As packed as October’s release slate has been, it’s been surprisingly short on girl group comebacks. Apart from Ladies’ Code and Limesoda, new group ARIAZ practically have the month to themselves. That’s a boon for their debut, as it helps them stand out in a busy market. And let’s be honest, any new act from … Continue reading
If you were to peruse any of my unfavorable reviews of the past few years, you’d likely find mentions of song structure, energy and momentum. For me, these are some the most important building blocks of a good pop song, and this era’s trends so often misuse them. How many times has a non-chorus let … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Good Night (from Universe – 2017) Good Night’s gentle, electronic piano-infused balladry is what special winter albums are meant for. As its title suggests, this plays as a smooth r&b lullaby. So, saying that it might put you to sleep isn’t necessarily … Continue reading
Throughout DAY6’s prolific career, they’ve fused their core rock band sound with various genre influences. I tend to prefer when they aim for the pop jugular — even better if it involves 80’s synths and anthemic choruses. With this in mind, there’s a lot to love on their newest album. The group has taken a … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Going Crazy (from The War / The Power Of Music – 2017) Opening with a frantic synth loop and dramatic sweeps of strings, Going Crazy promises drama to come. And though the track never fully lives up to that mood, its creeping … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Girl x Friend (from Sing For You – 2015) Looking at its title alone, you can probably guess that this is going to be one of EXO’s more lighthearted efforts. And as a special holiday release, that amiable energy is well-targeted. A … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! The First Snow (from Miracles In December – 2013) It’s hard to beat acoustic guitar and sleigh bells during the holidays, and The First Snow knows this. EXO’s vocals are taken full advantage of here, offering a warm bed of harmonies over … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! First Love (from Love Me Right – 2015) Anchored by a plodding piano line, First Love is the sort of hesitant r&b track that often shows up on the second half of EXO albums. The melody and phrasing are interesting here, particularly … Continue reading
Ever since breaking out with the self-penned Rooftop earlier this year, N.Flying have taken more creative control of their music. This has been something of a mixed bag. Their follow-up single, Spring Memories, was an oddly subdued choice and failed to set the charts alight in the same way as its predecessor. With new release … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Don’t Go (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) EXO’s first full album is flush with these kind of lovelorn mid-tempos. The truth is, if it wasn’t for their vocals, any boy group of EXO’s era could have tackled a song like Don’t … Continue reading
This May, Ladies’ Code connected with producers 1Take and TAK to deliver the funky, brass-filled Feedback. It felt like a return to the group’s older sound — heavy on groove and sassy vocal delivery. The song emerged after an extended hiatus, which itself was preceded by years of more subdued material. If new single Set … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Diamond (from The War / The Power Of Music – 2017) Undoubtedly one of EXO’s more polarizing tracks, Diamond sees the group move past their signature style and into a swag-heavy blend of EDM and trap. After an exciting, melodic build up, … Continue reading
Compared to other girl groups, Lovelyz doesn’t often receive much attention for their individual members. Their music favors sentiment and cohesion over big, standout moments. But over the years, Kei has quietly become one of my favorite female vocalists in K-pop. As a singer, she’s the sort who gives 110% — almost to the point … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Cloud 9 (from Ex’Act / Lotto – 2016) Opening with one of the most off-kilter introductions in EXO’s catalog, Cloud 9 successfully melds two diverging sounds together. The chorus employs an aloof, trap-infused instrumental that would normally stall momentum in a song … Continue reading
Over the course of the past eight years, Super Junior have offered a template for how to deal with Korea’s mandatory military enlistment. Though they’ve promoted almost every year, the group hasn’t been whole since 2011. Now that all of their active members have finished serving, the current 9-member configuration is as close as we’re … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Can’t Bring Me Down (from Lotto – 2016) Can’t Bring Me Down’s opening verse promises so much more than the song ends up delivering. The instrumental supplies an aggressive, militant beat underlined by psychedelic synth and a few left-field vocal flourishes. It’s … Continue reading
When asked to name individual members of boy group ZE:A, casual fans might remember actors like Siwan or Hyungsik. Fans of variety shows will undoubtedly be familiar with Kwanghee. I can’t imagine than many will recall Ha Minwoo. He was ZE:A’s first member to enlist in the military, and has been part of the group’s … Continue reading
Over the course of his burgeoning career, Jeong Sewoon has alternated between groovy, acoustic guitar-driven pop songs and slower, more emotive ballads. I prefer that his sound stays focused on the former. It’s not that he’s incapable of a good ballad. It’s just that Korea already has its fair share of balladeers – especially this … Continue reading
Purple Beck’s June debut Crystal Ball was promising but unpolished, slotting them comfortably alongside K-pop’s quirkier girl groups. But, more important than a debut is its follow-up, especially when it comes to acts from smaller agencies. Financial constraints are very real in these cases, and if an agency splurges on an underwhelming debut, subsequent material … Continue reading
When releasing an album, Zico often promotes more than one title track. On his 2017 album Television, he backed up the freewheeling Artist with the more melodic Anti, and this cross-genre approach worked well. With the first half of his new album Thinking, Zico seems to have replicated this release strategy. While Daredevil is a … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 