So far, 2018 has the unfortunate distinction of being the year where almost all of my favorite acts return with underwhelming title tracks. This trend has made it difficult to keep excitement up over the past couple of months. So many groups are abandoning the producers who crafted their winning sound in favor of ones … Continue reading
As with too many groups of their underrated stature, Berry Good has been pretty inactive of late. After carving a path of mature, melodic pop with 2016’s Angel and Don’t Believe, last year’s juvenile Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo marked a jarring tonal change that seems to have derailed their momentum. Perhaps this is a reason behind … Continue reading
Out of more than 120 song reviews this year, only eleven singles have earned a nine or higher from my ratings system — and five of those were Japanese releases. Japan’s stalled Hallyu wave is beginning to make a rebound in an exciting way. While much of this year’s k-pop remains mired in certain trends, … Continue reading
Since Sistar disbanded last spring, Hyolyn has been busy with a number of digital singles and duets. Having dabbled in quite a few genres, it feels as if she’s still finding her place outside of her former girl group. But the thing about Hyolyn is that she’s always been a jack-of-all-trades. Her airy vocal sounds … Continue reading
After months of working through the exhaustive BOYS24 roll-out process, IN2IT debuted last fall with an incredibly generic, tropical house inspired single. It felt like a missed opportunity, but the newly released SnapShot rights the ship by balking the very trends its predecessor embraced. As a pure song, SnapShot is really nothing special. But, it … Continue reading
Most of UNB’s members are well-known for skills in hip-hop and dance, so a ballad release could have been a disaster. A song like last week’s Sense (or “Feeling,” as it’s now being translated) seems to be a better match on paper, yet Only One’s standout melody makes it the stronger of the two title … Continue reading
Idol band The Rose seemed to come out of nowhere last summer, but quickly developed a moderate amount of internet buzz even though Korea has mostly ignored them. To be honest, I didn’t quite understand what all the fuss was about. Past tracks Sorry and Like We Used To were pleasant bursts of modern rock, … Continue reading
In many corners of the online k-pop community, “Latin” has been a buzzword when considering the industry’s next possible trend. This makes sense, as it would be a natural progression from the tropical house we’ve been inundated with over the past couple of years. It would also converge nicely with k-pop’s growing popularity in Central … Continue reading
The sub-unit of CBX is one of the most exciting EXO-related developments of the past few years. The group as a whole has often drawn from funk influences, but CBX offers an outlet to fully explore this side of the EXO sound. Their debut mini album was one of 2016’s best, filled to the brim … Continue reading
Though it’s not a problem unique to them, Badkiz may just hold the record for cycling through the most members across the span of their four year career. The group is currently a quartet, but has been home to a shocking fifteen different girls since debuting in 2014. And the thing is, this was never … Continue reading
Musically, the biggest risk involved with debuting a reality show-spawned project group like UNB is that their sound will be completely generic. There simply isn’t enough time to develop a unique aesthetic, especially given that fact that these members were brought together through public vote rather than musical compatibility. This isn’t to say that the … Continue reading
NCT’s Ten has developed quite a loyal fan base despite only appearing in a handful of the group’s comebacks. Perhaps this is because he shines so brightly as a soloist. It’s difficult to fully utilize his insane dance skills within a huge group configuration, so other members with bigger personalities tend to take precedence. But … Continue reading
As I wrote about in detail a couple months ago, season two of Produce 101 has spawned a seemingly endless supply of groups, duos and soloists. At this point, its alumni may be even harder to keep track of than the various units of SM’s NCT! And like NCT, we’ve now come to the point … Continue reading
For some, the heavy rock/hip-hop assault of Stray Kids’ District 9 may have felt too noisy and unrelenting. In my case, the song is only improving with age, and has quickly cemented these rookies as an exciting (and needed) burst of energy within the 2018 k-pop landscape. But as strong as their debut is, the … Continue reading
The Boyz’ December debut didn’t quite hit with me, and I’m still not sure why. The song catered to so many of my k-pop preferences, yet never went beyond a pleasant pop diversion. Luckily, that won’t be the case with new single Giddy Up. It’s easily one of the most instant releases we’ve heard all … Continue reading
NCT’s ambitious 2018 project rolls into its third month with the fifth music video released from the group’s album. Like many fans, I was supremely disappointed when the tracklist for Empathy was revealed to be a cobbled together greatest hits of sorts, presenting many songs we’d already heard rather than a completely new collection. This … Continue reading
Though lacking the kind of power I was craving from a TVXQ comeback, the duo’s new album is filled with reliably top-shelf material. SM Entertainment seems to think so too, giving the guys a second music video in the form of opening track Love Line (평행선). If the electro-swing of The Chance Of Love wasn’t … Continue reading
Though they seem to have found their sweet spot as a self-producing idol group, it still feels like Pentagon are struggling to find their signature sound. Leader Hui co-created Wanna One’s immense Energetic, but hasn’t chosen to borrow that same sense of dance-pop propulsion for his own group. In its place is a trendier brand … Continue reading
Having grown up on the likes of early-90’s Michael and Janet Jackson, the lockstep, staccato sound of New Jack Swing was a constant presence during my formative musical years. It remains one of my favorite genres to this day, and I love when k-pop dips its toes into its aesthetic. Of all the k-pop groups … Continue reading
Since last summer’s Produce 101 ended, Kim Samuel has hit the ground running. In less than a year, he’s delivered three albums (one full, two mini) and a Japanese debut. That’s pretty prolific for a sixteen-year-old soloist. And though his work has never gone beyond the confines of what we might consider “teen pop,” each … Continue reading
