I had to look back to see if I had written about NTX’s debut. I couldn’t remember them at all, but once I replayed last year’s Kiss The World I remembered how much I enjoyed that song. Without a comeback since March of 2021, the group had completely fallen off my radar. That’s a loooong … Continue reading
The addition of new members and a switch in concept has revitalized TO1. Though I wasn’t completely sold on Drummin’ the first few times through, it’s gone on to become a sleeper hit – one of my most played songs of 2022. It uses its messy boisterous for good, stuffed with hook after hook. New … Continue reading
Well… this is awkward. Just a short time after Ravn left ONEUS after allegations were made against him, we have a Japanese track that places him front and center. Obviously, these releases are planned and recorded far in advance, but it still feels weird to see ONEUS as a six-member group and know that this … Continue reading
I’ve always thought the best window to release Christmas songs is late-November to early-December. That way, you’ve got a few weeks to run them into the ground before moving into the new year. With this in mind, NMIXX’s Funky Glitter Christmas arrives at just the right time for me. The only question is: how weird … Continue reading
Queen of K-pop BoA tends to make her return around this time of year. Most recently, she came back in December 2020 with a full album and December 2019 with a mini. New release Forgive Me arrives a few months after the launch of her music show K-909, where she fully embraces her position as … Continue reading
2022 in K-pop has left much to be desired, and one of the things I’ve been missing is a good, goofy comeback from JYP. He’s the gift that keeps on giving, fully in on the joke as he recycles musical elements from his youth in a way his juniors can’t replicate with such authenticity. Over … Continue reading
After spoiling us with two albums last year, 2022 hasn’t been quite as prolific for B.I. He released the hypnotic BTBT back in May, which previewed a new global project that has finally come to fruition in the form of Love Or Loved Part 1. New single Keep Me Up recaptures much of BTBT’s vibe … Continue reading
CSR’s summer debut stands as one of my favorites from 2022, opting for a bright, poppy sound that hearkened back to past K-pop eras. Not only that, but the girls enlisted my beloved Sweetune for a b-side! Since that debut, CSR have been sharing various dance covers of early-GFriend songs – a style I desperately … Continue reading
Though I haven’t yet written about him on this blog, I’ve been keeping an eye on BigOne’s music over the past few months. With so many idol acts adopting a rock sound and image, it’s nice to head straight to the source and hear a straightforward rocker fueled by punk energy. BigOne’s singles Password 486 … Continue reading
After quickly securing a place at the top of the K-pop girl group pack, STAYC are following in the footsteps of their seniors by embarking on a Japanese career. J-pop output from K-pop acts has been decidedly mixed over the past few years, far from the consistent discographies crafted by artists like SNSD, After School, … Continue reading
Debuting last year, Just B’s music has already moved through several iterations. They’re currently in a phase where their singles incorporate “=” symbols into their titles. I’m sure there’s some complex lore supporting this decision, but I’m more concerned with the music behind those titles. Their tracks often incorporate rock sounds, exemplified by this excellent … Continue reading
Funny enough, “woo!ah!” is the sound I made when I first heard Rollercoaster‘s teaser. My opinion on woo!ah!’s music has varied dramatically over the years, hitting an all-time low point with June’s cloying Danger. Now, the group has taken a confident step in the retro synth direction. Regardless of the results, you’ll always find me … Continue reading
Unless I’m missing something, DRIPPIN’s The One is the final big postponed K-pop release to arrive. Of course, it also happens to be the comeback I was most looking forward to. With The One, DRIPPIN have concluded their Villain series (until the inevitable repackage, that is!). Both Villain and Zero were highlights of the year, … Continue reading
Girl group Fifty Fifty are set to officially debut at the end of the month, but they’ve pre-released Lovin’ Me today. I was struck by its teaser, which seemed to promise a more refined, mature sound than many of K-pop’s current girl groups are offering. The full song more-or-less delivers on this promise and points … Continue reading
Rookie boy group Trendz are the latest to return with material originally scheduled for October. Thus far, the guys haven’t done much to land on my radar, though June’s Who improved with time. I appreciate when they lean heavily into rock guitar, and new single Vagabond leverages this strength. But, the song is not without … Continue reading
Occasional ballad aside, Exile Tribe’s Fantastics have had one of the strongest singles runs in years. Songs like Stop For Nothing, High Fever, Drive Me Crazy and Summer Bike still get tons of plays from me, and I’ve recently made it my mission to get to know the group better. It turns out the members … Continue reading
My ears perk up any time I hear that Miyavi will be collaborating with another artist. In this case, he’s met his perfect match. The Rampage (more about them here!) are very familiar with rock sounds, crafting many standouts from bombastic guitar riffs and swaggering vocals. Combine their talents with Miyavi’s incredible playing and hook-writing, … Continue reading
Enough with the ballads, Johnny’s! Apart from an anniversary track and a few b-sides, every Kis-My-Ft2 single since March 2020 has been a varying level of… slow. And without a full album in over two years, there haven’t been that many upbeat tracks to compensate. These singles have been tied to dramas, which explains their … Continue reading
NINE.i emerged earlier this year with a song and album that positioned them firmly within existing boy group tropes. Their appeal lies in self-production, though they’re helped by composer Kim Seung-soo (who may or may not be one half of Sweetune, depending on your source). The teasers for their first comeback hinted at more daring … Continue reading
Nature’s Code W is the first in a string of postponed idol comebacks we’ll see over the next week or so. And, the girls have taken a sledgehammer to K-pop’s brief hiatus, re-emerging with the bonkers Limbo (넘어와). This is the group who gave us the insanity of Oopsie (My Bad) and Rica Rica, so … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 