Song Review: BABYMONSTER – We Go Up

Thus far, BABYMONSTER have followed the tried and true YG Entertainment formula, releasing a bunch of seemingly disparate digital singles eventually cobbled together into a mini or full album. This new comeback feels much more typical of K-pop: a title track and a few new b-sides. They’re not even tacking their summer single Hot Sauce onto the tracklist (probably for the best, honestly).

New single We Go Up features a cabal of co-writers with a few new names in the bunch. This made me curious for a bold new sound that never quite materializes. The song is a relatively standard hype, “I’m so badass” hip-hop banger, adding to YG’s already deep well of performative badassery. Its bombastic, brassy production reminds me of another recent track within this wheelhouse. We Go Up has a more fleshed out chorus, but lacks the memorable dynamics between segments that help its story unfold. It’s solid all the way through, yet often perfunctory.

With this said, We Go Up is probably the best blend yet of BABYMONSTER’s vocal and rap skills. Each side gets a chance to shine, though stronger melodies could tease out the group’s solid vocal line more effectively. I could do without the many English lyrics as well. They feel too generic and these kind of songs are at their best when they’re specific and weird. However, the dramatic production fires on all cylinders, especially when incorporating rock elements. I imagine there’s a very cool stage mix being prepared right now for the year-end shows that’ll easily bump this up a few notches.

Grade: B-