At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. November 2020 Overall Thoughts November was absolutely packed with releases, and though only one title track … Continue reading
A week after unveiling pre-release song Breath, GOT7 have made their official comeback with Last Piece, the title track to their fourth full-length album. Breath didn’t exactly fill me with anticipation, but the teasers for Last Piece hinted at a grittier instrumental that felt fresh and exciting. The entire song doesn’t quite live up to … Continue reading
After recapping each and every episode of this summer’s I-LAND, I feel a strange sort of kinship to ENHYPEN. This comes despite the fact that I rarely enjoyed the music that came out of that series. Still, the guys have plenty of potential, and that fact that they’re bolstered by the support of Big Hit … Continue reading
EXO’s Kai has been primed for a solo debut for years now. As one of the group’s most dynamic performers, it feels like the sky’s the limit when it comes to the showstoppers he could deliver on his own. And, the pre-release teaser film for his debut album harnessed that theatricality in exciting ways. Yet, … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Snapshot (from Pink Tape – 2013) The intro to Snapshot is among the cheesiest moments in f(x)’s discography, but it establishes the song’s vampy sound well. The jazzy verses have a vaudevillian appeal to them, though I’ve never been a huge fan … 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! January … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Signal (from Pink Tape – 2013) Those who are loving K-pop’s current dalliance with disco music will find plenty to admire about Signal. From its wispy strings to its indelible groove, the song bumps with the best of them. Its instrumental remains … Continue reading
It’s that time of year again! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and offering my thoughts about how their 2020 went. First up is SM Entertainment. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. I’m not taking into account things like … Continue reading
For reasons I’m still not entirely clear on, J-pop idol group Keyakizaka46 has renamed and rebranded itself as Sakurazaka46. Apart from some member changes earlier in the year, the reboot hasn’t really affected their general sound. Ahead of their first single release in early December, the girls are blitzing fans with multiple music videos. They’re … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Shadow (from Pink Tape – 2013) Shadow emerges as track two in the Pink Tape album, and has always suffered in comparison to Rum Pum Pum Pum. Under the hood, the song is almost as experimental, but the overall arrangement is much … Continue reading
With eighties synth sounds currently in vogue, Bullet Train feel like the perfect J-pop match for the sound. Given their exuberant – often goofy – dance style, they’re uniquely positioned to capitalize on the cheesier side of the era. And all it takes is one look at the delightful outfits in the music video for … Continue reading
Some melodies are so instant and insistent that you come away from the very first listen with the hook rattling around in your head. This is often referred to as an “earworm,” and Japanese group BuZZ’s Sun and Love is the mother of all earworms. These guys have been around for a few years, but … Continue reading
It’s not always appropriate or fair to compare different artists to one another, but you’ll have to indulge me on this. For the past few months, you’ve suffered through me ranting about how I wish SM Entertainment would lean further into the ambition of the NCT project, giving them a big, bombastic showstopper rather than … Continue reading
The year of random, sporadic Chungha releases continues, with an album finally in sight early next year. In 2020, she’s focused on showcasing her versatility as an artist, and this approach has been quite successful. Chungha is really growing into her own, unafraid to skirt between multiple genres. The most recent example of this is … Continue reading
NCT is absolutely stuffed with talent and personality. But, that only goes so far without strong songs to harness it. On the whole, both parts of the NCT Resonance album remind me of a b-side collection. They’re not so common anymore, but artists used to cobble together unreleased material and outtakes into a special album … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Rum Pum Pum Pum (from Pink Tape – 2013) Rum Pum Pum Pum is my favorite f(x) title track, and arguably the group’s crowning achievement. The song has everything I look for when it comes to f(x): a great melody, off kilter … Continue reading
While it might not be an official debut, My Heart Skip A Beat is the first taste of new RBW girl group Purple Kiss. Sharing an agency with Mamamoo, expectations are high for what these girls will eventually deliver. And, I wouldn’t be surprised if Heart ends up being a red herring. It comes across … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Red Light (from Red Light – 2014) Though I recognize I’m in the minority, Red Light is relatively low on my personal list of favorite f(x) title tracks. I find it an easier song to appreciate than to fully embrace. But to … 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. Though OST releases frequently play it safe when it comes to … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Rainbow (from Red Light – 2014) Rainbow assaults the listener right from its first moment. This is noisy EDM at its most frantic, utilizing synth yelps as a through-line while the instrumental twists itself in distorted directions. The production is consistently harsh, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 