Support Me! https://buymeacoffee.com/hownottokpop
Show Notes
JYP, Stray Kids, Itzy, Nmixx – Like Magic
This tracks cool! Powerful, emotive performance goes hard. Love the beat switches, filtered/effected in the verses, then a dnb for the chorus. The chorus synths have an industrial electro flair before dropping to the verse sound which is pretty if not a little standard, reminiscent of Ive’s either way. The vocal absolutely shines on this one, it’s well produced, I’m confused as to why this is effectively a throwaway release I absolutely love this track.
Yugyeom – 1 Minute
Gray production uninspired – i’ve heard this sound a million times. Yugyeom’s performance has great energy, the doubling is a bit aggressive but very dynamic singing and rapping parts. Its cookie cutter rnb here, if you like Gray’s productions you’ll like this.
Le Sserafim – Easy
This song is boring. Standard trap rnb beat to a hook to a part with pitched down vocals. Performance comes off too subdued, maybe too heavy on the psychedelic travis scott delays and autotune. Its short at 2:45 which is nice and the mix is balanced and warm, but nothing stands out from this bland, standard 2024 kpop track.
IU – Holssi
Oh this beat Knocks! IU is singing a little lower in this one compared to tracks like Lilac. This track is sick! Production is top class, the upfront vocal works well with a very spacious mix full of big verbs and delays. The digital sounding harmonies work and give the track a strange ethereal flavour, like i’m listening to fairies singing from flowers. It ends a touch abruptly, but awesome track
IU – Shopper
Little bit uninspired this one, think Carly Rae Jepsen sound. I love the beat switch in the chorus though, really strange syncopated moments. Production once again is stunning, this one less interesting than holssi a much safer bet in its arrangement, it really soars at the end a real stadium feel, reminiscent of Florence and the Machine. Solid track.
Moon Byul (Mamamoo) – Think About
Wasn’t sure what to expect from Moon Byul’s full length. This track is cool, her singing is great, not overly affected and emotive, maybe a bit too much repetition in the lyrics, felt like every second word in the chorus was repeated XD. Tempo of the track is great and energetic. The mix is loud and a bit too compressed for my taste. It’s a catchy, solid kpop song i recommend
Moon Byul – Touchin&Movin
I love the Pre-chorus in to the chorus, the beat follows the vocal in a cool way. The arrangement is fun, disco synths and bass with some horns in the mix. Track has a great energy, partly from the tempo but also Moon Byul’s performance, energetic and powerful, real pop star stuff. Tough decision but I think I prefer think about
BiBi – Sugar Rush
WHOOO what a banger. The beat is sick in this track and comes in at a really weird time, grabbed me straight away. Bibi’s performance is sexy and cheeky, despite being performed in a whispery voice sits well in the mix. Moments of harmonies are a nice touch, gave the track some dynamics. Great rnb pop track.
Jung Seung Won – Leaf
Orchestral ballad that absolutely hits from Jung Seung Won. The soaring chorus is brilliant.
Leellamarz – Two Pills
Something about the minimalist arrangement and production on this one works for me. I’m still not huge on the autotune but i totally get that its leellamarz sound. I like the scratchy, boxy drum sound, the swimming filtered vocals. This track has mystery, pulling me in til the end. Recommended.
YeoDongSaeng – A Fluttering Love
Great voices. The strings were great but come off a touch thin, the whole mix is quite bright. The drums don’t have much impact but I appreciated the acoustic sound to them, same with the guitar had a lovely itch to it. Its a solid, catchy track if you’re into that older Apink sound.
A.C.E – My Girl
Lush rnb dance track from ACE. Love the beat, mixed really tastefully, the snare has a warmth to it never biting or sharp. The disco inspired guitar is standard, not bad but typical. Personally would’ve liked a touch more plucky attack in the bass, its tone is nice and full but it would’ve grooved a little more with some more high-mid energy. Synths are lush and sweet. Vocal is sweet to but overproduced for my taste, every vocal sounds like a backing harmony, its like this song has no lead vocal. This track is mid, nothing incredible.
Caper – Like A Drug
I really like Caper’s voice, it has a unique flavour to it and really interesting vibrato. Its cool to hear a fresh voice in korean rnb. The backing track is a bit standard, beat is mixed well and there’s some cool violin and flute samples throughout the track but otherwise pretty standard stuff. Caper’s on my radar though this voice is too special to ignore.
Dbo – A lot of stars
Fun energetic track from Dbo. Well mixed sub bass and kick. The autotune adlibs could be a bit much at times, but otherwise suited the feel. This track is short, just over a minute 35, but a fun ride while it lasts.
Alexa – Sick
Its a cool track from Alexa. The guitar and bass tone is great, I love the distortion on the vocal especially in the chorus, fits the vibe of the track, the chords in the chorus hook are really pretty. I wanted the last chorus to crescendo a little more, maybe a more obnoxious guitar lick or a solo even. Really enjoyed this one it got stuck in my head.
Twice – One Spark
I love the beat on this one, perfectly produced, i love the dnb influence. The vocal is clinical and what one would expect from Twice, excellent. I like how the synths reminded me of other Twice songs like in feel special or I can’t stop me, gave the song a familiar feel. The repetition of the hook is tasteful, not annoying at all like other Kpop I’ve heard recently. I think what stops this track from being all time is the arrangement needed a little extra in the chorus to make it hit and soar, the vocal does but the other elements are lacking.
Bryn – Still
Bryn leaning in to hyperpop on this one. I love the distorted elements landing on the beat, fierce, digital and dancey. Didn’t mind her autotune, but it was a bit much in the bridge, which is a mess. Everything gets filtered and bryn’s voice takes a strange turn. I respect the experimentation but wasn’t pleasant to my ears. This a catchy tune from Bryn and really shows how diverse her sound can be.
W00R1, Bryn – Catch Me
Also coming out this week from Bryn. a dance rnb track, I like the more edm production it hits deeper than songs in this vein like le seraffim’s easy or twice’s rush. Bryn’s performance is excellent as ever, flow is awesome, the la las at the back end are effected and panned in a really fun way. Great track thats dangerously close to Kpop coming out these days, but stands out on its own.
How NOT to Kpop 