With Lady Gaga’s excellent Abracadabra being rapturously received around the globe, there’s a tantalizing feeling in the air that big shiny choruses and grandiose ideas may just be coming back to pop music. Us K-pop fans know any global trend takes a bit of time to filter down to the industry, but Born Again is only tangentially “K-pop,” anyway. The song is “global pop” in the true sense of the term, bringing together three artists of different nationalities in service of Lisa’s upcoming album Alter Ego. Thus far, her solo music has run the stylistic gamut, but Born Again goes straight for the pop jugular.
The killer trio of Lisa, Doja Cat and Raye trade verses over a lithe synth funk beat that could have easily found place on an album by The Weeknd. The song percolates and surges in all the right places, benefiting greatly each time the vocal arrangement decides to add some spice. Curiously, Lisa’s portions of the song see her exclusively singing, ceding Born Again‘s brief rap verses to her collaborators. At times she feels like a guest in her own song, with Doja Cat absolutely walking away with the track on verse two as she lands the biggest and best punches.
However, this song is bulletproof enough that they could have traded its various segments in many ways and still ended up with a winner. At nearly four minutes, Born Again takes its time to develop a full and satisfying structure, making room for oft-neglected pieces like an intro/outro and bridge. It’s old-fashioned in that way, never seeking to reinvent the wheel but always keeping its focus and sense of momentum. At this rate, it’s clear that YG Entertainment’s A&R team was to blame for BLACKPINK’s increasingly dull material because the group’s solo efforts are showcasing an exciting sense of scope and intention. This is my favorite Lisa single yet.
Hooks
8
Production
9
Longevity
9
Bias
9
RATING
8.75