I’ve noticed an emerging girl group trend that perches aegyo vocal performances over retro-inspired instrumentals that are much more interesting than the song they support. Just last month, Cignature’s ASSA and GWSN’s Bazooka suffered more from their groups’ delivery than the underlying production. I don’t think this is the fault of the girls themselves, but … Continue reading
More than almost anything else in the world, music makes me happy. There’s a certain indescribable rush that my favorite songs give me, and it can’t really be quantified. I don’t need a song to tell me to be happy. If it’s good enough, that thrill will come automatically. With that said, I certainly don’t … Continue reading
In an all-too familiar K-pop template, Astro’s increasing success has come with a shift in their music. Their once bright, energetic style has dulled to a generic, moody haze – the likes of which are peddled by so many other boy groups of this era. This transformation started with 2018’s excellent Always You, but took … Continue reading
It’s been quite some time since I’ve written about a new Bullet Train track. To be honest, their music just hasn’t been the same since vocalist Koichi left. That’s no dig on the group’s remaining vocal Takashi, who has really kept their sound afloat. But, there’s just so much more you can do with two … 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 may be in the minority, but I firmly believe that … 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. It’s been heartening to watch Oh My Girl finally secure a … Continue reading
Boy group Noir has largely escaped my attention. I’ve written about most of their title tracks, but promptly forgotten about each one. When it comes to standing out in this generation of K-pop, you’ve got to have a distinct identity. Beyond overused labels like “dark” and “angsty,” I’d be hard-pressed to tell you much about … Continue reading
NCT’s rotational nature is in full effect this year, with the news that Mark would be re-joining NCT Dream later in 2020. Before that happens, the unit’s six-member configuration has returned with Ridin’, an urban dance song that builds upon the their current trajectory while drawing upon SM Entertainment’s musical past. The result is a … Continue reading
Last summer, GWSN completed their Park in the Night trilogy, which paired them primarily with producers Stupid Squad (who have one of the worst team names in recent memory). Now, the girls seem poised to evolve their sound, branching out with new collaborators and releasing a mini album that doesn’t define itself as a piece … Continue reading
Since her solo debut in 2017, Chungha’s popularity has steadily climbed. She’s arguably become the most successful female soloist in this generation of idol pop, with every title track lodging itself in the charts for months at a time. With this in mind, I’ve always felt left out from the party. Beyond a song here … Continue reading
In a perfect world, Oh My Girl would have had a big, Remember Me-style comeback track waiting to be released just after their successful run on last year’s Queendom. Maybe their agency didn’t expect them to do as well as they did, but waiting nearly six months to capitalize on their boosted profile seems like … 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. April’s new mini album has a very strong Cosmic Girls feel, … Continue reading
Genic are one of my (many) great J-pop hopes. The co-ed group has already been pitched as the successors to agency-seniors AAA, and they certainly have that potential. They were formed through Avex’s a-genic project, one of the many J-pop youtube series I would desperately like to see subtitled. I’ve been loving their music since … Continue reading
I’ll never forget the impact that HA:TFELT’s 2014 debut had. Ain’t Nobody was an explosion of a pop song, melding the commercial with the artistic in a really gratifying way. Since then, I’ve wanted to love most of HA:TFELT’s music more than I actually do. She’s an immensely appealing performer, but I find a lot … Continue reading
I’m surprised at how long this Pepsi CF campaign has hung around. Though it’s officially connected to Starship Entertainment, the resulting songs have featured artists from across the K-pop sphere, often completely unrelated to Starship’s roster. Such is the case with Refresh, which pairs Zico with Kang Daniel. I can’t think of a trendier duo … Continue reading
Since releasing last November’s mega-hit Hip, Mamamoo have taken a well-deserved break. But, that doesn’t mean the girls haven’t been busy. February saw Moonbyul release the solid Eclipse, Hwasa dueted with label-mates ONEWE earlier this month, and now leader Solar has unveiled a new solo single – her first to eschew typical balladry for something … Continue reading
Since its release last month, I’ve held up News’ Story as 2020’s best J-pop album so far, but Miyavi’s new Holy Nights might just give it a run for its money. Album track Heaven Is A Place On Earth is worth the price of admission alone, with a final spine-tingling minute-and-a-half that may just be … Continue reading
2020’s girl group slate has given us Dun Duns and Nun Nu Nan Nas, ASSAs and Dumhdurums. So, it only makes sense that this onomatopoeia train would wind up at its logical destination: a big, honking LALALILALA. This is the all-caps exclamation with which April have finally put a cap on their seemingly endless hiatus. … Continue reading
After a couple of pre-releases, Hangyul and Dohyun (H&D) have officially made their post-X1 debut with the release of Soul. If nothing else, the Produce franchise has reignited interest in duos. It’s a unique and challenging configuration for an idol act, but can work if the two personalities and talents are well-aligned. So far, I … Continue reading
Last week, I lamented that it had been three months since I had rated a K-pop boy group title track higher than 8.25. This got me thinking about which act could be the one to break this unenviable streak. It turns out, the long-awaited champion was waiting right around the corner. After a fifteen-month hiatus, … Continue reading
