Originally scheduled for release all the way back in June, it’s been a long wait to hear CIX’s Jungle (정글). The hiatus is a stumbling block for the group, who gained quite a following during their debut year. Their music – and the producers they’ve been paired with – hasn’t been for me thus far, … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Dracula (from Red Light – 2014) Maybe it was because I grew up with Thriller, but I’ve always loved a cheesy Halloween-themed pop track. And, as gimmicky as Dracula could have been, f(x) turn it into one of their highlights. The theatrical … Continue reading
I am not against some good Halloween-themed K-pop fun. As eager as the industry is to churn out wintery releases in December, few idol acts ever embrace the inherently goofy potential of Halloween. T1419 (we’re gonna change that mouthful of a name upon debut, right??) are teasing their upcoming music with pre-release track Dracula. And, … Continue reading
Though they haven’t received as much attention as some of the year’s more prominent rookies, boy group DKB has been chugging along, steadily releasing music that matches the sonic history of their agency Brave Entertainment. Unfortunately, as they’ve gone on I’ve enjoyed their output less and less. Though Brave Brothers is listed as a composer, … Continue reading
After an incredibly strong debut year, I began to worry about TXT. Visuals and lore aside, it felt like Big Hit was pushing them too hard to sound like agency-seniors BTS, rather than embracing the group’s unique strengths. This hit a sour note with May’s Can’t You See Me, which felt like a junior version … Continue reading
When one of K-pop’s A-list acts embrace a musical trend, you know it’s officially sunk its teeth into the industry. Synthpop is the sound of the moment, and Twice have tackled the genre with I Can’t Stop Me. This follows similar efforts from Everglow and SoRi, and lands somewhere in the middle of those two … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Diamond (from 4 Walls – 2015) 4 Walls is an incredible album start to finish, but Diamond feels like one of its lesser moments. That’s certainly not due to a lack of trying. The song’s vocal arrangement is incredibly interesting, layering the … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! December … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Deja Vu (from 4 Walls – 2015) Deja Vu is all about texture. Its synth backbone has a retro 8-bit appeal – fizzy and scuzzy but undeniably cool. This continues into the catchy pre-chorus, which utilizes a brighter synth note to distinguish … Continue reading
This year’s retro synth revival continues to spread around the globe, and that includes Japan. Exile Tribe has always had a retro flair, rooted most deeply in the early-90’s, so it’s no surprise that one or more of their groups would pick up this baton and run with it. However, Fantastics have never attempted a … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Seventeen’s Home;Run is a fun return-to-form for the group. I may … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Dangerous (from Pinocchio / Hot Summer – 2011) An undeniable product of SM’s patented SMP sub-genre, Dangerous pounds forward on crunchy rock guitar and icy synth accents. It’s a stomping good time, allowing the girls a chance to truly vamp it up. … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I can appreciate LOONA’s Why Not for what it is, but … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Cowboy (from 4 Walls / Cowboy – 2016) As experimental as J-pop can be, it feels like a wasted opportunity that Cowboy is f(x)’s only original Japanese track. As such, it’s got a lot to live up to. The song doesn’t disappoint, … Continue reading
A week after Rania was resurrected from K-pop purgatory, an even more surprising comeback has occurred. Boy group MVP debuted in March of 2017 with the excellent Take It… and then never returned. After a stint on survival (“rebooting”) series The Unit, the group seemed to disappear from the face of the earth, destined to … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Chu~♡ (from Chu~♡ – 2009) As f(x)’s first comeback, Chu worked to extend the idiosyncratic electro-pop sound that had marked their debut. Its herky-jerky instrumental and seesawing hook combine to create a strange little pop truffle. Essentially, the song is an incredibly … Continue reading
Thus far, CRAVITY’s promotional schedule has included duel concepts. Their title tracks opt for a harder-hitting dance pop style, while their follow-ups embrace the lighter side of boy group fare. The latter has offered greater opportunity to deliver solid pop melody, making it my preferred sound for the group. And though I would have enjoyed … Continue reading
When it comes to the priorities for an AleXa comeback, the actual song seems to come about third or fourth on the list. The music video and performance are clearly the stars here, which is fine. But, as someone who listens to K-pop more often than watching the songs’ accompanying videos, this approach can be … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Chocolate Love (from Chocolate Love – 2009) Released by both f(x) and Girls’ Generation with different themes and arrangements, this “electro-pop” version of Chocolate Love is more suited to my personal taste. It comes across like many of SM’s girl group tracks … Continue reading
Last we heard from boy group D-CRUNCH, they were crunching our ears with the aggressive Pierrot. That song didn’t do much to differentiate them from the pack, but they’ve stuck to their guns with the almost-as-noisy Across The Universe (비상(飛上)). This track brings stronger textures to the table, but reinforces an exhausting trend that’s affected … Continue reading
