Rookie group POW burst out of the gate with the solid pop/rock of Favorite last year, but have struggled to find songs as equally strong since then. So rather than reinvent the wheel, they’ve embraced a proven hit with their remake of Avril Lavigne’s 2007 smash Girlfriend. The guys have K-popped the whole thing, cribbing … Continue reading
I haven’t been shy in voicing my displeasure/disinterest with K-pop’s current trend of beige, easy-listening girl group fare. The sound has become ubiquitous over the past year, dulling the excitement of many new groups. But within this sonic realm, ILLIT’s megahit Magnetic stood out as a solid example of the genre. Now they’re back with … Continue reading
Pre-release tracks aren’t necessarily meant to become the biggest hit of an artist’s career, but aespa’s Supernova surprised everyone by lodging itself at the top of the charts for the better part of the year. Karina’s recent solo track Up seems to be doing the same, adding to aespa’s red hot ascent. Now, the full … Continue reading
Longtime readers know that I’m a Sweetune aficionado. I hardly shut up about these producers (even/especially when they’re not currently producing). They’ve given us a wealth of K-pop classics over the years, including many of my all-time favorite songs. But being a Sweetune fanboy has its frustrations. They have little-to-no online presence and often disappear … Continue reading
*This was originally a “buried treasure” review, but now that we have an official mv, it’s been changed to a “song review” post. My rating hasn’t changed. It’s been quite some time since a Seventeen album has captured me, and new release Spill The Feels (such a cheesy title) is unlikely to break that trend. … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Distance (from LOL – 2016) LOL is a very energetic pop album, but of course it has its softer moments as well. Distance is a bit of a weird one, seeming to borrow equally from reggae and harmonica-driven folk. Its chorus has … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Crush (from The Awakening – 2017) GFriend’s music was often bolstered by new jack swing elements even if it never pushed definitively in that direction. Crush is the closest they got, tying a mystical tone to funky percussion that gives the song … Continue reading
The Bias List is a K-pop blog that also covers a fair amount of J-pop. But just like most music fans, I enjoy tracks from all around the world. So, I thought I’d start a monthly round-up of some of the non-K-pop songs that have caught my ear. No ratings — just highlights! February 2022 … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Crossroads (from Labyrinth – 2020) What I said then: “My central issue with Crossroads is that it’s just too lightweight. Yes, there are string sections aplenty swirling around the bulk of the song, but the percussion is too thin and inconsequential to … Continue reading
Despite displaying plenty of potential, One Pact have not enjoyed a rosy track record on this blog. Their songs have rated between 6.75 and 7.25 so far, with this June’s FXX Off the most disappointing of the bunch. However, there’s always room for musical redemption and new single Deserved transforms their sound with a lighter … Continue reading
After years of infrequent releases, the BLACKPINK members have blitzed the market with solo singles over the past few weeks. Some of these have featured international stars, like Lisa’s duet with Spanish pop queen Rosalía. Now, it’s Rosé’s turn to join forces with a global hitmaker, pairing up with Bruno Mars for the quirky, irreverent … Continue reading
Since their establishment in 2005, Top Media has exclusively managed male acts. Teen Top, 100%, UP10TION and MCND have all made their way through the agency’s ranks, but now Top is branching out to debut their first ever girl group. Odd Youth haven’t taken that all-important debut step yet, but we get a first look … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Crème Brûlée (from Song Of The Sirens – 2020) The plucky percussion that opens this track gives me bad flashbacks to when this style of production was ubiquitous in K-pop. I’m not a fan of this overall vibe. It’s too slow to … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Contrail (from The Awakening – 2017) There will be some songs in this feature that have already received short write-ups as part of other reviews, but I don’t plan to reference those old thoughts while writing about them this time. It’ll be … Continue reading
Billlie pre-released the understated Trampoline last week, complete with a low-budget music video that suggested they were saving their resources for their album’s title track. Remembrance Candy (기억사탕) is that title, arriving within the quirky worldbuilding we’ve come to expect from the group. It also scores a co-write from IU, who worked on the lyrics. … Continue reading
On the surface, Say My Name may seem like a typical new girl group, but they have an interesting mentor. They’re the first idol act from INKODE, the agency co-founded by ex-TVXQ member Kim Jaejoong. Jaejoong often interacts with younger idol groups as part of his variety work, but this is the first time we’ve … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Compass (from LOL – 2016) LOL was a great debut album and holds up very well – especially within its sugary pop genre. Compass is pure sweetness, underlined by a propulsive beat that builds to an astounding chorus. The synth percussion has … Continue reading
This spring, 82MAJOR’s Choke impressed with its addictive hip-hop production, but its lackluster hooks were quickly overshadowed by a similarly-themed comeback from fellow boy group YOUNITE. Still, the guys showed promise as hip-hop idols and new single Stuck (혀끝) seeks to capitalize on that sound. The instrumental isn’t quite as addictive this time around, but … Continue reading
Fresh off their snoozy pre-release R.E.M, Kiss Of Life are back with the title track from their new album. Get Loud ratchets up the energy and throws back to mid-2000’s R&B/dance sounds. The song wouldn’t sound out of place on a girl group album from that era, and that’s a solid direction for this group … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 