Like Japan’s leading purveyor of male idol acts, Johnny’s Entertainment, the groups of Exile Tribe have their own individual quirks but largely adhere to a proven house style. GENERATIONS are …
Read More »[Review] (G)I-DLE’s “Oh My God” built around repetitive drop that doesn’t work
(G)I-DLE seemed to debut right at the perfect time, finding instant successwith a sound that was both trendy and addictive. Their run on last year’s Queendom series only boosted their …
Read More »[Review] Sandaime J Soul Brothers’ “Movin’ On” is refreshingly straightforward
I haven’t written much about any of the artists from Japan’s LDH empire since 2016, but I’m hoping to change that this year. Over the past few months, I’ve actively …
Read More »[Review] Cool, calming vibe on “A Song Written Easily” shows a different side of ONEUS
ONEUS kicked off their K-pop career in stunning fashion, wowing with the dynamic “Valkyrie“ in early 2019. Since then, I’ve felt that their singles run has slowly declined in quality, …
Read More »[Review] TOO from ‘World Klass’ debut with promising “Magnolia” that lacks ambition
New boy group TOO has a cool-sounding (and completely ridiculous) name. TOO stands for “Ten Oriented Orchestra,” which makes me imagine some super ambitious, symphonic performance group. In reality, the …
Read More »[Review] EXO’s Suho falls into generic trappings with “Let’s Love”
So … the EXO solos haven’t exactly panned out the way I would have hoped. So far, it’s been an unending stream of ballads and mid-tempos, each blending into the …
Read More »[Review] WINNER’s “Hold” aims for fun but ends up rather forgettable
I fondly remember watching YG Entertainment’s Who Is Next variety show back in 2013. At the time, I was a supporter of Team B, who would eventually go on to …
Read More »[Review] Kang Daniel goes smooth on sneakily addictive “2U”
After taking an extended break from the K-pop industry, Kang Daniel has returned with the release of his first mini album. Never mind that two-fifths of the EP is a …
Read More »[Review] ITZY maintain edge on “Wannabe” while addictive melody takes them to new heights
ITZY haven’t made a comeback since last summer, but their presence has definitely been felt within the K-pop industry during that hiatus. So many girl groups are taking influence from …
Read More »[Review] Yezi continues down new path, this time more successfully with “Home”
Only a month after her last solo release, ex-Fiestar member Yezi has already returned with another track. For most of her solo career, she’s capitalized on her skills as a …
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