Blackpink lets “Go” of their YG identity with ‘Deadline’

“Blackpink in your area.” This sonic YG watermark was retired from their latest songs, as Blackpink altered their identity with the release of Deadline.

The group let go of their iconic YG formula: the catchy EDM-trap choruses, the music videos built on elaborate soundstage sets and the bold girl-crush spectacle featuring a hyper-saturated pop palette.

As Blackpink approaches their tenth anniversary, they clearly have reached a turning point. Especially after the critical and commercial success of the members’ solo work over the past year. Such as Rosé’s Grammy-nominated “APT.” to Jennie’s viral moment with “Like Jennie.”

The five tracks on the mini-album are written and produced by a cohort of global award winners and hitmakers. The album features songs by creators such as Cirkut, Diplo, Teddy and EJAE. The wide spread of songwriters leaves each song feeling pulled in a different direction. Overall, Deadline reads more as a moodboard for the “new” Blackpink than a finished collection.

“Go,” the EDM centerpiece with dubstep and glitch hop elements, showcases Blackpink’s first sci-fi adventure through both sound and visuals. Its surging electronic waves crash against the listener’s ears, just like floodwaters against the oars of Noah’s Ark in the CGI-dominant, futuristic music video. The video shows the members posing in a tight formation, complete in monochrome, sculptural outfits. 

The arrangement delivers a roller-coaster listening experience, shifting between restrained passages and explosive choruses. It’s like a sudden ejection from an aircraft into cosmic freefall when the beatdrop in the chorus loop abruptly connects to an ethereal bridge, with a melody that recalls Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.” Along with Chris Martin being one of the songwriters, it is also the first time all four members have written a song together. 

“Me and my” and “Fxxxboy” offer flashbacks to Blackpink’s established styles. The rap-heavy, minimal-beat “Me and my,” with its club vibe of a girls’ night, would fit more comfortably on Lisa’s solo tracklist than on this album. The guitar-led “Fxxxboy” evokes a sentiment of the group’s earlier work “Stay” with Rosé’s opening. Her signature honey-like nasal tone has changed to a more grounded, mature vocal delivery. The first hint of this voice appeared in her pre-debut feature on G-Dragon’s “Without You,” and now it is fully refined after her solo album rosie, which “Fxxxboy” could also find an emotional spot in its tracklist. Tracks like this highlight the beauty of Blackpink’s group sound: Jennie’s strong voice, Jisoo’s fresh and minty clarity, Rosé’s warm tone and Lisa’s increasingly assured vocals that still retain a youthful touch.

“Jump” and “Champion” can serve as celebration moments. The pre-released single is a hardstyle banger with a summer music festival vibe. The latter plays like a World Cup anthem for Blackpink and their fans. 

Being the only one on the mini-album to include a “Blackpink in your area” signature tag. At its closure, “Jump” marked a clear end to the old Blackpink, with its new attempt at Eurodance.

“Champion” features a minor-to-major tonal shift from verse to chorus. It also pairs lyrics about keeping faith in oneself against the headwind and gives the pop-rock number a layered experience. Ultimately the song combines the hand-clapping bravado of “We Will Rock You” with the pathos of “We Are the Champions.”

Lacking a narrative or concept arc, the tracklist feels like a menu assembled by five teams of Michelin-starred chefs. Each course is delicately crafted and lavishly resourced, but the flavors don’t speak to one another. In the end, it leaves the full meal (and album) less satisfying.

With members having their solo albums almost entirely in English, it’s no surprise that only one track on Deadline includes Korean lyrics. Even then, the Korean amounts to little more than the titular hook, “Jump.”

As language no longer distinguishes the big “K” and Blackpink shakes off its old “Korporate” label, the question for the group remains: what comes next?