One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Paradise (from Paradise – 2011) Infinite had a lot riding on Paradise. Be Mine had finally given them the breakout hit they needed to gain public recognition and secure their first music show win, but that could have easily faded away without a … Continue reading
Disclaimer: As with my write-ups on the Big Three agencies, this is written from an outsider’s perspective. I’m not privy to any business-related financial information beyond what any other fan would know. The purpose of these articles is to examine how well these agencies are serving their artists and the general k-pop fan-base. Big Hit … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Only Tears (from Infinitize – 2012) One of Infinite’s most delicate ballads, Only Tears’ gentle mix of piano, guitar and strings provides little distraction from the purity of the group’s vocals. Even so, the instrumental builds gorgeously, becoming more grandiose as the song … Continue reading
As SM Entertainment’s original girl group, it’s hard to overstate just how successful S.E.S were when they debuted in the late 90’s. Long before “cute” was the girl group template of choice, the trio built their name on a catchy blend of hip-hop and 90’s r&b. Their music stretched into the early 00’s before a lengthy … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Nothing’s Over (from Inspirit – 2011) Sweetune are at their best when they go ultra-melodic, and Nothing’s Over is one of their essential tracks. From the opening, piano-accented beat to the soaring melodies that make up the chorus, the song is life-affirming pop … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. 1Take & … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Mother (from Destiny – 2013) Sometimes a song is more about sentiment than melody or production. It’s hard not to fall for an ode to moms, no matter how treacly it might come across. Even so, Mother is one of Infinite’s less … Continue reading
Red Velvet have had an incredible year so far, dominating (to varying degrees) both the winter and summer with mega-hits Rookie and Red Flavor. The latter felt like a true watershed moment, made even more impressive by its killer selection of b-sides. With Peek-A-Boo (피카부), the group has teased a combination of their “red” and … Continue reading
At this point, the tag team of Snuper and Sweetune has built up such good will that I’m bound to enjoy anything the two collaborate on. I love it when a group finds the perfect producer to steer their sound and actually sticks with them long enough to establish a cohesive discography. Snuper may have … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Moonlight (from Reality – 2015) Infinite have only worked with producers Seo Young-bae and Iggy two times, but both collaborations have resulted in absolute knockouts. Strong enough to be a title track, the strings-driven, disco-kissed Moonlight is one of the group’s best … Continue reading
Before he was known as part of Produce 101’s “Avengers team,” Samuel was one half of underrated retro act 1Punch. Debuting in early 2015, the one-and-done duo released the fantastic New Jack Swing of Turn Me Back. It’s a sound I’ve always wanted Samuel to return to, and Candy (캔디) sees him doing just that. … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Monster Time (from Telemonster OST – 2015) One of the more idiosyncratic entries in Infinite’s discography, Monster Time was recorded for the soundtrack of an animated kid’s show. That explains some of the bizarre lyrics. But as the group matures in sound … Continue reading
Woollim Entertainment has more than their share of managerial issues (when is that fabled Infinite comeback, again?), but one thing I’ve always appreciated is that they develop a strong, recognizable sound for their artists. Rather than jump from trendy producer to trendy producer, a group like Lovelyz has largely stuck with quirky production team One … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Memories (from Season 2 / Be Back – 2014) Memories is the kind of song that sneaks up on you. It’s not immediately impressive as it floats along a warm, mid-tempo groove, but its modest arrangement is carried out with such verve … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Seventeen continues to impress with their latest album, even if … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Man In Love (from New Challenge – 2013) One of Infinite’s most joyous, upbeat explosions of pop, Man In Love doesn’t always receive the accolades it deserves. In fact, when it was first released, its insistent buoyancy seemed too fizzy and bright … Continue reading
Though they’ve only been around for just over three months, Wanna One already feel like a vital part of the current k-pop landscape. Their big personalities have been especially welcome on variety shows, but their debut Energetic also enjoyed unexpected staying power, becoming one of this year’s most addictive dance tracks. With Beautiful, the group … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Love Of My Life (from For You – 2015) Infinite’s original Japanese work has often been a testing ground for new sounds, and Love Of My Life points toward a very promising direction. The guys go full lighters-in-the-air power ballad here, complete with … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. SM Entertainment’s releases have been somewhat scattershot this year (along … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Love Letter (from Reality – 2015) Some songs just radiate a sense of warmth. And while Love Letter may not be one of Infinite’s more notable efforts, it has that sentiment down. The song opens with an extended, jazzy piano introduction that soon … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 