Despite boasting incredible album sales and hailing from a proven agency, I couldn’t find the reasoning to include CRAVITY in my “top rookies of 2020” list last month. To me, their music thus far has been the definition of “generic boy group.” It’s never been objectively bad, but CRAVITY haven’t yet released anything that sounds … Continue reading
Lately, I’ve noticed a worrying boy group trend. I like to think of it as “the Road to Kingdom effect”. It’s like a K-pop pissing contest, where comeback tracks have become little more than tools to showcase elaborate, badass performances. This shouldn’t be a bad thing, right? But we’re getting to a point where these … Continue reading
I always feel guilty reviewing Epik High comebacks. I know that they’re beloved for their artistry, and there are quite a few Epik High tracks and albums that I love as well. But over the past years, their music just hasn’t been for me. At a certain level – and especially when it comes to … Continue reading
After a debut year highlighted by an addictive deep house sound, AB6IX’s music faced growing pains in 2020. And with the departure of their leader, it felt like the group was at a crossroads. This resulted in a pair of comebacks that were polar opposites of one another, leading me to question exactly what AB6IX … Continue reading
U-Know’s second mini album is themed around the movies, with a series of cinematic teasers leading up to the release of new single Thank U. Known as a passionate performer, he’s the perfect conduit for an ambitious project like this, and his old-school sense of showmanship is always welcome in the K-pop industry. Thank U … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! March … Continue reading
Global K-pop sensation BLACKPINK may not have a huge discography to their name, but as of now they’ve released just enough title tracks to qualify for a Bias List top ten countdown! This is a weird one, because it’s a list split between songs I absolutely love and songs that I… don’t. But in the … Continue reading
With over 3,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
Thus far, AleXa has made her name on high-octane dance tracks, designed primarily to showcase her choreography and concept. It’s somewhat surprising, then, that she’s returned with a stripped-down ballad. Of course, it is the winter season, and January has a history of being very ballad-heavy when it comes to K-pop. I imagine that AleXa’s … Continue reading
Former YG Entertainment trainee Youha debuted last year with Island, which honestly wasn’t anywhere near my radar. But… introduce synthwave production and you’ve officially got my attention! Similar to Yubin’s Perfume (also released today), comeback track Abittipsy (오늘 조금 취해서 그래) brings Youha’s sound right in line with K-pop’s retro synth craze. And, it does … Continue reading
With K-pop’s retro trend continuing to chug along, artists like Yubin stand to benefit most. After all, she’s been tackling city pop before it was popular, with songs like 2018’s Lady. And while she briefly explored her hip-hop side with last year’s Yaya, new single Perfume (향수) brings her back to sharp, icy synth textures. … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. When reviewing Victon’s What I Said yesterday, I mentioned how I … Continue reading
Though still mostly-unknown, boy group E’Last has gained admirers with their unique symphonic sound. Both of their singles have felt refreshing within a stale boy group landscape, though I don’t think the group has yet harnessed their full potential. Underwhelming melodies have caused both Swear and Tears of Chaos to fade quickly from my playlist. … Continue reading
Before we get into Asurabalbalta (아수라발발타) itself, can we all just agree on T1419 being a horrible name for a K-pop group? I mean, I know the market is oversaturated, but there are plenty of words that are still available. T1419 feels like it was cobbled together by the periodic table. But then again, this … Continue reading
After a Produce X 101 fueled boost, Victon have steadily released music and built a re-energized fan base. Sadly, I don’t think their A&R team and I have the same taste, because very few of their title tracks have appealed to me. Longtime readers will know what a stickler I am for “signature sounds,” and … Continue reading
YG Entertainment’s Treasure blitzed the K-pop market last year with the release of three singles. Throughout this process, they developed a malleable hip-hop sound, though many of their tracks had challenges bringing together disparate genres in a compelling way. For the release of their first full album, the guys have opted for a lighter, more … Continue reading
Whatever I may think about (G)I-DLE’s music, I can always appreciate their ambition. They commit to their concepts, and leader Soyeon’s composition skills ensure that their title tracks feel consistently them regardless of the genre. Unfortunately, more often than not their songs just don’t connect with me. Oftentimes, I find their work to be heavy … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! February … Continue reading
KEEMBO’s Love Me 4 Me caps off an underwhelming week of K-pop releases. I’d be lying if I said my mind was really on K-pop anyway, given the events of this first week of 2021. But, I do appreciate when the industry kicks off the new year with a bang. I still remember when SM … Continue reading
Rookies MCND quickly established their sound in 2020 – a playful blend of energetic hip-hop and trendier boy group tropes. Their music was at its best when it embraced its inherent goofiness (Ice Age remains a guilty pleasure), and new single Crush (우당탕) returns to that tone. The song is more of an extension than … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 