I’ll rave about Ryugujo to anyone who will listen. Their Deep Wave EP earlier this year is among the most exciting pieces of music released in 2024 and I have similar hopes for their first full album later this month. Lead track Urashima is more ‘statement of intent’ than full song, making it a curious … Continue reading
XG are back with their second mini album, building on the success of earlier 2024 singles Something Ain’t Right and IYKYK. Those two songs touched on the dancier side of their music, so it makes sense that Howling would move back into hip-hop. These seem to be XG’s two musical modes, with a healthy dose … Continue reading
A K-pop act’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. TVXQ just released their best song … 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
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. October 2024 Overall Thoughts I’ve probably opened with this overused phrase during previous Octobers, but I’m … Continue reading
SNSD’s Sooyoung actually started her idol career in a short-lived J-pop group before eventually debuting in Korea. It’s funny, then, that it took this long for her to release a solo single in Japan. Better late than never, as Unstoppable recaptures some of the magic from SNSD’s discography while showcasing Sooyoung’s own charisma. A song … Continue reading
TVXQ are set to release a 20th Anniversary album in Japan early next month. They already unveiled its lead track Sweet Surrender a few weeks ago and now they’re teasing again with the classic ballad Dearest. Some of their most successful Japanese work has been within this musical realm, and given the special occasion it’s … Continue reading
In the lead-up to their second album, Twice sub-unit Misamo unveiled a cover of Namie Amuro’s 2008 hit New Look. As a lover of the original song, I found the update supremely lacking. It drained all energy from an otherwise solid piece of music. Now, the girls are back to right the ship with original … 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
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
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
As their career progresses, XG have moved between two major modes: hip-hop and club music. Often, there are elements of both in their music, but songs like Something Ain’t Right and New Dance leaned heavily into melodic house influences. New single IYKYK builds upon this approach, adding smooth R&B-style vocals that give it a sleek, … Continue reading
Back in 2008, J-pop superstar Namie Amuro released the triple A-side 60s 70s 80s, where she recorded three songs inspired by those titular decades. My favorite was the 80’s-tastic What A Feeling, but the 60’s pastiche New Look wasn’t far behind. For their new single, Twice’s Japanese sub-unit Misamo have covered that track, tossing away … Continue reading
TVXQ are celebrating the twentieth (!) anniversary of their Japanese debut with the upcoming release of new album Zone. Before that, its lead single Sweet Surrender has been pre-released alongside a music video. The guys have steadily promoted since their 2017 return from the military, but to be honest it’s been a few years since … 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
A few weeks ago, I gave a brief overview of the lengthy singles run of J-pop group News — one of my favorite acts whose material is just now being released to streaming. Now, those singles have been joined by the group’s albums. Some of their best material can be found here, so of course … Continue reading
NCT’s many members are slowly starting to embark upon solo careers, each with their own musical focus. Yuta has been with the group since the very beginning, debuting in 2016 as part of NCT 127. Since then, he’s felt like one of the more underutilized talents. Regardless of my thoughts on the song itself, I’m … 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 2024 Overall Thoughts While the first half of 2024 was quite strong, these past few … 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
WayV released their first Japanese mini album all the way back at the beginning of August, but weeks later they’ve unveiled a music video for its promoted track Go Higher. I’m not sure what the plan was behind this delay, apart from the fact that J-pop often takes long breaks between various promotions. Either way, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 