NewJeans How Sweet + Bubble Gum Album Review

Hey guys this is DJ Harrito! It’s been a while! I’ve been pretty busy lately but now that I have time to post something, I want to talk about NewJeans’ recent album from earlier this year! Well, it was more of a few singles, but regardless they’re worth the listen! Specifically, today we’ll be discussing the How Sweet + Bubble Gum mini album released on May 24, 2024. Let’s dive in!

Before I begin, I’d like to state that I am informed about the current rocky situation they’ve been in, but I will not be discussing it in this blog. I’d like to keep it focused on the music, but with that being said I hope you guys enjoy my review!

Similar to other NewJeans work, the How Sweet + Bubble Gum album is a mini one with the tracklist of just four songs. As the title suggests, the main two tracks are “How Sweet” and “Bubble Gum”, followed by their instrumental counterparts. 

In the first track, “How Sweet”, is a bubbly pop song with a fun beat and a retro-vibe. The song feels slower in tone, but it’s very groovy in the sense where it may be one of NewJeans slower pop songs. However, it doesn’t fail to energize people who listen.

If I were to compare this song to a more familiar track, I’d say it’s like a slower September by Earth, Wind and Fire. That may be an overstatement but it sounds similar beat wise. I would definitely recommend this to people who love Lo-Fi or slow songs with a pop vibe. I may even say this is my favorite NewJeans song…maybe? It’s definitely up there!

The second and last song is “Bubble Gum”. The song is definitely slower than “How Sweet” but it maintains the same feeling. It has an early ‘90s feeling to it that I can’t fully describe. I think the reason why it sounds so familiar is because it sounds like the soundtrack from a GameBoy Advance game I used to play as a child titled Care Bears: Care Quest. Due to that, I have a feeling of strong nostalgia when I listen to “Bubble Gum”. 

It makes me happy, yet sad. It’s an overwhelming feeling that I can’t describe precisely. But if I were to take that away from the song, I feel like it’s a decent song of theirs. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite but I can see how others would enjoy it. There’s a charming sound to it that feels like a hazy dream. I think what’s funny about this song is that it’s used in a shampoo commercial. Either way it doesn’t fail to be a NewJeans hit!

Overall, I enjoyed this mini album! It’s definitely super small, and I feel like they could have delayed it to combine their newer releases, “Supernatural” and “Right Now”, to create a four track album rather than making the other two tracks the instrumentals.

If you’re a NewJean Bunny, you’re more than likely going to love this album! If you’re a general K-pop fan, I would give “How Sweet” a listen as it’s the less popular of the two, but also because I honestly prefer it over the second song. I love “Bubble Gum” as well as it gives a taste of what seems to be city pop and it’s a very nostalgic song for me despite having no connection to it.

Feel free to check out NewJeans and all their songs on any streaming service you use, or if you feel in the mood of listening to them, feel free to check out my radio show, Kingdom Beats, on Tuesdays at 2 – 3 PM PST!

This is DJ Harrito signing off–I hope to talk to you guys again soon!