Sin's K-Pop Roundup 2022 Part 2/3
Part 2 of the ever-timely 2022 list is here! Rejoice! Part 3 in a week. |
| 1 |  | Kang Daniel
Joy Ride
Ready to Ride (Single)
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Fun track, not much else about it.
The Story (Album)
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Iโve heard fifty versions of this same album at this point and it doesnโt get better each time.
Joy Ride (EP)
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Just a couple new tracks on this, but wow are they an improvement, way more synthwave inspiration in this pop rock that shows a good potential for future releases in this style. Alas, Iโm expecting this to be a fluke though.
ICONIC JAM material: TPIR (feat. MIYAVI)..
The Story: RETOLD (Repackage)
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Yeah this is a regression, but I like these new tracks more than the regular album. Some good production here that's begging to have a more effective personality from the vocal department. Somewhat promising. |
| 2 |  | Kangta
Eyes on You
Eyes on You (Album)
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Damn this guy has been going a long time. Itโs a shame all that experience amounts to sleepy ballads sung in the same register for half an hour. |
| 3 |  | Kara
MOVE AGAIN
MOVE AGAIN (EP)
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This is iconic 2nd-gen group KARAโs first material in seven years as they celebrated their 15th anniversary, although the loss of former member Goo Hara, who unfortunately took her own life in tragic circumstances in 2019 just a month after the passing of legendary f(x) member Sulli (whom she was very close with) is still a sore one, leaving an overwhelming sense of bittersweetness around this release. Given the circumstances then, this feels like a fitting tribute to both their former bandmate and their legacy as a whole. Their sound hasnโt really evolved all that much, but it still feels distinct against the more contemporary stylistic choices of more recent groups. Lead single WHEN I MOVE is comfortably the best track here, which befits their tradition of having one amazing song per release and a few pretty good ones. Maybe not essential to people who werenโt already familiar with them, but you canโt go wrong checking this anyway.
ICONIC JAM material: WHEN I MOVE. |
| 4 |  | Kard
Re:
Re: (EP)
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A rare example of a mixed gender group in k-pop. Youโd think that novelty would result in more interesting results, but most of this is just passable. Whip! Is an earworm though.
ICONIC JAM material: Whip!. |
| 5 |  | Kep1er
FIRST IMPACT
First Impact (EP)
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Girls Planet contestants Kep1erโs debut is the definition of a mixed bag. On the one hand, lead track Wa Da Da is a complete and utter sonic mess. On the other, MVSK is an understated bop. The latter half of the release are simply redos of tracks they already performed on the show. Itโs not bad and maybe warrants a bit higher score, but unfortunately a lot of the production is very flat and uninviting making this way more of a drain on the ears than it should be.
ICONIC JAM material: MVSK.
DOUBLAST (EP)
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Falls off towards the end, but this is a marked improvement (or maybe the production isnโt as bad this time). Summer vibes are here and blossoming, and whilst there is again only the one standout track (Up!), itโs pretty competent despite trailing off at the end with a couple of more tranquil ballads.
ICONIC JAM material: Up!.
Fly-Up (EP)
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Of the two tracks here, Wing-Wing is a little irritating and Daisy is comfortably their best track so far (and what an infectious slice of dance-pop it is). A generous 3.5.
ICONIC JAM material: Daisy.
Sugar Rush (Single)
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Very silly track but I actually donโt find the chorus nearly as annoying as I probably should. Itโs cute idk.
CONIC JAM material: Sugar Rush.
TROUBLESHOOTER (EP)
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Bit of a step back, starts off weak and again falls into the trap of only having one song that really matters (Dreams), although Downtown is somewhat worth the effort too. The only thing consistent about this group is their inconsistency.
ICONIC JAM material: Dreams. |
| 6 |  | Key
Gasoline
Gasoline (Album)
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Was expecting a whole lot more from this one given how much Iโve liked SHINee in the past, but this is kind of just a collection of meandering mid-tempo mediocrity. Nothing sticks out immediately to me as amateur or otherwise bad, but it feels very focus-grouped and inoffensive as an obsessive compulsion. A couple of decent tracks raise this one up a little, but otherwise disappointing.
ICONIC JAM material: Another Life. |
| 7 |  | Kihyun
YOUTH
VOYAGER (EP)
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Shocker as strong vocals collide with weak instrumentals for the hundredth time on this list.
YOUTH (EP)
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Surprisingly slick outside of the last couple of snorefests. Got a bit of that oomph that many contemporaries seem to lack.
ICONIC JAM material: STARDUST. |
| 8 |  | Kim Areum
Ocean Wave
Ocean Wave (Album)
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Another city-pop revivalist, maybe a slightly stronger effort than the Bronze album? A bit more on the synthier side, and her being a vocalist as well results in greater consistency across the project compared to the latterโs use of guest vocalists. Def peep The Ocean (Saxophone Version) if you have the time, itโs gorgeous.
ICONIC JAM material: Your Summer, Dream, The Ocean, The Ocean (Saxophone Version). |
| 9 |  | Kim Jaehwan
Empty Dream
Empty Dream (EP)
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Aggressively harmless this one, so I canโt really hate it. But Iโm not a fan of playing it safe - take a risk! Even if it doesnโt work, at least itโs usually memorable. |
| 10 |  | Kim Jae-joong
Born Gene
Born Gene (Album)
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Wait, you can make good ballads? I think everyone else in the industry needs to learn from this guy because holy shit is Broken Mirror good. Or maybe Iโve just really missed hearing something in this space that passes a base level of competency. Rest is ok to pretty good pop rock for the most part, but the opener and closer are also super tight.
