NewJeans “Get Up” EP Review

NewJeans 2nd EP ‘Get Up’

NewJeans

• Genre: K-Pop
• Date: 21 Jul, 2023
• Content: Not-explicit
• Track(s): 6
• ℗ 2023 ADOR Co., Ltd.

Although NewJeans may be new to the scene, they are quickly taking over the world. In July 2022, the five teen popstars Hanni, Minji, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein made their debut with their four-track self-titled EP. With their second EP, “Get Up,” which touches on the Y2K emotions, the girl trio makes a comeback after their record-breaking mini album and electrifying back-to-back songs.

As they perform the biggest tunes of the summer, all five members are more assured than ever. Every song is under three minutes long and has a runtime of only 15 minutes, but they are all powerful. With “Get Up,” they dismantle the restrictions of the conventional K-pop approach with a wide range of sounds, including high-octane pop, Jersey and Baltimore club, British garage, and blends with R&B and hip-hop influences.

EP Cover Art

A digital version of the Powerpuff girls with all their glitz and colors is used as the cover art for NewJeans’ EP, illustrating how they visualize themselves as a super girl group.

Tracks and Features

“New Jeans,” the project’s lead single, was introduced as a pre-release with a video highlighting their collaboration with the Powerpuff Girls. The quasi-jingly number, which once again features Danish R&B trailblazer Erika de Casier and main composer and producer Jinsu Park, draws inspiration from Jersey club and UK garage for its percussion-driven soundscape. It is finished with a straightforward yet memorable hook and flawless mixing that makes demo-like layers feel maximalist.

One of the track’s most intriguing features is a ticking sound in the last ten seconds that quickly conjures up an image of a clock. This sound is simple to overlook yet somewhat sinister once you do. The song is also Haerin’s debut composition, with lyrics that sound both foreboding and nostalgic.

While “Super Shy” is a coy confession song, it depicts a painfully self-aware picture rather than encouraging the other person to take the first move. The song’s sound mainly relies on repetition, blending synthesized sounds with muted skittering breakbeats to produce a buoyant melody that ebbs and flows throughout.

Before the chorus, practically everything fades away and is gradually built back up: first the synth, then the percussion and snaps, then the background chimes, which climax in fun vocal chopping near the conclusion. Vocally, the quintet exhibits a different side in the first verse’s accelerated soft raps.

While “ETA,” an acronym for “Estimated Time of Arrival,” likewise emphasizes pleasant melodies, it takes things to the next level with choppy air horns and even more hurried drum breaks, which results in a funkier performance. As much as their stage presence sells it, the studio version of “ETA” is significantly more complex and stunning than its live counterpart. NewJeans first performed “ETA” at their recent Bunnies Camp fan meeting in Seoul, offering fans a sneak glimpse of the choreography and performance to expect.

The final tune in the title track streak is “Cool With You,” but it’s far from the last. This is without a doubt where NewJeans’ vocals, which are firmly steeped in UK garage, shine the strongest, both in solo runs and exquisitely blended harmonies. Similar to “Hurt” from their debut EP, “Cool With You” will serve as a great gauge for the members’ vocal development, which has already made tremendous strides, notably in the case of maknae Hyein. Both vocally and physically, “Cool With You” is amazing.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	TIME
1	New Jeans	1:48
2	Super Shy	2:34
3	ETA	2:31
4	Cool With You	2:27
5	Get Up	0:36
6	ASAP	2:14

EP Theme

The energetic dance music on NewJeans’ second EP, Get Up, captures the euphoria of self-love and infatuation.

Production Credits

In addition to Park Jin-su and 250, “Get Up” was also produced by Frankie Scoca, Catharina Stoltenberg, and Henriette Motzfeldt.

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