SM Entertainment’s all-star GOT The Beat unit was one of 2022’s most baffling projects. The agency assembled many of its strongest female performers only to debut a single track at the beginning of the year with limited promotions and no real follow-through. Clearly, this unit was never intended to carry SuperM-esque ambitions. I assumed the agency had completely forgotten about the idea, but a year later the ladies are back with their first mini album and a music video.
I remember a time where every song that SM released felt like an instant classic. Over the past few years, I’ve lost almost all passion for the agency’s music. Apart from the rare standout, they seem intent on regurgitating the same sounds over and over with diminishing returns. Melody takes a distant back seat to attitude and energy, and every beat must revolve around some irritating looped sample.
My thoughts on Stamp On It echo last year’s Step Back. I may slightly prefer this track, if only for its obvious Yoo Young-jin production hallmarks. But, I’m also more exhausted by its familiar tricks than I was at the start of 2022. And when you remove those gimmicks, there’s just not much left. The beat plods without any spontaneity or life. The instrumental recycles samples we’ve heard hundreds of times in K-pop and there’s barely a memorable hook to be found. This collection of artists has unlimited potential and they’re able to elevate even the most underwhelming material. However, a project as exciting as GOT The Beat deserves an equally exciting song. Stamp On It may be a venue for their skills, but I wouldn’t listen to it without a visual component.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
Grade: C
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Besides everything else, what really sunk last year’s “Step Back” was how shrill the timbres were, the girls voices, the instrumental. It’s the same with this song. It is so unpleasant to listen to. What speakers does this sound great on? Because it isn’t my beat earbuds, my computer speaker, my car speakers, or my phone speaker, or my tablet speaker.
I just hear a constant whiny whine shrill hovering around A up to high C. I thought the meditating frequency ASMR was some low bass combined with brown noise.
As for the song itself, if Destiny’s Child were to release a song today, it might sound like this. “Lose My Breath”, some twenty years on, with contemporary all digital production effects and flourishes.
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqeIiF0DlTg
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GOT The Beat should’ve just covered Lose My Breath, tbh. It would be much more satisfying.
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It was scary funny this morning listening to both back to back. I think that are both even in the same key. The main hooks for both have the same exact notes – the wordless ooooh loop and “step on it” versus “can you keep up, baby boy, make me lose my breath”. A mash-up would be super easy.
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thankfully, they released a mini album this time. hopefully, there’s something good in the b-sides. (spoiler alert – GoT the BEAT definitely has beats)
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tbh I’m not feeling the b-sides. They sound like five duplicates of GOT The Beat’s title tracks with some slight instrumental twists in each.
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yup… i was having hope that there would be a hidden gem.. but alas. thankfully, i found hidden gems in the SMTOWN special album
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I do like this one on some B level.
But by “like” I mean…it’s fine, has some catchy bits&pieces and if not for BoA, I would never listen to it.
But this is me searching some positives in overall gloomy state of affairs at SM.
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I like this quite a lot, but Yoo Youngjin is TIREDDDD he needs to quit it with whatever he’s doing lately with aespa and these girls. the album is absolutely horrible too. WHY is Kenzie not involved? this company is ran by fools.
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SM needs to find some new creative energy quickly!
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I’m so tired of this sound that SM has created and keeps trying to shove down our throats. They are all so repetitive, exhausting, and forgettable. Even when I listened to the b-sides it was the same sound with nothing memorable or worth writing home about.
I realize that companies do this because they know that no matter what they release the core fan base will buy it. And I absolutely HATE that! I only wish that SM would go back to making classic songs and instant hits. They’ve lost their mojo!
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This feels like a super patchwork song – maybe even more so than Step Back with the different parts of the song existing on like parallel dimensions or something. Still I kinda like it, the chorus part is pretty fun. Though that Baby Baby part makes me laugh all the time 😭😂 Like it’s so bad and out of place that I can’t ignore it!
