Since really getting into them about halfway through last year, G(I)-DLE has quickly become one of my favorite K-Pop acts. Everything about this group is cool and unique. From their empowering lyrics to their diverse sound and incredible stage presence, G(I)-DLE stands out in a major way with everything they do. For those who do not know, G(I)-DLE consists of five members: Soyeon, Minnie, Miyeon, Shuhua, and Yuqi. Each member of G(I)-DLE is so individually talented, and they all contribute in distinct ways that not only make them prominent individually but also make the group special as a whole. One thing that makes G(I)-DLE special is how they have a heavy hand in making their music. Unlike most other K-Pop artists, G(I)-DLE(Soyeon, Minnie, and Yuqi, with Soyeon mainly taking the reins) writes and produces pretty much everything they put out. Since debuting in 2018, G(I)-DLE has been one of the most popular girl groups in K-Pop(especially for those groups who are not a part of one of the four major K-Pop music labels). Their 2020 single album Dumdi Dumdi debuted at number 2 on the K-Pop Circle charts, and their 2022 full-length album I Never Die was on top of the Circle Charts for over two months. G(I)-DLE also saw a ton of success in 2023, achieving by far their most amount of international success(to go along with their popularity in Korea). Their EP I Feel spawned the single ‘Queencard,’ which was a number-one hit on the Circle Charts and became a viral success on TikTok. Near the end of 2023, the group released an all-English EP called HEAT, which also did very well(and is one of my favorite K-Pop projects from 2023). After their massive 2023, G(I)-DLE is already back with their second full-length album, 2. Here is how I feel about this new record from G(I)-DLE! Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite tracks are from G(I)-DLE 2, and also comment on how you feel about 2 as a whole.

G(I)-DLE gets 2 started on a powerful and high-octane note with the song ‘Super Lady.’ This is a song with so much “bad bitch” energy; not only through its decisive lyrics, but also through its bold sound. It is amazing how diverse the sound of this track considering it is only 2:32. The instrumental is constantly changing, keeping the listeners on their toes and hitting a variety of different types of music. There are elements of this track that feel like 2000’s Synth-Pop, Funky, Big Room House music, and even Pop-Rock. It is a song that older fans of the group will probably appreciate more. The instrumental morphs so many times as it progresses, giving this track such a massive feeling. The outro for ‘Super Lady’ feels like a chant from a marching band; I bet it would be so fun to see it performed live. All of the vocal performances on this track, but the two that stand out are Soyeon and Miyeon. Soyeon exhibits so much strength in her vocals through rap sections and singing sections, and Miyeon’s powerful singing vocals radiate on this track. On ‘Super Lady,’ G(I)-DLE asserts their power and independence, stating that they do not need a partner to make them feel like the stars they are. ‘Revenge’ is a song with an old-school feeling that combines funky Pop music with pretty Hard Rock. The melody switches between groovy Pop driven by huge synths and a tough guitar riff that varies in intensity as the song progresses. There is a portion of the instrumental that also makes me think of retro Latin Pop music. Particularly in the second verse of the track, the instrumental takes on a Latin element that feels like it is a crossover of artists like Ricky Martin and Santana. Like the first track, it is amazing how complex it is considering how short it is(2:24). I really enjoy the intensity of this instrumental, as it makes the song very cold in the best way. Out of all the vocal performances on this track, the ones that stick out the most are Minnie and Soyeon. Minnie’s vocal prowess can be heard in her rapping and singing throughout the tracks, whereas Soyeon’s rap during the second verse is particularly impressive. ‘Revenge’ is an aptly titled song, as on this one, G(I)-DLE is singing about being hurt by a former partner and wanting to make them hurt for the pain they caused. Similar to ‘Super Lady,’ ‘Doll’ is a song that combines hard, funky Rock music with 2000s-style Synth-Pop. This song is a lot slower than that one, though. Because of that, it kind of lacks the intensity that ‘Super Lady’ had. Even though this ‘Doll’ feels a lot less intense than that one, it feels a bit more intricate. The instrumental hits in a slightly different way, even though the melody styles are so similar. ‘Doll’ also feels a lot more modern than ‘Super Lady’ because of the Pop-Trap element to its beat. This Pop-Trap music will probably make it appeal a bit more to a younger audience because it makes the track a bit more relatable to other modern Pop music. As for the vocal performances on the track, the two that stick out are from Yuqi and Shuhua, both for their singing and their rapping. On ‘Doll,’ G(I)-DLE sings about how they will not be taken advantage of and cheated on anymore by their former partners because they are not someone to be played with. ‘Vision’ is a song that has quickly become a fan favorite from this record, and it is easy to see why. This is a song that leans into a trend that has become pretty big over the last year in music, and it executes this trend so well. ‘Vision’ is a song with an undeniable Jersey Club music influence. When I hear this song, I think of newer songs with this sound like Lil Uzi Vert’s ‘Just Wanna Rock’, or classic songs with this style like the ‘We Are Young’ remix by Dj Smallz. The beat also switches to a fun Pop-Trap tempo at times, keeping the song so fresh and fun. The melody for ‘Vision’ is so bright and sweet; driven by saturated synths; it has the kind of colorful feeling that will make me feel so nice when I hear it. All of the vocal performances on this one are so strong, but the two that stand out the most are Miyeon and Minnie, as their tones fit this style of melody so well. ‘Vision’ is a charming song about G(I)-DLE becoming infatuated with their new partner and feeling the butterflies from this budding relationship.

