I first wrote about XG’s Undefeated as part of my weekly J-pop round-ups back in April and I wasn’t too impressed. A few months later, the group has added a performance video to the song’s promotion, offering imagery beyond Valorant video game animations.

Like many of XG’s hip-hop tracks, Undefeated opts for a trap beat, rumbling bass and a cavalcade of lyrical boasts. In between, we’ve got some rising tension during the song’s vocal-led moments. These moments remind me of BLACKPINK and feel structurally obvious — a copy rather than a reinvention. The song is catchy in an ultra-familiar, repetitive way, but with so many boastful tracks like this flooding the market you really need a stellar beat or unusual hook to stand out.

Because of this, Undefeated feels like a slight addition to XG’s discography. It’s a sound they’ve showcased many times before and one we already know they’re great at. The song’s sneaky “uh huh” offers the most endearing hook while a melodic bridge points toward a more expansive sound. It’s far from a musical revelation but as a video game tie-in it mostly gets the job done.

Grade: C