1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity INSOMNIA Hard concludes with two slower, moodier tracks. In my mind, Insomnia (불면증) is the stronger of the two. After a suite of … Continue reading
We have just over a week to go until the release of EXO’s long-awaited seventh full album, and the group has now unveiled two pre-release tracks. Following emotional ballad Let Me In, Hear Me Out picks up the tempo ever so slightly to craft a throwback summertime groove. I’m just… so underwhelmed by these pre-releases. … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity SWEET MISERY I’ve seen Sweet Misery mentioned as many listeners’ favorite track on the album, and I understand where they’re coming from. It’s … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity LIKE IT There are a few vibes (or if I’m being more cynical, “templates”) I tend to love when it comes to SHINee. … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity IDENTITY Five tracks into Hard, and Identity is where the album feels like it finally kicks in. Up until now, we’ve had a … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity SATELLITE At this point, the album is slowly gaining steam. Similar to 10X, Satellite would have benefitted from a later placement in the … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity 10X This is quite a shift from the album’s first two tracks. Running order is a real issue on Hard, and 10X would … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity JUICE Apparently, this is the song SM fought for as the album’s title track. And if we’re purely deciding between Juice and Hard … Continue reading
SHINee’s The Feeling has blossomed into an early summer highlight, buoyed by the group’s heavenly vocal blend and the song’s driving energy. I’m very thankful for its existence, and will be positioning it as the official title track in the blissful (deluded?) alternate reality I’ve constructed around SHINee’s new album. Unfortunately, the album’s actual title … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
While fans wait impatiently for a Korean comeback (it’s going on four-and-a-half years, now…), TVXQ are back with another Japanese single. Lime & Lemon adds to their summertime playlist, offering a shot of uptempo dance music well-suited for the season. This will always be a style that appeals to me, but it’s become its own … Continue reading
SM Entertainment has been into their pre-releases lately, teasing anticipated albums with a full song weeks before the rest of the tracks are set to drop. Following SHINee and EXO, NCT Dream are the next group to give us a taste of their new sound. And though Broken Melodies may not reinvent any wheel, it’s … Continue reading
In a summer stuffed with second-gen comebacks, it seemed EXO might be left out of the rush. There’s been a ton of legal drama behind the scenes, potentially sidelining their planned return. But according to reports, we’ll be getting a new studio album after almost four years. Before its title track drops in a few … 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
Before SHINee make their long-awaited return at the end of the month, they have a gift for fans in the form of pre-release single The Feeling. This song was previously revealed as part of the group’s recent fanmeet and marks the first time we’re hearing all four members on a new Korean track since the … Continue reading
NCT’s Taeyong has released solo work before, but today marks the debut of his first solo album. I’m surprised more NCT members haven’t promoted as soloists. After all, there are so many guys to choose from! To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for Shalala (샤랄라). Taeyong’s moments in NCT’s tracks tend to drive … Continue reading
Wow, it’s been a loooong time since I’ve written about a new single from Zhoumi. He picked a hell of a day to make a long-awaited comeback with SM Entertainment! I can’t help but feel bad for the guy. New single Mañana pairs him with Super Junior’s Eunhyuk, a member he used to work with … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. May 2023 Overall Thoughts We’re not quite to the halfway point of the calendar year, so … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 