Along with the rest of their artists’ music, SM’s Station project has seen an interesting shift towards the 90’s house genre. Starting as primarily a showcase for their roster of musicians to deliver one-off ballads, we’ve gotten to the point where a song like My Show sees an in-house producer pairing with a musical actress … Continue reading
Back in March, I suggested that Eric Nam move back to an uptempo pop track for his next comeback, and somebody must have been listening because Can’t Help Myself is his brightest, most exciting single since 2014. Buoyed by the fame his personality has helped foster, Nam finally gives us the aural equivalent to the … Continue reading
Poor Zhoumi. Always getting the short end of the stick. His comebacks arrive with little fanfare or explanation, and they’re gone before you know it. This is despite him being a part of Chinese sub-group Super Junior M, which used to be SM Entertainment’s core Chinese group. Empty Room arrives as (presumably) a pre-release before … 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. The concept of NCT is infinitely promising. But as much as … Continue reading
Together, Super Junior’s Kim Heechul and Trax’s Kim Jungmo form duo M&D, known for their unique brand of trot and anime influenced rock. It certainly won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I found their debut mini album to be one of last year’s most pleasant surprises. The new release is more diverse in scope, but … Continue reading
Male vocal group VROMANCE tested the water by featuring on Huh Gak’s fantastic ballad Already Winter earlier in the year, but now it’s time for their full debut. They’re also Mamamoo’s “little brother group.” As a result, they have a lot to live up to. So how does debut title track She (여자 사람 친구) … Continue reading
Rookie group Snuper have forged their sound upon working exclusively with composing team Sweetune. They’re the only ones to do it consistently at the moment, and for that I’m very thankful. Their 80’s-tinged Platonic Love was a wonderful surprise back in March. New single You=Heaven (너=천국) is a different beast altogether. While it possesses many … 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
I was not impressed with girl group Matilda’s debut back in March, but I was hoping they’d pull a KNK and blow me away with the follow up. While Summer Again is leagues better as a song, the girls still have some work to do in order to create the pop masterpiece I know they … Continue reading
It’s been a long wait for Infinite fans. I’ve made no excuses for my bias towards them and their music, and I had totally pumped myself up for a July comeback only to hear that it would be postponed to late summer or fall. Luckily, they’ve thrown us a bone in the form of That … Continue reading
It’s been several years since SE7EN has released new material, and a large part of that gap included his mandatory military service. First comebacks after enlistment are always a big deal, but I’m Good also marks his first work since splitting from YG Entertainment. Operating as an independent artist allows SE7EN more musical freedom, but … Continue reading
I was so looking forward to this release. Back in April, NCT U impressed with The 7th Sense and utterly blew me away with Without You. And as I’ve gotten to know more about the guys in the group, they’re a rookie project that I’ve been anticipating more and more. NCT 127 (named for Seoul’s … 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
Few k-pop stars bring the drama the way Shinee’s Taemin does. I’ve been a massive fan of his solo material from the start, so hearing that he would release a Japanese mini album later this month was a very nice surprise. I’d be lying if I said the ballad-meets-dubstep nature of Sayonara Hitori (さよならひとり) is … Continue reading
Wonder Girls’ Reboot was my favorite full length k-pop album of 2015, and this is coming from someone who had never really been a massive fan in the past. I’m delighted that they’re keeping with their new band formation, but I worried when it was announced that Why So Lonely would be primarily reggae-based. I … 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
Four-member girl group Melody Day have returned after last year’s surprisingly solid Speed Up and switched the sound up a bit with Color (깔로). They’re a group searching for their defining moment in order to stand out against the incredibly stiff competition. I’m not sure Color will do much to skyrocket their careers, but it’s a … 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
Though never releasing one as a title track, throughout the years VIXX have recorded some great ballads. I’m thinking especially of songs like Love Letter and this year’s Badbye. So when it was announced that their new Japanese single would be a ballad, I wasn’t overly concerned. But unfortunately, Hana-Kaze (Flower Wind) tends towards the … Continue reading
