2018 arrived still reeling from the lingering aftereffects of tragedy, as Jonghyun’s passing continued to loom large in everyone’s minds. But the year went on to deliver one of the strongest Januarys in memory. Title tracks pin-balled between genres and there seemed to be a renewed, free-wheeling energy within the idol industry. The Winter Olympics … 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. CODE 9 … Continue reading
Donghyun and Youngmin of MXM are on the cusp of rejoining their fellow trainees to form Brand New Music’s highly anticipated new boy group. It all waits for future-members Daehwi and Woojin, who will be released from their Wanna One contract when the group disbands early next year. Before that happens, MXM have returned with … 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. August 2018 Overall Thoughts Well, if July was disappointing, August was downright anemic. For the first … Continue reading
Brand New Music has done a great job promoting duo MXM before eventually folding them into their upcoming boy group. They’ve even given the guys a full length album, which is pretty rare for a project group. With that said, More Than Ever felt like a few solid tracks hidden within a lot of filler. … Continue reading
I’ve been real hot and cold with MXM’s releases so far. I love the guys, but only their January Match Up mini album has really appealed to me. Rather than maintain that addictive funk pop sound, the duo seems more intent on a laid-back brand of hip-hop that emphasizes vibe over melody. New single Ya … 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. ESBEE Years … Continue reading
As I wrote about in detail a couple months ago, season two of Produce 101 has spawned a seemingly endless supply of groups, duos and soloists. At this point, its alumni may be even harder to keep track of than the various units of SM’s NCT! And like NCT, we’ve now come to the point … Continue reading
Lately, it seems like we’re getting a lot of pre-releases and sort-of-but-not-really comebacks masquerading as “fan songs.” Pop duo MXM are the latest to follow this path, making a quick turnaround from their January comeback Diamond Girl before a promised full-length release later in the year. I happened to love the funk-laced makeover of their … Continue reading
In the months since its conclusion, season two of Produce 101 has dramatically altered the k-pop landscape — at least when it comes to boy groups. Its reach extends to so many corners of the industry that it can be difficult to keep up with it all. That’s where this handy guide comes in, as … 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 2018 Overall Thoughts It’s a brand new year, which means all possibilities are on the … Continue reading
Lim Youngmin and Kim Donghyun of MXM became one of 2017’s best-selling rookies, even though their current configuration as a duo is only temporary until they join fellow Produce 101 contestants Lee Daehwi and Park Woojin to form Brand New Music’s as-yet-unnamed boy group. If that sentence sounds overly long and complex, it’s because the … Continue reading
The Produce 101 train continues to roll on, guaranteeing that nearly every participant gets an opportunity for extra promotion — no matter how small that sliver may be. In the case of Youngmin and Donghyun from MXM, I’m The One is only a starting point. The two are essentially a sub-unit of a yet-to-be-named boy … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 