One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Sunrise (from Time For Us – 2019) Previous Thoughts: “Sunrise ups the tempo after a brief piano opening, giving the song some kick as we build toward the chorus. The verses veer from languid to sprightly with a balletic finesse, though the … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Sunny Summer (from Sunny Summer – 2018) Previous Thoughts: “The synths shimmer with breezy lightness, the brass-kissed chorus feels propulsive without ever challenging expectations, and the instrumental pulses with a nimble stream of funk percussion. As derivative as this all may be, … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Summer Rain (from Rainbow – 2017) Previous Thoughts: “So, we’re at a point where disappointment becomes frustration. Summer Rain includes many of the group’s hallmarks, from its retro 90’s beat to the classical sample that bolsters its instrumental. I’ve even seen some … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Stairs In The North (from Song Of The Sirens – 2020) GFriend take the energy down for this lighters-in-the-air singalong. This is a nice guitar-laced ballad, following many OST tropes despite not being an actual OST. It’s a bit forgettable in their … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Someday (from Snowflake – 2016) Snowflake is a strong album, but sometimes its b-sides can be dwarfed by Rough’s immense shadow. Someday is light and bouncy but there’s still enough going on within its production to make it an early career standout. … Continue reading
Before their full-group comeback next month, GOT7’s Yugyeom has returned with a new digital single. Many of December’s releases are holiday-themed and don’t warrant much of a review, but Sweet Like takes a different approach. Its soft percussion melds house music with Afrobeats for a very trendy entry in his growing discography. Being a K-pop … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Smile (from Fever Season – 2019) This is one of those songs you put on during a summer road trip. It’s mildly diverting and stuffed with good vibes, but doesn’t steal attention away from driving. The chorus is a bit cutesy but … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Show Up (from Time For Us – 2019) Show Up opens with a burst of tropical synth before segueing into a breezy dance beat. This arrangement remains consistent throughout, blooming into a more robust energy as we hit the chorus. It’s a … Continue reading
With each new digital single from NCT’s Mark, we get closer to the release of his long-rumored solo album. That album seems to be slated for next year, but he’s capping off 2024 with a collaboration with popular rapper Lee Youngji. Fraktsiya (프락치) means “fraction” in Russian and sees him experimenting with production for a … Continue reading
HYBE’s Japanese group &TEAM has been building up to their second album this year, gradually forging a softer, more melodic sound that worked particularly well on summer singles Koegawari and Aoarashi. Earlier this month, they pre-released the wintery Illumination and now we have title track Yukiakari days before the release of the full album. This … Continue reading
It’s a longstanding tradition for YG Entertainment to release follow-up music videos from its artists’ albums. This approach has faded a bit in recent years, but the agency seems determined to solidify rookies BABYMONSTER within their successful lineage. Part of me wishes they would have terrorized us with an mv for the ghastly Woke Up … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Secret Diary (Yerin & SinB) (from Walpurgis Night – 2020) This is the last of Walpurgis Night’s unit tracks I’ll be writing about and my thoughts pretty much fall in line with the previous two. These unit tracks feel like a missed … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Say My Name (from Snowflake – 2016) It’s not easy following Rough on any track list, but Say My Name is up to the task. It’s a great dance track, fueled by an unresolved electro riff that has the same chugging intensity … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Rough (from Snowflake – 2016) Previous Thoughts: “From the intricate string sections to the dramatic guitar solo, you can really sink your teeth into the instrumental. From a production standpoint, it’s pretty much flawless. Everything feels so dense and layered, yet doesn’t … Continue reading
Prior to their official debut in March of 2018, Stray Kids released an EP titled Mixtape, largely compiling the songs featured on their pre-debut reality series. Nearly seven years later, they’re back with their first actual mixtape — though the definition of “mixtape” is pretty darn loose when it comes to K-pop. The project’s “single,” … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Room Of Mirrors (from Song Of The Sirens – 2020) “Room Of Mirrors” is the most evocative title and prepares you for a song as equally mysterious. It’s a bit surprising, then, that this turns out to be a fairly standard GFriend … Continue reading
Since leaving SM Entertainment for Griffin Entertainment, SHINee’s Onew has been pretty prolific, releasing a mini album, OST and — as of today — digital single Yay (만세). He seems ready to spread his musical wings, crafting a diverse set of songs that reflect his various strengths. Yay traverses several moods within its three minute … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Red Umbrella (from Parallel / Rainbow – 2017) This is such a burst of summer energy. It’s the closest GFriend’s music ever got to bossa nova, yet it also pulls in a hearty dose of disco. The track is on the lighter … Continue reading
I didn’t watch Road to Kingdom: Ace of Ace, but I’m enjoying my own post-show ranking as each artist releases new material. So far, I must give the crown to 8TURN with CRAVITY just behind. Next up is YOUNITE, who placed fourth on the series’ finale. Earlier this year YOUNITE impressed with the fun hip-hop … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Rainbow (from Rainbow – 2017) Previous Thoughts: “Rainbow is built around the sort of hook that is hard to find in 2017 K-pop — a snowballing refrain that incorporates multiple melody lines into a cohesive, sustained chorus. I especially love the raised … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 