One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Boom Bang Boom (from Red Light – 2014) A sparse, mostly percussive dance track, Boom Bang Boom lives up to f(x)’s idiosyncratic reputation. It’s a song that thrives on competing textures, from the grimy verses to the skeletal beat drop that blossoms … Continue reading
It feels as though DR Music just can’t learn from their mistakes. It’s admirable how they refuse to let Rania fully disband, whether that’s via a “BP Rania” reboot or this new Blackswan project (whose debut album is actually titled “Goodbye Rania”). Following the group’s career is like watching a soap opera. But, it’s also … Continue reading
It’s been over a year since AKMU’s last comeback, and that song is still sitting comfortably on the Korea charts. No matter what they do, this brother-sister pair is popular. So, it makes sense to branch out to solo careers. And though Lee Suhyun’s Alien is composed by her brother Chanhyuk, its dancefloor-ready sound is … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Beautiful Stranger (from Electric Shock – 2012) A unit track from Amber, Luna and Krystal, Beautiful Stranger makes itself known with a dramatic electronic opening before laying down its stomping beat. The song opens with a standout rap courtesy of Amber, followed … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Beautiful Goodbye (from Pinocchio (Danger) / Hot Summer – 2011) Opening with the chiming of bells and a dramatic English-language testament from Amber, Beautiful Goodbye stakes its claim on emotional resonance. Its slick mid-tempo beat is firmly entrenched in the mid-to-late 90’s, … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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 listening to NCT’s Resonance Part 1, I’m struck with the … Continue reading
In the post-X1 landscape, it’s been interesting to see where each of the members have landed. Some have debuted with groups and some have gone solo. In Kim Wooseok and Lee Eunsang’s cases, I’m a little surprised they’ve both released music on their own. Maybe I’m crazy, but it makes more sense for Wooseok to … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! All Night (from Red Light – 2014) Sure, f(x) can get experimental. But, some of their most enjoyable work is also their most approachable. All Night continues K-pop’s love for everything retro, offering a roller-rink ready synth disco track. From its programmed … Continue reading
Fans have barely had a chance to breathe between SM Entertainment’s SuperM album and this new, ambitious NCT project. Resonance brings together all twenty-one members, plus two new faces, for part one of a compilation album that mixes and matches the guys into various units. Resonance will be promoted by two title tracks, and the … Continue reading
Alongside Kissin’ My Lips, Snow Man’s new double a-side single includes Stories, which acts as the opening theme for anime Black Clover. Johnny’s Entertainment has a long history with anime, as does pretty much all of J-pop. Before even listening to Stories, you probably have a sense for how it might sound. And, you’d be … Continue reading
Snow Man debuted alongside SixTONES this January, ushering in a new era of Johnny’s talent. Both groups have gone on to enjoy incredible commercial success, proving that it’s time for the agency to open the floodgates and debut a few more of their promising junior acts (I’m personally waiting for HiHi Jets…). After a relatively … Continue reading
Whether we call Reborn a promoted track or a buried treasure depends on where GHOST9 and their agency takes it. But whatever it ends up being, its quality and the impressive nature of its “performance video” warrants attention. GHOST9 have landed on my radar in a big way, delivering the same energy and potential I … Continue reading
Like they did back in the winter of 2018, NCT is making full use of their malleable roster for a new 2020 project. Unlike 2018, which saw multiple title tracks unveiled over the course of several weeks, this album’s promotion seems to be occurring in a tighter timeframe. But, NCT has exploded in popularity over … Continue reading
When Weki Meki debuted in the summer of 2017, they billed their concept as “teen crush.” Over the years, their singles have occasionally lived up to that moniker. However, their recent one-two punch of Dazzle Dazzle and Oopsy strayed too far into cutesy chant-pop for my taste. New single Cool returns them to their edgier … Continue reading
As usual, Golden Child gets the “bias group advantage” on this site. This means not only their title track and a buried treasure will be reviewed, but I’ll be taking a look at the entire new single album Pump It Up. 1. Pump It Up // 2. That Guy // 3. Lean On Me THAT … Continue reading
With over 3,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
With over 3,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
Over the past few years, BLACKPINK singles have devolved into a clear formula. Now, formulas aren’t inherently bad, but when you’re only releasing a handful of tracks and they all start to sound the same, it doesn’t make for a very interesting discography. However, after four years of inconsistent promotions, the girls finally have a … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. A few years ago, UP10TION were one of K-pop’s most promising … Continue reading
For me, A.B.C-Z have always seemed to exist on the periphery of the Johnny’s Entertainment roster, which is pretty ridiculous considering how integral they’ve been to the agency’s various pursuits. From stage plays to Shounen Club, the members are certainly not unknown. But, a lack of English subtitling and a comparatively small fan base makes … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 