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. Daniel Caesar … Continue reading
As GOT7’s Korean output has continued to evolve, their Japanese releases have tended to stick to a similar pattern. For better or worse, they’ve developed a swag-driven j-pop persona that favors attitude and bluster over melody. This has resulted in a guilty pleasure or two, but never a song that can rival their best work. … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! I’m Going Crazy (Infinite F) (from Season 2 / Be Back – 2014) Before they debuted as an official sub-unit, Infinite F released this quirky blend of icy synth and subdued hooks. Infinite’s music doesn’t often take a very experimental bent, but … Continue reading
Producer Ryan S. Jhun has had a dynamite year so far, composing song after song after song of consistently high quality. And in between his more hyped releases, he’s partnered with rookie group VAV. The guys’ past three singles have all been crafted by Jhun, and now they’ve collaborated again for She’s Mine. If I’m … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! I Like You (from Infinitize – 2012) Though 2012’s Infinitize was led by one of the group’s most bombastic singles, the actual album is much more laid-back in nature. I Like You strikes a nice balance between the era’s more acoustic leanings and a … Continue reading
Ever since their debut, Astro has stuck with a lighthearted, ultra-pop sound. This is one of the reasons I’ve been so excited about their music. Many boy groups seem to be intent on showing how hard and edgy they can be, but with Astro it feels like the song and melody come before the posturing. … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! I Don’t Know (from Evolution – 2011) One of Infinite’s most aggressively energetic tracks, I Don’t Know blasts forward on a blend of frantic electronics and crunchy guitar reminiscent of 90’s j-pop and video game soundtracks. That all sounds like a recipe … 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. October 2017 Overall Thoughts October matched February with 2017’s highest cumulative rating thus far, and I’m not … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Hysterie (from Evolution – 2011) Built upon flashes of rhythm guitar, big brass flourishes and enough nimble bass to power several songs, Hysterie stands as one of Infinite’s funkiest tracks. That it came so early in their career is impressive, and that … Continue reading
As a sub-unit, the Odd Eye Circle trio have delivered the LOONA project’s most interesting music to date — so much so that I almost wish these three would promote together on a permanent basis. LOONA itself has had such a lengthy roll out, and it remains to be seen whether all the build-up will … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Going To You (from Destiny – 2013) At their best, Infinite’s unique vocal blend can soar to truly majestic places. Going To You is one of the strongest examples of this. Building slow from a soft gallop of percussion, the track soon … Continue reading
To say that Super Junior’s ascent as elder statesmen of k-pop has been a graceful one would be wishful thinking. With multiple controversies sidelining several members, it feels like this upcoming comeback’s very existence is a minor miracle. And though there may only be seven of the once thirteen-member group promoting this time around, the … Continue reading
In 2017, Twice has continued to dominate charts and secure their position as the number one girl group in Korea. But neither of their singles this year packed quite the impossibly contagious, long-lasting effect of their opening Like Ooh-Ah/Cheer Up/TT trilogy. This can be traced directly to production duo Black Eyed Pilseung, who sat the … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! For You (from For You – 2015) Though For You may not have been produced by Sweetune, it brought back a certain funky lightness that had been missing from many Infinite tracks by the time December of 2015 rolled around. The song’s … Continue reading
With so many similarly-pitched idol competitions premiering at the same time, I fear the onset of k-pop survival series fatigue. And by releasing their theme song last out of the group, MIXNINE’s Just Dance (선공개) feels way too familiar in both inspiration and execution. But the song was co-composed by producer Teddy, who has long … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Footsteps (from Reality – 2015) Taken from one of the group’s strongest albums, Footsteps feels a bit meandering when stacked up with the material surrounding it. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the track plays with structure by not providing the … Continue reading
Few rookie groups have suffered as long a hiatus as Playback. The girls debuted all the way back in June of 2015 and released two underrated singles that year. And now — twenty-five months since we last heard them — they’ve finally delivered a follow-up. Because of this, it’s almost more accurate to consider Want … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Follow Me (from Season 2/Be Back – 2014) One of the most underrated tracks in Infinite’s arsenal, Follow Me is a captivating blend of ornate strings and thrilling tempo shifts. Kicking off at a gallop, the first verse swells with a beautiful build … Continue reading
After giving us its co-ed theme song and the boys’ group track, it’s time for The Unit to complete its trilogy of pre-releases before the series officially debuts tomorrow. This time the female contestants take center stage for the peppy Shine, and the song is a veritable case study for why I’m generally inclined towards … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Fixed Star (from First Invasion – 2010) Fixed Star is Infinite’s first ballad, giving us a taste of just how well-matched the group’s vocals are for this style. Melodically, it’s typical of the genre, hearkening back to a boy band sound popularized in … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 