Ruby

Jennie’s Debut album is an exhilarating journey through different sounds, blending her signature style with fresh influences. From hard-hitting beats to emotional ballads, the album experiments with structure and vocal delivery, making for an engaging listen. While some tracks deliver instant classics, others fall slightly short, leaving room for further exploration. The album's production is solid throughout, but a noticeable lack of bridges in several songs feels like a missed opportunity. Nonetheless, it is an impressive body of work that showcases Jennie’s versatility and growth as an artist.

Intro: Jane with FJK [80]
The instrumental is so calming and majestic. It’s beautiful to listen to and sets the tone perfectly for the album.

like Jennie [100]
The intro catches you straight up. The instrumental is extremely hard-hitting, and the transition from Verse 1 to the chorus takes you by storm. The Korean rap reminds me of her rapping style in "Lovesick Girls," which I missed a lot. The flow is too good to be true—such an exciting track starter.

start a war [90]The melody is very familiar for some reason. The difference between this song and the previous one is obviously the speed. The vocal layering in the chorus is easy to listen to, instantly creating high replay value. Definitely will replay this over and over for the upcoming weeks.

Handlebars [85]
At this point, I already know the direction of this album, and I love it so far. This song is very strong in terms of instrumentals. It’s also one of the first times we hear Dua Lipa’s vocals on this type of genre— a nice break from her uptempo pop sound. It’s more of a duet rather than a feature, which is always a plus. Their vocal textures work well together. Really wish this song had a bridge!

with the IE (way up) [75]
Dem Jointz’s production never fails to impress. However, starting this song with the chorus broke it for me. I really wish she went for an Intro > Verse 1 instead of Refrain > Chorus. I do think it’s a grower, but overall, for now, it’s just an "okay" song. I wish they did more with the bridge. Not my favorite, but it has potential.

ExtraL [100]
This song is instantly strong. I have been obsessed ever since it was released. The pre-chorus, the chorus, and the overall song structure are some of the strongest on the album. I really wish we got this as the second single to experience it earlier. The Doechii feature is something I adore, and I really hope the other features live up to this excellent presence. The back-and-forth exchange in the final chorus between Jennie and Doechii is very strong and catches my ear every time.

Mantra [90]
Mantra is a very catchy and fun song. But hear me out—this song ages like milk very fast because it somewhat sounds monotone. You hear the same progression over and over again (except for the pre-chorus and sometimes in the chorus). I love the little marimba (I think?) in the instrumental. While production plays a strong role, I really wish they went extremely hard on this track since it introduced this era!

Love Hangover [70]
Jennie’s tone in this song is different from what we are used to. However, this song is very off-putting, coming after ExtraL and Mantra. The whole vibe of the song is just "alright." Dominic Fike’s feature was nothing special—not as powerful as Doechii’s appearance—but he did his job, got his coin, and that was it. Overall, one of my least favorite songs on the record.

ZEN [90]
Happy that this song has a normal structure. I have been excited for it ever since she teased it, and boy, did she deliver! I think the production here is very strong. I wish her vocals were more present in the chorus. The post-chorus instrumental is very listenable and deserves its own extended section.

Damn Right [80]
I honestly did not expect to see Kali Uchis and Childish Gambino on a Jennie song, but here we are. I love the vibe of the song. At this point, I realize the inspirations shaping the album. Even though I barely listen to Kali Uchis, I adore her vocals. I wish we got Love Hangover Jennie on this song—it would complement the track well. Gambino’s verse is alright, but his rap part sounds extremely dry. I really expected more. Kinda wish we got a three-way bridge with some back-and-forth style.

F.T.S. [70]
As soon as the song started, the instrumental reminded me so much of the intro. It makes me wonder—if we ever got a prelude, how would it sound? I really love the melody of this song; it slowly builds up as if something is coming… but it never does. It has a slow build-up that makes it very exciting to keep listening—a "catfishing" song that leaves you wanting more.

Filter [75]
A typical Dem Jointz song, but I never expected him to create a switch-up for a Jennie track. Honestly, it’s such an exciting song to listen to, and I was craving something like this. The vocals are very easy to listen to. The chorus is fun but very dry. I really wish we got more echoes of "No Filter." Some parts sound empty. However, the album seems to hate bridges, which saddens me because they’re something I always look forward to in a song.

Seoul City [60]
Similar to the previous song, the chorus is very empty. I’m not sure if Jennie is trying to go for an instrumental focus, but at this point, I’m not feeling it. I really wish she did more. Not my favorite song.

Starlight [90]
YES! THIS IS THE SONG I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. The production, the claps in the background—it’s all so fun. The second part of Verse 1 is fantastic. I love this song because it’s reminiscent of old-school repetitive tracks. The chorus gives me exactly what I wanted from "Filter." I LOVE the production. The pacing is energetic and engaging. It pulls you in for a good time. It’s giving story, giving K-drama. Easily one of my favorites!

Twin [60]
Jennie’s tone is beautiful in this song. The acoustic guitar feels raw and easy to listen to. I really wish we got more lines like "It’s like I’m writing a letter, but I’m writing a song"—a missed opportunity. The song is beautiful, despite not being an everyday listen. Wishing it had a bridge ending with a high climax, knowing she has powerful vocals. The vocal harmonies are appreciated. A good album closer, but I wish Starlight had been the closer—it’s much stronger.

[Favorite Songs]
Like Jennie, ExtraL, Starlight

[Least Favorite Songs]
Love Hangover, F.T.S., Filter, Seoul City, Twin