One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Miracles In December (from Miracles In December – 2013) I often use the word “sentiment” as a criticism — the last refuge of a song devoid of interesting melody or production work. But, sentiment can be a powerful thing, and often breathes … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Mama (from Mama – 2012) It would not be an overstatement to say that Mama was the song that cemented my love for K-pop. I’d dabbled with idol fare before, but this song’s bombastic mixture of Gregorian chants, heavy metal dance breaks … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Machine (from Mama – 2012) They don’t make ‘em like Machine anymore. But even though this song is the product of a bygone era, it feels like the direct fore-bearer to much of NCT’s experimental material. The difference is that Machine fully … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Lucky (from Growl – 2013) When it comes down to it with a pop song, I look for good energy and a good melody above all else. Lucky is not one of EXO’s boundary-pushing tracks. In fact, it’s one of their most … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Lovin’ You Mo’ (from Countdown – 2018) After a bevy of high-octane electronic dance tracks, EXO’s Countdown dials things back a bit for the groovy, skittering Lovin’ You Mo’. The song opens in understated fashion, reliant on its sneaky bassline to build … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Love, Love, Love (from Overdose – 2014) Writers more clever than I have described Love, Love, Love’s otherworldly beauty — its sharp melding of musical instruments and ideologies from around the world. But, as important as it is to acknowledge its ambition, … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Love Me Right (from Love Me Right – 2015) Released at the height of EXO’s funk-pop era, Love Me Right is a dynamo of a comeback. Right from the start, the instrumental deposits us into the groove, like a warp portal to … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Lights Out (from Universe – 2017) Ending EXO’s 2017 winter album in theatrical fashion, Lights Out is as close to a torch song as the group has given us. Its impassioned melody rises and falls over a piano instrumental. Lights Out is … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Let Out The Beast (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) Let Out The Beast is the kind of track that screams “dance performance.” Built around a high-energy r&b beat with tense strings and insistent chirps of synth, Beast is as much a … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Lady Luck (from Exodus / Love Me Right – 2015) Opening with distorted vocals that sound like the pop song version of blowing a raspberry, Lady Luck retains this unconventional bass even as additional elements are added to the instrumental. Its production … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Into My World (from Countdown – 2018) Taken from EXO’s excellent Japanese album, Into My World feels like the soundtrack to some neon-hued sci-fi epic. Its electronic backbone pulses loud and proud, giving the track an immense energy. The production even throws … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Hurt (from Exodus / Love Me Right – 2015) Even when EXO tracks brood, they usually do so over an interesting hodgepodge of instrumental elements. Hurt perches itself atop an aggressive stomp and sweeping, distorted synth. It opens like a dark carnival … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! History (from Mama – 2012) Though their discography boasts more ambitious material, History has always felt like a flawless distillation of EXO’s sound. Its effortlessly funky groove combines a bhangra-inspired beat with icy, stuttering electronics and a strong kick that anchors the … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Heaven (from Ex’Act / Lotto – 2016) Sandwiched between more experimental tracks on EXO’s underrated 2016 album, Heaven’s exuberant, laid-back funk pop offers a welcome respite. The song is nothing unusual, but its piano-fueled production has a engagingly old-school aesthetic, augmented with … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Heart Attack (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) Heart Attack draws that amorphous line between dance track and mid-tempo. Its energy isn’t particularly high, but its fast-paced vocal delivery gives it a loose, playful appeal that slots it nicely alongside superior tracks … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Good Night (from Universe – 2017) Good Night’s gentle, electronic piano-infused balladry is what special winter albums are meant for. As its title suggests, this plays as a smooth r&b lullaby. So, saying that it might put you to sleep isn’t necessarily … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Going Crazy (from The War / The Power Of Music – 2017) Opening with a frantic synth loop and dramatic sweeps of strings, Going Crazy promises drama to come. And though the track never fully lives up to that mood, its creeping … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Girl x Friend (from Sing For You – 2015) Looking at its title alone, you can probably guess that this is going to be one of EXO’s more lighthearted efforts. And as a special holiday release, that amiable energy is well-targeted. A … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Forever (from The War / The Power Of Music – 2017) Forever is the kind of lumbering, almost industrial beast that SM boy groups do so well. Its arrangement has a tense energy, constantly on the build without ever reaching a sense … Continue reading →

One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! The First Snow (from Miracles In December – 2013) It’s hard to beat acoustic guitar and sleigh bells during the holidays, and The First Snow knows this. EXO’s vocals are taken full advantage of  here, offering a warm bed of harmonies over … Continue reading →