[MV] IVE - Kitsch

Kinda light-flashy through the 2nd half.

Pre-release. Not feeling this one. The chorus is a real tough sell for me.

Also the MV was incredibly hard to watch. Found myself backing away from the screen and wincing from the unsteady camera movement, rapid cuts, and weird framing. Really disorienting.

[MV] Jimin (BTS) - Like Crazy

So it's kind of a jam! Comin' outta nowhere with my fave 80s synthpop sound.

Thanking my lucky stars I can happily listen to Jimin's album. 'Set Me Free Pt.2' is the only one with the autotune/vocal production I can't stand. Everything else is okay. The compression is still there a bit, but the reverb is counteracting the effect. Really like his album. Nice little intro to Jimin as a soloist. My favorite track is 'Alone', which probably has the most raw vocal sound. I also like the hidden track 'Letter', which has some background vocals from Jungkook on it. The album is all very moody and apparently inspired by how depressed he was during the pandemic. Understandable for a passionate stage performer. :(

[MV] SUNMI X BE'O - Lights Out

[MV] Bumkey (feat. Moon Sujin, NONE) - T.T.T (Tell The Truth)

[MV] KINGDOM - Dystopia

[MV] ICHILLIN' - ALARM

Was bugging me because I couldn't place it... until I realized the whistle/flute sound is the same sample as Dreamcatcher's 'PIRI'. Funny.

[MV] CRAXY - NUGUDOM

[MV] Wonstein - Single

[MV] LØREN - 'Folks' M/V

[MV] Jang Woo Hyuk - FEEL IT

[MV] SHINHWA WDJ - BamBiNun

[MV] Band Nah - Shine

[MV] Adios Audio - PING

[MV] AP Alchemy - No One Likes Us

Includes: Swings, Nochang, Black Nut, DAMINI

[MV] NMIXX - Love Me Like This

Another one that feels more cohesive. I quite like the chorus even though it's pretty repetitive.

[MV] MAMAMOO+ (feat. Kim Jun Su) - Chico malo (Aniri ver.)

This is really fun. Love the traditional aesthetic. Meme-amoo as usual.

Also, this dude should be able to use his own name as a gugak singer of course, but this Kim Junsu is impossible to search for since another Kim Junsu has been the Kim Junsu in the Korean music industry for 20 years across Idol music, theater, and Trot associations... so that's tough. Lol. He has a lovely voice in that intro though!

[MV] BOBBY - Cherry Blossom

[MV] BOBBY (feat. SOLE) - Drowning

[MV] Kim Jaehwan - Spring Breeze

[MV] YEEUN (CLC) - Strange Way To Love

[MV] Gaho - Love Me

[MV] SUPERKIND - MOODY

Bizarre video. One of the virtual members of the group is evil or something??

[MV] ATEEZ - Limitless (Jpn.)

[MV] DRIPPIN - Hello Goodbye (Jpn.)

[MV] WSG WANNABE (GAYA-G) - To You

 The Gaya-G unit includes: Lee Boram, Soyeon (LABOUM), HYNN, and Jung Jiso.

[OST] Luna (Original Cast of Broadway KPOP) - Super Star (Eng.)

[MV] Peppertones - Freshman

[MV] NOLPLUS - DOT

[MV] JIMIN (BTS) - Set Me Free Pt.2

Pre-release before the title track and album are out next week.

Tale as old as time. Love everything but the vocal production. The choir and instrumental are super fire. And I love how Jimin sounds when not auto-tuned to hell and back. Trying to not get my hopes up too high for the rest of the album since I think the main BigHit vocal production culprits are all over the credits, but maybe I'll get a song or two out of it that have more natural vocals. 🙏

The dancing though. THE DANCING THOUGH. Heaven.

[MV] KAI - Rover

[MV] NMIXX - Young, Dumb, Stupid

A little more cohesive that the previous lead tracks. The Frère Jacques interpolation is interesting.

[MV] TRENDZ - NEW DAYZ

[MV] XODIAC - CALLING

Pre-debut release.

[MV] HUH YUNJIN - love you twice

[MV] So!YoON! (feat. RM) - Smoke Sprite

Was really excited when this was announced. Super unexpected collab, though I think Soyoon went to j-hope's album listening party. Ha! I love this! Really like what RM adds to it and Soyoon sounds awesome as always.

[MV] CODE KUNST (feat. GAEKO, MINO) - Jumper

[MV] JUNNY (feat. Blase) - Optimist

[MV] JeA, Yang Seungyun - Don't Try Too Hard

[MV] Y (Golden Child) - If I Were the Wind

[MV] CIFIKA - Hush

Wow. Too much vocal tuning for me, but it's a cool piece.

