The month (year?) of BLACKPINK solos rolls on with the release of Jisoo’s second single and first since cutting ties with YG Entertainment for her solo efforts. So far, that decision has played well for every other BLACKPINK member, and given the lukewarm nature of 2023’s Flower Jisoo has plenty of room for musical improvement. Her promo shots for Earthquake have been giving me strong Kara Mamma Mia vibes, whetting my appetite for an explosive disco throwdown.
Sadly, K-pop isn’t really in the business of “explosive disco throwdowns” anymore. We’re far more likely to get a subdued disco clinker. And really, Earthquake is neither of these. Kylie Minogue’s viral Padam Padam seems to be on the vision board this time, though that song’s campy charm is jettisoned for a dull club thump that never really catches flight. Earthquake is sleek and stylish in the way that’s become synonymous with “monotonous and flat.” It’s mildly groovy but too slow to dance to and too aloof to hit any real emotional points. For every flash of momentum there’s an annoying drop that deposits us right back at the beginning rather than let the song flourish. It’s like being stuck in a loop.
The production attempts to break this pattern by adding slight layers to Earthquake‘s final chorus, but the arrangement offers too little spark and way too little personality. This makes for a robotic sound. A satisfying warmth peeks through every once and awhile in Jisoo’s vocals, reminding me a bit of fellow dance diva Sunmi. Everything clicks during the second pre-chorus, where we speed along quite pleasantly for a few seconds. However, this energy is never capitalized upon. Taking the expensive music video and Jisoo’s obvious star cachet out of the equation, you could hear variations of this stripped back club sound every week from countless DJs and quite a few Eurovision pre-selection heats. In other words, Earthquake is a slight tremor in a very large field.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I really like this one. The beat’s catchy, monotonous, yet sleek and done in a way that makes it addictive. The hooks could be like Chungha’s I’m Ready (Earthquake reminds me of a sleek version of it), but the spoken hook also works well.
8.5 (8, 9, 8, 9) for now.
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sleek and seductive isn’t what i expect from a jisoo song but that is what i got here. i like it for the most part. it does remind me of kylie and also madonna from the early aughts. there’s enough charisma and zeal in jisoo to sell this song and that chorus is KILLER. although, i do wish the production went grittier and dirtier than the polished route it took.
if there’s anything i don’t like its that post-chorus reminiscent of flower’s devastating drop chorus. it kills the momentum of the track but at least its more potent than limp. overall, im liking what she did here even if it pains me to think that she was like three steps away from making a REALLY great song.
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maybe because I had low expectations but I’m pleasantly surprised by this and the entire EP. I’m glad she went with this direction. they’re nothing new, but they’re still well-made pop songs.
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Alright, just gave it a listen and I have to say, it’s not bad. Quite good. The MV was good. The instrumental was fine. But that beat drop, though. Instant moment killer.
That, along with the vocals being somewhat subdued. I don’t know why, but I just can’t seem to hear her voice properly.
But for now, I’ll just rate it: 7/10
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she’s pretty much always been my favorite member/tone from BP so it’s disappointing that she hasn’t connected to me with her solo music. In fact, all the other members have accomplished that to some extent. The video’s great (the dancing on the polygraph was funny), she looks great, I think the sound is a great fit for her as well. However, it feels a bit generic, like girl groups release back in 2019 and 2020. I was gonna say jisoo didn’t much to do , but when I think about it that’s not true, so I’m not sure why I get that feeling. I think the slowdown would’ve worked if used in the beginning only. All in all, better than flower but not up to Lisa and jennie, I hope I like something better on the album
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I think this is a noticeable improvement over her last single. The EP sounds okay too. It still baffles me why YG? won’t give her a big, juicy ballad to sing, because that’s her strength, if she has any, as a singer. I LOVE Jisoo…but I just don’t see her as solo singer in the future…more likely an actress/TV personality.
(7.5/10)
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she wanted those padam padam nachos bad
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Jisoo could be a dancefloor diva. Her cold but unique voice needs a loud thump but this Padam redux won’t do it for me. She should go full on Loreen or dare I say TATU?
There are good parts in Earthquake but the whole tracks feels like a patchwork of deja vu sounds and has too many tempo switches. The video reflects this confused energy, it’s pretentious and tries too many things with some very questionable visuels. Maybe she needs to follow her band mates and try a pure western dance track, it may work!
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I really like the song and the album. Jisoo is my favorite Blackpink member anyway. At first I didn’t enjoy Flower much but now I do. I like every song on Armotage. I usually don’t like the music from the other members but Jisoo has a different style from them and it works for me. I also love her voice. Out of all the members, Jisoo is the one to surprise you because she does things you don’t expect. Feels a bit like TWICE’s Jeongyeon in that aspect (still hoping she will release a smash solo that surprises everyone). Jisoo sounds really engaged in her music and that’s what you want to hear. Your Love is an immediate highlight. So lovely.
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Very pleasantly surprised. I think the chorus’ strength makes up for the overall weaknesses in the instrumental / lacklustre (albeit catchy) post chorus and limp verses. I love cold, aloof pop songs (IVE Accendio, e.g.) so this is straight down my alley. 8.5 for me.
The album is great, actually. Straight forward pop song after pop song with no gimmicks, it knows what it’s doing and it sticks to a coherent musical sound. I really love ‘Hugs and Kisses’, sounds like a superior ‘All Eyes on Me’ and that that final chorus with adlibs is literally magical. That one gets 8.72 from me.
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I also love Hugs and Kisses. Great song! I’ve been playing that one, Earthquake and Your Love a lot since the EP came out. I really enjoy it a lot.
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So NewJeans’ Dani posted that she has a writing credit on a new song by Olivia Marsh that came out today, whom I’ve never heard of. Turns out, I think it’s Dani’s sister. So does that make it K-pop?… https://shorturl.at/s3qpk
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Here’s the MV:
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It’s certainly a choice to keep releasing songs where the performer has 0 impact on the song.
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its so boring. Hooks are kinda good but damn the song doesnt really reach much of a climax. Its like a good chorus with whatever happens during the post chorus muting the snares or smthg. but i LOVE Hugs and Kisses. Genuinely should have been the title track.
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It kind of reminds me of Kep1er without any of the punchiness. Its just an in one ear out the other song to me. I wouldn’t turn it off but I won’t ever think of it again on my own.
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I just wanted Jisoo to sing a song like Love In Fall by Jeong Sewoon, her vocals match perfectly with a song like that, is it too much to ask?
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Coming back here weeks after the track’s release to say that Earthquake is fine and makes a good title track, but I think Hugs And Kisses should have been the title. Easily my favorite song on the album.
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