One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Back (from Back – 2014) Infinite had worked with producers Rphabet before on 2013’s Destiny, but Back truly solidified their partnership. It’s one of the group’s most dynamic songs, growing from somber, dramatic balladry to the explosive orchestral electronics that drive its chorus. … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! As Good As It Gets (from New Challenge – 2013) Sweetune had been working with Infinite for years before As Good As It Gets was recorded, and by this time the production team had full mastery of how to utilize the guys’ … Continue reading
October will soon be cluttered with idol survival/debut series, from The Unit to YG’s Mix Nine, to JYP’s Stray Kids. Of the three, Stray Kids seems set to be pitched as more of a “road to debut” documentary than a build-a-group competition, so pre-release Hellevator presumably acts as a teaser of what the actual group might … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! An Inconvenient Truth (from New Challenge – 2013) Long before the tropical trend hit maximum impact, An Inconvenient Truth’s bright synths brought an island sound to k-pop. Though the song’s lyrics have been derided by many, there’s no denying the strength of its … Continue reading
Twice have always seemed perfectly suited to the Japanese market. Their sugary blend of chirpy vocals and catchphrase-ready hooks echoes much of what has made j-pop successful, and it’s no surprise that they’ve already seen success with re-recordings of hits like Signal and TT. But with One More Time, the girls have gone full tilt … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Amazing (from Over The Top / Paradise – 2011) Though their bread and butter lies in propulsive dance tracks, Infinite tackles soft rock better than almost any other k-pop group. Buoyed by Sweetune’s lush production, Amazing layers the group’s vocals to tremendous effect. … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Judging from commentary online, B1A4‘s Rollin‘ comeback has disappointed a … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! Alone (Infinite H) (from Season 2 / Back – 2014) Infinite H had already proven themselves as a credible hip-hop unit by the time Alone rolled around, but by focusing solely on Hoya and Dongwoo without the addition of a guest vocalist, … Continue reading
Late last year, I took a look at the “big three” k-pop agencies and offered my thoughts about how they were doing in 2016. Now that a year has passed, it’s the perfect time for a second evaluation. As with 2016’s review, this is written from an outsider’s perspective. I’m not privy to any business-related … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! After Dark (from Air – 2017) Driven by a funk-infused bass guitar, After Dark almost feels more like something a group like Shinee would release. On the whole, it’s more rhythmic than a lot of Infinite’s music, but the song never quite … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with Infinite’s A-Z reviews here! A Person Like Me (from Season 2 / Back – 2014) Infinite have a real knack for sentimental ballads, partly because they possess such a range of vocal tones. This helps lend even the most generic sentimentality much needed texture. A Person … Continue reading
One of Seventeen‘s greatest assets is their versatility as a group. So many acts stuff their roster full with personalities meant to appeal to a diverse set of fans, but few can easily break into self-driven units and create music that successfully stands apart from their parent group. To be clear, Seventeen is at their … Continue reading
Before Seventeen or After School or Nu’est, dance diva Son Dam Bi was the original Pledis artist. Debuting as the “female Rain,” she found success with a synth-pop sound that capitalized on her effortless charisma. She hasn’t released a single since 2013, but her string of k-pop classics still electrify dance floors today. 10. Amoled … 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 2017 Overall Thoughts September is oftentimes underwhelming, since it marks the point in the year where … Continue reading
The beauty behind the kind of sustained release schedule DAY6 has utilized this year is that it gives an artist the opportunity to display a wide variety of sounds without the risk and money that goes into a full-fledged, long-anticipated comeback. But over the past few months, I fear that DAY6 are started to fall … Continue reading
When discussing k-pop’s most impactful voices, it would be hard to forget Changmin of TVXQ. His powerful tone becomes the focal point of almost any track he records, piercing through the busiest of productions with a commanding intensity. His ad-libs on 2011’s epic Before U Go remain one of the genre’s most chill-inducing performances, even … Continue reading
If I imagine a P.O solo track, my mind instantly leans toward something like Block B‘s Bastarz sub-unit — gruff and aggressive and very, very loud. After all, his coarse rapping style has become well known as the anchor for songs like Very Good and Nillili Mambo. But rather than go the expected route, the … Continue reading
Last time I wrote about Nada’s solo music, I suggested that she try something more unique in order to stand out among the burgeoning group of female rappers in k-pop. But rather than push the envelope and explore unknown genres, Trippin’ (공식 뮤직비디오) tackles the heavy “badass” rap style favored by artists like Jessi and … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. LOONA have not even officially debuted yet, and already their … Continue reading
Helmed by mega-producer Yoo Young-Jin, SM Entertainment’s self-created SMP (S.M. Performance) genre played an immense role in establishing modern k-pop’s sound. Fusing rock elements with hard-hitting dance and hip-hop, it’s a style I’ve missed greatly over the past few years. As SM has incorporated more and more Western influences, I’m worried that they’re forgetting what … Continue reading
