iKON will soon be participating in MNET’s Kingdom series – the second most senior act to do so. It’s hard to believe these guys debuted almost six years ago. A pair of long hiatuses have made their career arc feel both shorter and longer than it is, and I’m hoping that Kingdom can garner them … Continue reading
If you were to map my musical DNA, a sizable portion would be indebted to 90’s J-pop. To me, this is a truly magical time in music, but it’s rarely discussed or shared outside of Japan. Being an aficionado of certain sounds within this era, I’ve tracked down hundreds of highlights over the years. And … Continue reading
Once buoyed by the bright energy of rookiedom, VERIVERY have since taken a darker musical path, abandoning their funky new jack swing roots for edgier concepts. I blame it on that creepy game of hide-and-seek they played during the Tag Tag Tag summer of 2019. Something weird happened in that dusty old house. Tsk tsk … 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. Okay, this just makes me mad. … Continue reading
After the unexpected viral success of Gang, Rain has reaffirmed his musical legacy by collaborating with the right people. First up was the summer smash Beach Again, performed alongside Lee Hyori and Yoo Jaesuk. Then, he paired with longtime mentor Park Jinyoung for the addictive new jack swing of Switch To Me. And on the … Continue reading
Enough of you asked for it, and who am I to deny? It’s time to dive deep into SHINee’s long-awaited comeback album Don’t Call Me, track-by-track. 1. Don’t Call Me // 2. Heart Attack // 3. Marry You // 4. CØDE // 5. I Really Want You // 6. Kiss Kiss // 7. Body Rhythm … Continue reading
If you were to map my musical DNA, a sizable portion would be indebted to 90’s J-pop. To me, this is a truly magical time in music, but it’s rarely discussed or shared outside of Japan. Being an aficionado of certain sounds within this era, I’ve tracked down hundreds of highlights over the years. And … Continue reading
ATEEZ’s years-long Treasure project remains one of K-pop’s most daring works – exciting, inventive and packed with killer songs. But so far, I’m not feeling the “Fever.” This follow-up project now has two mini albums under its belt. I thought its opening salvo, released last summer, was fine even if it felt more like a … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. February 2021 Overall Thoughts 2021 is off to a roaring start, and February really kicked into … Continue reading
Enough of you asked for it, and who am I to deny? It’s time to dive deep into SHINee’s long-awaited comeback album Don’t Call Me, track-by-track. 1. Don’t Call Me // 2. Heart Attack // 3. Marry You // 4. CØDE // 5. I Really Want You // 6. Kiss Kiss // 7. Body Rhythm … Continue reading
If you were to map my musical DNA, a sizable portion would be indebted to 90’s J-pop. To me, this is a truly magical time in music, but it’s rarely discussed or shared outside of Japan. Being an aficionado of certain sounds within this era, I’ve tracked down hundreds of highlights over the years. And … 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. ONF’s new album is really strong, … Continue reading
Enough of you asked for it, and who am I to deny? It’s time to dive deep into SHINee’s long-awaited comeback album Don’t Call Me, track-by-track. 1. Don’t Call Me // 2. Heart Attack // 3. Marry You // 4. CØDE // 5. I Really Want You // 6. Kiss Kiss // 7. Body Rhythm … Continue reading
If you were to map my musical DNA, a sizable portion would be indebted to 90’s J-pop. To me, this is a truly magical time in music, but it’s rarely discussed or shared outside of Japan. Being an aficionado of certain sounds within this era, I’ve tracked down hundreds of highlights over the years. And … Continue reading
Enough of you asked for it, and who am I to deny? It’s time to dive deep into SHINee’s long-awaited comeback album Don’t Call Me, track-by-track. 1. Don’t Call Me // 2. Heart Attack // 3. Marry You // 4. CØDE // 5. I Really Want You // 6. Kiss Kiss // 7. Body Rhythm … Continue reading
If you were to map my musical DNA, a sizable portion would be indebted to 90’s J-pop. To me, this is a truly magical time in music, but it’s rarely discussed or shared outside of Japan. Being an aficionado of certain sounds within this era, I’ve tracked down hundreds of highlights over the years. And … Continue reading
When Wonho made his solo debut last September, I had no idea what to expect. But with Open Mind, he set off on a synth-driven sound that fit him like a glove, while capitalized on K-pop’s burgeoning trends. It was released only days before Taemin’s Criminal, and the two songs have always been tied together … Continue reading
Despite being one of my favorite Johnny’s acts, I haven’t really loved any of Kis-My-Ft2’s promoted tracks since 2019’s Edge Of Days. I often cite the group’s 2016-18 run as some of my favorite material Johnny’s has ever churned out, and I long for the guys to return with that kind of focus. With that … Continue reading
Enough of you asked for it, and who am I to deny? It’s time to dive deep into SHINee’s long-awaited comeback album Don’t Call Me, track-by-track. 1. Don’t Call Me // 2. Heart Attack // 3. Marry You // 4. CØDE // 5. I Really Want You // 6. Kiss Kiss // 7. Body Rhythm … Continue reading
If you were to map my musical DNA, a sizable portion would be indebted to 90’s J-pop. To me, this is a truly magical time in music, but it’s rarely discussed or shared outside of Japan. Being an aficionado of certain sounds within this era, I’ve tracked down hundreds of highlights over the years. And … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 