K-pop selection: new sounds and favourites from Yubin, Samuel, A.C.E. and more

Classic K-pop selection

A.C.E. – Take Me Higher

What a fantastic fun MV. All the bright colours and ludicrous sets of old-school K-pop, and yes, ACE fan boys and girls, they're wearing shorts. This a great salsoul/garage number just right for the northern summer with killer vocals - high and crystal clear.  The group is currently promoting as a quartet due to Chan promoting with UNB.

Fromis_9 – 22 Century Girl

Ignore the shaky vocals in the live stages where this is merely the intro to title track DKDK. I like this much better than the title though. WonderKid and Breadbeat, who gave us WannaOne's lacklustre Boomerang, make up for past sins with this banger. It's sophisticated pop, with a melancholy melody and tightly coiled percussion driving the smart synth arrangement. And the delicate vocals (on the studio version) are lovely.

Sad selection

Samuel – Teenager

I loved Samuel's 90s upbeat throwback bop Candy but when Brave Brothers decide to turn on the melancholy, they usually nail it (think of 4Minute's Only Gained Weight or T-ara's What's My Name), and Teenager is no exception. I am not sure if this is meant to be a lament about Samuel's frustrations about not being the biggest K-pop star on the planet - which is clearly his goal - or not. Either way, the deft arrangement of big wobbly synths, lazy beats and a sticky melody make this a keeper.

Victon – Time of Sorrow

These guys have made some great funky tracks in the past and this seems like a change but hey it would be a disappointment if a K-pop band wasn't mixing it up and I hope they never stop. This is a mellow track with a lovely melody and I like it because it isn't a straight up ballad - there's a beat, so it's more of a slow jam, but it kind of has more of a rock than an R&B vibe. The vocals are outstanding, with ghostly "ooo"s and some nice sensitive work from the lead. Good job. Also the video where they mirror the choreography with a group of girl dancers is adorable.

What took you so long selection

Yubin – Lady

Hey lady, thanks for finally releasing something. It was worth the wait. It was described as "an over-produced masterpiece" by a mutual on Twitter, and that pretty much nails it. Yubin calls it "city pop" - a Japanese style from the 80s. It reminds me of the British pop that sprang up as a reaction to punk from 1980 onwards; much of it produced or influenced by Trevor Horn (Art of Noise, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Propaganda). Layers and layers of sounds processed until all that is left are memories of a sound and time you can't quite pin down. Gorgeous.