Stray Kids’ God’s Menu has grown on me since its release, but I still think their album Go Live boasts a handful of tracks that would have made much more satisfying singles. Luckily, JYP Entertainment is in the habit of releasing multiple music videos for the group, and that approach has resulted in Blueprint (청사진) enjoying some added promotion. The song is almost a full 180 from God’s Menu, coasting on a fun, summery vibe.

Opening with the strum of guitar and bright, atmospheric synths, Blueprint quickly launches into a brisk verse, proving that sing-song hip-hop can actually be fun and not just needlessly moody. From here, we get an unfortunate trap segment, which is par for the course in 2020. But even though I will never enjoy trap music, the sound at least feels complimentary to the rest of Blueprint’s style. It’s not an unnecessary diversion, but a simple extension of everything around it.

My favorite aspect of Blueprint is its chorus, which opts for a more fleshed out series of refrains than many Stray Kids tracks. It has a sprightly, exciting vibe about it. That guitar returns big time, underlining a breezy hook that’s relaxing enough to allow Stray Kids to let down their guard and simply have fun with their music. Blueprint’s second half is a little more meandering, meaning we only hear the standout post-chorus twice throughout the song’s running time. This isn’t a total buzzkill, but I think I would have streamlined Blueprint a bit. Still, it’s nice to hear an upbeat 2020 boy group track that genuinely sounds like summer.

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