Gather round, friends. I would like to recite a poem. The deep meaning behind these words may resonate with you in unexpected ways, so don’t be surprised if your eyes suddenly start to well up. There are tissues in the back of the room if you need them. (clears throat, adopts the poise and phrasing … Continue reading
This year’s KCON will live in infamy for a number of reasons: outrunning the remnants of a rare hurricane on my way home, testing positive for covid a day after, etc etc. However, this craziness doesn’t mean I don’t have highlights and commentary to share! For the first time, KCON LA’s concerts extended to three … 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
Regardless of the music itself, I respect CRAXY for naming their new single “Nugudom.” I wish the content was less earnest and more tongue-in-cheek, but I’ll always applaud a “nugu” (ie: under-known group) who swings for the rafters. After all, much of my favorite K-pop music has come from acts who bear that oft-derided moniker. … Continue reading
CRAXY released music video after music video in September, most of which I didn’t cover in detail. I’m not sure where their agency is getting the funding for all this promotion, but I wish they’d pool the money together and give us another song as fun as 2020’s Aria. Instead, they’ve churned out Poison Rose, … Continue reading
Whatever happens, CRAXY will always have one of K-pop’s most brilliantly bonkers debut songs in 2020’s Aria. That ambition has woven throughout their career, even if the music itself has become more typically 4th-gen K-pop in its execution. For their third mini album, the group has turned to production team D_answer, most well-known for their … Continue reading
This seems to be the week of bonkers girl group releases. From NMIXX to Billlie to CRAXY, these groups are serious about their worldbuilding and intricate concepts. But so far, the music hasn’t always followed suit. Yes, the songs twist and swerve in unexpected (sometimes jarring) directions, but they’re all built on ultra-familiar, overused sounds. … Continue reading
The album cover for Swan’s digital single Road In The Light proudly declares “Mortals born by “GAIA.” But with the abandonment” …as if we’re supposed to understand what the heck any of that means. This pseudo-mythology pretty much sums up girl group CRAXY – along with much of the K-pop industry! Like so many of … Continue reading
CRAXY scored one of my favorite debuts of last year with their bonkers Aria. The group went all out on a splashy music video and a song that changed structure and style at the drop of a hat. I love when K-pop goes weird and over-the-top while retaining a melody worth coming back for. Unfortunately, … 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, songs … Continue reading
Looking back at this feature from 2019, it seems like I identified quite a few risers and few fallers last year. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for 2020. Most title tracks — even the ones I loved — just haven’t enjoyed the same staying power. I’m not quite sure why this is. Maybe it … Continue reading
Slim pickings this year, my friends. In fact, if not for June I’m not sure I could have compiled a mid-year list at all. As it stands, I only have five picks compared to last year’s eight, and the honorable mentions list has been cut in half as well. What does this all mean? It … 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. March 2020 Overall Thoughts I don’t know about you all, but my mind wasn’t exactly on … Continue reading
This February left us with a lot of sound-alike tracks, and that included a few debuts. With such a saturated market, K-pop agencies seem scared to offer anything new or risky. The thing is, I’d argue that playing it safe is rarely a good strategy for new groups. It’s so easy to be swept up … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 