I don’t tend to believe in the concept of guilty pleasures, but J-pop group M!LK’s discography would likely fit within that category for most. Their affected vocal delivery conforms to the more eccentric side of Japanese idol pop, and has often been paired with love-it-or-hate-it material. But the group has recently dabbled in harder-edged sounds … 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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. When I see the title “I-Yah,” I instantly think of Boyfriend’s … Continue reading
With over 2,300 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 the … Continue reading
I wasn’t as sold on The Boyz’ 2017 debut as most seemed to be, but this spring’s ebullient Giddy Up hinted at incredible promise for the rookie group. They seemed poised to take up SHINee’s 2013-era electro-funk-pop sound, which has been sorely missed over the past few years. And after a bump in the road … Continue reading
The only consolation for Wonder Girls’ disbandment is that it’s allowed Sunmi to further pursue a solo career that’s becoming more riveting with each release. Last year’s Gashina was a slow-burn success for me, but January’s Heroine took only one listen to cement its place among 2018’s best singles. Siren (사이렌) follows in its footsteps, standing … Continue reading
With over 2,300 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 the … Continue reading
There are few things more frustrating than the Japanese music industry’s insistence on posting “short” music videos online. I get the fact that videos usually come packaged with physical albums and singles, and that throwing them up for free might discourage sales. But, it’s a total buzzkill when a song fades out just as it’s … Continue reading
