So, let me get this straight, 100%. You’re going to tackle a retro concept and not give Sweetune a call? I mean, talk about a missed opportunity! For a few …
Read More »[Review] GWSN continue to establish their core sound on “Pinky Star”
For me, the single most important thing a rookie group can accomplish during their first few releases is the establishment of a core sound. Even if their songs blur together …
Read More »[Review] Red Velvet’s Yeri goes solo with pleasant but unremarkable “Dear Diary”
I often feel that, if given complete creative freedom, most idols would release nothing but ballads and coffee-shop style acoustic tracks. For a fan of megawatt pop music, this suspicion …
Read More »[Review] Park Bom successfully restarts career with “Spring”
In a year that’s seen K-pop’s new guard begin to supplant its old guard, what could be more welcome than the long-awaited return of ex-2NE1 member Park Bom? And better …
Read More »[Review] Wooseok & Kuanlin a bit mismatched as a duo on “I’m A Star”
Cube Entertainment has a history of successful sub-units. Both Trouble Maker and Triple H brought together artists from different groups and gave them bold material to forge new avenues in …
Read More »[Review] Epik High team with Crush to deliver melancholy hip-hop on “Lovedrunk”
Epik High have been a staple in the Korean music scene for as long as I can remember, and their brand of emotive hip-hop has a timeless feel that is …
Read More »[Review] DALsooobin (Subin) gets creative on “Katchup” and it eventually pays off
K-pop groups rarely make it past their initial seven-year contract, and it seems to be an even trickier prospect for girl groups. We’ve seen a host of high-profile disbandments over …
Read More »[Review] SHINee’s Key gets assist from (G)I-DLE’s Soyeon on buoyant, feel-good “I Wanna Be”
For fans of second-generation idol acts like myself, it seems like all we hear these days is farewell/going-on-hiatus tracks. Most are wistful ballads or “please don’t forget me” dirges, so …
Read More »[Review] TXT keep things simple on bright & energetic debut with “Crown”
One of my biggest K-pop new year’s wishes was that boy groups would ditch the moodiness and go brighter, so I was delighted when it was announced that Big Hit Entertainment’s …
Read More »[Review] Sunmi makes social media commentary sound good through “Noir” and its standout MV
Sunmi has always impressed with her solo work, including her previous trio of solo songs in the past two years of “Gashina“, “Heroine“, and “Siren“. Amazingly then, she may have …
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