Bottom line though : Another weirdass kinda fun song; but OMG those women can SING!! Their voices can honestly sell a song written over the backtrack of a cheese grater at work! It’s honestly a treat to just hear their voices! 😀
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On an semi-related note, on allkpop today: “TRI.BE kicks off comeback countdown with ‘Back To The 00’s’ teaser video and photos”
GOOD GOD NOOOO! What is this obsession with 00’s music? I’d rather take oversaturated girl crush music to 00’s revival. I’d rather take lukewarm coffe shop kpop-style R&B to 00’s revival.
‘https://www.allkpop.com/video/2023/01/tribe-kicks-off-comeback-countdown-with-back-to-the-00s-teaser-video-and-photos
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This is trash. I won’t deign a fourth listen.
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I really don’t like it. Just a waste for all the members really. It just feel so soulless.
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It’s unfortunate how short the bridge was, which could’ve been the strongest way to showcase their vocals (in typical SM fashion). Mainly what puts me off the song is how disjointed it sounds, though this applies to the music SM’s been pushing as of late. Wonder how long it’ll take for one of their groups to promote with a feel-good melodic tt again, and actually utilise their great vocalists.
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Well, this Elf would like to remind everyone there is Super Junior, who pick put their own songs so it usually is rather feel good melodic.
May I suggest “Mango” from summer last year. Sweet just like a mango, it feels so nice.
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I02ULETFESI
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ok u know damn well im legally obligated to hype up anything dem jointz is a part of but at the same time. a lot of his more recent stuff is a bit too tame tbh like a lot of it kinda sounds too similar to each other yk????
but also hes in no way the reason this song is eh like the arrangement is just. kinda weird overall and the vocals r mixed WAY too high
and to finish: to not like this song is one thing but to say sm needs to get rid of their new producers…….this is THEE dem jointz ur talking abt ur saying that when we have obsession by exo? time lapse by 127? MF DONT CALL ME????
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I find Dem Jointz’s work to be hit or miss. A lot of his tracks nowadays feel like “[insert group here] covering NCT” with some weird experimental instrumental.
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I don’t think they need to get rid of their producers, but they should invest in some new talent/ideas that can offer something different from what their main team is delivering.
I often think about SM having “eras,” where one or two producers take the lead and steer the overall sound of the agency. There was the Young-jin era, followed by the Troelsen era, followed by the LDN Noise era, etc etc.
It feels like we’ve been stuck in the same era for at least five years now.
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no i completely agree with u!!! the modern sm sound is great for the most part but when thats the only thing ur acts r making it just becomes rlly tired
and for new producers id like to bring to sm…..lemme turn ur ass on to the hyperpop god that is gupi (of both solo and food house fame)
and ofc u cant forget the one and only goat….dylan brady of 100 gecs/solo fame (also the head of dogshow records which is the same label gupis under)
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hi! this is my second appearance on the site. I already knew this song would be in similar vain as step back from last year. listening to it at the sm town live it was too much for me and couldn’t enjoy it. I want the best for them and sm isn’t giving them that. the song has sparked a convo between knets about sm not being in touch the times though.
This group project reminded of when SBS had different members of groups team up and perform a song together for SBS back in 2012. the colour of kpop it was called wish we gotten something like the red team performed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOnAVn6iRf8
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A group with this group of people in it should be better. This is perfectly fine but I’ll probably never think about it again and I wanna think about it again. If you’re gonna put Boa in a group with Taeyeon and Seulgi there should be no reason why I don’t love it to my dying breath but this is just kinda ok.
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You’d kinda think that a group designed with the same concept as SuperM would get… SuperM like songs, as in good songs yk? Album’s really dissapointing for me, especially since this is the super female group from SM.
Though a silver line is the styling, I do like many of the outfits here!
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you’d think that a supergroup with this many talented performers and powerhouse vocalists would get a half decent song but oh well. with step back, i found the “step back step back step back silly girl” catchy and at least meme-able, with this one.. eh. the baby baby baby part feels so out of place but it’s funny at least?
the arrangement and mixing of this song is just so.. all over the place. i feel like we’re in an era of sm where every group is just an extension of NCT musically.
i’ve had this issue with aespa’s recent songs with the way winter’s vocals are processed her high notes sound tinny and piercing, it’s pretty apparent here (especially at the end), and it’s not good.
on the bright side i do enjoy the visuals and styling. lots of great outfits to draw inspiration from personally.
