Never one to miss an opportunity, Monsta X have been releasing a non-stop stream of music over the past several years. Between Korea, Japan and America, they’ve got to be one of the most prolific artists of this generation. Though it’s been over eight months since their last Korean album, the wait hasn’t seemed nearly … Continue reading
It’s been over two years since Taeyeon’s last full-length album, and in that time her discography has grown in drips and drabs — a holiday album here, a Japanese mini album there. Judging from her concerts, she’s been sitting on a lot of her new material for awhile, making the release of Purpose highly anticipated. … Continue reading
Though TVXQ are one of my all-time favorite K-pop acts, most of their post-enlistment music hasn’t hit me in the same way as their classic material. However, new Japanese album XV is a strong collection of work, touching on many of the aspects that have made them such a musical force. The guys seem to … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I consider TXT’s debut mini album to be pretty close to … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Heaven (from Ex’Act / Lotto – 2016) Sandwiched between more experimental tracks on EXO’s underrated 2016 album, Heaven’s exuberant, laid-back funk pop offers a welcome respite. The song is nothing unusual, but its piano-fueled production has a engagingly old-school aesthetic, augmented with … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Heart Attack (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) Heart Attack draws that amorphous line between dance track and mid-tempo. Its energy isn’t particularly high, but its fast-paced vocal delivery gives it a loose, playful appeal that slots it nicely alongside superior tracks … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Forever (from The War / The Power Of Music – 2017) Forever is the kind of lumbering, almost industrial beast that SM boy groups do so well. Its arrangement has a tense energy, constantly on the build without ever reaching a sense … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. What a week for a Super Junior release. Seriously, this week … Continue reading
As Twice’s Korean output has shifted styles this year, their Japanese music has followed suit. This began with June’s striking Breakthrough, and continues with new single Fake & True. As with the last few years, Twice are churning out new singles with alarming speed, and that ubiquity has helped them make a convincing transformation in … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Falling For You (from For Life – 2016) Unabashedly festive, Falling For You is the musical equivalent of a warm holiday party on a snowy day. Bolstered by jubilant brass and splashes of vocal harmony, the track has a lush, upbeat swing … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I’m usually pretty quick at picking these buried treasure songs, but … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Fall (from Universe – 2017) Fall opens with a simple arrangement of acoustic guitar and percussion, but soon grows more grand with haunting, layered vocals and distorted synth. The chorus is among EXO’s most idiosyncratic, possessing a uniqueness of tone like nothing … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Exodus (from Exodus / Love Me Right – 2015) One of the few genuinely upbeat tracks on the initial version of EXO’s 2015 album, Exodus hearkens back to the r&b-laced dance pop of the early 2000’s. It pulses on a nimble electronic … Continue reading
I think I may have been underrating this Lim Hyunsik guy. I never covered his 2017 solo track Swimming, and I kind of want to time travel and give “past me” a slap in the face. BTOB are a group flush with talented vocalists, as well as big personalities. Hyunsik is chief among the group’s … Continue reading
Super Junior have spent the better part of a year exploring Latin rhythms, which has helped bolster a growing South American fan base. But, the title of their new album Time Slip — the first in eight years as a complete group — promised something more retro. And while pre-release I Think I offered a … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! The Eve (from The War / The Power Of Music – 2017) Opening EXO’s 2017 album with a dark blast of creeping pop, The Eve takes an almost militant approach to its verses before pulling back to a vocal-rich pre-chorus. The chorus … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! El Dorado (from Exodus / Love Me Right – 2015) A fan favorite, El Dorado is a perfect representation of EXO’s signature sounds. You’ve got the moody r&b of the verses, largely carried by the group’s smooth vocals. Then there’s the towering … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Rather than call All to Action ATEEZ’s first full-length album, I … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Drop That (from Countdown – 2018) For as bombastic as their music can be, EXO really don’t have that many straight-up party tracks. Drop That was clearly designed with concerts in mind — the kind of repetitive, high-energy song that spells out … Continue reading
After the remaining B.A.P members left the hellhole that is TS Entertainment earlier this year, it seemed as if the group had essentially disbanded. We could certainly get a reunion in the future, but for now the guys are focusing on solo projects. For Jung Daehyun, that meant a mini album of ballads earlier this … Continue reading
