Don’t be put off by Sexy Zone’s cringy name. It’s basically become a self-parody by now, anyway. Their music holds a unique place within the Johnny’s Entertainment pantheon, going through dramatic shifts in sound. They took a few years to find their footing (if I ever have to hear Lady Diamond again, it’ll be too … Continue reading
Nine years into their career, Da-iCE have scored a coveted One Piece anime theme. They join a long roster of artists – many managed by Avex – in this distinction, adding another pop anthem to the pantheon that kicked off with the 1999 mega-classic We Are. You can almost count on what you’re going to … Continue reading
Exile’s iconic vocalist Atsushi is celebrating his 40th birthday with the impending release of a new album – his first in nearly seven years. Pre-release single Osaka Tokyo (オーサカトーキョー) stands as another milestone, recorded with fellow J-pop veteran Koda Kumi. The duo last collaborated way back in 2006, making this song a long-awaited reunion. As … Continue reading
Longtime readers of The Bias List will know how stingy I am when it comes to rating songs nine and above. But, there’s plenty of music that qualifies. In fact, I’ve got a playlist of over 600 of them sitting in my iTunes. The vast majority of these are singles or title tracks, but there … Continue reading
With Laughter, Official HIGE DANdism (Official髭男dism) delivered my favorite J-pop single of last month. The song took full advantage of their epic, emotional sound, doling out its powerful climaxes with a deliberate slow burn. But, Higedan have another side to their music as well. They can rock out with the best of them, and Hello … Continue reading
I first heard (most of) Run during a live performance back in late March, and I knew right away that this was going to be a big pop moment. It’s rare that a song ticks so many of my musical boxes at once. But due to pandemic postponements, it’s been an excruciatingly long wait to … Continue reading
Japanese singer/songwriter Reol has been active since the beginning of the 2010’s, whether as a soloist or with her group of the same name. Yet somehow, she’s stayed off my radar. That officially ends with the brilliant The Sixth Sense (第六感), which has me scrambling to catch up with all her past work. The song … 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. July 2020 Overall Thoughts For the first time in months, I feel pretty good about where … Continue reading
Sekai No Owari first released Umbrella back in June, but have just now unveiled the song’s music video. I’m glad they decided to give it the extra promotional push. The track really deserves it. The combination of the band’s baroque pop sound and Fukase’s emotive vocals has always lent their work a great sense of … Continue reading
Originally scheduled to coincide with Japan’s ill-fated hosting of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Kite (カイト) brings together J-pop’s biggest male idol group with current chart-topper Kenshi Yonezu, who composed the track. Though I doubt whether this single will be Arashi’s final song before hiatus, it certainly carries the necessary weight. Kite’s lyrics reflect upon how … Continue reading
I said I’d never do a podcast. I’ve turned down offers before, not out of some sense of inflated importance but because the very thought of it gave me anxiety. I’m much more comfortable behind the keyboard. But, it’s important to stretch outside your comfort zone, right? Well, Filmigirl from Idol Cast (a personal fave … Continue reading
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of Exile Tribe groups’ love for early-90’s pop throwbacks. Get With You is the debut single of new unit Deep Squad, which adds three members to veteran vocal act Deep for a fresh combination that injects a little more youth into their sound. This results in a satisfying blend … Continue reading
There are few things I enjoy more than a great summertime song. They’re bright, they’re exciting, and they remind me of my favorite time of the year. There’s no telling what this summer in K-pop will bring, but over the next few weeks I’ll be flashing back each day, showcasing a highlight from past summers. … Continue reading
Watching the roll-out for Avex’s newest pop soloist Kalen Anzai has been interesting, to say the least. While most agencies would attempt to break an artist through some combination of currently popular music trends, Anzai has been positioned as a nostalgia play for late-90’s J-pop – specifically the icy-voiced, melodic dance sound of Ayumi Hamasaki. … Continue reading
Entering their final year before indefinite hiatus, Japan’s biggest male idol group set global outreach as one of their goals. This has resulted in English-language re-recordings of their biggest hits, a much greater internet presence, and even a music video or two being available on youtube. Of course, a little thing called “global pandemic” threw … Continue reading
After a blockbuster debut in January, SixTONES are back with their follow-up single Navigator. Originally scheduled for release at the beginning of June, Navigator takes a hard turn from the stadium balladry of Imitation Rain, in line with the detective anime series it soundtracks. This sound is closer to what I had expected from the … Continue reading
Today is AAA soloists day on The Bias List, as two of the group’s members have new material to write about. Given the fact that the group is going on indefinite hiatus soon, I expect we’ll see much more music like this in the future. As AAA’s sole remaining female vocalist, Misako Uno hasn’t been … Continue reading
I’ve compared Japanese co-ed group AAA to Bigbang several times before, even though each act crafts wildly different music. But, they’re both the kind of supergroup that functions well together and results in equally amazing solo material from its diverse, charismatic members. If you buy that comparison, Sky-Hi would be AAA’s answer to G-Dragon. I … Continue reading
This may be the first time I’m writing about Tomohisa Yamashita on The Bias List, but don’t let that undermine my regard for him as a performer. Debuting as a member of boy group News, Yamashita released his first solo work in 2006 and eventually left News in 2011 to fully pursue solo activities. He’s … Continue reading
There are few things I enjoy more than a great summertime song. They’re bright, they’re exciting, and they remind me of my favorite time of the year. There’s no telling what this summer in K-pop will bring, but over the next few weeks I’ll be flashing back each day, showcasing a highlight from past summers. … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 