While BTS broadsided kpop in 2017, an exponentially proliferating hurricane of Wanna One spinoffs banged relentlessly at the shutters. I was quietly enjoying a niche headspace of surprising b-sides and quirky r&b, so I didn't notice until tuning in for the year-end shows that the acts who have dominated airwaves for the last decade were missing from the stages - Big Bang (despite two solos), 2ne1, Shinee, f(x), CNBlue, Beast/Highlight, SNSD, Infinite, any rappers, etc. It felt like an evacuation had occurred, leaving behind only a bewildering void of melancholy. Thus, the news of Jonghyung's suicide shook me up more than I would have expected, his untimely death marking a hard stop at the end of an era.
In remembrance of where it all (re)started...
Shinee - "Replay"
"M.V.P"
KPOP COUNTDOWN 2017
Dean ft. SYD - "Love"
The escalation from verse to verse is about the sexiest thing I've heard since "Put My Hands On You".
"I got intentions baby
But, I'm getting restless babe
I need your blessing baby
I'll love/f**k you if you let me baby"
See also the SMTM collaboration tracks with Zico for some fun Dean production.
WINNER - "Really Really"
Best in Tropicali 2017
See also: "Fool"
Block B - "Shall We Dance"
Bravura rap, all-in falsetto, and groovy, groovy bump. The way I like it.
Bravura rap, all-in falsetto, and groovy, groovy bump. The way I like it.
Hotshot - "Jelly"
Out of all the Produce 101 spinoff group (Wanna One, JBJ, MXM, Rainz, N'uest) singles (including similarly paced "Energetic"), "Jelly" is the coolest drink of water.
"Baby please don't go..."
"Baby please don't go..."
Hyuna - "Babe"
Metallic bubble funk captures the more endearing aspects of Hyuna's persona, sweet and sassy, rather than just blasting brash sexy.
Day6 - Sunrise, and Moonrise
A surprise when they schooled the Ikon/Winner crew on YG's own reality show, 5live/Day6 went on to release a string of interesting singles starting from 2016's "Letting Go". I slightly prefer the sonic experimentation on Sunrise - "I Wait", "How Can I Say" and "You Are Beautiful" - over the warmer cafe rock sound of Moonrise, but both albums (and EPs) are imminently replayable. It's all so damn pleasant and only getting stronger live. Day6 deserves more attention than the slow burn suggests.
Day6 - Sunrise, and Moonrise
A surprise when they schooled the Ikon/Winner crew on YG's own reality show, 5live/Day6 went on to release a string of interesting singles starting from 2016's "Letting Go". I slightly prefer the sonic experimentation on Sunrise - "I Wait", "How Can I Say" and "You Are Beautiful" - over the warmer cafe rock sound of Moonrise, but both albums (and EPs) are imminently replayable. It's all so damn pleasant and only getting stronger live. Day6 deserves more attention than the slow burn suggests.
Hyukoh - "Wanli"
Where the band's previous EPs read as bluesy knowing melancholy, the newest album, 23, reflects an expansive transcendent taste in rock.
Odd Eye Circle - Mix & Match (album)
Loona 1/3 - Love & Live (album)
Loona killed it this year. Foremost as the progressively digital Odd Eye Circle (See: "Loonatic", "Girl Front", "Uncover") then as the dreamy feminine subunit Loona 1/3 (See: "You and Me Together", Shiina Ringo ripoff "Sonatine", "Let Me In") and finally with lots of strong singles from individual members. (See: "New", "Eclipse"). And the winners just keep coming.
Ailee - "Reminiscing"
Ailee rarely steps out of her comfort zone, but her cover of Beast's "Rainy Days" (including rapping) and this amazingly nimble recall to Mary J. Blige's freeform What's the 411 and swanky 80's R&B. production, prove she's got way more to give than brassy belting.
ZICO - She's a Baby
This sound is to Zico what Hotline Bling is to Drake...
except Zico swings at 1:15 and spits at 2:10 with more sophistication in this soft ditty than a lot of rappers can pull off in a rap song.
Code Kunst ft. G.Soul, TABLO - "Fire Water"
Korean Quiet Storm with sci-fi bloop bleeps
...meets G. Soul channeling Sade
...then Tablo sums with this slice of cheese
..."I made the bed for you. You can z-z-z in peace."
See also: G.Soul - "Bad Habit", "Circles", "Tequila"
...meets G. Soul channeling Sade
...then Tablo sums with this slice of cheese
..."I made the bed for you. You can z-z-z in peace."
See also: G.Soul - "Bad Habit", "Circles", "Tequila"
JINBO ft. Jay Park - "Just You And Me"
Jay Park's swingy rendition of Kim Hyun-Sik's 1986 song is so swoony.
Hoody - "Hangang"
Gotta say, Cha Cha has outdone himself - a tiny stutter on the bass, the slight hesitation of the clap, breezy vocals - altogether producing a languid frisson of groove.
