New Music Friday - 07/03/2025

Albums:

• GFOTY - INFLUENZER
  
• Jennie -  RUBY
• Lady Gaga - MAYHEM
  

Singles:

• Blusher - RACER
• Chloe Qisha - Sex, Drugs and Existential Dread
• Doechii - Anxiety 
• f5ive - Magic Clock
• LAUREL - Fucking You To Death
• Nova May - BIG FAT MONSTA TRUCK
  
• Rachel Chinouriri - Can We Talk About Isaac?
• Tom Aspaul - Drama
  

Lady Gaga - MAYHEM

Disease: I've loved this song since it was first released. It feels like a great dark pop type song. It's just an addictive bop I want to return to again and again. The chorus is so strong, vocally and otherwise. I don't get why everyone else hates it, but me and minority music opinions go together well! This is the sort of Gaga I want, something kinda novel but you can really still see her in it. 8/10

 

Abracadabra: The second single, and where I became a bit more scared for the rest of the album. I don't think it's bad by any means, but I do think it was leaning a bit too much into the 'look, I'm Lady Gaga, I can make songs like I used to that you really loved, I promise!" Honestly, the production in the verses is great and ESPECIALLY the pre-chorus is great, it's the chorus that loses me really. It builds up really well and switches it up into...that. I mean, it's not bad, but meh, it could have been better. It's definitely grown on me since release but Disease outslays. 7/10

 

Garden of Eden: Tell me that this doesn't sound like a reject from The Fame/The Fame Monster era, please. This is what makes me worry about the album being reheating stale old Gaga nachos. Like, it's fine? But like, Paparazzi and all that are already there, y'know? Anyway, like I say, it's not bad, it sounds pretty decent, I just can't get past it being kinda like a parody of old Gaga sounds. The ending is a bit...there 7/10

 

Perfect Celebrity: Okay, Plastic Doll reference (and copycat song!). It's likely very intentional, but I can't not hear Plastic Doll in the verses here. Plastic Doll wasn't my favourite song on Chromatica. And then it switches up strongly...The choruses are definitely better here. It's catchy and sounds good. 7/10

 

Vanish Into You: There's something about this that I both do and don't like? Is it the vocals? Not sure. It's a decent song. I'm not really sure I like the 'Vanish Into You' chorus tons, especially the end of it, but whatever. It's decent, though I don't see anything exceptional in it. 7/10

 

Killah: The kinda goofy vocals here...meh. I'm not really feeling it honestly. I can't really say why, but this song's production and the way it's sung both annoy me. It reminds me of a song I can't quite think of currently. It has stupid ass noises and screaming at the end I suppose. Makes it a bit more interesting at least? The switchup at the very end...eh 5/10

 

Zombieboy: Okay funk. I do NOT like intros like that. It has grown on me throughout the song. Again, it really sounds like another song I can't quite place my finger on currently. Is it Hollaback Girl? Anyway, it's lowkey kinda annoying, but maybe it's also good? I definitely see potential for me to like this more than I do currently. Maybe it's time to force myself to like it? 6/10

 

LoveDrug: Oh LoveGame don't go crying in the corner like that. The verses are somewhat boring, but the chorus is definitely more infectious and it picks the song up more. It has a good hook. It loses me in places but it's definitely a song that stands out more for me because of its chorus. 7/10

 

How Bad Do U Want Me: I saw a lot of people comparing this song to Taylor Swift, and if I'm honest, I don't see it? Probably some of those comparisons aren't in good faith but whatever. The synths are...interesting. Some of the vocals are not my favourite either. 6/10

 

Don't Call Tonight: This somewhat reminds me of old Lady Gaga songs too. Maybe Alejandro? Or maybe it's something else? Again, not really sure that this is a favourite of mine, but it's not awful. 6/10

Shadow Of A Man: More like Shadow Of A Song, right? I don't really feel much about it honestly. The fast paced sections sound like another song to me as well. I'm not really sure I had much to say about this either, it kinda didn't really register with me one way or the other. 5/10

 

The Beast: Now, if I called this a snoozefest? I'm really not feeling it. It feels a bit like Mandatory Ballad TM Time. It's just a ... boring slow song. I'm sorry, I don't really care for it. 5/10

 

Blade Of Grass: Or maybe THIS is the Mandatory Ballad? Sue me for saying it too early I guess. At least Gaga sounds good, which is about all I can say for it really. It somehow makes me like it less than the previous one, which is impressive! 4/10

 

Die With A Smile: The song that was definitely always intended to be on the album! I mean, I suppose it fits vibes wise at the end of the album? Still don't think it fits on this actual album though, I don't see it. Bruno is fine here. It's not my favourite song, but it's serviceable. 6/10

 

Overall Verdict: Lady Gaga can make whatever art she wants, but I wish she did not make this. I really think especially Disease but even to some degree Abracadabra showed a different album was possible here, one that would sound a lot better, and have some more originality to it. I don't mind artists returning to sounds, they should not be forced to constantly reinvent the whole planet, but I don't like it when songs just seem like imitations of those that came before it. There are a few GREAT songs here, a few more that are decent or just about, but unfortunately the 2nd half especially is quite mediocre. 

