get a chance to show what they've got.