As unfortunate as the disbandment of Wonder Girls continues to be, it’s freed up the group’s members to deliver some truly fantastic solo work. Sunmi has been on a hot …
Read More »[Review] NU’EST W don’t need much assistance as dramatic “Help Me” continues their resurgence
Many of the ‘Produce 101‘-spawned project groups have thrilled in fits and starts, but the series’ most enduring legacy will likely be NU’EST W (and eventually NU’EST as a whole). …
Read More »[Review] Lovelyz remain consistent, this time with maturer sound on “Lost N Found”
The quality I most appreciate in Lovelyz’s music is the very same one that may turn some listeners off. Since debut, the girls have pursued a specific synth-pop sound – …
Read More »[Review] NATURE’s disjointed “You’ll Be Mine” doesn’t always work but strikes a nice balance
I’m not sure how or why I missed out on writing a review of NATURE’s August debut “Allegro Cantabile“. I liked the track quite a bit, and over the course …
Read More »[Review] NCT 127’s “Simon Says” sparse on melody, but its experimental nature wins out
When it comes to NCT 127 title tracks, I’ve learned never to let my first impression color my final thoughts. I’m almost always underwhelmed the first time through, and that’s …
Read More »[Review] EXID go with different sounds on “I Love You” and some of them work
I’m a big fan of artists sticking with a small circle of producers for the bulk of their career. Even when their music branches into new terrain, this kind of …
Read More »[Review] Highlight’s “Loved” is a goodbye song that at least tries
Arriving the day after a farewell track from Wanna One, we’ve got another farewell song of sorts from Highlight. The nine-year-old group aren’t disbanding, but members are preparing to serve …
Read More »[Review] The Man BLK’s sound doesn’t stand out, but the members do on “Free Fall”
As the year draws to an end, it feels like we’re suddenly seeing more low-level (ie: not from a huge agency) debuts. The first time I heard The Man BLK’s …
Read More »[Review] D-CRUNCH on verge of breakthrough with “Stealer”
Back in August, I praised the symphonic instrumental of D-Crunch’s debut track “Palace“, but lamented the fact that the song lacked a strong chorus. Then again, a debut doesn’t often …
Read More »[Review] With the help of 3LAU, Hyoyeon delivers convincing dance track in “Punk Right Now”
Earlier this year, I spent much of my review of Hyoyeon’s first DJ HYO track bemoaning its lack of structural risk-taking. It slavishly followed the standard EDM, beat-drop archetype. And the …
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