Stray Kids almost always follow up their title tracks with additional videos, but this time they’ve designated Divine (신선놀음) as a double title track, complimenting the relatively subdued Do It that premiered alongside the mixtape. I’ve seen quite a few fans say they prefer this one, and it certainly leaves more of an impression.
Where Do It mined Latin grooves, Divine finds its footing in old-school hip-hop. This is very well-tread territory, not only for Stray Kids but for K-pop in general. It takes quite a bit of creativity to make the sound feel fresh in 2025, and Divine mostly sticks to expectations. I hear some cool synths here and there that remind me of Dr. Dre’s second wave of late 90s success, while the percussion hits with a more primal force.
While the song doesn’t excite me in the way the group’s best music does, I definitely prefer it to Do It. The hooks don’t feel gimmicky (intro aside…) and the mix of rap and vocals compliment each other well. The shouty chorus comes across as powerful rather than whiny and the verses strut rather than clobber you over the head. The track could use a more galvanizing finale, as the autotuned vocals don’t send it off on the high I’d hope for, but as a mixtape track I think this works pretty well.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8