When it comes to pop music, I’ve always followed producers. In fact, that approach became one of the biggest reasons I first got into K-pop. I followed producer Thomas Troelsen, who I’d always admired from his work with Scandinavian acts (including his own brilliant group Private). I mention this because The Midnight Romance’s music and … Continue reading
Full disclosure: I’m not much of a gamer. And, I don’t really find the idea of virtual/avatar pop stars to be appealing (hello, æspa!). So, while everyone else was raving about Pop/Stars two years ago, I was mostly oblivious to the hype. For those like me, the K/DA project is a virtual girl group themed … Continue reading
Forget retro or trap or EDM or whatever trend you want to highlight. Yoo Jaesuk has become the year’s most reliable purveyor of mega-hits – at least on the Korean charts. His series Hangout with Yoo has transformed itself into a delivery method for K-pop unit groups. First we had SSAK3 with their summer smash … Continue reading
Though they released Only One last December, it’s been over a year since JBJ95 have come back with an album. The duo have proven themselves adept at delivering melodic pop tracks, and I think their work is at its best when it conjures a sense of nostalgia. New track Jasmin takes them in a more … Continue reading
In a day of debuts, P1Harmony are here to make themselves known with the powerful Siren. Hailing from FNC Entertainment, the group follows in the footsteps of agency seniors SF9, who have grown into a very successful act in their own right. And though P1Harmony lack a ton of pre-debut hype, they did appear in … Continue reading
Over the years, Woollim Entertainment’s music has proven to consistently match my taste, so the thought of any new debut from the agency is exciting. But though Nostalgia may be their first official title track, DRIPPIN are not unknown to the public. Every member except one participated in last year’s Produce X 101 series, with … Continue reading
Originally scheduled for release all the way back in June, it’s been a long wait to hear CIX’s Jungle (정글). The hiatus is a stumbling block for the group, who gained quite a following during their debut year. Their music – and the producers they’ve been paired with – hasn’t been for me thus far, … Continue reading
I am not against some good Halloween-themed K-pop fun. As eager as the industry is to churn out wintery releases in December, few idol acts ever embrace the inherently goofy potential of Halloween. T1419 (we’re gonna change that mouthful of a name upon debut, right??) are teasing their upcoming music with pre-release track Dracula. And, … Continue reading
Though they haven’t received as much attention as some of the year’s more prominent rookies, boy group DKB has been chugging along, steadily releasing music that matches the sonic history of their agency Brave Entertainment. Unfortunately, as they’ve gone on I’ve enjoyed their output less and less. Though Brave Brothers is listed as a composer, … Continue reading
After an incredibly strong debut year, I began to worry about TXT. Visuals and lore aside, it felt like Big Hit was pushing them too hard to sound like agency-seniors BTS, rather than embracing the group’s unique strengths. This hit a sour note with May’s Can’t You See Me, which felt like a junior version … Continue reading
When one of K-pop’s A-list acts embrace a musical trend, you know it’s officially sunk its teeth into the industry. Synthpop is the sound of the moment, and Twice have tackled the genre with I Can’t Stop Me. This follows similar efforts from Everglow and SoRi, and lands somewhere in the middle of those two … Continue reading
This year’s retro synth revival continues to spread around the globe, and that includes Japan. Exile Tribe has always had a retro flair, rooted most deeply in the early-90’s, so it’s no surprise that one or more of their groups would pick up this baton and run with it. However, Fantastics have never attempted a … 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. Seventeen’s Home;Run is a fun return-to-form for the group. I may … 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. I can appreciate LOONA’s Why Not for what it is, but … Continue reading
A week after Rania was resurrected from K-pop purgatory, an even more surprising comeback has occurred. Boy group MVP debuted in March of 2017 with the excellent Take It… and then never returned. After a stint on survival (“rebooting”) series The Unit, the group seemed to disappear from the face of the earth, destined to … Continue reading
Thus far, CRAVITY’s promotional schedule has included duel concepts. Their title tracks opt for a harder-hitting dance pop style, while their follow-ups embrace the lighter side of boy group fare. The latter has offered greater opportunity to deliver solid pop melody, making it my preferred sound for the group. And though I would have enjoyed … Continue reading
When it comes to the priorities for an AleXa comeback, the actual song seems to come about third or fourth on the list. The music video and performance are clearly the stars here, which is fine. But, as someone who listens to K-pop more often than watching the songs’ accompanying videos, this approach can be … Continue reading
Last we heard from boy group D-CRUNCH, they were crunching our ears with the aggressive Pierrot. That song didn’t do much to differentiate them from the pack, but they’ve stuck to their guns with the almost-as-noisy Across The Universe (비상(飛上)). This track brings stronger textures to the table, but reinforces an exhausting trend that’s affected … Continue reading
Weeks before making his military enlistment, Crush has released a mini album with a fun concept. With Her pairs the soloist with a different female artist for each track. I think this is a wonderful idea, as each collaborator could bring out a different part of his artistry, while potentially challenging themselves as well. The … Continue reading
True to JYP form, Stray Kids have proven to be real workhorses this year. Just over a month after their last Korean comeback (which they’re still promoting), they’ve dropped the music video for their new Japanese single. All In follows this spring’s standout TOP, and heralds the release of their first Japanese mini album. Like … Continue reading