ICONIC JAM material: Nobody Like You, Broken Mirror, In the Rain. |
| 11 |  | Kim Mi Jeong
Volume Up!
Volume Up! (Album)
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This whole album sounds like anime intros and outros. I think I like it, but I could lose the excessive overproduction on the vocals and the terrible features. |
| 12 |  | Kim Sung Kyu
Savior
Savior (EP)
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Sickly and weak. Sounds like backing music for a โmy first Cancer recoveryโ Facebook video. |
| 13 |  | Kim Woo-seok
3RD DESIRE [Reve]
3RD DESIRE [Reve] (EP)
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Insufferably bland. |
| 14 |  | Kim Yo Han
Illusion
Illusion (EP)
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Competent stuff - a little lacking in terms of impact or catchiness, but after some of the shite Iโve heard recently itโs refreshing to just hear something that feels like thought was put into it. |
| 15 |  | Kingdom (KOR)
History of Kingdom : Part IV. Dann
History of Kingdom : Part IV. Dann (EP)
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Does quite a bit right - the vocals are strong, and the core concept is somewhat inventive. However not much here strikes me as particularly memorable.
History of Kingdom : Part V. Louis (EP)
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Yeah itโs like if the last one had zero redeeming qualities, very weak. |
| 16 |  | Kwon Eun Bi
Lethality
Esper (Single)
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Not her best material this year, but I do like the production a lot, has a nice moombahton-esque groove to it. She delivers a serviceable performance but definitely feels like somewhat of a throwaway track.
Color (EP)
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Former IZ*ONE leader Kwon Eun Bi had a hell of a 2022. Perhaps the crowning achievement of which is Glitch, one of the most creative and forward-thinking tracks anyone put out this year. Dance-pop filtered through that irresistible early 2010โs UK garage house aesthetic in a way that feels both instantly nostalgic but also somewhat futuristic? Sign me the hell up. In fact, the first half of this EP is nothing short of incredible. It doesnโt quite stick the landing as a full project though, trailing off in the second half with some enjoyable but unmemorable balladry. Well worth it for that opening run but hoping for all bangers next time.
ICONIC JAM material: The Colors of Light, Glitch, Magnetic.
Lethality (EP)
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โฆAnd here are the bangers! Underwater? Flash? Fucking Croquis!? Oh yes more of this So much eating here. Do not miss.
ICONIC JAM material: Underwater. Croquis, Flash, Hi. |
| 17 |  | Kyuhyun
Love Story (4 Season Project ๅญฃ)
Love Story (4 Season Project ๅญฃ) (EP)
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Elevated by the more ornate instrumentation in comparison to your average adult contemporary k-pop snoozer, but brought back down to earth again by how dull it is outside of that. |
| 18 |  | Lapillus
Girl's Round Part. 1
GIRLโs ROUND Part. 1 (EP)
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This is actually just a worse Blackpink except these rookies havenโt proven they are capable of good songs yet and so canโt really disappoint on zero hype to begin with. Stay clear. |
| 19 |  | Lee Chae Yeon
HUSH RUSH
HUSH RUSH (EP)
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Another former IZ*ONE member and sheโs no Eun Bi. Itโs a satisfactory solo debut though - doesnโt sound like sheโs fully found an identity yet and thereโs not much power behind anything here, but thereโs definitely a knack for a good hook. Danny is a basic but charming synthpop bop and probably the main takeaway here.
ICONIC JAM material: Danny. |
| 20 |  | Lee Chanhyuk
Error
Error (Album)
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Ok I wonโt sugarcoat it, this is really bad synthpop. The vocals are laughable at times and most of the instrumentals are so timid and plain it numbs me. But I wonโt deny thereโs a certain charm here if you can stomach 40 minutes of this shit. |
| 21 |  | Lee Jin-ah
Rum Pum Pum
Rum Pum Pum (EP)
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Wow. OK so this is some kind of bonkers progressive jazz-pop that somehow treds a bizarre line between betcover!! and the average Monogatari opening. And it fucking works so well you wouldnโt believe. The last track treads a more familiar r&b-oriented path but it does so brilliantly. One to watch for sure.
ICONIC JAM material: Rhythm of Hope, Rum Pum Pum, choco (feat. SOLE). |
| 22 |  | Lee Su Jeong
My Name
My Name (EP)
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Pretty fun little romp that could really have gone off in a bigger way with a little more pizzazz.
ICONIC JAM material: Walking Through the Moon, Cosmos. |
| 23 |  | Leo (KOR)
Piano Man Op.9
Piano man Op.9 (EP)
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Extremely yawn-inducing. Mediocre ballads with little sign of life. |
| 24 |  | LE SSERAFIM
ANTIFRAGILE
FEARLESS (EP)
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A very solid debut brimming with confidence. The songs arenโt completely there yet, although that doesnโt stop Blue Flame from slapping fairly hard. Truthfully not a surprise that this is solid with the experience of some members seemingly offering a guiding, cushioned hand towards success, and success well-earned at that.
ICONIC JAM material: Blue Flame, The Great Mermaid.
ANTIFRAGILE (EP)
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Basically FEARLESS but with a ton more polish and some wild genre-hopping that manages to work every time. Mature, immaculate and joyful. And fantastic.
ICONIC JAM material: The Hydra, ANTIFRAGILE, Impurities, No Celestial. |
| 25 |  | LIGHTSUM
Into the Light
Into the Light (EP)
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Very competent stuff - first three tracks are all bops and the last couple arenโt too bad either if lacking in hooks comparatively. Everything here has been done before, and better, but Iโm not gonna knock enjoyable cosy dance-pop.
