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
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … 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. August 2019 Overall Thoughts I was certain that August was an improvement over July, but after … 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
Red Velvet’s past three Korean title tracks have split opinion, each becoming more experimental than the last. It’s a wonder, then, that the group have maintained their popularity with music that has been so polarizing. The girls opened their “ReVe Festival” trilogy only two months ago with the release of the carnival-esque Zimzalabim. Though that … Continue reading
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … 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
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
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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 