Released on Nov. 4, “Do It” is a three-and-a-half-minute melodic earworm layered with glitchy lyrics, industrial synths and sparkly accents. The most recent of underscores’ latest releases, including her single “Music” from this past summer and “Copycats” on Danny Brown’s newest album Stardust, showcase her incredible ability as a genre-blending artist. “Do It” is no exception, drawing on the heavy electronic sound typical of hyperpop while boasting a strong melodic line supported by ornamental guitar licks; what results is a multilayered masterpiece.
“Do It” stands out because of its music videos. The first of which depicts individuals sitting in front of a computer, confronted with a questionnaire echoed in the lyrics:
“What are your prospects?/
Do you make your own cash?/
What kinda car you drive?”
Choreography by underscores and two backup dancers interject these scenes, immediately prompting my question while watching: “Where is the dance practice video?” Commonly in the world of K-pop, when a group releases a music video for their song, a separate video accompanies it, showing the group performing the choreography for the entire song. Underscores follows suit, releasing “Do It (Choreo Ver.)” five days after the original music video release.
This connection to K-pop isn’t coincidental. Fans link underscores to a K-pop-related YouTube channel aptly called 2ndgenbias, and she mixes songs from 2nd-generation K-pop groups like Girls’ Generation and f(x) in her DJ sets on YouTube. “Do It” intricately incorporates the sound of 2nd generation K-pop in the club dance feel of the chorus and slowed R&B breakdown in the bridge.
This single exemplifies underscores’ unique artistry, affirming her knack for transforming sounds and styles from the musical past into her own hits of the present, further solidifying her position at the forefront of music itself. “Do It” has skyrocketed to the top of my On Repeat playlist, and I know for sure I could answer underscores’ lyrical questionnaire:
“How does my song go?/
Am I in your playlist?/
Do you have Spotify?”
