It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from either Zico or BLACKPINK, making this new duet instantly buzzy. Amidst all the uproar happening in the industry at the moment, HYBE might be hoping this superstar collaboration could be a bit of a distraction. But at the end of the day it’s the music itself that should be most important. So, when it comes to music, how does Spot! fare?
Prior to its release, Spot‘s teasers unveiled the song’s most cloying moment — a descending, siren-like synth hook that seems intent on killing your ear drums. Despite opening with this salvo, the song doesn’t feature the flourish often. That’s to its great benefit, as a little of that synth goes a long way. Instead, Spot is a loose funk jam, built upon nimble percussion that has an early-2000’s Neptunes flair. This production goes a long way toward selling the song as a carefree burst of pop.
Zico and Jennie make great sparring partners, though both of their performances feel a bit too forceful at times for this kind of rhythmic arrangement. There isn’t much to the melodies or chorus, but the duo mostly sell Spot‘s predictable “up and down, round and round” refrains. And let’s be honest, everything about the track seems destined for streaming ubiquity. It’s charismatic but easy to listen to, and the groove is so consistent you could play this in a loop and hardly notice where it begins or ends. I don’t see myself rushing to it often, but there’s no denying its commercial power.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8