One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Pretty Girl (from Pink Tape – 2013) Pretty Girl manages to make distortion sound a little bluesy, even as its ticking time bomb of an instrumental assaults us with frantic hi-hats and a hearty clap. The verses are comparatively reserved, but build … 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! March … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Pinocchio (Danger) (from Pinocchio / Hot Summer – 2011) I feel like repackage Hot Summer often steals the limelight from Pinocchio, but this track is far more quintessentially f(x). The stomping electro beat takes no prisoners, nudged along by the group’s rhythmic … Continue reading
In the expansive hall of dubious K-pop group names, Bling Bling takes a prestigious place. It’s not a great idea to fashion your identity around slang in the first place. But, it’s even more baffling to use outdated slang. Bling Bling sounds pretty silly. Yet, I’ve learned not to dwell on misguided monikers. After all, … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Papi (from 4 Walls – 2015) Papi is pure fun, indebted to nothing more than having a good time. It’s a monstrous dance track, thriving on a generous dose of electro bass and a chirpy synth loop. The chorus is instantly memorable, … 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. BTS’s BE has an air of finality to it, like the … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Paper Heart (from Red Light – 2014) Putting a cap on the adventurous Red Light album, Paper Heart is an extremely refreshing closer. Driven by plucked guitar (or ukulele?), the verses are light and relaxing. This sets up the stomping, sing-along chorus … Continue reading
I must admit, I’m shocked at how long BTS’s Dynamite has endured on global charts. I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised. In many ways, the track was a slam dunk before it even materialized – a glossy, trend-friendly pop song with wide appeal. And while I still find it to be more commercial jingle than … Continue reading
BAE173 brings together X1/H&D’s Dohyun and Hangyul with seven other members for PocketDol Studio’s first boy group. It seems as if the agency has thrown a big budget and plenty of attention behind these guys, so it will be interesting to see how they fare within a stuffed K-pop market. At the very least, it’s … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Nu ABO (from Nu ABO – 2010) Hailed as a “reverse beat” dance track, Nu ABO is what I would consider f(x)’s first real experimental single. The instrumental is quite a feat, looping a flipped synth riff with stomping percussion and filtered … Continue reading
Far be it from me to tell any performer what kind of music they should be making, but I can’t help imagining how awesome it would be if Henry released a song like Lucy’s Snooze. He seems intent on following the footsteps of K-r&b soloists like Crush and Dean, but it feels like such a … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! No More (from Pink Tape – 2013) Taking a doo wop approach, No More has a much warmer tone than much of the experimental Pink Tape album. As such, it’s a nice palette cleanser but tends to get lost in the shuffle. … Continue reading
Idol band CNBlue have made it through military enlistment and the departure of a member, emerging on the other side with their first new album in three years. Having debuted in 2009, it feels as if this group has been a K-pop staple for as long as I can remember. The hype around their music … Continue reading
Cho Seung-youn has quickly become one of K-pop’s biggest post-X1 successes. Earlier this year, he released his first mini album under the stage name Woodz, and showed great promise as an idol act with an unusual level of creative control. Though most of the songs on Equal drew from genres I don’t usually love, Woodz … Continue reading
Though Momoland treated us to Starry Night back in June, it’s been almost a year since their last full-fledged comeback. The group has struggled to rekindle the magic of their Bboom Bboom/BAAM era, stuck between recreated that sense of novelty or moving onto new sounds. But, they’ve scored a real coup with new single Ready … Continue reading
It’s been over six years since SM Entertainment last debuted a new girl group, making aespa’s arrival long overdue. I feel like there have been rumors about a new girl group for at least four years now, with many picturing a large, SNSD-like configuration. Instead, aespa is a tight, four-person act, just as Red Velvet … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! My Style (from Pinocchio / Hot Summer – 2011) My Style’s splashy introduction feels tailor-made for early-00’s Beyoncé, harnessing drumline-like percussion before settling into a sticky electro groove. I love the synth accents during the song’s verses. They feel pretty canned and … Continue reading
The Midnight Romance has been an under-the-radar group this year, but they’ve been releasing new music at a shockingly steady rate. Just over two weeks since their brilliant Nightmare, the guys are back with emotional piano ballad I Don’t Want To Live Without You. It’s a far cry from their usual synth-powered sound, but stands … Continue reading
Like so many boy groups before them, BTOB are currently navigating the tricky business of military enlistments. Some members are currently serving, while others have been discharged. It’s been over two years since they’ve been able to release something as a full group, but they’ve smartly created a new sub-unit to keep the BTOB brand … Continue reading
Over a year since its release, AKMU’s 2019 title track How Can I Love The Heartbreak, You’re The One I Love is still lodged in the top twenty of the Melon digital chart. That’s the very definition of an enduring megahit, and a testament to just how much Korea loves this singer-songwriter duo. Because of … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 