ICONIC JAM material: ALIVE, i. |
| 26 |  | Lim Young-woong
IM HERO
IM HERO (Album)
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I appreciate a lot of modern attempts to bring trot influence back into k-pop, but this, like many similar releases, just fails in the execution department. It doesnโt lean far enough into the more energetic and campy versions of the style leaving a mostly passionless and dreary set of ballads that go nowhere. |
| 27 |  | LIMELIGHT (KOR)
LIMELIGHT
LIMELIGHT (EP)
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A strong debut from this group. Consistently fun and bright, and not too saccharine either. Possibly could use a little more variety in the future, but a promising start.
ICONIC JAM material: StarLight, Eye to Eye. |
| 28 |  | Loco & HWASA
Somebody
Somebody (EP)
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Canโt really complain about these two songs, theyโre both decent. They just donโt do much beyond that. |
| 29 |  | Loona
Flip That!
Flip That (EP)
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2022 was not LOONAโs year. And it got worse before it got better. There was some hope that the lacklustre (by their standards anyway) & EP was a minor 2021 blip, and the excellent Hula Hoop/StarSeed double single later in the year gave some credit to that line of thinking. Flip That however is more worrying. The second major release in a row to disappoint is more often than not a sign of a trend that would be confirmed later. Honestly this isnโt too bad on its own, but itโs the fact theyโre capable of so much more that frustrates the most. POSE and Playback are weak, but the rest are serviceable enough to be just about worth a couple listens - itโs just not the LOONA that threatened to disrupt the industry before.
Luminous (EP)
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Truly LOONAโs creative nadir. Title track here is the opposite of the forward-thinking electropop they once epitomised, instead opting for a terribly mixed and lazy imitation of f(x), possibly the worst track theyโve ever come out with. And if this is truly the end for the LOONA name, what a shame this is what we end up with.The Odd Eye Circle b-side salvages a little respectability, but not nearly enough to make this anything other than an incredibly sad closing statement. Oh and fuck BlockBerryCreative, so glad these girls are finally free again. |
| 30 |  | LUCY (KOR)
Childhood
Childhood (Album)
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Unfortunately the brand of pop rock on display here just does not translate well in this instance to a full album, especially one thatโs approaching the hour-mark. Unexciting, unoriginal and non-combative across the board, but the first half is a lot more convincing than the lethargic slog of the second (one or two pretty good tracks notwithstanding).
ICONIC JAM material: Ending. |
| 31 |  | LUMINOUS
Between Light and Darkness (Self n Ego)
Between Light and Darkness (Self n Ego) (EP)
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Predictable, but certainly not the worst Iโve heard in this style. All eyes down and want it more are both fairly decent.
LUMINOUS in WONDERLAND (Album)
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Twice as long, twice as boring. I do like the energy of this group but they really need to pick up better tracks. |
| 32 |  | MAJORS
The End of Chaos
The End of Chaos (EP)
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Wow itโsโฆ exactly like the same song youโve heard a million times already, but this time done by a group with no discernible identity. Oh no wait, thatโs not new either. Like these two tracks are fine, but theyโre formulaic to the point of ridiculousness. |
| 33 |  | Mamamoo
MIC ON
MIC ON (EP)
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Never an A-tier group, but MAMAMOOโs latest project continues to bring the carefree, fun bops theyโre known for, and sometimes thatโs all you need to do.
ICONIC JAM material: L.I.E.C. |
| 34 |  | Max Changmin
Devil
Devil (EP)
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Starts off strong, but unfortunately loses steam in the second half. Enjoyment of this is intrinsically tied to your ability to withstand theatre kid bullshit, and the vocal performance is very hit or miss. I can appreciate this for being something a little different from the mainstream sounds of the moment, however I donโt have much reason to recommend it beyond that. |
| 35 |  | MCND
The Earth: Secret Mission Chapter.2
The Earth: Secret Mission Chapter.2
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Another not terrible but very mid boy group. |
| 36 |  | meenoi
NOI MAS
NO MAS (EP)
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Slow r&b dedications. Canโt pick out much it does wrong, but just doesnโt grab me as much as I wish it would. |
| 37 |  | MeloMance
Invitation
Invitation (EP)
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I respect this style of very ballady ballad, but I canโt say I enjoy this much at all. Itโs just too slow and dreary and doesnโt have the personality to pull it off. |
| 38 |  | mimiirose
AWESOME
AWESOME (EP)
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More generic shit thatโs stuck five years in the past, and probably wouldnโt have been noticed then either. |
| 39 |  | Minho
CHASE
CHASE (EP)
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Ok, THIS time weโve got something good going. SHINee member MINHOโs debut solo EP is just further proof that they are the greatest boy group of all time. Great songwriting, fantastic vocal performance in a nice little package. Very enjoyable.
ICONIC JAM material: Waterfall (feat. Lim Kim), Heartbreak. |
| 40 |  | Minhyuk
BOOM
Boom (Album)
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Fucking terrible. Title track is one of the worst k-pop tracks Iโve ever heard. |
| 41 |  | Mirae
Ourturn
Marvelous (EP)
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Itโs another cookie-cutter boy group that isnโt offensively bad but has nothing interesting to offer.
Ourturn (EP)
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Second verse same as the first, although for some reason this one has a pretty great bop in Daydreaminโ. More of that please.
ICONIC JAM material: Daydreaminโ. |
| 42 |  | Miyeon
MY
MY (EP)
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A pretty weak solo debut. Very little energy even on the more spritely cuts like Drive. Gets worse as it goes on too. Not one to remember, although sheโs undeniably a good vocalist. |
| 43 |  | Monsta X
Shape of Love
Shape of Love (EP)
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Compared to some of the utter dross Iโve put up with, this is refreshingly well-made. Itโs just not particularly interesting.
