SM Entertainment doesn’t always get the credit it deserves when it comes to being a boundary-pushing agency. They’ve been blending genres and playing with song structure since the very beginning. …
Read More »Pentagon’s “Critical Beauty” mixes successful rock elements with failing hip-hop ones
Over the course of two mini albums, Pentagon have already shown a lot of promise for a group who only debuted half a year ago. But I have noticed one …
Read More »G-Dragon’s “Untitled, 2014” is sincere & authentic with a surprisingly dynamic chorus
It’s such a thrill to write about a solo G-Dragon track. Though Big Bang has been active over the past few years, we haven’t heard from G-Dragon on his own …
Read More »WJSN’s “Happy” abandons their spacey pop identity for a too familiar template
Now that Sistar has officially disbanded, WJSN are Starship Entertainment’s sole remaining girl group. Over their past two releases, the girls have started to develop an intriguing, spacey pop style …
Read More »FT Island use intense production & impassioned vocals on successful “Wind”
As we’ve seen over the past few months, making it to a 10-year anniversary is no small feat when it comes to K-pop. FT Island join a select few that …
Read More »Chungha’s “Why Don’t You Know” wastes potential with odd pitch & sloppiness
Solo idol stars are a tricky proposition in K-pop — a genre that thrives on a constantly morphing, assembly-line style of dynamic group performance. But Chungha has the weight of …
Read More »DAY6’s “I Smile” plays to the band’s emotional strengths, could use improved hook
It’s getting a little repetitive to open every DAY6 review with the same sentiments, but I just can’t believe how well their year-long promotional cycle is going. They’ve been punctual …
Read More »Solbi’s “Princess Maker” stands out in a surprisingly addictive and refreshing way
Casual fans may recognize Solbi more for the steady stream of variety show appearances she’s made than her music, but she has a long history of crafting genre-pushing electro-pop just …
Read More »HIGHLIGHT (BEAST) relax a bit and ride the strong melody of “Calling You”
Thus far, I think it’s safe to say that Beast‘s transition into Highlight has exceeded all expectations. On a commercial level, “Plz Don’t Be Sad“ was (and still is) a …
Read More »ASTRO switch producers but continue to grow on playful & charismatic “Baby”
After completing their four seasons album release concept, boy group Astro are back with new producers, a (slightly) new sound and the next evolution of their boy-next-door pop takeover. As …
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