Thus far, Weeekly have rejected the popular girl crush trend for something sweeter and more approachable. In this way, their vibe reminds me of earlier K-pop generations. They burst on the scene last summer with the addictive Tag Me — a track they’ve yet to surpass (though March’s After School comes close). Unfortunately, new single … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new album, Game Changer! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the ten new songs. 1. Game Changer (Intro) // 2. Ra Pam Pam // 3. Bottom Of The Ocean // 4. Fanfare // 5. Singing … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new album, Game Changer! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the ten new songs. 1. Game Changer (Intro) // 2. Ra Pam Pam // 3. Bottom Of The Ocean // 4. Fanfare // 5. Singing … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new album, Game Changer! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the ten new songs. 1. Game Changer (Intro) // 2. Ra Pam Pam // 3. Bottom Of The Ocean // 4. Fanfare // 5. Singing … Continue reading
Somi’s solo career has existed in drips and drabs, with no more than a single comeback each year since debut. All three songs have been co-produced by Teddy, whose familiar touch has crafted most of BLACKPINK’s discography (along with so many other YG artists). As the years have gone on, his ‘beat drop chorus + … Continue reading
For years now, I’ve been crossing my fingers for Astro’s return to the bright, carefree pop of their debut era. Those fingers also begged for a reunion with producers Iggy and Youngbae, who crafted a definitive sound for the group. But, the world rarely gives you everything you want, so in place of another Hide … Continue reading
When it comes down to it, what makes a “bias” group? It’s a complicated formula – one that starts and ends with the personal connection you feel to the members and their music. Golden Child haven’t yet released my favorite single in any year since debut, but their appeal runs deeper than a single song. … Continue reading
A K-pop group’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. As great as 2021 has been … Continue reading
I can’t overstate how much I adore JO1’s Born To Be Wild. I loved it from the start, but it’s grown into the kind of pop behemoth that spawns entire essays on this blog. From build to chorus to breakdown, the track is perfection and still gives me goosebumps every time it pops up on … Continue reading
K-pop’s been on a “summer holiday” for weeks now, but Dreamcatcher are vacationing the right way – by releasing new music, of course! New single BEcause heralds their special summer album. Given this distinction, I wondered if the girls would take the opportunity to delve further into the EDM sound that pops up often in … Continue reading
K-Pop debuts can be tricky things. At times, they’re the best song a group delivers. Sometimes, they’re the only song a group delivers! But, debuts can also be huge wtf moments in an artist’s career. In this feature, I’ll be looking back at debut songs through the prism of time, re-evaluating how well they hold … Continue reading
It’s been fun watching Exile Tribe’s various groups find their niche. The artist collective is really diversifying its roster, tailoring different sounds to different strengths. Unsurprisingly, I’ve been enamored by Fantastics’ recent embrace of retro synth pop. They’ve been on an incredible roll of late, from High Fever to Play Back to Stop For Nothing. … Continue reading
In a month lacking K-pop releases, the Universe app is offering some of July’s few big-name “comebacks.” That’s a pretty sad state of affairs, especially since the full music videos aren’t even made available outside the app. Regardless, it’s always nice to hear from Monsta X – even more so on the heels of their … Continue reading
AKMU’s newest release is a collaboration album, with each of its tracks featuring a guest artist. None of these guests feel too surprising or left-field, but their presence has inspired the duo to experiment with their sound. NAKKA (낙하) brings together AKMU and IU – a recipe for surefire chart success. But, the track also … Continue reading
Fans have long clamored for a solo album from EXO’s D.O. His smooth vocal style adds soul and groove to the group’s tracks, and he seemed poised for an excellent R&B career of his own. However, SM Entertainment doesn’t seem to know what to do with his skills. D.O. has stated his desire to challenge … Continue reading
Over the past few years, several Johnny’s groups have started recording more English-language material. This surprises me given the agency’s lack of access to English-speaking markets. Just like K-pop, I’m not sure I want these acts to be vying for international attention – especially if it means diluted the aspects that make them unique and … Continue reading
Ryuji Imaichi, from Exile Tribe’s Sandaime J Soul Brothers, has a flourishing solo career that’s largely passed me by. Depending on the song, I either love the unique tone of his voice or find it quite piercing. But when I stumbled upon the futuristic cover of his new mini album Chaos City, I knew I … Continue reading
Well, what do we have here? Honest-to-goodness new music during the month of July?? Will wonders never cease! Actually, our long musical drought will soon come to an end as AKMU ushers in a K-pop deluge with their collaboration album next week. Apparently, all of its songs will be given some form of music video, … Continue reading
With over 3,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
K-Pop debuts can be tricky things. At times, they’re the best song a group delivers. Sometimes, they’re the only song a group delivers! But, debuts can also be huge wtf moments in an artist’s career. In this feature, I’ll be looking back at debut songs through the prism of time, re-evaluating how well they hold … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 