Since their debut in 2023, BOYNEXTDOOR has steadily built up a large fanbase and this year they’ve continued to branch out to festivals like Lollapalooza. All the while, their music has kept its own color, pulling as much from very old pop genres as it does modern trends. New single Hollywood Action continues this approach … Continue reading
TXT are about to release their third Japanese studio album, making them well-established within the territory. Their albums have featured a mix of new material and Japanese re-recordings of Korean tracks, and this time we’ve got a proper lead single as well. Can’t Stop pulls from an addictive 80s sound and offers a peak at … Continue reading
1. Head Shoulders Knees Toes // 2. Overdrive // 3. Hot Blue Shoes // 4. Caffeine Rush // 5. Overthinking // 6. Here For You HERE FOR YOU Fan songs are an integral part of an idol group’s discography, and they’re at their best when they’ve got some heft to their melody and production. TWS … Continue reading
A K-pop act’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. NMIXX’s first full album is very … Continue reading
1. Head Shoulders Knees Toes // 2. Overdrive // 3. Hot Blue Shoes // 4. Caffeine Rush // 5. Overthinking // 6. Here For You OVERTHINKING We’re back in highlight territory as the album moves toward its finale. When Overthinking was first teased, I commented that it sounded like “Lucky To Be Loved in the … Continue reading
ARTMS’s trio of Odd Eye Circle members are set to release new singles one by one and first up is Kim Lip. She asks us the very pertinent question: “Can you entertain?” Almost every idol or group can release their version of a trend or a trope, but actual entertainment involves more than simply tracing … Continue reading
1. Head Shoulders Knees Toes // 2. Overdrive // 3. Hot Blue Shoes // 4. Caffeine Rush // 5. Overthinking // 6. Here For You CAFFEINE RUSH Caffeine Rush is the only completely outsourced song on the new album without any of TWS’s usual composers participating in its creation. Among its composers are two of … Continue reading
I was lucky to be front row at Hwasa’s showcase stage during this year’s KCON LA and that performance crystallized her strengths as an artist. Though I haven’t always loved her solo work, she’s racked up a solid discography of varied material. And with Hwasa’s charismatic execution, nearly anything can turn into a hit. New … Continue reading
Someone needs to calculate just how many times the schoolboy/schoolgirl concept has been used in J-pop. That would be impossible, of course, as it’s become one of the industry’s leading tropes. It still works, partly because the idols themselves are young enough to sell it but mostly because it’s an experience the vast majority of … Continue reading
1. Head Shoulders Knees Toes // 2. Overdrive // 3. Hot Blue Shoes // 4. Caffeine Rush // 5. Overthinking // 6. Here For You HOT BLUE SHOES I’m not sure what a “hot blue shoe” is, but it definitely paints an image in your head. If you thought TWS got hip-hop out of their … Continue reading
Bae Jinyoung’s already been through two idol groups in his career, debuting with Wanna One and later with CIX. After choosing not to re-sign his contract with the latter, he’s stepped out as a soloist. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard a Jinyouong solo track, but this time it feels different. Round & Round … Continue reading
MEOVV scored their first long-lasting hit with this spring’s Hands Up — a track that rose to the top thanks to its sheer catchiness and verve. It’s no surprise the group would seek to replicate that sound, and new single Burning Up enlists their usual squad of producers to craft a similar energy. Like Hands … Continue reading
To be honest, I skip past a lot of idol-turned-soloist releases. Every once and awhile you’ll get something that feels artistically different, but nine times out of ten you’re usually in store for a sentimental ballad or a mid-tempo r&b/rock/pop track — especially if a big agency is behind it. Pentagon’s Kino made his solo … Continue reading
U-Know’s first (!) full album is scheduled for early next month, but prior to that he’s dropped pre-release Body Language to offer a hint of what we might be in for. With over twenty years in the industry, he’s tried his hand at just about every genre you can imagine, but Body Language pairs him … Continue reading
Over three years since their debut, NMIXX have finally released their first full album. And with twelve tracks, JYP Entertainment isn’t skimping on the occasion. Pre-release Spinnin’ On It built hype earlier this month and now Blue Valentine is here to remind us just how strange the group’s music can be. “Mixxpop” isn’t something that’s … Continue reading
For groups like TWS who debut with a bright, youthful concept, the need to “mature” their sound is always lurking just around the corner. I’ve seen it with pretty much every act I’ve loved over the past decade and the inevitable arc from cute young kids to grown, sexy adults can go two ways. Either … Continue reading
A K-pop act’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. I’ll confess that I haven’t given … Continue reading
This blog gets a bit confusing when dealing with artists like BamBam. Nothing about new single Wondering is technically “K-pop,” as the song is performed in Thai and English. However, BamBam made his name with popular K-pop group GOT7 so I tend to consider him “part of the family,” if you will. Regardless of where … Continue reading
I hate to be cynical, but collaborations between K-pop stars and Western artists rarely work. Western pop tropes almost always take precedence, smoothing out K-pop edges until we’re left with very middle-of-the-road material. For her first solo album, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo went down a dance pop route, but all of that promise is shaved away on … Continue reading
Twice are no strangers to fan songs. In fact, their career has been one long ode to their fans. I can’t think of another group who has consistently catered to fans’ taste and musical expectations as well as Twice have. That’s not to say they haven’t experimented here and there with sound and style, but … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 