If With U (Single)
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This shit sounds just like that awful Maroon 5 track What Lovers Do. Itโs marginally less annoying than Adam Levine, but you donโt get easy points for that. |
| 44 |  | Moon Sujin
Lucky Charms!
Lucky Charms! (EP)
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Itโs mediocre r&b. Take it or leave it. |
| 45 |  | Moonbin and Sanha
Refuge
Refuge (EP)
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A bit of a difficult listen after Moonbinโs recent tragic passing, and itโs hard to rate given the circumstances. Itโs serviceable and a couple of tracks are definitely solid jams (DIA especially), but Iโd be lying if I said itโs anything more than that. RIP Moonbin.
ICONIC JAM material: DIA. |
| 46 |  | Moon Byul
6equence
6equence (EP)
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Really slick and mature sound on display here. The r&b vibes are very solid and there is a constant energy throughout thatโs greatly appreciated. Production is pretty on point too. Vocals are strong and memorable. Yeah basically this fucks all around. Even the more subdued tracks at the end are pretty well done. Good job.
ICONIC JAM material: G999 (feat. Mirani), Shutdown (feat. Seori), LUNATIC.
C.I.T.T. (Cheese in the Trap) (EP)
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A-side is a really fun slice of power pop (with emphasis on pop) that could have been incredible with better production. B-side is a subdued ballad (yawn) but not bad really.
ICONIC JAM material: C.I.T.T. (Cheese in the Trap).
The Present (EP)
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Nice little trio of tracks to tide us over. Final track Present is the standout.
ICONIC JAM material: Present. |
| 47 |  | N.Flying
Dearest
Dearest (EP)
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Mediocre pop rock. Hard to hate, harder to love. |
| 48 |  | NATURE (KOR)
NATURE WORLD : CODE W
Rica Rica (EP)
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Not a group Iโm massively familiar with outside of Girls, which is a decent track but overrated to fuck by some people Iโve talked to. Guess Iโll be singing that songโs praises more then because this is a disaster. No energy, awkward transitions, terrible lyrics, a bizarrely shot music video to boot. I mean, who approved this? The b-side is terrible as well, although its crime is more a result of being utterly boring. Really scraping the barrel here.
Trip: Tape #02 (Single)
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Yawn. At least itโs slightly better.
NATURE WORLD : CODE W (EP)
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This EP has one saving grace and thatโs LIMBO! Which is almost as stupid as Rica Rica but in this case the dumb sugar rush kinda works in its favour. The rest is a tragedy. The aforementioned Rica Rica also makes an appearance here and somehow isnโt the worst track here (it's somewhat unique at least) - Iโll take it a thousand times over a ballad as insipid as Rainbow. Not a good year for NATURE.
ICONIC JAM material: LIMBO! |
| 49 |  | NAYEON
IM NAYEON
Im Nayeon (EP)
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Excellent solo debut that just loses a little momentum towards the end. Honestly a surprise it took so long for this to happen, but POP! alone makes up for the wait, what a bop that one is. Hereโs hoping weโre not waiting too long for the follow-up.
ICONIC JAM material: POP!, NO PROBLEM (feat. Felix). |
| 50 |  | NCT 127
2 Baddies - The 4th Album
2 Baddies (Album)
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I have officially given up trying to keep track of all the different NCT groups and whose in what, but NCT 127 has usually been the best of the lot. No surprises then that this is a pretty solid and consistent effort by the boys, if lacking in any real standouts. Canโt really go wrong with this.
ICONIC JAM material: Crash Landing. |
| 51 |  | NCT Dream
Glitch Mode
Glitch Mode (Album)
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Solid midsection redeems what is otherwise a mess of an album. The same problem remains though - just completely unnecessary in comparison to the other NCT units and massively struggling to stand out.
Beatbox (Repackage)
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Repackage of Glitch Mode with four extra tracks - which are surprisingly a good deal better than most of the main album, still a bit derivative but a lot more fun and playful.
Candy (EP)
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Almost their best release of the year, but they had to include two absolute stinkers in Graduation and Moon on here. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NOBODY LIKES THESE SLOW BALLADS (I assume, if they do theyโre wrong). Cut this down to the four good tracks and itโs pretty strong.
ICONIC JAM material: Tangerine Love (Favorite). |
| 52 |  | NewJeans
New Jeans
New Jeans (EP)
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What do you even say about NewJeans? Probably the most explosive debut in k-pop history. Everything is on point here - the sound, the aesthetics, the performances from such a young group - that a track like Attention comes so effortlessly from members as young as 13 is just mind-blowing. Thereโs really little else you can say apart from that, this is possibly the best debut ever. Although the lyrics to Cookie are a little uncomfortable coming from teenagers.
ICONIC JAM material: Attention, Hype Boy, Cookie, Hurt.
Ditto (Single)
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Oh and then they go and drop the song of the year. Heavenly chords, aching vocals, stuttering whole-body-shaking percussion. Yeah this is deservedly already canonised as a true k-pop great. The world is at NewJeansโ feet.
ICONIC JAM material: Ditto. |
| 53 |  | NINE.i
NEW WORLD
NEW WORLD (EP)
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Really nice instrumentals that lack the power a better vocal performance would provide.
ICONIC JAM material: Daze Days.
Nine.I the 2nd Mini Album [I (Part.1)] (EP)
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Less consistent, but a better vocal performance.
ICONIC JAM material: Young Boy, I AM. |
| 54 |  | NMIXX
Entwurf
Ad mare (EP)
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โFreaky fishy fishyโ is certainly aโฆ uhโฆ hook I guess. This is kind of a inglourious mess but itโs entertaining so Iโll give it that.
