Offbeat j-pop group Bullet Train have really been pushing the boundaries with their more recent material, forging a path toward an everything-goes pop style that feels more divisive than much of their past work. New single My Buddy (mostly) dials down on the instrumental hyperactivity, painting a bright melody that fully embraces its own cheesiness. … Continue reading
In one of the most unexpected collaborations of the year, balladeer (and notable NCT fanboy) Parc Jae Jung has teamed with NCT’s Mark for the newest SM Station track, Lemonade Love. The song spawns from the web series Snowball Project, which has been one of the more entertaining (and delightfully awkward) variety shows of the … Continue reading
Only a month after the release of their first full-length album, Cosmic Girls have returned with a bid for the summer crown once held by their former label-mates Sistar. With their peppy, mile-a-minute style, you’d think Cosmic Girls + summer would be a match made in heaven. And with the right song, I still think … Continue reading
For his new min-album Television, Block B‘s Zico has returned with dual title tracks, and each paints a very different side to his style. While Artist opted for a bouncy hip-hop/pop concoction, Anti takes things darker and more melodic. As part of this approach, Zico has enlisted r&b singer G.Soul for Anti‘s hook, and it … Continue reading
Over the past few years, Zico has been much more prolific as a solo artist than as a member of his group Block B. Though he’s only released two mini albums, both have been stuffed with tracks that served as comebacks throughout the year. Television is no different, compiling past singles with new songs. First … Continue reading
Much has been made about the debut of YG Entertainment‘s first new solo artist in years, and with that kind of qualifier you might expect a splashy, go-for-the-jugular k-pop smash. But rather than offer the sort of bombastic, swag-filled hip-hop that the agency has become known for, One debuts with a laid-back summer track that … Continue reading
Boy group Halo haven’t exactly had an easy time of it, releasing six comeback singles up to this point without garnering a substantial hit. Though it may be hard to believe, they’re actually senior artists to many of their peers, having debuted way back in 2014. What makes this lack of notoriety even more frustrating … Continue reading
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
The first rule of a successful cover version is to do no harm. Most songs worth covering are loved for a reason, and a certain respect for the original should be given when looking to make it a part of your own discography. Beyond that, an artist should make their interpretation count. There’s no sense … Continue reading
Rookie groups are a dime a dozen these days, and the threshold for success seems to be even more immediate than it used to be. Mess up the first go around and you may not get a second chance. This is likely the reason we’re seeing such polished debuts even from low-to-mid tier agencies. New … Continue reading
In 2013, Lee Hyori made a highly successful return to k-pop with a sound that balanced a newly matured style with the kind of pop hooks that brought her such notoriety as a solo artist. Fast forward four years later and she’s come back with material that exists even farther from the k-pop mainstream, choosing … Continue reading
Hyolyn didn’t waste any time continuing her solo career after the break-up of Sistar, which isn’t all that surprising considering how active she’s been over the past year or so. Her work seems to be most successful when she’s paired with another artist to play off of. In the case of Fruity, rapper Kisum was … Continue reading
When Shannon Williams was first announced as a contestant for the final season of K-Pop Star, I was skeptical about how it would all work out for her. She has obvious talent, and released a wickedly catchy little pop song in 2015’s underrated Why Why, but never seemed to amass the sort of passionate following … Continue reading
Heize has become something of an ‘it girl’ in Korea, rising to the top of the charts with each release. This is helped along by the nature of her music, which feels alternative by k-pop standards. Male soloists like Crush and Dean have found success with a softer blend of r&b, hip-hop and balladry, but … Continue reading
As the monthly LOONA releases have continued to roll out, the girls’ material has seemed to grow sleeker and more mature. With so many different sounds and genres touched upon, it’s exciting to imagine what the final group will actually look and sound like. Last month’s Eclipse was an intriguing peek into a more ethereal … Continue reading
Though he got his start as a member of SMent sub-unit Super Junior M, Henry has become more widely known for his appearances in variety, dramas and as a solo artist. Lately, he’s seemed to take more creative control over his output, delivering a series of digital tracks that have helped to remind listeners that … Continue reading
There’s an old joke that after a nuclear holocaust, all that will be left are cockroaches… and Cher. As far as k-pop goes, I think we can add T-ara to that list. The girls have survived scandals, line-up changes and shifts in sound to become one of the genre’s most enduring girl groups. This makes … Continue reading
SM Entertainment doesn’t always get the credit it deserves when it comes to being a boundary-pushing agency. They’ve been blending genres and playing with song structure since the very beginning. Hits like H.O.T’s I Yah or TVXQ’s Rising Sun still feel miles away from what we think of as “Top 40” radio fare. But these … Continue reading
For as long as boy group B.A.P have been around, they haven’t done all that much solo or sub-unit work. But after a 2016 that saw them releasing song after song both in Korea and Japan, they’ve released a double a-side that allows members Daehyun and Jongup a chance to shine on their own. First … Continue reading
Over the course of two mini albums, Pentagon have already shown a lot of promise for a group who only debuted half a year ago. But I have noticed one thing all their albums have in common: they never seem to pick the strongest track as their promotional single. Luckily, they made up for this … Continue reading