Compare to Jay Park's fun but earthbound Cha Cha vehicles "Yacht" and "Reborn".
Crush ft. Beenzino - "Outside"
See also: Crush with Band Wonderlust - "마지막 축제", and Groovy Room ft. Sik-K and Crush - "Party"
Dumbfounded Feat. Dok2, Simon Dominic, Tiger JK - "Hyung"
I'll take more-please Simon D wherever I can get him, plus on-a-roll-recently Dok2 delivers.
Millic ft. Fanxy Child - "Paradise"
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The curiosities and/or caveats of the year.
BTS - "Not Today"
Not since "Just One Day" have I BTS repeated this much, since the group is more "Fire" (adolescent fist-in-palm drama) than my taste normally allows. In this climate of adulation, my forced pick would not be the relatively silky "DNA", but rather the boize noize of "Not Today" (menaced by "Yay Area" style beats and driven to an increasingly frenzied soca climax). Album tracks supersynth "Best of Me" and folksy "Go Go" would not be far behind.
See: "Begin" from 2016 album Wings, which floats above the chaff.
Highlight - "Plz dont be sad"
They've lost the stature they once had, which is a darn shame, cause they keep evolving and refining their new sound and other people keep copying their old stuff. The latest album, is mostly fun and celebratory but lacks cohesion.
See also: "It's Still Beautiful" as appropriate a breakup and moving-on song as you could hope for Beast, now Highlight.
Taemin - "Thirsty" (OFF-SICK Concert Ver.)
The deeper bass drops on the chorus give this track a desperation that the album version can't match.
Twice - "Likey"
"Likey" is not super remarkable. The melody is prototypical, maybe even second string, Twice. That is to say... bubbly candy-coated freestyle performed in an ultra pouty mode. What is remarkable, is that "Likey" is inexplicably mashed up with dumb mid-90's breakbeats, that sort of euro chunk sound that gets no love these days, or ever, in the remix world. This unlikely temporal reversal somehow blows my mind.
Millic ft. Fanxy Child - "Paradise"
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The curiosities and/or caveats of the year.
BTS - "Not Today"
Not since "Just One Day" have I BTS repeated this much, since the group is more "Fire" (adolescent fist-in-palm drama) than my taste normally allows. In this climate of adulation, my forced pick would not be the relatively silky "DNA", but rather the boize noize of "Not Today" (menaced by "Yay Area" style beats and driven to an increasingly frenzied soca climax). Album tracks supersynth "Best of Me" and folksy "Go Go" would not be far behind.
See: "Begin" from 2016 album Wings, which floats above the chaff.
Highlight - "Plz dont be sad"
They've lost the stature they once had, which is a darn shame, cause they keep evolving and refining their new sound and other people keep copying their old stuff. The latest album, is mostly fun and celebratory but lacks cohesion.
See also: "It's Still Beautiful" as appropriate a breakup and moving-on song as you could hope for Beast, now Highlight.
Zico ft. Fanxy Child - "Fanxy Child"
"Different r&b r&b..."
Lay - "I Need U"
Lay - "I Need U"
Forget that faux badass "sheep" bullsh*t. This is how Lay is done. With some (but not enough) proper twinkly dancing.
EXO - "Forever"
The transition from verse to chorus is what barely carved out a space on this list for "Forever". Unfortunately, this year's Exo album didn't have the dense cohesion or sense of risk as the previous, perhaps an unfair penalty for a well executed collection of songs.
Epik High, Mino, Simon D, The Quiett- "No Thanxxx"
EXO - "Forever"
The transition from verse to chorus is what barely carved out a space on this list for "Forever". Unfortunately, this year's Exo album didn't have the dense cohesion or sense of risk as the previous, perhaps an unfair penalty for a well executed collection of songs.
Epik High, Mino, Simon D, The Quiett- "No Thanxxx"
Again, I'm here for Simon D.
Red Velvet - "Peek a Boo"
Girls, this is your dress.
Although it's really mostly about those beats.
Girls, this is your dress.
Although it's really mostly about those beats.
Taemin - "Thirsty" (OFF-SICK Concert Ver.)
The deeper bass drops on the chorus give this track a desperation that the album version can't match.
Twice - "Likey"
"Likey" is not super remarkable. The melody is prototypical, maybe even second string, Twice. That is to say... bubbly candy-coated freestyle performed in an ultra pouty mode. What is remarkable, is that "Likey" is inexplicably mashed up with dumb mid-90's breakbeats, that sort of euro chunk sound that gets no love these days, or ever, in the remix world. This unlikely temporal reversal somehow blows my mind.
Blanc7 - "Yeah"
Xcixxors approved.
Xcixxors approved.
Royal Pirates - "Where U At"
RP fell into an autotuned haze hole, but at least it's warm and cozy.
Double K ft. Seo in Guk - OMG
OMG is what you will say after hearing Seo in Guk sing the hook.
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