By Naomi Rodriguez | 1 November, 2023
One of the largest endeavors from (G)-IDLE’s nonstop popularity has been their partnership with 88rising. When hints of their collaboration and tracklist were released, many were shocked yet excited to see the girls partake in a new sound that is not produced by the members. “HEAT” is a new chapter for (G)-IDLE, and a perfect unwinding to the hot summer they’ve had this year.
The girls released “I DO” as a single track and sneak peak into this collaboration in July. Paired with an other-worldly music video, the members are depicted as a singular alien entity able to shapeshift into each other through “hiccups” in the universe. Upon their crash into Earth, we follow a love story of them and a boy they meet in the forest. In the end, they choose to sacrifice themselves to save their love. I personally enjoyed this track as an intro into this new era as it shows a new side of the girls; a soft pop ballad that encompasses their unique vocals.
The next tracks we hear are “I Want That” and “Eyes Roll,” which is a shift from “I DO.” However, the new musical experimentation with “I Want That” is one of my favorites. This is a very Techno and House inspired track, by producer Lindgren - who has worked with Dua Lipa, R3HAB, and Zara Larsson in the past. I personally love how the standout voices of the group; Soyeon, Yuqi, and Shuhua, carried the chorus and let Minnie and Miyeon hold the beautiful vocals in the Pre-Chorus and Bridge. My favorite dance track on this EP is “Eyes Roll.” I love how the beat compliments the lyrics, especially Soyeon’s beginning lines: “Hard to handle, best be careful, When you work that ass.” This song is overall just a fun track to hear, it’s one of the songs I wish to see live. “I Want That” and “Eyes Roll” are tracks that show (G)-IDLE’s powerful voices while showcasing their versatility in music and performance.
The next song is the embodiment of the girl's style and confidence. “Flip It” feels like another version of their famous “My Bag.” This track is closest to their hip-hop sound and I feel like the girls delivered this so well. As a Nevie, this felt like a perfect scratch of satisfaction; it’s a song I always want to hear from them.
One of my top favorite tracks off this EP is “Tall Trees.” I feel like this is a beautiful song for the EP to finish with since it was released in early October. The entire EP had this strong, upbeat body but “Tall Trees” closes it with a soft closure for the season. It’s a short yet beautiful piece on the fear of falling in love when you’re sturdy like a ‘tall tree.’, and it feels like a transition into what their next sound could be.
From the music video “I DO,” I imagine a video series of the girls being representations of themselves in different universes, or the shapeshifting aspect. (G)-IDLE often stick to realism with metaphorical scenes in their music videos, so this is a shift to a more surreal and mystical approach such as hints of parallel universes and its glitches.
While this EP held a different sound, there was still that quintessential (G)-IDLE style found in the tracks. I would love to see the members be able to perform this EP as a performance series or even at 88rising’s Head In The Clouds Festival. From previous collaborations like K/DA, (G)-IDLE always commands the stage with their outfits, choreography, and stunning conceptual visuals. I hope we get to see them perform some of these songs and get to see more of their creativity with choreography. This collaboration with 88rising was a success for their first time; and I’m sure Nevies would love to see a next time where Soyeon gets to produce and write with their collaborators.
