The idea of a K-pop debut gets more muddled by the year, with pre-releases and pre-debut tracks quite common these days. G.O.A.T doesn’t even bill itself as a proper music video, though it’s the first full taste of upcoming group ONE PACT. These guys have a lot of goodwill behind them, with every member participating in this spring’s Boys Planet. And just last week, their main vocal Jay Chang debuted as a soloist.
Unfortunately, G.O.A.T is boilerplate boy group slop. “Greatest of all time” is quite a boast to open a career and requires dynamite music to back it up. This song shows promise as a performance piece, but its lack of a real chorus drags it down. Its verse unveils a compelling soundscape and energy, pulsing along resounding percussion and exciting build. It’s not remotely original, but its confidence is infectious.
Then, G.O.A.T collapses into a lame spoken-word hook. The instrumental loses drive as the guys tell us to ‘call them GOAT,” which sounds just as silly as it reads. It’s as if the producers lost interest in the song halfway through. This centerpiece feels mismatched and lazy where it should be commanding and memorable. Hopefully, their agency has stronger material in the vault when it comes time for ONE PACT’s official debut. At the very least, they deserve a concept that’s more than “stereotypical boy group dancing in dark parking garage.”
Hooks
6
Production
8
Longevity
7
Bias
7
RATING
7