JENNIE - Ruby:

Intro : JANE with FKJ: It's a cute intro I suppose? Very almost like angelic. There's not really too much to it for a lot of it. It then gets a beat added to it, which I suppose switches it up a bit. I do like intro tracks when they serve a purpose, but I'm currently not really seeing it. It's not the end of the world though.

 

like JENNIE: Okay, now we're going somewhere. Unfortunately, if this is reflective of the album as a whole, I'm not really sure I'm going to like it that much. Any song that signposts the chorus like that is a bit cringe, sorry. This is almost more of an intro track than the actual one. The production is somewhat interesting, but not really sure I vibe with JENNIE as much. 6/10

 

start a war: Thank god it's not a Mandatory Ballad moment. Some of the lyrics are...cringe. There's no way around that. Stop trying to fit too many words into that amount of time, it doesn't work. It's a boring song that doesn't really have much to it. I'm not sure the production fits the lyrics, the production isn't that interesting, and the lyrics are somewhat cringe. 4/10

 

Handlebars (feat. Dua Lipa): Well, I'm not feeling this either. It's just not really interesting. Dua Lipa kinda feels like she's just...there to some degree. She works kinda well when she's the lead and somewhat covering up JENNIE, but maybe that's just me wishing for a Dua Lipa song really rather than this. I don't think it's a surprise that Dua is in as much of the song as she is. Anyway, sadly Dua can't rescue it, and it still falls within the pit of mediocrity. 5/10

 

with the IE (way up): Why are we going with a weird rape like moment here? It's not an interesting song again. 5/10

 

ExtraL (feat. Doechii): I recall already reviewing this, so who's going to be surprised if my score ends up different than before! Okay Beyonce inspiration, I see you. Doechii really does eat up JENNIE here, which I'm kinda not surprised by based on the other songs I've heard. The production is a bit more interesting here. 6/10

Mantra: This one is a LOT more interesting to me. The production sounds good. Her voice fits the song well too. It's a bit of a basic bop but it works as that. 7/10

 

Love Hangover (feat. Dominic Fike): Not really sure I feel Dominic on this track. JENNIE I do feel a bit more, I think again this is a song that more fits her. Anyway, the song exists I suppose. 6/10

ZEN: This again has more interesting production to it, and I see it fitting JENNIE better. I think this as a song fits her much better than a lot of the others. It sounds good, fits her voice. 7/10

 

Damn Right (feat. Childish Gambino & Kali Uchis): Unfortunately I think we lost it again for a more boring and snoozefest of a song. It's alright, but nothing more than that really. Kinda feel the same about the features honestly. 6/10

 

F.T.S.: Is it a Mandatory Ballad moment? Is that where we are? Anyway, it's a Mandatory Boring Ballad Moment is about all I can say. JENNIE does sound somewhat good here though. 5/10

 

Filter: What the hell are those sounds at the start and throughout? They are annoying. So is the whole song sadly. It's just...bad. There's no other way to put it really. It gets a bit more interesting in the last part of it but that's not enough to save the song from being bad really. 4/10

 

Seoul City: Another not really great song, it's not awful but...that's not saying much really. Again, I feel some of the lyrics are cringy, and it's a boring song. 5/10

 

Starlight: I don't really live for the clock in the background. The switchup is fun though! Unfortunately I feel like it gets a bit messy and falls down yet again. 5/10

 

twin: A boring instrumental song to end it. At least it showcases JENNIE's voice off more, which I do like. But it's still boring. 5/10

 

Overall Verdict: Could I be a K-Pop fan? Albums like this make me think maybe not. Like, I see tons of people love these albums, but I'm just not getting them on a fundamental level. This album is stale, boring, mediocre. The production is not really that interesting for the most part, I don't really care for most of the songs, the vocals aren't really doing anything for me either. It's really the definition of mediocrity. 

GFOTY - INFLUENZER 

Hello Dear: A short intro track. It's fun how the vocals become gradually more understandable, and that it's mostly just that. I was kinda waiting for it to jumpscare me a bit with something but it didn't. Maybe that's for the best!

