A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. Seulgi’s debut mini album blossoms as … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. There are at least three songs … Continue reading
Treasure’s new mini album feels a little looser and livelier than usual. I like this side of them – and of YG artists in general. Immediately following the EDM party-starter Hello, we have a hard left turn into rock-fueled hip-hop. Sub-unit track VolKno is a tour de force of the group’s talents, opening another new … Continue reading
Looking back over the past two years, The Boyz’ strongest material hasn’t been promoted as title tracks. There have been a number of missed opportunities – songs deserving of a bigger audience. Last Man Standing continues this pattern. As a collaboration with the TI League Of Legends team and DJ/producer Raiden, the track might pass … Continue reading
For the past several Kingdom comebacks, I’ve found myself more enamored with the group’s b-sides than their title tracks. Their high-concept series seems to put emphasis on performance pieces rather than songs that stand well on their own. This remains true for new single Long Live The King (백야), but there are enough musical goodies … Continue reading
There was a time in SM Entertainment’s history where solo releases were not common. That’s switched dramatically over the past decade, with so many popular groups launching equally-popular solo projects. The members of Red Velvet have already released sub-unit and solo work, but 28 Reasons marks Seulgi’s official debut after appearing in her fair share … Continue reading
Last time we heard from Treasure, they had re-invented their slow jam Darari into a rollicking pop rock banger. That version appears on their new album, which also sees the members taking greater creative control. Thankfully, this results in a dynamic blend of upbeat sounds that recall standout eras in YG Entertainment’s past. Title track … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. According to Xiumin, Feedback was considered … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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 was pumped for Mirae’s long-awaited … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. When it comes to September’s K-pop … Continue reading
I picked Mirae as my top rookie of 2021, but so far runners-up IVE have eclipsed them in 2022. This is due to a variety of factors. DSP Media has waited too long between comebacks, and has had difficulty building upon the futuristic theme of Mirae’s debut. But with new album Ourturn the first of … Continue reading
CRAVITY have had a very mixed discography, and that’s putting it mildly. There are some title tracks I find borderline unlistenable, but they’ve also got big highlights like Adrenaline. Luckily, this year has seen them veer toward lighter sounds, embracing the more upbeat side of boygroupdom. Party Rock is their most explosive joy bomb yet, … Continue reading
Some fans may know Adora as an in-house writer for Big Hit/HYBE, but she made her solo debut late last year. I haven’t always featured her music on The Bias List, mostly because she skirts that thin line between idol act and artist and this blog is mainly dedicated to the former. But, she’s developed … Continue reading
We still have some time to go for another EXO comeback, but in the meantime its members are keeping busy with solo work. Next up is Xiumin, who makes his official solo debut with a mini album (though he did release a fun duet with NCT’s Mark a few years ago and an SM Station … Continue reading
For a group with so many members, Seventeen have done a nice job getting their individual voices into the spotlight. Many of the guys have already made solo debuts, though few of these have been paired with the relentless promo typically tied to K-pop comebacks. The seemingly free-spirited nature of these releases makes them feel … Continue reading
An alarming number of artists seem to be jumping ship from PSY’s P Nation label this year, causing the ambitious start-up to face some growing pains just as they’re trying to get their first idol group off the ground. Luckily, they still have the ever-reliable Crush on their roster. Fresh from military service, he’s making … Continue reading
Which benevolent K-pop god did I appease to get new music from Sweetune and Thomas Troelsen on the same day?? These are two of my all-time favorite producers, and neither churns out all that much material these days. In Troelsen’s case, his work has been paired with an unlikely star: GOT7’s Jay B. When I … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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 wasn’t originally going to feature … Continue reading
King & Prince have been super active this year: a double a-side, an album, a single and another double a-side on the way in November. But as flush with material as we’ve been, I still think they had a stronger 2021 overall – at least musically. The recently released TraceTrace seeks to expand the sound … Continue reading
Though they won’t get nearly as much coverage today as NMIXX, girl group Maka Maka have also made a return with their new track I Am (아이엠). The two songs couldn’t be more different. While NMIXX’s Dice attempts to create new industry trends with its structural diversity, I Am leans comfortably in a more timeless … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 