It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new album, Game Changer! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the ten new songs. 1. Game Changer (Intro) // 2. Ra Pam Pam // 3. Bottom Of The Ocean // 4. Fanfare // 5. Singing … Continue reading
It’s been almost three years since Sunmi released anything more than a digital single, making her new 1/6 mini album quite the milestone. Thus far, her discography is best summed up as: “quality over quantity.” Even so, songs like Heroine, Siren and Pporappippam made her a staple in the upper reaches of my end-of-year singles … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new album, Game Changer! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the ten new songs. 1. Game Changer (Intro) // 2. Ra Pam Pam // 3. Bottom Of The Ocean // 4. Fanfare // 5. Singing … Continue reading
A K-pop group’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. My reaction to Astro’s After Midnight … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new album, Game Changer! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the ten new songs. 1. Game Changer (Intro) // 2. Ra Pam Pam // 3. Bottom Of The Ocean // 4. Fanfare // 5. Singing … Continue reading
ONEUS don’t seem to know the meaning of the word “hiatus,” as they’ve stuffed their time between comebacks with a new project. ONEUS Theatre acts as a platform for performance-oriented videos, already encompassing several routines from years past. This time, the guys have delivered an entire song. Shut Up 받고 Crazy Hot has been kicking … Continue reading
Somi’s solo career has existed in drips and drabs, with no more than a single comeback each year since debut. All three songs have been co-produced by Teddy, whose familiar touch has crafted most of BLACKPINK’s discography (along with so many other YG artists). As the years have gone on, his ‘beat drop chorus + … Continue reading
For years now, I’ve been crossing my fingers for Astro’s return to the bright, carefree pop of their debut era. Those fingers also begged for a reunion with producers Iggy and Youngbae, who crafted a definitive sound for the group. But, the world rarely gives you everything you want, so in place of another Hide … Continue reading
When it comes down to it, what makes a “bias” group? It’s a complicated formula – one that starts and ends with the personal connection you feel to the members and their music. Golden Child haven’t yet released my favorite single in any year since debut, but their appeal runs deeper than a single song. … Continue reading
A K-pop group’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. As great as 2021 has been … Continue reading
K-pop’s been on a “summer holiday” for weeks now, but Dreamcatcher are vacationing the right way – by releasing new music, of course! New single BEcause heralds their special summer album. Given this distinction, I wondered if the girls would take the opportunity to delve further into the EDM sound that pops up often in … Continue reading
It’s been fun watching Exile Tribe’s various groups find their niche. The artist collective is really diversifying its roster, tailoring different sounds to different strengths. Unsurprisingly, I’ve been enamored by Fantastics’ recent embrace of retro synth pop. They’ve been on an incredible roll of late, from High Fever to Play Back to Stop For Nothing. … Continue reading
AKMU’s newest release is a collaboration album, with each of its tracks featuring a guest artist. None of these guests feel too surprising or left-field, but their presence has inspired the duo to experiment with their sound. NAKKA (낙하) brings together AKMU and IU – a recipe for surefire chart success. But, the track also … Continue reading
Over the past few years, several Johnny’s groups have started recording more English-language material. This surprises me given the agency’s lack of access to English-speaking markets. Just like K-pop, I’m not sure I want these acts to be vying for international attention – especially if it means diluted the aspects that make them unique and … Continue reading
Ryuji Imaichi, from Exile Tribe’s Sandaime J Soul Brothers, has a flourishing solo career that’s largely passed me by. Depending on the song, I either love the unique tone of his voice or find it quite piercing. But when I stumbled upon the futuristic cover of his new mini album Chaos City, I knew I … Continue reading
Well, what do we have here? Honest-to-goodness new music during the month of July?? Will wonders never cease! Actually, our long musical drought will soon come to an end as AKMU ushers in a K-pop deluge with their collaboration album next week. Apparently, all of its songs will be given some form of music video, … Continue reading
K-Pop debuts can be tricky things. At times, they’re the best song a group delivers. Sometimes, they’re the only song a group delivers! But, debuts can also be huge wtf moments in an artist’s career. In this feature, I’ll be looking back at debut songs through the prism of time, re-evaluating how well they hold … Continue reading
Compared to last year, I’ve been kind of underwhelmed by 2021’s releases from Johnny’s Entertainment so far. One bright spot has been Snow Man, who are quickly becoming one of my favorite acts in the agency. That has more to do with their rag-tag, self-effacing variety appearances than their music, but January’s Grandeur has proven … Continue reading
In a barren July, it seems that a glorified Pepsi ad will have to suffice when it comes to big-name K-pop comebacks. This Pepsi x Starship collaboration project has been going on for years now, resulting in eight singles. Most of these have been collaborations between two or more artists, but Summer Taste ups the … Continue reading
Though it may not represent their definitive sound, 2019’s Wave is still my favorite ATEEZ single. It’s one of the most uplifting K-pop tracks in recent memory, with a brilliant build that saves all its vocal and instrumental fireworks for one knockout climax. New Japanese single Dreamers feels like a sonic successor, harnessing a tropical … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 