ICHILLIN’ impressed with two killer pre-release tracks earlier this year. They seemed poised for a reinvention that favored intricate, engrossing beats and fiery, attitude-driven hooks. Now that their official title track On My Lips has finally been unveiled, all I can ask is… what happened? The answer — as usual — lies with the producers. … Continue reading
Thus far, ZEROBASEONE have found a style that matches them and songs just diverse enough to be both consistent and adventurous. Their Korean title tracks have proven to be big growers on my own playlist, and now it’s time to transpose that onto the Japanese market. Yura Yura is their first original J-pop single. As … Continue reading
The members of iKON continue to stretch their wings, releasing more and more solo releases in varying genres. It’s already been a busy year in this regard, and now lead vocalist Song Yunhyeong is throwing his hat in the ring with the energetic It’s Call (콜이야). Its boisterous trot sound may be surprising at first, … Continue reading
Rather than lean harder into their own sound, LE SSERAFIM’s newest album feels like a bid to become another NewJeans. The problem is, HYBE already has a NewJeans and they’d do much better to diversify the style of the roster. It’s easy to see why a track like Easy was chosen for promotion, and its … Continue reading
There’s been a lot of online discourse lately about the quality of K-pop vocals, and this conversation makes me think back to my favorite second gen groups and the fact that you could easily distinguish each and every members’ voice. To me, vocal character is more important than vocal skill, but Daesung has both. As … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
Boy group HORI7ON continue to dole out bright, energetic pop music, taking funky cues from early Seventeen with new single Lucky. Though I’ve enjoyed much of their recent material, this group has often been held back by a level of polish that makes their music feel more like an imitator than an innovator. Lucky takes … 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 love highlight medleys, and I … Continue reading
This week, I was fortunate enough to attend the opening night for ONF’s first North American tour — or, to put it more accurately… Canadian tour. Brought to us courtesy of the newly established company J&B Entertainment , I’m hoping this tour does well enough to bring more artists into the Vancouver area. It’s a … Continue reading
Girl group Rescene will make their debut late next month, but before that they’ve pre-released Yoyo alongside a shortened music video. The song positions them in the space formerly occupied by acts like GWSN and LOONA — a little quirky and ethereal with nuanced production that often shifts tone and rhythm. Those who are missing … Continue reading
Over the past few years, from20 has released a series of synth bangers that firmly established him as one of my favorite artists working in K-pop. With new single Demon, he makes a slight shift into funk pop, retaining his slick sound and catchy hooks. This sound isn’t quite as thrilling to me, mainly because … Continue reading
2024 is still young, but we’ve already seen many new debuts. So far, most of these have been boy groups, and Nomad are here to stake their claim within that arena. Their music takes a more hip-hop/R&B route, backed by notable producers within the genre. Their album boasts songs from big names like Tha Aristocratz … Continue reading
iKON’s Bobby has returned with his third album and a dramatic new hairstyle. He’s also paired with Japanese artist Chanmina, trading blows over the banging Harmless. The song brings him back toward cathartic, confrontational hip-hop. Bobby has always pulled off this style well, and Harmless‘s electronic edge has plenty of potential. Its rugged bass immediately … Continue reading
Before NCT’s “infinite” expansion comes to an end, the project has one more debut to unveil. NCT Wish is their first Japanese unit, though their track Wish has been released simultaneously in Korean. The immediate success of RIIZE has proven a hunger for SM Entertainment boy groups unencumbered from the NCT umbrella, but the brand … 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. Twice have entered an interesting stage … Continue reading
ATEEZ’s growing J-pop discography has had its share of original tracks, and most of them fit comfortably within their established Korean sound. Not Okay is the latest to join the party, and leverages familiar sounds — for better or worse. I haven’t been shy about expressing my distaste for much of ATEEZ’s recent output. What … Continue reading
I’ve been asked several times to cover PLAVE songs on the blog. I try not to write about “virtual” groups since it feels like opening a can of worms I’m not yet ready for, but PLAVE have become surprising popular. I can’t say I totally get it, but there are lots of things in this … Continue reading
NCT’s Taeyong has been positioned as the breakout solo star of the group, quickly crafting a quirky hip-hop sound that pulls in elements of many different genres. It’s an uphill battle for me, as I find his hyper-affected performance style a little tricky to get into. New single Tap follows suit, upping the eccentricities at … Continue reading
Someone needs to study how CRAVITY went from the likes of My Turn and Flame to one of the most consistent runs of any current boy group. It’s a big turnaround and a testament to what can happen when an agency invests in great songs. New single Love Or Die continues and expands upon this … Continue reading
X:IN have not had it easy on this blog, consistently scoring some of the worst ratings. I considered not even writing about new single No Doubt because, why dogpile on a group who is fighting against the tides to be successful? But in the interest of completion, it feels like I need to touch on … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 