G-Dragon (GD), the “King of K-Pop,” returns to the spotlight after 11 years without a full-length studio album. It is safe to say that GD’s presence was missed in a genre that has become heavily commercialized, with talent often diluted. GD, along with his fellow BigBang members, has solidified their position as pioneers in the K-pop genre. He’s been dubbed many titles, such as the “King of K-Pop” and the “Idol of Idols.” His latest project, titled *ÜBERMENSCH*, was released on February 25th, with the rollout starting with the single “POWER” on October 31st. The track is a powerful hip-hop return, showcasing GD’s signature acute and raspy vocals.
The album features fellow BigBang members Taeyang and Daesung on the track “HOME SWEET HOME,” and three-time Grammy Award winner Anderson .Paak on the song “TOO BAD.” The track is reminiscent of .Paak’s *Silk Sonic* album, which was a collaboration with Bruno Mars. It also marks another step into Western sound, a common trend among popular K-pop artists seeking to conquer new markets.
Another standout track, “DRAMA,” is a ballad and is the sister song to GD’s “Untitled, 2014” from his previous project. At 3:55, it’s the longest track on the album. However, longer doesn’t always mean better. Unlike its sister song, “DRAMA” is sung primarily in English and even features lines in Chinese, Japanese, and his native language, Korean.
“The lyrics are cheesy. He’s a 37-year-old man, but he’s talking as if he were a little kid. The lyrics feel lazy and have no meaning,
” said Alberto Maldonado, a casual G-Dragon listener. “His voice ends up annoying you as the song goes on. He can’t reach those notes anymore.”
His comments are common among fans and listeners. Listeners have noticed that since his return, his voice has gotten deeper and raspier; fans speculate that it is in correlation with the singer’s heavy and frequent smoking use.
“IBELONGllU” is a very pop-heavy song. The song features a catchy chorus and a very summer-sounding instrumental with echo vocal chops. The song echoes fellow BigBang member Taeyang’s 2017 song “SO GOOD.” They both feature a very pop-heavy sound and the same drum fills on the beat drops. Although Taeyang’s voice seems to be perfect for those types of songs, GD’s vocals are lacking and sound unnatural, and you can tell that it is out of his comfort zone. Nonetheless, the track is a decent addition to the album as a whole.
“TAKE ME” is next up, and as soon as you press play, you’re instantly greeted with an upbeat guitar and drum beat. The song is an instant throwback to BigBang’s album *Alive*, released in 2012. “It brings me back to when I started listening to K-pop,” said Karen Montoya, an avid K-pop listener and G-Dragon fan. Just when you thought the song couldn’t get better, it hits you with a killer guitar solo at the bridge. That just wraps the whole song in a bow nicely.
After listening to a high-tempo pop song and a flashback to the early 2010s, GD slows it down and goes acoustic with the track “BONAMANA.” In a song where you expect GD to sing with his dying falsetto, he switches it up and sings in a lower tone close to his normal deep speaking voice. Now, this song is a breath of fresh air; it seems as though GD has realized that because of his voice problems, he must adapt. And in my opinion, it’s even better. His voice paired with the Spanish-sounding acoustic guitar is ethereal and one of the highlights of the album.
The album closes with its best track,
“GYRO DROP,” an upbeat summer anthem perfect for those sunset car rides by the beach. The track is a favorite among fans and critics, even shocking them with its X-rated chorus. Sung by producer and writer Gamal Lewis, aka Lunch Money Lewis, it leaves a lasting impression.
To sum it up, “ÜBERMENSCH” is a perfect return and exactly what you expect from the “King of K-pop.” The album perfectly sums up his career as a whole and is G-Dragon’s leap into the Western market.
