One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Dangerous (from Pinocchio / Hot Summer – 2011) An undeniable product of SM’s patented SMP sub-genre, Dangerous pounds forward on crunchy rock guitar and icy synth accents. It’s a stomping good time, allowing the girls a chance to truly vamp it up. … 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. I can appreciate LOONA’s Why Not for what it is, but … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Cowboy (from 4 Walls / Cowboy – 2016) As experimental as J-pop can be, it feels like a wasted opportunity that Cowboy is f(x)’s only original Japanese track. As such, it’s got a lot to live up to. The song doesn’t disappoint, … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Chu~♡ (from Chu~♡ – 2009) As f(x)’s first comeback, Chu worked to extend the idiosyncratic electro-pop sound that had marked their debut. Its herky-jerky instrumental and seesawing hook combine to create a strange little pop truffle. Essentially, the song is an incredibly … Continue reading
Thus far, CRAVITY’s promotional schedule has included duel concepts. Their title tracks opt for a harder-hitting dance pop style, while their follow-ups embrace the lighter side of boy group fare. The latter has offered greater opportunity to deliver solid pop melody, making it my preferred sound for the group. And though I would have enjoyed … Continue reading
True to JYP form, Stray Kids have proven to be real workhorses this year. Just over a month after their last Korean comeback (which they’re still promoting), they’ve dropped the music video for their new Japanese single. All In follows this spring’s standout TOP, and heralds the release of their first Japanese mini album. Like … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Cash Me Out (from 4 Walls – 2015) Melding an abrasive electro beat with a steady kick and a big, floor-filling chorus, Cash Me Out is an invigorating slab of quirky EDM. It doesn’t really get going until its bonkers post-chorus drop … Continue reading
Fans have had to wait ages between LOONA comebacks, but 2020 marks the first year the group has released multiple albums. Why Not? follows February’s So What, which steered the girls in a more brash direction. Judging from the songs’ titles alone, you get a sense of how both might sound. They thrive on a … Continue reading
Over the past few years, Seventeen have secured their place in K-pop’s A-list, routinely selling over a million copies of their albums. And, they’ve done it while staying true to their self-producing roots. This has allowed them to develop a signature style. No matter whether the group goes light or dark in concept, you can … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Butterfly (from Red Light – 2014) In many ways, Butterfly (나비) begins like so many tracks from SM Entertainment history. Its core synth stomp has been popular with the agency since the mid-00’s, but f(x) soon take it in a different direction … Continue reading
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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 