South Korean girl group ITZY is finally back with a brand new mini-album Checkmate, released on July 15 through JYP Entertainment. The seven-track extended play (EP) features the hit single “Sneakers” and perfectly captures what ITZY does best–taking the K-pop world by storm with its catchy songs and fantastic concepts.
Gearing up
With playful beats and youthful energy, the title track, “Sneakers,” is about believing in yourself and following your heart. It advocates self-love and encourages people to stop caring about what others think, bringing to mind similar themes from two of their older songs, “Dalla Dalla” and “Wannabe.” “I dance to my own drum,” the girls sing in the song’s English version, “I don’t run for no one else.”
The composition features bouncy beats and snares that mimic the sound of stomping feet, with a lead-up to the chorus that imitates the countdown right before a race begins. The music video for “Sneakers” highlights ITZY’s usual killer stage presence and stunning aesthetics while expertly merging three distinct concepts一Y2K, royalty, and women empowerment一which is a difficult feat to pull off.
Facing the enemy
Meanwhile, the second track, “Racer,” opens with the sound of a revving car and steady drum beats. It compares the group’s work as artists to a car race, “Now it’s the final lap / Hit it, hit it, breaking records, done.” With this track, ITZY builds the tension steadily, like fierce competitors biding their time and waiting for the opportunity to strike.
On the other hand, “What I Want” brings a touch of electro-pop and a repetitive hook that will have you jamming along. The track is about having confidence in a chess game of love and the importance of giving your all with no regrets. The theme continues into “Free Fall,” with lyrics about diving head first into a new romance and an intense bass line and arrangement. Both tracks are heavy with passionate raps and soulful refrains accompanied by catchy pop beats.
The album’s plot twist comes in “365,” which talks of the inner struggle to move on after being dumped by a past lover. “Three, three-six-five, not thinking ’bout ya / Five, five to midnight, tick-tock, it’s time,” ITZY emphasizes not thinking about this ex every day of the year, insisting “I don’t want to stay the same / I’m much better, babe.” The heavy bass and trap beats are reminiscent of an intense battle scene in a film and add a pleasant change of pace to the mini-album.
“Domino,” a passionate victory song, speaks about remaining strong as the artists encourage one another through challenging times. It references the previous battles depicted in earlier songs about staying true to themselves. With its warm tone, consisting of guitar riffs, soft background vocals, and a ballad chorus reminiscent of pop songs from the 2000s一the track stands out from the rest of the album. It delivers the perfect closing piece to a heavily embellished tracklist.
Battle scars
Overall, “Checkmate” is a strong album that conveys a compelling message about overcoming life’s numerous obstacles. Although it can be difficult to tell some of the tracks apart, the sonic coherence heightens the plot’s tensions and enthralls listeners to join the journey.
As one of the rising fourth-generation K-pop girl groups, this mini-album is ITZY’s way of saying “checkmate” to the hardships in their way.
If you’re in the mood for diverse sounds and captivating performances, check out ITZY’s latest mini-album, Checkmate, on Spotify and other music streaming platforms.
