K-pop artists have a history with League Of Legends‘ themes and I don’t usually write about these songs on the blog. However, everything NewJeans touches seems to become a colossal smash so I feel a certain obligation to cover as much of their music as possible. And refreshingly, the anthemic Gods is a big sidestep for the group.
Even though it’s recorded in English, Gods feels much more K-pop adjacent than most of NewJeans’ material thus far. It’s interesting to hear them operate in this space. While the song smooths over every idiosyncrasy the group thrives upon, NewJeans deliver a strong performance that proves their appeal can be more malleable than some might suspect.
Without a doubt, Gods is the most powerful NewJeans’ music has sounded, trading their usual whispiness for a heavy synthetic stomp. The dramatic choir that opens the track is a bit of a red herring and I wish its over-the-top theatricality was more present throughout. Instead, we have a very solid radio pop track that counters its generic melodies with a sense of instrumental fullness. The chorus hits with thunder force and the girls meet the challenge with a series of confident vocals. Parts of Gods are way too Imagine Dragons for me (a band I fervently dislike), but the cinematic production keeps things from plodding. In the end, the song does exactly what it’s meant to. I don’t even play League Of Legends, but I’m ready to kick some ass.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
