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.

I really like KickFlip’s new title track and the album’s pre-release has grown on me as well. Even so, I think the rest of the album tracks on this new project are weaker than past efforts. That’s not saying a whole lot since the group’s discography has been pretty bulletproof so far, but there are a couple songs late in the album that feel particularly disposable (Hate Blueberry, Drop In).

Kick Off The Wall Part One definitely shoves all its best music into its first half. Rockin’ stood out most to me on first listen, primarily due to its aggressive rock-meets-electronic beat that reminds me of last year’s Band-Aid. The melodies here aren’t as memorable, but the energy absolutely explodes. It’s cool to hear how the group is gradually maturing their sound without giving themselves a complete makeover. There are many places you can go with this rock-influenced style and Rockin’ offers a peek at a harder-edged side of their music that might very well form the basis of a big highlight in the future.

Grade: B