GABBYโS DOLLHOUSE x NMIXX (Original Soundtrack) (EP)
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Not sure why I checked this but itโs a couple of songs they did for a kidโs show. Itโs exactly what you expect it might sound like. I have no idea what to rate this but you chase that kidโs TV bag girlies!
Kiss (Single)
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An excellent cover that far outperforms the original (by 2nd wave group Rainbow). Slickly produced and well-performed.
ICONIC JAM material: Kiss.
Entwurf (EP)
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Very similar to Ad mare but with substantially less bizarre lyrical choices. Itโs maximalist but maybe a little too disorganised for itโs own good, getting in the way of what are pretty good vocal performances.
Funky Glitter Christmas (Single)
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K-pop has a decent track record with christmas songs and this is right up there with the best it has to offer. Classic bubblegum sounds here with a Santa-approved booty-shaking chorus.
ICONIC JAM material: Funky Glitter Christmas. |
| 55 |  | Oh My Girl
Real Love
Real Love (Album)
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Nothing revolutionary, but itโs another solid album from the group with a couple of bangers built in. This sound is a little dated at this point, but also feels refreshing when theyโre one of the few still championing it.
ICONIC JAM material: Drip, Replay, Parachute, Blink. |
| 56 |  | Omega X
Love Me Like
Love Me Like (EP)
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I think I am about done with terribly inoffensive boy groups.
๏ฅ์ (Story Written in Music) (Album)
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Fuck this shit man this is so garbage.
Stand Up! (EP)
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And so is this. Terrible boy groups please stop. |
| 57 |  | ONEUS
MALUS
Trickster (EP)
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Weak and unoriginal.
MALUS (EP)
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Oh ok, talk about glow-up, this is good. Some actual thought went into the tracks this time. STUPID LOVE is STUPID GOOD. Still has some misses overall but uh yes please continue this upwards trajectory.
ICONIC JAM material: STUPID LOVE. |
| 58 |  | Onew
DICE
DICE (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
The synthwave/chillwave synths here are so good. One of the best SHINee solo releases easily, this is a mature and distinct effort with a clear and focused identity and some killer hooks. Both often missing in lesser projects.
ICONIC JAM material: DICE, Sunshine, Yeowoobi.
Who sings? Vol.1 (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Some slow boring cover album. Not boppy enough.
Life goes on (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Yawn. Japanese release full of slow ballads. His voice is fantastic and they arenโt the worst tracks but he is wasted here. |
| 59 |  | ONEWE
Planet Nine : Voyager
Planet Nine : Voyager (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Soft rock/pop rock jams which attain a decent enough level of satisfaction to occupy my head while they last, but Iโm unlikely to return. Itโs just not energetic enough to be worth any more than that. |
| 60 |  | ONF
Storage of ONF
Storage of ONF (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
Can you decide if you want to be cute boy shit or tryhard edgy pop boy shit please? Youโll still be shit, but itโs less jarring that way. |
| 61 |  | OnlyOneOf
Instinct Part. 2
Instinct Part. 2 (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Creative production here that took quite a while to grow on me, but man once it hits it hits real good. Essentially the brainchild of the guy who put together LOONA and it really shows. Very unique and worth your time.
ICONIC JAM material: skinz, gaslighting, ultimate bliss.
ใบใซใๅฅณ (Zurui onna) (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Really solid cover of some 90s j-pop track and a really solid b-side. These guys are consistently one of the more creative boy groups out there, and that shows even on what is basically a throwaway Japan release.
ICONIC JAM material: Zurui onna. |
| 62 |  | OnlyOneOf/Yoojung
undergrOund idOl #1
undergrOund idOl #1 (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Similarly to Loona we get the series of singles highlighting each individual member with a solo track (plus a remix of a group song), and also similarly this is some of their best material. We start off with YooJung who provides a massive synthpop banger. No complaints here.
ICONIC JAM material: begin. |
| 63 |  | OnlyOneOf/KB
undergrOund idOl #2
undergrOund idOl #2 (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
KB is next, with a funkier dance-pop track that feels a little basic until you get sucked into its atmosphere. That pre-chorus is heavenly.
ICONIC JAM material: be free. |
| 64 |  | OnlyOneOf/Junji
undergrOund idOl #3
undergrOund idOl #3 (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Perhaps the dud if there is to be one in this series. A little benign and unmemorable. Decent but not up to the standard of the others. |
| 65 |  | OnlyOneOf/Rie
undergrOund idOl #4
undergrOund idOl #4 (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Really great synthpop/pop rock track, like seriously one of the most tasteful Iโve heard in a while. Remix is great too.
ICONIC JAM material: because, fragile (art pOp remix). |
| 66 |  | OnlyOneOf/Mill
undergrOund idOl #5
undergrOund idOl #5 (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Millโs track is an interesting listen, much more hip-hop influenced than the rest of the series and some of the production choices are interesting. Itโs the remix which steals the attention here this time though, seriously good stuff.
ICONIC JAM material: blOOm (art pOp remix) |
| 67 |  | P1Harmony
Harmony : Set In
Disharmony : Find Out (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Can you say guilty pleasure? Do it quietly, because Iโm ashamed of how much I like this. I think itโs mostly that the production is really good, but for more trap-oriented boy groups this is probably the funnest thing Iโve heard all year. They definitely lose me a little when they step into more melodic and poppy territory in the second half but my reptile brain is saying this slaps kinda so imma trust it.
ICONIC JAM material: Do It Like This, Thatโ$ Money, Follow Me.
Harmony : Zero In (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Oh this is more what I expected. This is like the previous one but without any kind of edge. The performances are still pretty decent but thereโs no real earworm. Disappointing.
