Upon the announcement of its official closure, I joked about owing K-pop’s Universe app a proper obituary. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I really do need to document the demise of this longstanding frenemy. During its brief existence, Universe promised creepy AI-generated idol interactions (or so I’m told). … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
AB6IX have had a rough go of it, initially emerging as a heavily-hyped, post-Wanna One group who seemed destined for instant a-list stardom. Since then, their musical output and chart positions have varied, without a signature sound taking hold. Member Daehwi has found great success as a producer, most recently competing in KBS’s Listen Up … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
AB6IX’s recent comebacks have been all over the place, swerving from noisy beat drops to light funk to stately synth-pop. It’s a far cry from their debut year, which presented a sleek, stylish dance sound that seemed to be their calling card. Savior switches things up again, bringing in new producers and a new, darker … Continue reading
Over the course of the past year, AB6IX have been playing with the word “complete.” A new special album concludes this trilogy of completion, positioning the fans as an important part of the group’s existence. Throughout their career, AB6IX never settled on one defining sound or energy. The upbeat 1, 2, 3 continues this mix-and-match … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll kick off with the big one: The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, … Continue reading
2021 will mark the sixth time I’ve deconstructed a “Year in K-pop” through a variety of countdowns. Add a wealth of throwback posts and countdowns, and I feel like I’ve gained some perspective. K-pop has changed a lot since I started this blog at the beginning of 2016, but I’m not sure it’s changing nearly … 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. With all my coverage of Key’s … 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. September 2021 Overall Thoughts September is usually a hit of miss month. Releases tend to be … Continue reading
Despite debuted just over two years ago, AB6IX are already releasing their second full-length album. From its title Mo’ Complete, you get the sense the group is laying it all on the line, and that includes the first Lee Daehwi-composed title track since last year’s Salute. Cherry is the brightest, most cheerful single they’ve ever … Continue reading
A review is just a snapshot in time, and sometimes I end up regretting the way I rated a song. There are so many factors that influence the longevity of K-pop. Familiarity, album context, live performances and cultural saturation can all boost or sink a song’s fortune. I run this feature during the mid-point of … Continue reading
I swear, I’m going to keep reviewing these Universe tracks until one completely knocks me out. So in other words… I’ll probably keep reviewing them forever. For those just now jumping onboard, Universe is a K-pop app that promises idol interaction and exclusive material. It’s already enlisted many top idols, releasing original songs and videos … 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. April 2021 Overall Thoughts 2021 continues to be a strong year for K-pop. When it comes … Continue reading
When it was released in 2015, I never would have imagined SHINee’s View would kick off years of deep house K-pop tracks. It’s the musical trend that refuses to quit, and I fear we’re reaching over-saturation. I enjoy deep house as a genre, but I keep waiting for K-pop to remove the “deep” and jump … 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. January 2021 Overall Thoughts It’s the start of a new year, and new possibilities when it … Continue reading
After a debut year highlighted by an addictive deep house sound, AB6IX’s music faced growing pains in 2020. And with the departure of their leader, it felt like the group was at a crossroads. This resulted in a pair of comebacks that were polar opposites of one another, leading me to question exactly what AB6IX … Continue reading
It’s Christmas Day here in the States, so I’ll be taking a one-day break from the end-of-year countdowns to focus on 2020’s K-pop holiday offerings. Every year, the industry delivers a glut of seasonal material, though there haven’t been that many recent classics. I already reviewed The Boyz’ festive Christmassy earlier this month, but now … Continue reading
AB6IX’s music has really grown on me since debut, but my impression was initially quite negative thanks to pre-release Hollywood. I mention this because new single Salute hearkens back to many of the elements that I disliked about Hollywood, offering a noisy beat-drop in place of a chorus. It feels like Salute was designed with … 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 had a heck of a time deciding which track on … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 