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Frankly, I think this group isn’t as interesting despite their talents. A group’s charm usually comes from the different places each member is used in, who fits in where. Winter, Wendy, Taeyeon, and boa really don’t seem all that exciting when they’re all belting the same lines one after another. And that’s all before we get to the actual merits of the song
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The thing is, GOT the beat suffers because of two things: 1) They didn’t have an actual direction, target market, or a distinctive concept/sound (at least to differ them from other SM Groups), and 2) with that, their division probably just shopped from thousands of those song collection made by 600 people in SM Entertainment. This is why ‘Rose’, one of the B-sides in the album, sounds the best for me, since it was made from usually-non-SM-affiliated composers.
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Better than “step back” by far, but still probably won’t be on a playlist. The post chorus and bridge have transitions to different grooves that I like, “put your stamp on it” is catchy, the chorus is more effective, and the rap was less cringey. All that said, I’m not left feeling much after listening to it
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I hate this song “Stamp on it”👎🏻. SM has been stuck in this era for too long. They forgot it’s 2023 now, not 2008 anymore.
Listening to this song I can image someone is hitting me in the head with a hammer. I used to be an SM stan, but I might be leaving. Seriously they need new composers and production teams. Their music quality has been going down hill. To sum up, a vote down from me for Stamp on It.
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What is this? *facepalm* I don’t understand why BoA is part of this. She’s simply too old for this concept.
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No she’s not. She’s only a few years older than Taeyeon. Plus, we need to stop this bs of you can’t do x when you turn (insert arbitrary age here). She can do whatever song of whatever concept. Sentiments like the ones you have only bring us back
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I am sorry to agree with you, but she looks way older than Taeyeon. And I am one of those who actually believe some people should act their age. It is not like BoA isn’t a successful woman.
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How is BoA not acting her age? And what does her being successful have to do with anything? The concept is powerful women not teen bop. She’s 36 not 100.
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acting your age? that really doesn’t work in this context and boa doesn’t look old at all
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Dammit, why tf does this song even exist?!…That same oversatured girl crush concept, that same total absence of a decent hook. Overall, it is unlistenable, just like Step Back. Rating is too high, 5.5 at best.
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Why do you suppose this group has not gotten the SuperM treatment… is there any explanation that is not a simple “misogyny” cause I really cannot come up with one lol. I think they just do not care enough to promote the female powerhouses in their company, it’s really quite sad. It’s like SM just put this group together because they felt obligated to make a female SuperM and then half-assed the execution entirely.
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Super fun song, lots of hooks, powerful vocals, great visuals, what’s not to love!?
Fav b-sides are Alter Ego and Goddess Level, but Rose is creeping up there too.
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The blatancy of this cash grab gives me the giggles. GOT the Beat is presented as a performance unit… except they never actually get to perform, at least not in a way that promotes the song. It’s more of a BP style marketing strategy… “Here’s a little taste, now if you want more please shell out for tickets to an SM Town/Kwangya concert. Oh, and solo stans, but the album because you will want the collectible card!” I was reading about all the nonsense with BoA getting flak for asking people to watch the MV, but what can you expect when SM didn’t even give them a proper MV? It’s just the same dance performance spliced with some closeup glamor shots. It’s starting to feel like SM doesn’t even make music anymore. They make marketing strategies that they can implement through music as a vehicle, but it’s far from the primary focus.
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I can usually predict the reaction of this site to new releases (even if I don’t necessarily agree) but I’m really surprised right now, hence why I am commenting here for the first time ever. I thought everyone would at least like the full-sounding vocally driven chorus, and also thought I wouldn’t be the only one to find it catchy. Love Wendy and Taeyeon in this and hell even YYJ being extra in the background lol. From the comments I would think this was a BP-style mess with yelling random words over a bare bones or noisy/irritating instrumental. Personally enjoyed this a lot, esp compared to Step Back (which I thought was ok but nothing special)
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