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
Despite being a big fan of the group, no EXO solo or sub-unit has connected with me this year. The guys are now elder statesman in the K-pop industry, and with that comes guaranteed success for any new material they release. But rather than branch out and push K-pop forward, the guys have channeled their … Continue reading
ONEUS made a splash when they debuted with the incredible Valkyrie this January. Their follow-up single Twilight has grown on me a lot, and the guys have proven to be reliable conduits for solid mini albums, but I fear that they offered their strongest punch right off the bat. A fantastic debut is important, but … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Been Through (from Universe – 2017) Taken from the group’s third winter album, Been Through doesn’t share much connective tissue with the season other than its subdued nature. Its verses have a fitful structure — trap-adjacent without fully embracing the genre. This … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Beautiful (from Exodus / Love Me Right – 2015) Though 2015’s Exodus album includes some of EXO’s best tracks, I find its second half to be a bit sluggish. Beautiful is a fine mid-to-uptempo r&b track, but apart from its catchy synth … Continue reading
It’s only been a short while since BTS emerged from their late-summer break, but J-Hope is already gracing fans with a surprise single — the trilingual Becky G collaboration Chicken Noodle Soup. The song is a cover of the insipid, siren-filled original from Webstar and Young B. At the very least, J-Hope and Becky G’s … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Baby (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) A large portion of EXO’s first full-length album was devoted to retro, mid-tempo r&b jams, and Baby slots within that framework well. Over a blend of fitful synths and skittering, 90’s throwback percussion, the track … Continue reading
Saturday feel like a group in search of a novelty hit. I mean, any act who debuts with something called “MMook JJi BBa” is not looking to forge the next Stairway To Heaven. No, Saturday are in it for the short term, drawing attention with the most garishly upbeat fare they can muster. This approach … Continue reading
Girl group Laboum were at their commercial and musical peak from 2015-2017, book-ended by the pop brilliance of singles Aalow Aalow and Hwi Hwi. There must be something lucky about repetitive, onomatopoeia titles. Since that point, a newly-matured sound has brought the group a niche fan base, but the girls have struggled to cement their … Continue reading
As with so many under-the-radar K-pop debuts, 3YE failed to make much of an impression when they dropped their first single this May. In fact, I had to search back to see if I had reviewed the song at all — that’s how little I remember it. On the plus side, the group seems to … Continue reading
When it comes to music, the Korean public and I rarely agree. Glance at the digital charts during any time of the year and you’re likely to see a glut of ballads, some subdued indie pop or r&b, and very few dance tracks. I guess this is streaming culture in a nutshell. The less polarizing … Continue reading
The weeks leading up to the Chuseok holiday are notoriously barren for K-pop, so beggars can’t be choosers when it comes to new releases. This means that I end up writing about groups I’d normally skip. To be honest, I didn’t even know We Girls existed until about a week ago — and they debuted … Continue reading
Vanner debuted earlier this year with a full album, which is incredibly unique for a rookie group. Unfortunately, this album was largely forgettable. It doesn’t matter how many tracks you record if none of them are outstanding. For their follow-up, the group has continued to work with the same team, but their sound has transitioned … Continue reading
Woollim Entertainment is my favorite K-pop agency, and one of the things I like most about them is that they carve out a signature sound for their artists. This sound usually counters trends, opting for a more classic pop approach. But now that the agency has been sucked into the Produce 101 orbit, I fear … Continue reading
Now, this one’s interesting! Fanxy Red are an established C-pop group, re-debuting after spending some time training in Korea. I can’t remember this approach being used before — usually it’s Chinese K-pop idols leaving to perform in their (very lucrative) homeland. Fanxy Red are also known as a “girl boy group.” They all identify as … Continue reading
While their sibling group ONEUS releases a series of heavily-promoted mini albums, ONEWE has received a more subdued roll-out. I guess this makes sense. When it comes to K-pop, dance groups are an easier sell than rock bands. Still, it’s a shame that we didn’t get to hear the gorgeous Reminisce About All performed on … Continue reading
PSY’s new P Nation music label has been the source of much speculation this year. K-pop hasn’t seen this high profile an agency launch in years, and with YG Entertainment plagued by scandal after scandal, the timing is perfect for a new force in the industry. Add big-name stars like HyunA, E’Dawn, Jessi, Crush and … Continue reading
It was only a matter of time until we got an idol group song called “Rock Paper Scissors.” I mean, the game is used to decide everything in the K-pop world. I wouldn’t be surprised if agencies used it to determine comeback dates! And, it’s not shocking that a novelty track like this would come … Continue reading
Now that we’re a month or so out from the Produce X 101 finale, it’s time to welcome the endless parade of releases from the series’ contestants. Every agency is out to make a quick buck, and that rarely involves a lot of forethought or musical quality. In addition to appearing on the show, Kim … Continue reading
I was surprised when it was first announced that members of UP10TION would be participating in Produce X 101. I knew that the buzz around the group had slowed in recent years, but I always thought they were relatively high-selling. Maybe their agency just realized they needed more of a push when it came to … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 