When SM Entertainment announced back in 2022 that they would be debuting a new girl group, made up of iconic members of other girl groups, needless to say the K-pop fandom was excited. The company had already had great success with the male version of this concept with Super M and now, fans were excited to see some of their favorite idols return. With that said, GOT the beat, featuring members from the groups Girls’ Generation, Red Velvet and aespa, really didn’t get any heavy promotion leading up to and during the release of their single “Step Back.” And then, just like that, any news regarding the group’s future plans went silent. As we start 2023, the girls are back for a second round, this time with a mini-album led by the single “Stamp On It.”
“Stamp On It,” like its predecessor, “Step Back,” is heavily focused on pushing a “girl boss” concept with the lyrics being an anthem for taking on any challenge and showing the world what you’re capable of. A lot of the word choice is focused on playing games with references to cards, bluffing, and poker faces (though in this case, referenced as a “Mona Lisa smile”). The lyrics overall are pretty straightforward, simply serving as a vessel for the strong vocals each member of the group is known for.
The track itself is where things get a bit confusing. Kicking things off with a vocal synth that makes reappearances throughout the entire song (and personally, gets a tad annoying as it goes on), there is an interesting piano run that adds a unique touch to the otherwise largely hip-hop-influenced track. However, the track switches between different sonic landscapes multiple times, creating a massive disconnect between verses. It honestly feels like there are at least 3 different songs in this one. Each change is interesting in its own regard, but when mashed together like this, it feels like the song didn’t know where to go with this.
Overall, “Stamp On It,” suffers from the same pitfalls that “Step Back” did. It’s a song that has too many ideas and could have used some more editing. GOT the beat has some of the most talented female idols in the industry, but nothing about this song screams that. If SM could take a moment to really work on a song that showcases what each of these girls are known for and let them have more involvement in the process, they could produce something that is deserving of being associated with them. Quite frankly, this release did not have the members’ “stamp on it.”
