[MV & Album Review] (G)I-DLE – 'I Made'

AKP STAFF

(G)I-DLE – 'I MADE'

Track List:

1. Senorita

2. What's Your Name

3. Put It Straight

4. Give Me Your

5. Blow Your Mind

(G)I-DLE just dropped their newest EP, 'I made.' Known for hits like "Latata" and "Hann," their comeback includes five tracks, including the title track "Senorita" -- it should be "Señorita," but I digress. It's always exciting to get a brand new album because you'll never know what you'll hear.

Fusing bass-heavy pop with Latin beats, "Senorita" is the title track. It was co-composed by Soyeon herself. The nice thing about this band is they don't seem to cling to the same sounds, like on this lush production. They even have the horns, giving the impression of emerging from a cantina on a sweltering night. A dose of attitude reminds us that it's still (G)I-DLE.

They dial it back a little on "What's Your Name." It still has those richly textured sounds, but the raps are a little more sing-songy. It's a warm production, and we get the heavy beats that keep me coming back for more. "Put It Straight" is a ballad, and it turns the themes of loneliness and isolation up to 11. The ethereal sounds and the stripped-down melody really works here. Even when it picks up in the first third, it still continues these themes and really sounds like they're lost, except they're not. And when Shuhua sings "it hurts," it seems like she means it.

"Give Me Your" has some western swing elements, as well as some folk stylings. The ad-libs are adorable, even as I'm not a big fan of the style. They do keep my interest, despite it not being my type of music. Kudos for at least trying something different. My suggestion? More guitar, less piano. The last track on here is "Blow Your Mind." It's got a pretty nice R&B beat, and it uses sampled vocals as part of the instrumentation, making them fuzzy and indistinct. It's strange because the song uses those the same way a rock band might use a guitar solo. Did it blow my mind? Not really. Is it a good track? Oh yeah.

You can't accuse them of trying to milk the same sound (or the same song) over and over. With the success of hits like Hann" and "Latata" they might be forgiven for doing just that. Instead, they've released an EP that not only eschews the formula but includes a wide range of genres, from R&B to western and even Latin pop. The only issue I have is that Shuhua got the shaft as far as line distribution. Still, I think 'I made' deserves its share of applause, and pick this up even if you're not a fan. There's something for everyone here.

MV REVIEW

If you thought the MV for "Latata" wasn't that good, you're not alone. I can report that this MV is a hell of a lot better.

The girls all appear to be in danger, whether from falling signs or hairdryers dropped in puddles. Edgy as all get out, we start with Soyeon sucking on a lollipop with a razor blade inside while explosions go off around her. How many licks does it take to the center of that one? The rest of it is no less cool. Soojin gets in a plunging elevator, Minnie serves Yuqi a birthday cake in a room where the pipes are about to burst. Shuhua walks through an alley past a giant hook swinging from a cable. Of course, the girls are all devil-may-care about all this. And that's just the first verse!

The dancing is really quite good, though you don't see much of it. Apparently, the star in this MV is the special effects. They don't do much in the way of the footwork, but...watch the hands. They do a lot with hands and arms and it would be quite mesmerizing -- if they didn't keep cutting away from it. I'm serious, I'll append the live cut I watched. A-mazing.

As good as it is, sometimes I couldn't tell whether I was watching an MV or a CF. The amount of product placement is...excessive. Seems like Kaja paid a pretty penny to get their 15 minutes of fame. And they show up everywhere, even at the end of the video. You'd think they'd be a little less obvious about it.

So they get points off for that. Though that trend does seem to be on the rise, whether they're featuring makeup or a soft drink. And I suppose, nihilistically, does it matter? We got a really cool video out of it, so in the end, what do you want?

As promised, the live show: