Last Friday, the most-streamed girl group in history, BLACKPINK, returned from a three-year hiatus with their highly anticipated third mini album “DEADLINE.” While the group’s four members — Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé — have focused on expanding their solo discographies during their break, the quartet has finally returned to the studio with a new record that mostly falls flat.
The five-track mini album opens with the pre-released single “JUMP,” which is easily the best song on the EP. Fast-paced and fluid, “JUMP” throbs with electricity. The song fuses club music, bass synths and guitar riffs to create an addictive dance track fit for music festivals and neon raves.
As the pre-chorus gradually accelerates, the section reaches its climax when Jennie counts to three in Korean. The chorus slams into the listener like a punch to the sternum, charging forward with a hard-hitting instrumental bookended by distorted adlibs. BLACKPINK is no stranger to beat drops, and the chorus of “JUMP” is their best yet.
Rosé carries this energy into the post-chorus, singing, “So come up with me, I’ll take you high / That prima donna spice up your life.” Bouncing between punchy lyrics and EDM explosions, “JUMP” excels in its mastery of timing and momentum.
Though “GO” has a similar sonic identity –– interrupting melodic verses with intermissions of heavy dubstep –– the mini album’s second track lacks fluid transitions. While the chorus’s production beautifully layers synths and rugged percussion, it ultimately feels hollow and leaves more to be desired.
The song regains its footing when the girls get a chance to sing. The track’s bridge is an oasis from the repetitive, scattered dubstep, ultimately softening the song’s sharp edges with sentimental vocals. Despite the dissonance between its EDM-heavy instrumentals and its soulful interludes, “GO” remains an enjoyable listen.
The album’s third track, “Me and my,” marks a shift from quality performance to generic pop. The girls rattle off lyrics like “Hide your man, we ain’t playin, just me and my girls, ayy” as they sing about female friendship and confidence. While the song is catchy, it sidelines Jisoo and Rosé in favor of what seems like Lisa attempting her best Cardi B impression.
“Champion,” another track about self-empowerment, is equally unoriginal. The girls sing in unison, “And if I take a, take a ‘L’ I’ll still fight / ‘Til the bitter end, I’m strong, ‘cause I know I’m a champion” over slow claps. In the song’s last 30 seconds, “Champion” spirals into what sounds like a remix of the rest of the song as the members chant “BLACKPINK” before rehashing the chorus.
While admittedly uplifting, “Champion” lacks the pull to make the listener hit replay.
Finally, no BLACKPINK album is complete without a melancholy ballad about heartbreak. Featuring raw vocals and an acoustic guitar, “Fxxxboy” plays to Rosé’s strengths with its stripped-down instrumentals. The chorus is delightfully airy and bittersweet, but the song in its entirety is not compelling.
While the album starts off strong with “JUMP” and “GO,” the last three tracks are predictable to a fault. Though fans of BLACKPINK’s previous work will likely enjoy a select few parts of the mini album, “DEADLINE” depends too much on formula and clichés. It begs the question: Was this really worth a three-year wait?
Kendra Eastep is also a senior staff writer covering arts and culture.