 

love me: Oh, okay, ADHD says HELL yes to this beat repeatedly. I was worried it was going to disappear, but it comes back in an infectious addictive hook for me. Vocals are great for a hyperpop type project too. Probably could have done without the almost screeching like vocals but still. Great song! Ended on a fun note too! 8/10

 

CONGRATS..: A different type of vocals here. More shouty and screamy in places. I'm not sure I'm quite here for those more screaming moments honestly, I don't like it as much. I do like the production and how the song sounds in those NON screaming moments. The transition period is nice too, but then... I don't find it awful, but it's not my favourite. Some of the last parts kinda lost me too. It's hard to exactly rank this, because some of it is amazing, and some of it less good. 7/10

 

Hidden Gem: Insert joke about GFOTY being a Hidden Gem here. This again has the exact sort of production I love, I just need it INJECTED. MESS WITH ME! Towards the end but it pops off even more! Love that for me. But it's just a great and infectious song all the way through. 8/10

 

YOU CARE: It's another good song. Not sure it's as immediate as some of the other songs, but it's good! Some of the later production elements do make it a bit more of a bop. It's still not going to be a favourite but it's a less chaotic moment and that's cute for this song. 7/10

 

GRWM (eww): And we're back to the single! I remember it has the same problem between the SCREAMING parts and the other parts. But the other parts of it are fantastic! The whole story throughout is really fun with the production elements too.  Maybe it's grown on me compared to the last time I listened to it actually, it feels like it fits better. 8/10

 

Gap Year (sexy body ooh): I thought this was going to be a mega bop at first with how it started. It's maybe not quite as good as I would have liked actually? It's a fun song still. 7/10

 

spin song: This dumbass slutty song? Okay. Get your big balls out I suppose! But yet again it's got that PRODUCTION. Love ittttt. Sorry, am I hearing that right? He does WHAT? 8/10

 

Sitcom: It's got the fun hyperpop production and the somewhat chaotic vibes I like. It has a way calmer bit that then goes BOOOOOM. Okay, lowkey LOVING the chaotic production throughout the latter part of this song. 8/10

 

Kind Regards: An outro track.

Overall Verdict: This is a really solid and fun hyperpop project. It won't be shocking to fans of hyperpop, but you should like it! And if you don't you should get your ears checked. It's fun, it switches it up, it has lots of bops, and the production is great! So are the vocals of course, for the most part. The rare SCREAMING moments drag it down a bit, but it's still a great album.

Singles:

Blusher - RACER: It's not my favourite Blusher song, but it's cute! I do like it, but I feel like it lacks that extra something to make it great. It gets towards it towards the end, but I think it's too little too late to make it that fantastic song. Still, it's decent! 7/10

 

Chloe Qisha - Sex, Drugs & Existential Dread: Chloe Qisha is an artist that I am REALLY here for. She has such a great knack for singing, songwriting and performing already. This does have something of an older sound to it, but it works quite well. The lyrics are a mix of serious and q u i r k y, which I think fits a song with this title well. Honestly, it's just a bop! 8/10

 

Doechii - Anxiety:  Oh, not that sound...go away. I'm not here for that. I don't like the goofy ass production with the lyrics at the start. No homo mention! I think this is a song that is fundamentally let down by the production for me, I can never see myself liking it sadly. I like a lot of the lyrics and all, but sorry, it's not happening. 4/10

 

f5ive - Magic Clock: This has fun production! It does kinda veer towards the annoying and skates that line a bit, but it's a cute little bop! Emphasis on the little with the track time... 6/10

 

LAUREL -  Fucking You To Death: I guess I've been fucked to death? Anyway, it's a decent song. It's too short as ever, but the vocals are good, the production is decent. Like, just as it feels it should go even stronger and better, it ends, and it ends with a somewhat mediocre outro. And this is a song barely over 2 minutes. Crime! 7/10

 

Nova May - BIG FAT MONSTA TRUCK: I can't decide whether I do or don't like this. Or maybe I love it? The production is definitely something I like, being a sort of darker electropop fun vibe. And I think Nova sounds fantastic on this track. The more I think about it, the more I think I love it? 8/10

 

Rachel Chinouriri  - Can we talk about Isaac?: This sounds a bit less fundamentally boring than other Rachel songs, so that's a good start! I still don't really like it that much but it has that going for it, the production is just not something I'm really interested in. 6/10

 

Tom Aspaul - Drama: This is actually quite a good song. At first, I didn't think I liked the vocals, but I do. I think some of the lyrics do show a bit of a... I don't know, that's not the way I would word things in a song? But who am I to talk, I'm not at all a songwriter actually so maybe I need to keep my lips sealed. But the production is good, and it's a lowkey bop! 7/10