Song Review:: JinJin (ASTRO): JIN LAB Project 9. [Beat that Drum]

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  • Release date: 2024 December 27
  • Album tracklist: Beat that Drum
  • Album runtime: 3 minutes

 JinJin has kept himself busy this year, and I didn't know this one was happening until the algorithm dropped it in my lap. I'm just really impressed with everything he's been putting out this year. I will be wholly unsurprised if this also doesn't have a music video, but I don't care. At this point, I'm half temped to go back and do the others, even if I don't have a place for them. And he can do what he wants with these projects. I'll just be here to support it.

The majority of the song, which is rounded up to get that three minutes runtime, has a lot of synth. It's very synthy. It's so synthy that the Institute is looking to retrieve their lost property (this is a Fallout 4 joke). The instrumentals here also could have come straight out of Cyberpunk 2077, which is a high compliment from me as there were a couple of them that ended up in my Spotify Wrapped for 2023. With that description, the very fast BPM should come as no surprise. I love the way the guitar starts the song and then backs off to let the eponymous drums take the lead. With the high energy of the later sections, Beat that Drum has a relatively slower start. But the most interesting part of the song? Surprise trumpet! 

The way he settles into the lower notes and the growl in his voice when he does is a work of art. The rapping style is smooth and collected. There are some moments where I thought the music itself overwhelmed what the song is meant to be, but otherwise this has a surprisingly country feel to it that I'm really, really enjoying. This is good stuff. 

As expected, no music video.



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