Harmony : Set In (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
A return to form, and maybe their most consistent release yet. Look At Me Now is definitely the best track theyโve put out so far
ICONIC JAM material: BFF (Best Friends Forever), Look At Me Now, Better |
| 68 |  | Park Ji-hoon
THE ANSWER
THE ANSWER (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Booooring. The synthwave-lite elements of NITRO and Midnight are alright but far from exciting and the rest is noticeably weaker. |
| 69 |  | Pentagon
IN:VITE U
IN:VITE U (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Another group that's kinda existed on the margins of wider success for a while now, and this is unlikely to change that. It just feels overwhelmingly safe and inoffensive - at least others had the decency to be interestingly awful. |
| 70 |  | Pink Fantasy
Bizarre Story
Luv Is True (Luv.i.t) (Single)
๐๐๐๐๐
Really, really, really boring.
Bizarre Story (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Bizarre is the right word. First track is ordinary and mediocre enough, but The Game is some kind of disturbing 2010ish brostep/complextro hybrid that I have to give kudos to for trying, even if it does suck ass. |
| 71 |  | PIXY
Reborn
Reborn (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Enjoyed this one quite a bit, production is nice and varied both in style and the influences it pulls from, giving this group a bit more of a distinct sound (at least on this release). Not everything comes off perfectly, and itโs perhaps missing some killer hooks, but an intriguing project nevertheless.
ICONIC JAM material: Villain, Natural. |
| 72 |  | PRIKIL
Somebody
Somebody (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Really fun and bouncy debut! Great vocal chemistry, infectious and (good) cheesy instrumentals, what more do you need for a debut?
ICONIC JAM material: SOMEBODY, Amazing Girls. |
| 73 |  | PRSNT
Crazy Driver
Crazy Driver (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Really solid synthwave-pop that just lacks that final bit of oomph to make it special. Still, itโs consistently fun and well-produced, meaning this is quite a safe thumbs-up all things considered.
ICONIC JAM material: Take That Back. |
| 74 |  | PSY
Psy 9th
PSY 9th (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
I hate that I kinda liked this. Thereโs definitely a fair few boring tracks and drastically switching genres every track is not a recipe for consistency. But damn this is fun at times, in a very corny way. GANJI is sure to rub some people the wrong way, but I love the fusion of late 2000s/early 2010s rap instrumentals with more modern 808 sounds. The poppy-synthwave cut Now is another highlight, as is lead single That That with BTS member Suga. The second half of the record is mostly not worth your time, but this is way better than I expected for a PSY record in 2022. I wish Everyday didnโt have the copypasted 2012 big room edm drop though, because the buildup is fantastic.
ICONIC JAM material: That That (feat. Suga), GANJI (feat. Jessi), Now (feat. Hwa Sa). |
| 75 |  | Purple Kiss
memeM
memeM (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
A smorgasbord of seemingly every popular style in 2020, itโs a little late to have the impact it clearly wants but god those first three tracks are perfect for their styles. Bassline on Pretty Psycho is sick. Predictably drops off in quality with the slower tracks in the second half but never dips into boring. Good fun.
ICONIC JAM material: memeM, Oh My Gosh, Pretty Psycho.
Geekyland (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Really boring. None of these songs stand out and itโs usually a bad sign when the ballad at the end is the best track. Very forgettable. |
| 76 |  | Queenz Eye
Queenz Table
Queenz Table (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
So goddamn generic. |
| 77 |  | Red Velvet
The ReVe Festival 2022 โ Feel My Rhythm
The ReVe Festival 2022 - Feel My Rhythm (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Another excellent release from the de facto queens of all things k-pop. A bright, energetic collection of songs that go all in on trying to sound as grand as they can. And they pull it off of course.
ICONIC JAM material: Feel My Rhythm, Beg for Me, BAMBOLEO, In My Dreams.
Bloom (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
Standard fare for a Japan album here, a few new tracks and a few old songs packaged together. Only looking at the new ones here, which are pretty good . Marionette has a pretty tasteful interpolation of the Nutcracker suite, WILDSIDE is good enough to be the title track for any of their minis. Snap Snap has lovely synths all over it. The other couple of new tracks are decent too. Good stuff.
ICONIC JAM material: Marionette, WILDSIDE, Snap Snap.
The ReVe Festival 2022 - Birthday (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
A more low-key release, and definitely one of their weakest title tracks. But thereโs still a lot to enjoy here. A decidedly darker and moodier affair than Feel My Rhythm, and not quite up to that standard, but thatโs not too big of a deal when you have tracks like On a Ride.
ICONIC JAM material: BYE BYE, On a Ride. |
| 78 |  | RM
Indigo
Indigo (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
Another BTS solo project during that groupโs hiatus, the feature list here is very impressive. Erykah Badu AND Anderson .Paak? Well now youโve got my attention. And the album certainly delivers overall, despite a bit of a dip in quality during the midsection when it strays a little too far into the adult contemporary wheelhouse - when itโs churning out vibey pop rap it feels much more assured of itself. Damn, what is it with these BTS side projects, why are they so much better than I expected them to be?
ICONIC JAM material: Yun (feat. Erykah Badu), Still Life (feat. Anderson .Paak), Closer (feat. Paul Blanco & Mahalia), Wild Flower (feat. youjeen). |
| 79 |  | Rocket Punch
Yellow Punch
Yellow Punch (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
A massive, massive glow-up from the Rocket Punch girls. CHIQUITA is absolute synthpop perfection and easily one of the songs of the year. In My World is oh so close to that same tier. Hooks abound here, really strong vocal performances too. Oh my god this just fucks so hard. Check it or else.
