Japanese girl group XG are gearing up for their first full-length album next January, and given J-pop’s extended promotional period its main single has dropped a few months early. Thus far, XG’s output can usually be slotted into three distinct categories: hip-hop, dance and r&b. GALA finds a way to combine these genres into something much more ambitious.
I don’t think this song is perfect, and I’ll get into why later, but I’m heartened by the fact that the producers seemed to sit down and actually say “let’s make something cool and different a bit daring.” In a climate of two minute pop jingles and recycled sample packs, GALA‘s verve is refreshing. The song melds stylish rap to a house beat. I love when hip-hop and dance collide, as both genres compliment each other so well. GALA is an unstoppable blast of rhythm, whether that comes in the form of the the girls’ performance or the incessant club beat. And don’t think I missed that clever little “Mr. Roboto” shout out!
While GALA revolves around a dramatic melodic centerpiece, I wish this segment would come around more often. On one hand, its scarcity makes the refrain all the more powerful, but it also teases an even better song that serves vocals as strongly as it does beat. This balance is off by just a bit, but not enough to keep GALA from being a total standout and my favorite XG single yet.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I LOVE the dance/house beat and the raps are seamlessly great here as well. While I like the little melodic pre-chorus, I wish we got more melodic showcases, cause this almost seems like a producer’s showcase than of the girls, which I admit also affects the longevity, but without a doubt, it’s great.
8.5 (8, 9, 8, 9) for me.
LikeLike
Bonkers, in a good way. Plus all the crazy costumes. “Shall we include – YES!” Something for everyone somewhere in here.
I don’t know what to grade this one other than its is certainly a candidate for the category “remember when XG released, that was crazy”, in a good way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Probably the best song I’ve heard ALL MONTH. Not only is it engaging visually – to say the least! – but the music is both frenetic and controlled, melodic and a thumping anthem. Also, this lyricism?! Not even 10s across the board, 100s! 1000s!!
Truly they’ve outdone themselves with this. I’m almost grateful the album doesn’t arrive until next year because I’m not ready to give attention to anything but this and more songs would be completely overshadowed right now.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I am … conflicted. I have been stanning XG for their stylistic approach to kpop (both visually and musically), and some of their songs is really good. At the same time they have this feeling of being to much about posing and somehow not feeling authentic. Like an art installation of the type where everything is about the surface and appreciating ART. The video is just GORGEOUS as usual, but the music is kind of strange somehow. But also, after some more listens, it is already growing on me. The soundscape is really great.
LikeLike
I can’t think about any big kpop group that would be “authentic”. Groups result first and foremost from their production team work. They incarnate a strong idea – even this is only for an era. (IMO the power of NewJeans was the core idea was authenticity and producers built the whole group concept around it.)
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree. What I mean with authentic in the kpop, or rather jpop (see musiclover0220 below…), sense is the suspension of belief that they are authentic in the western sense. That suspension of belief is never quite fully established for me with XG. Believe me, I have sorely tried since I just love their style and music in a general sense.
LikeLike
XG ARE NOT KPOP FOR FUCK’S SAKE!
LikeLike
I stand corrected, of sorts. But surely the difference is like ny mistake calling a coke Pepsi when tasting it when it happened to be Coca Cola = not that big (yeah I know people swear bu this but me myself have never felt that difference is worth all the drama). Also all their training, choreography and so forth follow the kpop formula. Their singing in english is nowadays much more closer to kpop than jpop nowadays. If you by jpop mean a japanese version of kpop, I would agree though.
LikeLike
I never thought Nick would give such a high rating to XG, lol. I’ve liked a fair amount of their songs, especially their earlier stuff. I’m sure I’ll love this one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is exuding ‘Bebe’ vibes! Guess we have competition.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Also, XG’s performances are always so captivating, breathtaking, and super stunning.
LikeLike
As a swith, i thought about BEBE right after the intro & the french lyrics. But that’s straight 100% XG – who sounds like this for a long time now.
And yes, as often with them, that’s phenomenal.
LikeLike
The dance elements are very Le Sserafim. In fact it could have been a Le Sserafim track without the heavy rap parts. The production is fantastic almost drag show energy but there is something exhausting about a dramatic pre-chorus that leads to no chorus at all. Less rap and more melody could have help. Still good though.
LikeLike
It is actually the other way around though. this is the timeline: XG made their debut with Tippy Toes in March 2022. Then Le Sserafim debuted with Fearless in May 2022. Fearless sounds a lot like Tippy Toes, and the choreography also gives the same vibe.
And then, XG released their fashion show inspired track, TGIF in August 2023. Exactly a year after, in August 2024, Le Sserafim released Crazy, also a fashion show inspired track, with the same quirkiness in choreography just like XG’s.
So I’d say Le Sserafim’s dance elements are very XG.
LikeLike
Is this not just house music with gay cultural elements? XG did a better job as a whole and made it their own, Lesserafim’s was a cheap copy of basic house beats with weak lyrics. XG can do lesserafim, lesserafim can’t do XG.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow I thought I was gonna see a C or C+ as the rating, I’m genuinely surprised.
I really respect XG and their producers for kind of pushing things musically with a song that is tasteful and a bit daring but that doesn’t lose the plot in the way that Gnarly did.
I’m a massive fan of this group and I couldn’t wait for this song to drop. The song reminded me of Beyoncé’s rapping-sing talk in Renaissance in some ways. I also think Chisa channeled her inner Gaga, because I can really hear the influence in the vocals.
If I had to find improvements I woud say the chorus could use a stronger hook, but I don’t wanna be picky, this is a 10/10 to me.
LikeLike
This ate down
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel like I’m watching an mv set in the cinematic universe of Guardians of the Galaxy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is great just for how different it is. It doesn’t have a strong hook but it doesn’t need one when the beat is that good. Those rap verses also just flow so well, I can see this being high up on my soty list.
LikeLike
meh.
Am I the only one who thinks this songs sounds muted
LikeLike
What amazes me is this could be so unoriginal: many girlgroups did that kind of music lately. But XG has experimented it for a long time now and built an actual esthetic that never felt opportunistic. From the flow to the mv, it’s full XG.
I note it actually grooves, and the arranging & mix are great.
LikeLiked by 2 people
XG had done house type music with TGIF that also had similar dancing to this before Le Sserafim did Crazy
LikeLike
To be fair, lsf kinda did house music with Eve, Psyche, and the bluebeard’s wife before XG did with TGIF. But xg has remained sonically more consistent than LSF has so I’d associate XG more with that kind of vibe. Though GALA is 10x better than Crazy, there’s no debate about that.
LikeLike
I’m late to the party but this gives me 2NE1 vibes of all things. Or kinda like a more rap focused “I’ll See You There Tomorrow” by TXT. The difference between GALA and actual 2NE1 is that the heavy emphasis on rap here (which is very well performed) actually far exceeds the quality of rap 2NE1 ever had on their original songs. This is taking it back to 2nd gen while mining new territory, it’s one of the freshest things I’ve heard all year.
LikeLike