One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Cloud 9 (from Ex’Act / Lotto – 2016) Opening with one of the most off-kilter introductions in EXO’s catalog, Cloud 9 successfully melds two diverging sounds together. The chorus employs an aloof, trap-infused instrumental that would normally stall momentum in a song … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Christmas Day (from Miracles In December – 2013) It pains me to listen to Christmas Day this early in October. By their very nature, holiday songs like this thrive on nostalgia and tradition. Since its 2013 release, EXO’s Miracles In December has … 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. Perhaps my favorite aspect about SuperM’s mini album is that it … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Chill (from The War / The Power Of Music – 2017) Opening with a blast of icy synth, Chill soon moves into a skittering verse that combines an unusual rhythmic structure with bursts of funk brass. Overall, this is one of EXO’s … Continue reading
Over the course of the past eight years, Super Junior have offered a template for how to deal with Korea’s mandatory military enlistment. Though they’ve promoted almost every year, the group hasn’t been whole since 2011. Now that all of their active members have finished serving, the current 9-member configuration is as close as we’re … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Can’t Bring Me Down (from Lotto – 2016) Can’t Bring Me Down’s opening verse promises so much more than the song ends up delivering. The instrumental supplies an aggressive, militant beat underlined by psychedelic synth and a few left-field vocal flourishes. It’s … Continue reading
When SM Entertainment announced their SuperM project in early August, my first reaction was an eye roll. This had nothing to do with SuperM’s concept, which grafts together members from popular SM acts to create a K-pop super group. I actually think that’s pretty cool. Where else are you going to see SHINee’s Taemin, EXO’s … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Call Me Baby (from Exodus / Love Me Right – 2015) Enlisting new jack swing legend Teddy Riley as songwriter, Call Me Baby felt like the next evolution in EXO’s sound upon its 2015 release. The song has only grown more impressive … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Boomerang (from The War: The Power Of Music – 2017) After a brief dalliance with funk in 2015, EXO largely abandoned the genre in favor of other trends. Boomerang revisits this sound with an 80’s synth pop edge. Opening with a bright … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Black Pearl (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) In 2013, dubstep was all the rage. Black Pearl incorporates just enough to make the song trendy, but relies more heavily on pulsing electronics and staccato hooks. Perched somewhere between mid-tempo and dance track, … Continue reading
Despite being a big fan of the group, no EXO solo or sub-unit has connected with me this year. The guys are now elder statesman in the K-pop industry, and with that comes guaranteed success for any new material they release. But rather than branch out and push K-pop forward, the guys have channeled their … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Been Through (from Universe – 2017) Taken from the group’s third winter album, Been Through doesn’t share much connective tissue with the season other than its subdued nature. Its verses have a fitful structure — trap-adjacent without fully embracing the genre. This … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! Which … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Beautiful (from Exodus / Love Me Right – 2015) Though 2015’s Exodus album includes some of EXO’s best tracks, I find its second half to be a bit sluggish. Beautiful is a fine mid-to-uptempo r&b track, but apart from its catchy synth … Continue reading
A legacy can be both a blessing and a curse. TVXQ’s storied past includes some of my favorite K-pop ever, and the guys continue to be incredibly active since their return from the military in 2017. Yet, each time they release a new song, I expect it to hit me the way that their past … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Bad Dream (from Don’t Mess Up My Tempo / Love Shot – 2018) Led by a fluid instrumental that seems to exist in a constant state of flux, Bad Dream draws upon harmony as its greatest calling card. There are elements of … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Baby, Don’t Cry (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) One of EXO’s most iconic slow jams, Baby, Don’t Cry opens with an evocative piano riff that sets the tone for an extended r&b plea. In doing so, it pulls the best from EXO’s … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Baby (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) A large portion of EXO’s first full-length album was devoted to retro, mid-tempo r&b jams, and Baby slots within that framework well. Over a blend of fitful synths and skittering, 90’s throwback percussion, the track … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Angel (from Mama – 2012) As EXO’s earliest ballad, Angel provided the template for stirring work yet to come. It’s still one of their enduring melodies, underlined by a simple, piano-led arrangement that’s bolstered by the evocative vocals of the group’s then … Continue reading
Did you guess it correctly? “Season Two” of The Bias List‘s K-Pop A-Z feature kicks off tomorrow morning with the music of EXO! Over the next few months, I’ll be reviewing every song from EXO’s discography — one song a day, in alphabetical order. Though I don’t mention them as much as I used to, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 