Blackpink’s newest five-song EP, “Deadline” attempts to mix the k-pop group’s traditional pop influences with electronic dance elements, a brave endeavour that ultimately falls flat in the end.
After four years of radio silence as the individual members attempt to establish their own careers, Blackpink fans held their breath at the announcement of the girls (Lisa, Jennie, Rose and Jisoo) coming together to release their third EP.
The EP was hyped up as the way for Blackpink to reestablish their dominance in the k-pop industry, but instead the group ended up falling into old patterns with repetitive song structures that just happen to have synth-pop elements added in.
Blackpink sets the tone for the EP with the opening song “Jump,” a track that discusses the importance of friendships between women with EDM-esque beats playing in the background.
While the song is definitely a fun listen, it feels more like a factory produced clubbing song than the daring and original tunes that Blackpink is known for.
The next song on the list is “Go,” which follows suit with the EDM sound present in the last one, except with an aggressive beat drop that is more reminiscent of the old Blackpink.
This song almost tricks audiences into believing that Blackpink has found their voice again, but the group makes sure to bring expectations down again with their following track “Me and My.”
The track sounds like they’re getting back to their older, more edgy tones, but the lyrics feel soulless and repetitive.
While usually, the girlboss-esque vibes present in their lines seem authentic and true to each member’s style, this time it felt more like a corporate imitation.
Next up, another letdown for fans with “Champion”, a track that feels almost identical to the last one.
The song structure is almost the same, and the lyrics still feel just as empty as before.
The ending track to tie this predictable mess all together is “Fxxxboy.”
The lyrics regurgitate the old “give him a taste of your own medicine” tone from previous Blackpink tracks, but this time with overused repetitive verses.
Overall, the EP proves something that Blackpink has been desperately trying to defend themselves against: each member is going in drastically different creative directions.
Each song sounds like a bunch of different artists collaborating with each other instead of a unified group.
Even more disappointing, the EP is almost entirely in English.
While this isn’t necessarily a negative, it’s clear that a lot of talent was taken away due to this decision.
Their attempts at appealing to a broader – more western – audience ultimately came at a creative cost, a troubling development that has been seen throughout the k-pop industry.
This newest EP highlights all the issues found in the k-pop industry right now: industry plants, lack of creative direction and westernization.
While it’s hard to see such an influential girl group deteriorate at this level, it’s clear that Blackpink is definitely not in their prime anymore.
In order to preserve each of their individual careers, the smart move would be to disband and use the Blackpink hype to further their influence.
