As a spin-off to my Battle of the B-sides feature, I’m pleased to announce the arrive of “Battle of the Title Tracks!” In this feature, I’ll be pitting three K-pop title tracks/singles against each other and choosing a winner. These songs will mostly be from pre-2016 since I’ll try to focus on music I haven’t yet written about on the blog.
As always, the competition is all in good fun. Most importantly, I hope you discover (or re-discover) some great songs!
Battle of the Title Tracks: Round Five
Uhm Jung Hwa – Come 2 Me (2006)
This was a bit of an odd period for Jung Hwa’s music career as she attempted to veer away from the high-energy techno influenced pop of her early iconic singles. That’s not to say she hadn’t dabbled in more subtle R&B sounds before. There’s a reason 1998’s Invitation is such a classic. However, Come 2 Me feels quite new for her. The song borrows the popular hip-hop style of the moment – a very Neptunes-esque funk beat that’s brittle and sparse. Her voice works well with this production, casting an addictive mood. But apart from a catchy hook, there’s not a ton of meat on these melodic bones. Come 2 Me feels more like a fascinating curio than an enduring, iconic hit.
Hooks
8
Production
9
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8.25
Nu’est – Good Bye Bye (2014)
We were in such classic K-pop territory in 2014 that I remember largely dismissing Good Bye Bye when it was first released – especially when compared to Nu’est’s early singles that I loved very much. However, time has been very kind to this track. What it lacks in bombast it makes up in mood and melodrama. The melodies are gorgeous throughout and the production employs a subtle build that creates unexpected climaxes. The track drips with texture, pairing the guys’ emotive voices with a guitar-laced instrumental and requisite dubstep breakdown (it was 2014, after all!). The accompanying album is also among Nu’est’s strongest work.
Hooks
8
Production
9
Longevity
9
Bias
9
RATING
8.75
miss A – Hush (2013)
Oh, to return to girl group fare like this! Hush is a shot of sonic drama, built upon the catchiest chorus of miss A’s career. The song snowballs as it goes, growing more intense with each moment. Its basic structure is quite simple, but rather than feel repetitive the track finds a way to inject additional elements each time its hook repeats. Hush’s moments of restraint serve to heighten the tension, ensuring its climax generates as much drama as possible. Above all else, it’s striking to hear a song where the girls are given free reign to sing with panache. That classic approach enshrines Hush into the pantheon of K-pop classics.
Hooks
9
Production
9
Longevity
10
Bias
9
RATING
9.25
My Verdict:
The winning track of this edition is miss A’s Hush!
Readers, what do you think? Leave your own ranking in the comments!