[MV] CRACKER (feat. CHEEZE) - We don't talk

[MV] Raon - Like Like

[MV] ARO - First Love

[MV] BAKJIJI - Rhythm of Love

[PROMO] Don Diablo X Minnie ((G)I-DLE) - Making Waves (Eng.)

Promo song for the Valorant Champions Tour Pacific 2023.

[MV] TWICE - SET ME FREE

Enjoyed this!

[MV] PIXY - KARMA

[MV] Cherry Bullet - P.O.W! (Play On the World)

[MV] ONEW - O (Circle)

The choir is so beautiful.

[MV] YUJU - Without U

[MV] Nicole - Mysterious

[MV] TAN - FIX YOU

[MV] CODE KUNST (feat. Yerin Baek, WENDY) - 55

[MV] CRAVITY - Groovy

[MV] Anne-Marie, MINNIE - Expectations (Eng.)

[MV] HENRY (feat. Yuna) - Real Love Still Exists (Eng.)

[MV] Youngjae - Errr Day

[OST] N.Flying - Wonderful Night

From the 'Taxi Driver 2' OST.

[MV] CRAXY - Cypher (Position)

[MV] MIRANI (feat. pH-1) - Asphalt

[DEBUT] PLAVE - Wait for you

Another new virtual idol group.

[MV] hartts - Loop

[MV] JT&MARCUS - SENTIMOTION

Navi - Fallin' in love

[MV] Risso - SPF

Risso always coming with the chill retro bangers.

[MV] Lim Chang Jung - I'm A Fool

[MV] LA POEM - The Fire

[MV] OnlyOneOf - seOul drift

[MV] j-hope (with J. Cole) - on the street

This is supposed to be j-hope's last little farewell project before he enlists in the military soon. J. Cole was one of his idols so it's rad he got to do a collab like this. And I love seeing Hobi just freestyling and vibing in the city. Dance King doing what he's best at.

Cole sounds great. Nice flow. But I got real bummed out when a few of his verses were basically saying non-religious people are 'stupid as fuck' and using the most common/vapid argument for a god existing ('just look around at the universe, it's obvious!') to express his own position. Rough. Wouldn't have a single problem with it if he was just expressing what he believed in, but the shade on atheists... :\

[MONTHLY] Favorites for FEBRUARY 2023

February felt packed with great stuff for me. Lots in the running for my top picks.

BIG Naughty's duet with Suhyun was the clear top choice for the month, literally released on the last day. 'Hopeless Romantic' will likely stick around as a favorite all year. Love the rhythm of the verses, love the minimal instrumental that builds slowly then all at once, and Suhyun's voice is perfection at all times, but I feel I always appreciate it even more when paired with a different/male vocal. The contrast makes it even sweeter. Pretty harmony moments. Beautiful lyrics. Just winning all around here.

Also wanted to include damduck's 'Time Machine' for a fun rock track with great energy and another solid vocal performance.

In the full post: SEVENTEEN, 015B/Minjeong, t024, SEULGI, KEY, tripleS, LIMELIGHT, MRCH, TRI.BE, PURPLE KISS, SOOVI/GEMINI, TNX, Dvwn, Yunsae, DIA, SHIN JIMIN, WOODZ, LUCY, HAWW, FIFTY FIFTY, The Rose, HWANG MIN HYUN, Kim Yeji, LIM KIM/JAMIE, and msftz.

[MV] Kwon Jin Ah - Raise Up The Flag

Gorgeous.

[DEBUT] A-plus - Candlelight

Apparently this is a project by one of those University K-Pop classes. Highest production quality I've ever seen for these. Legit a bop.

[MV] SECRET NUMBER - LIKE IT LIKE IT (Jpn.)

[MV] NiziU - Paradise (Jpn.)

[DEBUT] Park Rossi (feat. Yumewanaii) - GOSSIP

[MV] KLANG - IOU

[MV] CLAVE - Dear Anna

[MV] kim tae yeon - an ardent lover

Usually don't post kids this young, but she's pretty extraordinary. I think she participated in Miss Trot. Very impressive vocal.

[MV] BIG Naughty (feat. Lee Suhyun) - Hopeless Romantic

This is beautiful. Starts so delicate and really builds.

[SM STATION] LIM KIM X JAMIE - Love Me Crazy

Spicy collab. Turned out pretty fun.

[MV] msftz - On My Way

[MV] Humming Urban Stereo - HAPPY SAD

[MV] Jeong Hyo Bean - I'm not alone

[MV] SOOVI (feat. GEMINI) - Ooh La La

[MV] Sim - Perfect Paranoia