On Friday, Sept. 6, girl group BLACKPINK released its latest album “Born Pink.” The album is composed of eight songs ranging from the high energy hip-hop songs the group is known for to Y2K-style sad girl bops. While the new album is mostly in line with the band’s previous releases, it also experiments with new sounds.
“Born Pink’s” first song, “Pink Venom” comes in hot, making it a perfect opener for the album. This upbeat bop references Rihanna’s “Pon de Replay” in one of the first lines, which sets the listener up for the rest of the song. What really makes “Pink Venom” a good song, however, are the changes in tone throughout the track, and such changes keep the listener engaged and entertained.
The pre-chorus, for example, slows the song down and gives an almost mysterious vibe that switches as the song moves to the chorus, which is more upbeat and direct. Generally, “Pink Venom” is well put together and sounds really great — it’s probably the best song on the album.
The album’s second song, “Shutdown,” is very different from “Pink Venom.” It features a violin playing in the background, which I’m not a big fan of. Billboard said the innovation in the song makes it impressive and is just what the band needs — I must say, I disagree. While the song is catchy, it’s simply not my favorite.
The third song on the album, “Typa Girl,” has a cool beat and is easy to get into. The song isn’t at the top of my list of favorites, but it is solid and enjoyable.
“Yeah Yeah Yeah” felt like it was made in the wrong time period. For me, the song felt like it would fit perfectly in a 2016 coming-of-age movie. It’s simple, it’s cute, but it’s not my favorite.
“Hard to Love” is the album’s fifth song and one of its best. “Hard to Love” is an upbeat sad song, which I think most people enjoy and relate to. The beat is fun and I can easily see myself jamming out to this song — it definitely has the potential to be one of the highlights of a future concert.
“The Happiest Girl” is another personal favorite from the album. It would fit in with the middle school emo era of 2013 perfectly, and I mean that in the best way possible. The song is really beautiful and not at all what I expected from BLACKPINK. “The Happiest Girl” is a slow-sad ballad, similar to Little Mix’s “These Four Walls.” The chorus opening is also absolutely stunning.
The seventh song on the album, “Tally,” is really solid. Similar to “Typa Girl,” this song is enjoyable and sounds great. While it isn’t a flashy-standout song like some of the others, it’s a good neutral toned song I believe most people will enjoy.
“Ready for Love,” like “Pink Venom,” did its job beautifully. As the last song on the album, its energy and form really gave BLACKPINK fans that classic pop/hip-hop flare the group is known for. It does a great job of sending listeners off on a good note. I don’t think there is anything not to like about this song.
Overall, “Born Pink” is a fun album that I think fans will love. It follows the classic hip-hop vibes BLACKPINK is known for, plus some experimental pieces that are done well and showcase the group’s range.
