Expectations have been high for NewJeans since the release of their debut EP in August 2022, which became the first debut album by a K-pop girl group to sell more than a million copies. They conquered the monthly charts on Melon, Korea’s biggest music streaming service, becoming the first group to take the top three spots on the chart from January to March this year, and became the fastest K-pop act to reach one billion streams on Spotify following the release of their first single album, OMG.
It’s safe to say many were looking forward to their latest EP, Get Up, released on July 21. Just as the lyrics in the first song state: “Look it’s a new me/Switch it up who’s this,” NewJeans uses the EP as an attempt to refine their youthful sound – to varying success.
A key thing to remember about the album is that track placement is very important, as the songs on Get Up tell a love story, beginning with a crush in “Super Shy” to suspicions of infidelity in “ETA”.
The album begins with “New Jeans”, a lo-fi self-titled intro. But while the artistic direction for the music video is exceptional, the song itself barely passes as a track, as it is sleepy with repetitive, simple lyrics and a monotonous vocal delivery.
Next up is one of the album’s three title tracks, “Super Shy,” which gets better the more you hear it. Not only are the airy and hopeful vocals charming and convincingly lovestruck, but it also boasts an addictive bassline and percussion seen often in the UK garage genre. Member Hyein’s rap break is another stand-out element due to her enunciation and flow; it’s the first time she’s rapped on a NewJeans song, and it would be interesting to see her further develop this skill in future releases.
“ETA” starts with a loud, lively, distorted bass loop that seems out of place compared to NewJean’s previous releases. But the urgency of the sound aligns with the song’s concept of warning a friend about her partner’s infidelity. The forceful repetitiveness of the chorus – “What’s your ETA? What’s your ETA?” also racks up the tension, along with lines like “you deserve better than that” and “boys be always lyin’”. It’s a catchy pop hit with a refreshingly layered instrumental, and it’s easy to imagine it being a live concert favourite.
The slick, laid-back “Cool With You” is much more mellow than the other title tracks. Its music video was a massive success, thanks in no small part to appearances from Hong Kong movie star Tony Leung and Squid Game actress Hoyeon Jung, but the group used a similar concept for 2022’s “Cookie” – and executed it much better.
Not only do the members’ voices blend together and lose their distinctiveness, but the lack of passion in the vocal delivery is jarring compared to the besotted adoration of the lyrics. The song also has no climax or evolution; it just mindlessly continues. While this may be ideal for looping during an era of streaming, it feels unsatisfying.
“Get Up”, the second to last track on the EP, may only be 36 seconds long, but it sounds angelic, maximising the group’s soft, ethereal vocals with all-English lyrics.
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The final track, “ASAP”, has a promising start but feels more like an interlude due to its short length (2:14) and simple structure – the chorus feels repetitive and completely deprived of the youthful energy of a typical NewJeans release. It’s a disappointing way to end the EP.
Long-time followers of NewJeans may find themselves less than satisfied if they were hoping the group would reach new musical heights after the appeal of the music videos, celebrity appearances and marketing gimmicks wore off.
While Get Up is a step forward, it is messy and inconsistent. From the uncommonly short songs – the longest track on the EP is 2:34 minutes – to the uninspiring vocal delivery, the EP is still fine. However, a mega-group like them can only release so many OK albums before they risk losing their position on top.
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Nonetheless, Get Up is not without its charms. While the songs may fall flat in terms of lyrics, structure and vocals, the exploration into the UK garage genre suits NewJeans, and multiple music publications have praised their new sound – British music magazine NME even gave the EP five out of five stars. Members Haerin and Danielle also participated in the songwriting process, giving them contributor credits, a rare feat in K-pop.
So while this release may not surpass the quality of their previous ones, it is admirable that their management is not afraid of releasing less conventional material. Perhaps their experimentation will bear fruit in time and NewJeans will return as the bubbly group we all love.
