It’s been more and more common for groups to film music videos for follow up tracks. It’s a great way for rookies to keep their name in public discourse and have one more chance for a legitimate hit right out of the gate. Just a… Read More »Song Review: DAILY:DIRECTION – Self
When it comes to HYBE groups, aoen have had a curiously subdued rollout. You never hear much about them and they’ve pretty much stuck to their homebase of Japan rather than attempt to intermix with the K-pop industry. So far, they’ve released a few decent… Read More »Song Review: aoen – Instant Crush
Onew’s prolific streak as a solo artist continues with another mini album. His solo work has largely shifted between ballads and quirky (but subdued) dance tracks. New single Tough splits the difference, moving between moments of vocal heft and jagged electronic breakdowns. At the very… Read More »Song Review: Onew (SHINee) – Tough
The K-pop industry seems intent on messing with me this year. NouerA were one of my favorite rookies of 2025, with two mini albums full of fantastic music that drew influence from older generations of K-pop. Led by producer e.one, they forged a sound that… Read More »Song Review: NouerA – Pop It Like
KickFlip were the first group I wrote about in 2025 and my coverage became more and more positive as the year went on. As often happens in this case, I ended up going back to their older songs and enjoying them much more than I… Read More »Song Review: KickFlip – Twenty