ICONIC JAM material: CHIQUITA, In My World, Red Balloon, LOUDER.
FLASH (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Strength to strength for Rocket Punch here with another trio of great synthpop cuts. Nothing CHIQUITA-tier here but this is all excellent.
ICONIC JAM material: FLASH, Moon Prism, Beep Beep.
Dokidoki Love (Compilation)
๐๐๐๐๐
Another package of previous songs with a few new ones aimed at the Japanese market, so Iโll only be factoring in the four(?) new tracks including Fiore which was released as a single earlier this year. And yeah, those tracks are all pretty great, and compound the massive improvement theyโve made in the last year or so.
ICONIC JAM material: ใใฟใ (PiTaPa), Fiore. |
| 80 |  | Rocking Doll
SURVIVE
Heart Rider (Single)
๐๐๐๐๐
After their iconically terrible debut single in 2021, this is definitely an improvement. In fact it's pretty close to being a good jam, if it werenโt for the vocals which alternate between sounding naive and unconfident, and also are kinda mixed poorly.
SURVIVE (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
This is probably the most amateur k-pop release I've heard this year, and maybe even beyond that. It kinda reminds me of a youtube step-by-step tutorial, in that everything is kinda b-grade and a slight step below pro quality - it shows all the fundamentals but is missing any kind of passion or excitement. Itโs just lifeless. Itโs just there. The last two tracks definitely trend better than the rest of the EP, but overall - I kinda hate it. |
| 81 |  | The Rose
Heal
Heal (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
By-the-numbers pop rock, but thereโs heart in it which I do appreciate.
ICONIC JAM material: Cure, Yes (feat. James Reid). |
| 82 |  | Ryeowook
A Wild Rose
A Wild Rose (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Just more ballads. Great voice, but it canโt stop this mid. |
| 83 |  | SAAY
S:INEMA
S:INEMA (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
Really assured and competent r&b, if she was a western artist this would be doing mad numbers. Sensual, intimate, intricate - all those good adjectives apply here. Gonna let the songs speak for themselves, they do so expertly.
ICONIC JAM material: Interstellar, ALARM, Sweet as Hell, BAAD (feat. Sharaya J), Caffeine!. |
| 84 |  | SECRET NUMBER
Doomchita
Doomchita (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Wow this is so 2018 and also soooo boring.
Tap (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
See above. |
| 85 |  | Seulgi
28 Reasons
28 Reasons (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Phwoar those pipes on Dead Man Runninโs chorus! Seulgi comes through with the best Red Velvet solo project yet, and really it was never in doubt. But itโs still reassuring that given the wait for a lot of RV solos she and Joy have not disappointed (even if Wendy was a little too lowkey). Effortlessly cool and mature throughout, thereโs not much else to say other than this is a largely excellent set of songs that are well worth the hype.
ICONIC JAM material: 28 Reasons, Dead Man Runninโ, Anywhere But Home, Los Angeles. |
| 86 |  | Seventeen
Face the Sun
Face the Sun (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
Wasnโt expecting much from this album but it actually surprised me with its variety and the strength of the production, especially on tracks like Shadow. Performances as well are really good, the group sounds super cohesive and in tune with each other. Doesnโt really miss too much either, pretty much every track I can at least appreciate while itโs on - probably could have used a couple more high-energy tracks instead of ballads like IF you leave me though.
ICONIC JAM material: March, Shadow.
Sector 17 (Repackage)
๐๐๐๐๐
Four bonus tracks, all of which are just as good if not better than the main album. Much appreciated.
ICONIC JAM material: _WORLD, CHEERS.
DREAM (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Just the one new track on this, but itโs not half bad. Maybe too lowkey to be a bop though. |
| 87 |  | SF9
The Wave OF9
The Wave OF9 (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Not bad! This has a lot of bouncy summer energy which is very welcome. Driver is a nice standout, and the rest is perfectly jammable. Good vibes.
ICONIC JAM material: Driver. |
| 88 |  | SM Town
2022 Winter SMTOWN : SMCU PALACE
2022 Winter SMTOWN : SMCU PALACE (Compilation)
๐๐๐๐๐
The second (since its revival in 2021) edition of the compilation in which random artists signed to the company are haphazardly thrown together for mostly winter/Christmas-themed tracks, and as is probably expected itโs a very mixed bag. Some songs here semi-ironically hit (Jet), but others are so throwaway it hurts and makes you weep for the talent wasted (tracks 7-9). Check if youโre curious I guess? Itโs probably not worth it.
ICONIC JAM material: EUNHYUK, HYO, TAEYONG, JAEMIN, SUNGCHAN, WINTER & GISELLE - Jet |
| 89 |  | SOLAR (KR)
ๅฎน : FACE
FACE (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Another great MAMAMOO solo, this one doesnโt have quite as many standouts as Moonbyulโs major release this year but is consistently great and well worth the time.
ICONIC JAM material: HONEY, chap chap. |
| 90 |  | SOLE (KOR)
Imagine Club
Imagine Club (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
Superb r&b with a fantastic vocal performance, and whilst about half the album is only stuck in the โpretty goodโ camp, there are some really nice highlights here. I wish more artists in this vein were this consistent - no boring ballads here!
ICONIC JAM material: good time (feat. Leellamarz), iโm always by your side, ore ore, |
| 91 |  | Solji
First Letter
First Letter (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
MORE ballads, but these ones are kinda alright. I mean Iโd rather have bangers, but this isnโt too disappointing. |
| 92 |  | Soyou
Day & Night
Day & Night (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
All ballads no bangers ๐. |
| 93 |  | STAYC
YOUNG-LUV.COM
Young-Luv.com (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
The STAYC girls kicked off 2022 in all the right ways with their best major project yet. It can be hard trying to live up to such an impressive debut single, and indeed it seems to have taken them a year to progress on to the point they can maintain that momentum across a full release, but this is worth it. A very polished collection of tracks that each have their own identity, almost all standouts in their own right.
