BXB recently offered their own take on Turbo’s 90’s classic The Black Cat Nero, a song that was also covered by ATEEZ a few years back. While it’s always nice to hear rookies honor legends of years past, the cover was an odd teaser for BXB’s newest project. Airplane sees the group taking a different … Continue reading
Limelight leapfrogged up my “Top K-pop Rookies” list last year on the strength of one song. Madeleine emerged last summer as shimmering counterprogramming to many of 2023’s trends. Its bold melodies and propulsive sound only grew more addictive with time, and made me long for a future where Limelight built upon this success with even … Continue reading
2024 is bounding out of the gate with debuts. ALL(H)OURS is the latest in a string of new groups, each competing for their own sliver of the market. It’s been a mixed bag so far, with Waker being my favorite of the bunch this month. As I often say, the guys of ALL(H)OURS seem to … Continue reading
Following last week’s MATZ, IT’s You is the second ATEEZ unit track from their recent album to be given a music video. In my mind, unit tracks should be used to expand a group’s sound, delivering niche genre experiments that suit whichever members are participating. That didn’t exactly happen on The World Ep.Fin: Will, and … Continue reading
Before December 2022, Minho was the only SHINee member without a solo album to his name. His music continues to be released in drips and drabs, taking a far more understated approach compared to his bandmates. SHINee tend to offer something for everyone, and if you like softer, coffeehouse fair you’ve found the right guy … Continue reading
Every once and awhile, a favorite act releases a song that simply lands with a thud. For me, Love Trigger is that song for Snow Man. I’m a big Snow Man fan. They often appear near the top of my year-end J-pop lists and I find the group endlessly entertaining. Their musical output has been … Continue reading
Rather than debut with a mini or full album, RIIZE have blitzed the market with digital singles. While it’s nice to promote music more often, I firmly believe that — during the first year of a rookie’s debut — every song needs to be a stone-cold classic. Like… one mega-hit after another to quickly cement … Continue reading
Over the years, the length between Jeong Sewoon’s comebacks has grown, making him more of a niche artist in K-pop. There was a time when his groovy pop sound consistently found its way onto my playlist, peaking with 2020’s addictive Say Yes. Since then, I’ve had a harder time connecting with his music. Sewoon’s vocals … Continue reading
DXMON have already captured attention with their dramatic, anime-style haircuts, reminiscent of early-TVXQ in their sheer ridiculousness. I’m all for “ridiculous” in K-pop, and this image gave me hope that the group would deliver a similarly bombastic, cartoonish sound. Unfortunately, pre-debut track Burn Up is just the latest in shouty boy group slop. When thinking … Continue reading
ITZY’s new album won’t be with us until next week, but they’ve already given us two pre-release tracks and short versions of the members’ solo songs. I love seeing album rollouts this insistent! Mr. Vampire emerges as the second pre-release, following the more combative Born To Be last month. Given its title, I half-expected a … Continue reading
2023 may nearly be over, but fear not! The ever-expanding tripleS project won’t let the year end before unveiling another sub-unit. tripleS NXT is composed of members Park ShiOn, Lynn, Jeong HaYeon, and JooBin, each in their teens and debuting with the sprightly Just Do It. This song was revealed earlier in December, but today … Continue reading
I wasn’t sure whether to write about Jimin’s Closer Than This or not. These fan songs and nostalgic behind-the-scenes videos skirt the line between “single” and “b-side,” but he seems too big of an artist to ignore. This style of track tends to follow a familiar template, making it hard to have a strong opinion … Continue reading
It’s become a tradition for at least one SM Entertainment artist to release winter-themed material each year. Sometimes, the whole agency gets in on the fun, but this year it’s NCT 127’s turn to deliver the holiday cheer. Be There For Me is broad enough to work as a “normal” single, but its cozy video … Continue reading
ITZY’s upcoming album promises a tsunami of music videos, which means you’ll be reading a lot about their music here. First up is the titular track Born To Be, which introduces a new era for the group. This is ITZY at their most powerful, unveiling a combative dance routine over a song that ticks off … Continue reading
It feels weird writing a standard “song review” post on the same day as posting my top K-pop songs of the year. Kind of a comedown, honestly! That’s not a dig at Jessica or Amber, who have each been part of my favorite K-pop tracks of all time. It’s kind of interesting seeing a collaboration … Continue reading
Over the years, NCT U has acted as a rotational unit to showcase different configurations of members across a variety of genres. This time, it brings together four Chinese members: Renjun, Chenle, Xiaojun, and Kun. Divided equally between WayV and NCT Dream, Marine Turtle offers a nice chance for the guys to show off their … Continue reading
Earlier this year, I was impressed by a Japanese b-side from CRAVITY, but the group hadn’t yet released an original J-pop single. That changes with Dilly Dally, though it feels more like a Korean comeback that just happens to be performed in Japanese. Dilly Dally‘s pop/rock sheen builds naturally upon September’s Ready Or Not, and … Continue reading
STAYC’s had a pretty strong year, though their music has shifted toward poppier sounds. For those unsure about this transformation, new Japanese single Lit references an energy more akin to their debut year. It’s subdued and quirky, eschewing the bright tones of tracks like Teddy Bear and Bubble. The group pull off this sound well … Continue reading
NMIXX will be one of the first acts to make a 2024 comeback, but before that they’ve unveiled pre-release Soñar (Breaker). So far, 2023 has seen them move away from the intense “mixx pop” that characterized their debut (and polarized opinion). It’s been nice to hear their vocals more clearly, with July’s Roller Coaster a … Continue reading
TVXQ performed Down on this year’s MAMA Awards as the first taste of their upcoming album. It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since their last Korean comeback. I’m hopeful their new music will be an extension of their excellent catalog, but lately SM Entertainment has struggled to deliver the goods when it comes … Continue reading
