Even though today marks KiiiKiii’s official debut, it feels like they “debuted” weeks ago with their pre-release I Do Me heavily promoted on music shows. I still find that track incredibly generic, but its earworm melody has snuck up on me through sheer repetition and the group sell it well on stage. Now, it’s time to see what KiiiKiii have up their sleeves for their first mini album.
BTG leads this album as its title track (though I’m not sure it’s ever officially been designated as such?). Rather than the sweet melodicism of I Do Me, this song unveils an airy, dreamlike sound punctuated by surprisingly heavy rap. It’s as if K-pop’s current “beigepop” trend has been hijacked by a more attitude-forward energy. It all comes together during BTG‘s “been that girl” hook, which melds soft textures with a confrontational chant.
To KiiiKiii’s credit, BTG does sound like a small step forward compared to many of their peers. It’s an interesting piece of music, even if it’s not always enjoyable. The production during the verses moves from minimalist to apocalyptic to hypnotic in the space of a few seconds, catching the listener off guard. Yet when it comes down to it, BTG is yet another K-pop track that builds itself around a spoken word catchphrase and relegates melody to its pre-chorus. Even with the most exciting instrumental, this approach feels like an unfulfilled tease.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5