When it comes to the style of music released, DAY6’s Every DAY6 project has kind of subverted expectations. When I think of k-pop, it’s the summer months that hold the most uptempo, party-starting tracks. But DAY6’s more boisterous material was released towards the start of this year, with these last two months devoted to mid-tempo, … Continue reading
Though most of k-pop fandom’s obsession rests on groups and individual artists, I have just as strong a bias toward certain producers as the performers themselves. That’s why I started The Bias List‘s Producer Spotlight feature. There are dozens of amazing individuals and teams working behind the scenes to craft k-pop’s best songs. Here are … Continue reading
It’s getting a little repetitive to open every DAY6 review with the same sentiments, but I just can’t believe how well their year-long promotional cycle is going. They’ve been punctual each and every month with high quality releases, and now they’ve smartly packaged the first half of their 2017 output into a full-length album that … Continue reading
GOT7 have steadily began to have more creative input when it comes to their Korean material, but their scattershot j-pop releases are still driven mostly by composers from that genre. Sometimes I wonder how k-pop groups feel about their Japanese work. Do they treat the song as an important part of their overall discography, or … Continue reading
It’s not smart to mess with a winning formula, especially when that formula is responsible for a rise as meteoric as Twice’s. The girls’ mega-successful sound was built by producers Black Eyed Pilseung, but now we’re on the second single in a row without their aid. While February’s Knock Knock felt like a real departure … Continue reading
It was just announced that DAY6’s Every DAY6 project will celebrate its halfway mark with a full album next month. Presumably, this will contain all ten tracks released so far plus the two June entries, and it’s just another example of how smartly JYP Entertainment has orchestrated this entire release schedule. I mean, it took … 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 2017 Overall Thoughts 2017 continues to fall behind when compared to last year. Though it was easy … Continue reading
Though I have my qualms about digital singles replacing album releases, the biggest upside of a monthly title track schedule is that it allows an artist’s material to change along with the time of the year. Now that winter’s over, I expect that DAY6’s singles will begin to take on a sunnier pop style. They’ve already … Continue reading
K-Pop is one of the few international genres that places more focus on groups than solo acts, but when a single artist does make it big, they often burst into the stratosphere. Such is the case with Rain (Bi), who set the standard for male soloists everywhere. He is not only a Korean star. He’s a … 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 2017 Overall Thoughts Oh, March. It’s such a long month, yet gives us so little when it … Continue reading
As a companion to my Top Ten Singles lists, it’s time to look at some of the best album tracks and b-sides from the best artists. GOT7 are one of those groups that keeps a pretty steady quality when it comes to their music. I found it difficult ranking b-sides because there are so many … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. E-TRIBE Years … Continue reading
Oh, GOT7. How I used to love you when you recorded songs with actual choruses. I still have great fondness for the group, but ever since they embarked on this year-long Flight Plan project, there’s been a noticeable change in their music. To say that the past three singles have been completely devoid of memorable … Continue reading
It’s March 6th, which means another entry in DAY6’s 2017 monthly project. Three releases in and it’s clear that the quality of music will remain high throughout the year. But even better, it feels like DAY6 are utilizing this extended release schedule as an opportunity to showcase different sides of their music. Rock groups are … 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. February 2017 Overall Thoughts If I could describe February with only one word, it would be “consistent.” … Continue reading
Twice aren’t a simple k-pop group anymore. In the course of a year, they’ve established themselves as a true cultural phenomenon. That they’ve been able to achieve this so quickly is just as much a testament to their idiosyncratic music as the members’ individual appeal. Production duo Black Eyed Pilseung has steered their sound from … Continue reading
Though it’s not likely to receive that same attention as BigBang‘s similarly scheduled roll-out in 2015, DAY6 are releasing a single and accompanying music video each month this year. It’s a remarkably exciting prospect, especially for a group who feels like they haven’t been allowed to release nearly enough material since their debut in 2015. January’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. January 2017 Overall Thoughts 2017 started with one of the strongest (and most packed) first weeks that we’ve … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. JYP (PARK … Continue reading
As her group Miss A continues to exist in an uncertain position somewhere between hiatus and disbandment, Suzy has finally made her full-fledged solo debut with the JYP-produced Yes No Maybe. But even though the song is part of her debut mini album, she’s been one of k-pop’s most famous idols for some time, spurred on … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 