‘7Days’ is another song that is immediately emerging as one of the top songs on this record from fans. This track has a guitar-driven melody that feels melancholy and cheerful at the same time. Somehow this melody feels a bit pensive, but also feels inviting. I think this is a cool juxtaposition and makes the track very riveting. Like ‘Vision,’ ‘7Days’ is a song with a beat that switches back and forth from Electronic music and Pop-Trap. In this case, though, the Pop-Trap beat dominates the majority of the instrumental, with a UK Garage-style beat coming in and out to switch up the tempo. Besides the sound of the track, an additional thing that makes ‘7Days’ special is that it is the first English song in this project, making it more likely to appeal to an international audience. Like the previous track, every lady of G(I)-DLE sounds great on this track, but Minnie and Yuqi stick out the most. Their tones are so noticeable on ‘7Days,’ and they really make the track pop. 7Days’ is a beautiful love song where the members of G(I)-DLE are singing about how they can not stop thinking about their new partner. ‘Fate’ may have the most interesting sound of any track on the record, and that is saying a lot. This song immediately made me think of Japanese Pop-Rock music; in particular, this song feels heavily inspired by artists like sakanaction or Fujifabric. I honestly did not know that this type of song was in G(I)-DLE’s bag, and I think it is very cool to hear them go in this direction. ‘Fate’ is driven by a quirky and vivid guitar riff with a bit of a Punk feel to it. It has the kind of light feeling that makes me smile when I hear it. The beat for this track has a very modern feeling with a bit of a Pop-Trap arrangement. It is not the kind of beat I would expect with this melody, but I have to say it works well. Out of all the great vocal performances on this one, the two that pop the most come from Shuhua and Yuqi. They both have very distinct tones that really shine through in this track. On ‘Fate,’ G(I)-DLE sings about mental health and pushing through every day. Sometimes, life gets us down for seemingly no reason, but we always have to pick ourselves up and keep going because that is what life is about. ‘Rollie’ is not getting the kind of love that ‘Vision’ and ‘7Days’ are currently getting, but I would not be remotely surprised if this one ends up being the most popular song from the record as time moves along. This song has the kind of huge, gritty energy that G(I)-DLE’s iconic track ‘My Bag’ has. This is a hard-hitting Trap track with a dark and rugged feeling that I completely love. The melody for this track, which is driven by a variety of different kinds of synths ranging from dainty to fat, has a sinister feeling to it. This melody has the kind of energy that makes me want to scrunch my face and headbang when it comes on. ‘Rollie’ has a bold and huge Trap beat that goes so well with the energy of the instrumental. Everything about this track feels powerful and colossal, which makes it so enjoyable. Similar to ‘7Days,’ ‘Rollie’ is entirely in English, making it more likely to hit in the Western music listening world. ‘Rollie’ is yet an additional track with such good vocals from all of the ladies that it is tough to pick favorites. I will say though, the two vocal performances that hit the most for me come from Soyeon for her rapping and Miyeon for the range in which she sings with. On ‘Rollie,’ G(I)-DLE talks about how they know they are the shit and how much they are into their new partner. It is just as much a braggadocious song as it is a love song. G(I)-DLE closes out 2 with the first single released from this project, ‘Wife.’ This song was polarizing among G(I)-DLE’s fans when it came out, but I have to say, I love it. This track has a sound that reminds me of two very cool types of music from the early-to-mid 2000s. The beat and “melody” for this track(if you can call it that), feel like a fusion of the Will.i.am-produced music for artists like Fergie and Britney Spears in the late 2000s, and the Timbaland-produced music for Missy Elliott in the early 2000s. This is a fusion of sounds I would have never expected to hear, but I have to say it works out so well. To be honest, I do not think I can actually pick out my favorite vocal performances on this track. Every member of G(I)-DLE contributes to ‘Wife’ in such a poignant way that makes the song so exciting and fun. On ‘Wife,’ G(I)-DLE is rapping about how even though they do all the necessary chores to make their partner happy, It does not matter what they do for this person, as it seems like they always have a wandering eye. ‘Wife’ is a strange and exhilarating way to end this record, and it certainly closes out 2 with a bang.

One thing that is evident about G(I)-DLE is that they are always willing to think outside of the box and take risks. This is a group that never plays it safe, and is always wanting to try out new sounds and push boundaries within K-Pop that most other artists are not willing to touch. This idea is extremely evident on 2. This is such a diverse album with a variety of sounds that can appeal to a variety of music fans. It is amazing how wide the range of sounds and influences are on this record, considering how short the project is. It is easy to see that there is nothing G(I)-DLE can’t do; there is no limit to their artistry. I will say, the one thing that sort of pulls this album down a tiny bit for me is its length. At 8 songs, the fact there is only one track that is more than 3 minutes feels like they are selling the listeners short a bit. The music on G(I)-DLE’s 2 is honestly great for the most part, but I want more of it. With 2, G(I)-DLE once again shows why they are one of the most talented and popular artists in K-Pop today. It makes me very excited to see what they do next, as the length of this project leaves me wanting so much more.

BEST TRACKS – ‘VISION, ‘7DAYS,’ ‘FATE,’ ROLLIE,’ ‘WIFE’

7.79/10