One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Windy Windy (from Sunny Summer – 2018) It’s amazing how, through sound alone, music can conjure a specific setting in your imagination. Ambient noise is often used to accentuate this quality, and Windy Windy opens with the sounds of the beach, perfectly … Continue reading
Releasing a digital single to kick off the new year has been a successful gambit for many idol acts, and it also makes sense given BOYNEXTDOOR’s busy touring schedule during the first few months of 2025. The group has steadily climbed to the upper echelons of my own bias list, but compared to other favorite … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Wheel Of The Year (from Walpurgis Night – 2020) Prior to their upcoming reunion, Wheel Of The Year was the final song in GFriend’s discography – at least if we’re going by track order. It’s a fitting denouement, offering sentimental melodies over … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Time For The Moon Night (from Time For The Moon Night – 2018) Previous Thoughts: “The track pulls in those lush orchestral elements we’ve been missing since 2016’s superior Rough, drenching the instrumental in layers of strings. I just wish that much … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Tik Tik (from Time For The Moon Night – 2018) This is just a bright, uncomplicated pop song that works extremely well. The chorus is the best part, capturing some of the propulsive energy that made GFriend’s debut era so rewarding. The … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Three Of Cups (from Walpurgis Night – 2020) Three Of Cups is the kind of frothy post-disco pop track GFriend could cast off in their sleep. By the time we got to 2020, they had become quite skilled at imbuing this style … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! The Beginning Of Love (from Fallin’ Light – 2019) I was surprised to see that I’ve barely played this b-side at all, yet I gave it a high rating in my own personal music library. Listening to it again, I can see … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Tarot Cards (from Song Of The Sirens – 2020) Previous Thoughts: “In some ways, it doesn’t feel like Tarot Cards has a chorus at all. It plays more like an extension of the verses, but it works thanks to the breathless arrangement. … Continue reading
I don’t usually write a song review unless there’s an accompanying music video, but a disbandment (?) single warrants at least a brief mention. I put a big question mark in that last sentence because it’s unclear whether fromis_9 will remain together after leaving Pledis Entertainment, though history doesn’t set a rosy precedent. This departure … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Sunrise (from Time For Us – 2019) Previous Thoughts: “Sunrise ups the tempo after a brief piano opening, giving the song some kick as we build toward the chorus. The verses veer from languid to sprightly with a balletic finesse, though the … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Sunny Summer (from Sunny Summer – 2018) Previous Thoughts: “The synths shimmer with breezy lightness, the brass-kissed chorus feels propulsive without ever challenging expectations, and the instrumental pulses with a nimble stream of funk percussion. As derivative as this all may be, … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Summer Rain (from Rainbow – 2017) Previous Thoughts: “So, we’re at a point where disappointment becomes frustration. Summer Rain includes many of the group’s hallmarks, from its retro 90’s beat to the classical sample that bolsters its instrumental. I’ve even seen some … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Someday (from Snowflake – 2016) Snowflake is a strong album, but sometimes its b-sides can be dwarfed by Rough’s immense shadow. Someday is light and bouncy but there’s still enough going on within its production to make it an early career standout. … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Show Up (from Time For Us – 2019) Show Up opens with a burst of tropical synth before segueing into a breezy dance beat. This arrangement remains consistent throughout, blooming into a more robust energy as we hit the chorus. It’s a … Continue reading
With each new digital single from NCT’s Mark, we get closer to the release of his long-rumored solo album. That album seems to be slated for next year, but he’s capping off 2024 with a collaboration with popular rapper Lee Youngji. Fraktsiya (프락치) means “fraction” in Russian and sees him experimenting with production for a … Continue reading
HYBE’s Japanese group &TEAM has been building up to their second album this year, gradually forging a softer, more melodic sound that worked particularly well on summer singles Koegawari and Aoarashi. Earlier this month, they pre-released the wintery Illumination and now we have title track Yukiakari days before the release of the full album. This … Continue reading
It’s a longstanding tradition for YG Entertainment to release follow-up music videos from its artists’ albums. This approach has faded a bit in recent years, but the agency seems determined to solidify rookies BABYMONSTER within their successful lineage. Part of me wishes they would have terrorized us with an mv for the ghastly Woke Up … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Say My Name (from Snowflake – 2016) It’s not easy following Rough on any track list, but Say My Name is up to the task. It’s a great dance track, fueled by an unresolved electro riff that has the same chugging intensity … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Room Of Mirrors (from Song Of The Sirens – 2020) “Room Of Mirrors” is the most evocative title and prepares you for a song as equally mysterious. It’s a bit surprising, then, that this turns out to be a fairly standard GFriend … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Red Umbrella (from Parallel / Rainbow – 2017) This is such a burst of summer energy. It’s the closest GFriend’s music ever got to bossa nova, yet it also pulls in a hearty dose of disco. The track is on the lighter … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 