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
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. December 2022 Overall Thoughts December is historically a very slow month in K-pop, but every once … Continue reading
WayV have often released the strongest music within the NCT universe, including standout singles like Turn Back Time, Take Off and Moonwalk. But, we haven’t had a proper WayV comeback in nearly two years. During that time, members have released solos and sub-units alongside their participation in larger NCT projects. New single Phantom picks up … Continue reading
With WayV on a longer-than-expected hiatus and SuperM inactive, the always-beguiling Ten hasn’t had much time in the spotlight. That’s a shame for all of us. He’s long-since due for a solo album of his own. Instead, we’ve had a special single here and there and the occasional appearance on NCT’s Universe album. Last August, … 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 2021 Overall Thoughts When it comes to new music, I often mention the “expectations game.” … Continue reading
WayV’s Ten has been a busy guy. After releasing his solo Paint Me Naked last week, he’s teaming with fellow WayV member YangYang for another English-language dance track. Low Low takes more influence from hip-hop, though the song doesn’t actually include any rap. Instead, it finds comfort in a breezy, head-nodding beat that matches well … Continue reading
Ten is one of those fantastic SM finds with unlimited potential for solo stardom. He’s a bundle of charisma with a uniquely global appeal. Previous singles have capitalized on this, recorded in English with international trends in mind. This can be an asset and a limitation, and new single Paint Me Naked is held back … Continue reading
Seemingly out of nowhere, WayV’s Kun and Xiaojun announced the release of their first single album. Both are designated as main vocals within the group, yet don’t always have the opportunity to shine as part of WayV’s hip-hop heavy sound. Unsurprisingly, Back To You (这时烟火) is a ballad, stripped to its bare bones to offer … 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. March 2021 Overall Thoughts I’ve heard whispers around social media lamenting that 2021 has been a … Continue reading
NCT’s WayV have arguably been the most consistent unit over the past few years, and for my money they released the best NCT-related material in 2020. Of course, this only sets expectations high, giving new single Kick Back (秘境) plenty to live up to. And while I don’t think the song is as strong as … Continue reading
The theme of this year’s MAMA Awards was “New-topia,” which sounds a bit chilling in a weird way. But, things were definitely new here. This was unlike any MAMA yet, lacking a live audience. But even though everything was accomplished on soundstages, I think the producers did a great job making this still feel like … Continue reading
It’s that time of year again! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and offering my thoughts about how their 2020 went. First up is SM Entertainment. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. I’m not taking into account things like … Continue reading
I have a weird sort of respect for SuperM. Sure, the project is about as inorganic as you can imagine, bringing together some of SM Entertainment’s most popular performers for an agency-forged super group. But if you’re going to take this approach, the music had better sound as big and over-the-top as its performers demand. … Continue reading
Of all the tracks I would choose for promotion on WayV’s (very solid) album, Bad Alive would be pretty low on the totem pole. And, I certainly wouldn’t opt for a (mostly) English-language revamp. This isn’t meant to be a knock on the track itself. As a piece of music, it’s solid. But stacked against … Continue reading
After looking at the year’s best singles (so far), it’s time to turn attention to 2020’s albums. I’ll reiterate what I said yesterday: relative to previous years, it’s been slim pickings. Consistently good mini albums have been particularly hard to find this year, at least in my opinion. But even though the overall picture may … 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. June 2020 Overall Thoughts This may not seem like much within the context of 2020’s continual … 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. Every NCT-related album this year has had its high and low … Continue reading
Despite its many units and incarnations, the NCT universe has remained pretty consistent in sound. This extends to its Chinese vanguard, known as WayV. Their burgeoning discography has been a sampler platter of SM Entertainment influences, tied together by an injection of distorted guitar and tight, layered vocals. New single Turn Back Time (超时空 回) … Continue reading
SM Entertainment’s EDM division has always felt like a pet project, often forgotten and rarely promoted well. We’ll get a Hitchhiker track here, a BeatBurger track there, and none seem to stick in the public consciousness for long. To tell you the truth, I’m really only drawn to these kinds of releases when a known … 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. November 2019 Overall Thoughts While November was not the blockbuster month that October was, it offered … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 