In honor of the release of Infinite’s sixth mini-album, Infinite Only, I’ll be taking an in-depth look at each track. Every day this week, I’ll review one song, working through the album in chronological order. Eternity (intro) The Eye AIR One Day True Love Thank You Zero In writing about title track The Eye, I noted … Continue reading
To say that The Eye (태풍) was my most anticipated release this year would be an understatement. My utter adoration of Infinite and their music pretty much neutralizes my ability to write anything truly objective, but it also means that I hold them to an impossible standard. Any new addition to their flawless discography is bound to … Continue reading
SM girl group Red Velvet have been bouncing between their dual concepts, giving us delirious pop hits (red) and low-key slow burns (velvet) for the past couple of years. With Russian Roulette (러시안 룰렛), it seems that they’ve found some middle ground, tempering what is essentially a high energy synthpop track with a more subdued … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Time Leap, along with the other original songs from BOYS24‘s … Continue reading
Despite Infinite being far and away my favorite k-pop group, I’m always a little hesitant when approaching their Japanese releases. Unlike the consistent quality of their Korean output, their j-pop material involves work with a more diverse collection of composers, resulting in a hodgepodge of different sounds. Luckily, D.N.A sees them trying on a punchy … Continue reading
I just love it when this happens. INX are a newly-debuted 5-member boy group from an agency that I’ve never heard of, and although they’re clearly working within a budget, they’ve burst onto the scene with an incredible debut song. It’s rare to find a debut group who aren’t simply a carbon copy of several … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides and album tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Though it can’t really be considered a true … Continue reading
As their latest Japanese release (and first as a five-piece), Beast have given us two singles under the concept “day and night.” I was pretty underwhelmed by the day, but it turns out that the night is where things really heat up. Though I enjoyed their latest Korean album (and loved the title track), it … Continue reading
GFriend is back with their second title track of the year and their fourth with ace production duo Seo Youngbae and Iggy. With each subsequent release, I’ve become more and more excited about new music from this group. January’s Rough is easily my favorite girl group song of the year so far, and Navillera (너 … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Astro has quickly sprung up to become one of my favorite … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Seventeen’s Very Nice repackage is really a brilliant piece of pop … Continue reading
I’m not gonna lie, I was a little worried when it was announced that Beast would be coming back with not one, but two ballad tracks. For a group that needed a bump after member Hyunseung left, I was really hoping they’d return with a dance track as epic as Good Luck or Shadow. But … Continue reading
Seventeen are back with a repackage of their first studio album. This April’s Pretty U grew on me immensely, becoming more addictive with each play. New single Very Nice (아주 NICE) is the exact opposite, offering an instant burst of funk-inspired pop magic. It’s yet another step in this group’s unstoppable rise to the top. … Continue reading
Though I didn’t rate it quite as high as I should have back in February, Astro’s debut Hide & Seek has quickly become one of my favorite songs of the year. They bring a bright sense of pop melody to k-pop, and for that I’m very grateful. The trend continues with summer single Breathless (숨가빠). And … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I’ve noticed that there seem to be quite a few people … Continue reading
Well, this is a pleasant surprise! I try not to have many k-pop blind spots, but ballad group 2AM is just one of those groups I know very little about. In my ignorance, I assumed the members’ musical interest started and ended with ballads (though of course Jo Kwon did have his dancey thing going … Continue reading
For the first time in their four-year history, mega blockbuster boy group EXO have returned with double title tracks. Designed to show us the lighter side of their music is Lucky One, which is more Love Me Right than Overdose. Though I can appreciate all sides of EXO’s sound, my taste naturally gravitates towards more … Continue reading
I wasn’t a big fan of KNK’s debut a few months ago, and that hasn’t really changed. But, I also make sure never to write a group off based solely on their debut track. Rookie debuts often end up sounding unlike anything else in their discography, and this is definitely the case so far with … Continue reading
Since going solo, Xia has almost always come back with an edgy, ambitious title track that redefines the boundaries of what kpop can be. But time after time, I find myself wishing that this experimentation carried through the entire running time of his accompanying albums. As crazy-good a dancer as he is, it feels like … Continue reading
Oh My Girl continue to move from strength to strength, offering more invention and excitement within their kpop concoctions than almost any other group so far this year. As of May, their Pink Ocean album is my favorite girl group mini of 2016, and the inclusion of Windy Day only makes it stronger. It’s worth … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 