ICONIC JAM material: RUN2U, 247, YOUNG LUV, BUTTERFLY.
We Need Love (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
A bit underrated. This certainly is a bit of a falloff, but only because beyond the title track (which is great) this is pretty standard and generic by their own standards.
ICONIC JAM material: BEAUTIFUL MONSTER.
Poppy (Single)
๐๐๐๐๐
Great Japanese track. They rarely miss on key tracks and this is no exception. Love the bouncy plucks in the chorus and that thumping bassline. Tracks a lotta fun!
ICONIC JAM material: POPPY. |
| 94 |  | Stella Jang
WinterStella
WinterStella (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Cute jazz-pop Christmas covers. Itโs not gonna change the world or anything, but itโs basically impossible to hate this if you have any kind of joy in your life. |
| 95 |  | Stray Kids
ODDINARY
ODDINARY (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Decent if unmemorable outing for Stray Kids. Theyโve kinda honed their sound to the point this is autopilot for them, which is maybe why theyโve not really pushed on to do anything that interesting. The last track is a nice laidback boom bap-ish jam.
ICONIC JAM material: Changbin/Hyunjin/HAN/Felix - Muddy Water.
CIRCUS (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Boring as all fuck.
MAXIDENT (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Title track is easily the attention-grabber, pretty fun chorus thatโs quite creative for these guys. Too bad the rest is a snoozer. They try a lot of different styles here and little comes together.
ICONIC JAM material: CASE 143.
SKZ-REPLAY (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
From what I can tell the first half of this (tracks 1-10) are new maybe? All apart from two are solos from each member and honestly theyโre not awful, some of them are even pretty good. It just doesnโt feel cohesive or that energetic which is what disappoints me.
ICONIC JAM material: Bang Chan - Connected. |
| 96 |  | Suho
Grey Suit
Grey Suit (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
EXO leader Suho comes through with a really solid project on his second solo EP. Itโs a bit soft-rocky Robbie Williams-ish at times, which is either a compliment or a red flag depending on your personal feelings, but this is stuff you could play around your mum and have her bob her head to it. And itโs really good, if that wasnโt clear.
ICONIC JAM material: Hurdle, Decanting. |
| 97 |  | SUMMER CAKE
Not in Public
Targetto (Single)
๐๐๐๐๐
Stumbled on a hidden queen of immaculate vibes this year. This is one of the most pristine and effortless r&b songs of the year.
ICONIC JAM material: Targetto.
Not in Public (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Title track is like a sexier BรBE YANA with those lovely breaks and silky vocals. The b-side is fantastic too.
ICONIC JAM material: Not in Public, Way.
All Eyes on Us (Single)
๐๐๐๐๐
Stuttering, glitchy synthetic r&b goodness thatโs over a tad too quickly. Rules though.
ICONIC JAM material: ALL EYES ON US.
Help (Single)
๐๐๐๐๐
Very good but the feature is sadly annoying and ruins this a little. Canโt diminish it too much though.
Potion (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
So so lush, doesnโt put a foot wrong. Fucks so hard it makes Janelle Monae look like an incel.
ICONIC JAM material: Potion, Iโm Done, Carrier. |
| 98 |  | SUNMI
Heart Burn
Oh Sorry Ya (Single)
๐๐๐๐๐
SUNMI caught a lot of flak this year over some NFT drama, which whilst not completely unique when it comes to musicians, probably would have been a little less of an elephant in the room had she not doubled down on it. Oh well, stupid bullshit aside, this song is pretty good. Or at least it would be pretty good, if anyone had even bothered to mix it. What a mess.
SUNMIYA CLUB (Single)
๐๐๐๐๐
My moral compulsion tells me I should hate this based on itโs explicit ties to her stupid NFT bullshit, but I canโt help myself, itโs actually kind of a bop.
ICONIC JAM material: Fellowship.
Heart Burn (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Strong indie pop influence on this and god is it cute. Dreamier vocals than usual,some tasteful synth accents and chill guitar make this a pretty comfy listen.
ICONIC JAM material: Heart Burn. |
| 99 |  | Sunwoojunga
Studio X {1. Phase}
Studio X {1. Phase} (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Iโm not sure I should really call this k-pop, this is more weirdo jazz pop with a Shiina Ringo-ish oddball flavour. But fuck it - Sumin features on one track so it counts. And good thing too because this is fucking awesome front to back. Incredible vocally and all over the place instrumentally (in a good way), especially on the awesome third track. One not to miss.
ICONIC JAM material: OCTAVE (feat. Sumin), nononono, gum (feat. baehyuni), ANY-motion. |
| 100 |  | SUNYE
Genuine
Genuine (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
The ballads here are above average, but they still bring down the really fun first two tracks. Iโm surprised itโs taken this long for a Sunye solo project considering Wonder Girls disbanded in 2017, but I was hoping for a bit more from this.
ICONIC JAM material: Just a Dancer. |
| 101 |  | Super Junior
The Road : Winter for Spring
The Road : Winter for Spring (EP)
๐๐๐๐๐
Man they really fell off. Tragic.
The Road : Keep on Going Vol.1 (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
Haha this is balls also stop calling 15 minute projects albums.
The Road : Celebration Vol.2 (Album)
๐๐๐๐๐
Take everything shit about the previous two and make it a christmas album. Pathetic. |
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