Nearly two years since her solo debut, Mamamoo’s Solar has returned with her first mini album. Just like 2020’s Spit It Out, she continues to subvert expectations by embracing upbeat grooves rather than the balladry some might have imagined. For better or worse, Honey (꿀) follows in the footsteps of many recent Mamamoo singles – … Continue reading
Weeekly have made their name on a fresh, youthful sound that’s been a nice counterpoint to the girl crush trends of the moment. True to their name, past singles have felt perfect for Friday night or the weekend. With that in mind, new single Ven Para is that unwelcome Monday morning when you have to … Continue reading
Since her ambitious, sc-fi-themed debut, AleXa’s sound and concepts have swerved all over the place. Last time we heard from her, she let us know what she likes on her burger and fries. As cringy as Xtra’s lyrics could be, they succeeded in giving the track some character. When it comes to new single Tattoo, … Continue reading
We haven’t even passed our first week of 2022 and the year’s crop of rookies are already making themselves known. Following on the heels of Kep1er is new boy group Trendz. They hail from Interpark Music Plus, home to girl group Laboum. New debuts are always exciting, but if TNT (Truth & Trust) is any … Continue reading
With the full YouTube release of every Universe MV a few weeks ago, I thought maybe the app had turned a corner. Unfortunately, Oh My Girl’s Shark brings us right back to where we started, with official “previews” on YouTube alongside an invitation to download Universe for the full experience. I guess this means my … Continue reading
Kicking off a season of debuts for JYP Entertainment, new band Xdinary Heroes make their first push into the market with Happy Death Day. As the agency’s second band, they have big shoes to fill. DAY6 has been a critical and commercial success, making it difficult for Xdinary Heroes to stand apart. To the group’s … Continue reading
During my last Universe app song review, we had some fun with poetry. This eased the monotony of these pointless releases, so let’s keep the tradition going! I proudly present a word puzzle. Use a mirror or your phone to flip the words and decode the review: Hooks 7 Production 7 Longevity 7 Bias 6 … Continue reading
Whenever groups make a quick comeback (less than three months in The Boyz’ case), I want to assume it’s because they found an incredible track and simply can’t wait to share it with the world. Ah, wouldn’t that be nice? Honestly, The Boyz are in need of a killer comeback. Their sales and popularity may … Continue reading
Park Jihoon’s Gallery was one of my favorite K-pop tracks this summer, and seemed to carve a new, nimble avenue for his sound. I’ve often enjoyed his singles, but his discography as a whole suffers from a lack of consistency. That’s especially apparent with new comeback Serious, which alternates between messy and dull. Forgive the … Continue reading
Despite not loving the teasers, Just B’s debut song ended up exceeding my expectations. They found a great collaborator in B.A.P’s Yongguk, and seemed to be heading toward a lasting partnership that could develop that all-important “signature sound.” For their first comeback, Yongguk is nowhere to be found, but the agency has enlisted another Bias … Continue reading
Boy group INI (pronounced “eye en eye”) was formed through the second season of Produce 101 Japan. After watching the series, I’ve found myself rooting for the guys. The group has so much potential in nearly every aspect. They just need the material to match. Unfortunately, the songs for Produce groups tend to be hit … Continue reading
October’s been a pretty lousy month for K-pop so far, and I’m finding myself in a bit of a slump when it comes to new music. This happens from time to time, and always turns around eventually. Sadly, Lee Jinhyuk will not be the idol to unleash that much-needed U-turn. He and I seem to … Continue reading
Hot issue debuted earlier this year with the attitude-infused Gratata. Like many onomatopoeia K-pop songs, the sound wasn’t for me. But as fellow 2021 rookies Ciipher proved yesterday, there’s always room for improvement. The ladies are making their first comeback with Icons – another in the seemingly endless series of “I’m the best” girl crush … Continue reading
There are some K-pop voices that instantly take me back to a different generation. Yang Yoseob’s tone was vital to the early 2010’s, gifting Beast’s music with a unique quality. Its clarity and lightness are immensely calming, capable of delivering powerful dance tracks as well as more typical ballads. In short, I could listen to … Continue reading
After a couple of years spent ignoring music from the west, I’ve started to listen to more American and European pop in 2021. You can thank standout releases by big acts like Dua Lipa and The Weeknd for that. Granted, my Western pop consumption is still ridiculously small when compared to K-Pop and J-Pop, but … Continue reading
Astro are the latest group to release a song via the Universe app, meaning its full music video is only available to subscribers. So far, this barricade hasn’t been too much of a drawback because few of the Universe songs are any good. Most of the time, these tracks feel like cast-offs, pulled from the … Continue reading
There’s a fine line between polished, sugary radio pop and cloying commercial jingle, and that difference was perfectly illustrated by BTS’s Dynamite and Butter. The two songs are quite similar in sound, style and execution, yet one feels fresh and fun while the other comes across as trite and overcooked. I’m not sure I could … Continue reading
I’ve written way more about GOT7 this year than I’d anticipated. And, this only includes one review of a full-group song. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen releases from Jackson, Jay B, Yugyeom and now BamBam. Apart from Jackson, all members have stuck to a similar trap pop style, with varying degrees of success. … Continue reading
“Happy Birthday” is such an odd name for a pop song. It instantly conjures up one iconic melody, suited to a single day each year. When reading these two words, my mind certainly doesn’t imagine noisy EDM drops, but Woo Jinyoung seems intent on surprising. As part of boy group D1CE, his idol career has … Continue reading
Less that two years since the debut of CIX, C9 Entertainment have thrust another boy group onto the K-pop scene. I’m a bit surprised to see them emerge so early, but I guess the current idol landscape moves faster than ever. EPEX have already stirred up some controversy due to their album concept, which is … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 