A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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.
TWS’s first Japanese single Hajimemashite (Nice To Meet You) is right around the corner, and as with any J-pop single it could be pre-released at any moment. Before that, the group has unveiled their first anime OST — a pairing with popular Japanese act Ayumu Imazu.
When I first heard about this collaboration, my feelings were mixed. Ayumu Imazu is well-known and adds real clout to the TWS brand, but his songs are often hit or miss for me. Either they’re funky and fun or a little mundane. Not only did he write Bloom, but his vocals also feature prominently. Thankfully, the song strikes a great balance between his and TWS’s sound, making the collaboration feel very natural.
Bloom isn’t quite as pop-forward as most of TWS’s work, but its bright, summery energy meshes well with their discography. As usual, I absolutely love their vocals. It’s so nice to hear a boy group with such distinct tones. Being able to instantly differentiate voices adds so much character. This buoys an otherwise simple song, though Bloom‘s incredibly catchy chorus would be successful in any realm. It’s the kind of hook that sneaks up to you — laidback but quite potent on repeat listens. The good vibes are strong with this one.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I’m so glad u reviewed this!
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hi nick! are you going to review attitude by uau? they dropped a performance video!
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also, stayc is back with their japanese single ‘lover killer’ and dropped a performance video!
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When it comes to performance videos, I usually only review if it’s an absolutely huge artist or if I love the song. I don’t love either song and neither release seems to be making enough noise to warrant a full write-up.
I’ll definitely feature the STAYC song in my J-pop round-up at the end of the week and may eventually write about it if I’m in need of content for the day. Otherwise, I don’t have much to say.
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did you enjoy STAYC’s release so?
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Not really.
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Indie is my default reset when my favorite current genres are delivering weak material, as Kpop & Jpop have of late, and this one that came out today is working its charms on me. Probably not for most K-pop fans.
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I wish indie artists would discover the art of the bridge. It could’ve taken this song to the next level. But at any rate, the lyrics to this are amazingly brilliant and touching.
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BLSSD is part of the prodcuer team for ATEEZ’s new title. I think that should be interesting!
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unrelated but any thoughts on these latest new singles?
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Not really, honestly. I don’t particularly like any of them. I’m not sure why people are so hyped over Tate, Addison and Lorde. The other two feel a bit novelty and/or cheap.
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the benjamin elgar one was one that kept shitting up my instagram reel page with that annoying-ass chorus and beat it had so i took the time to listen to it and yeah, definitely not for me
“BuT mAlE pOp StArS” idgaf i have bts
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