K-pop review: new sounds and favourites from Loona, BerryGood, Nature, DIA and more

Girl groups are killing it right now and also ... solo males? I will have to get to them another time. For this post, the ladies are in the spotlight, with the exception of one group of token boys...

 

BerryGood - Green Apple

BerryGood are back to save K-pop. These under-rated rookies have released some beauties in the past and this track is another winner. It's not dancehall or trop house  - just slickly crafted upbeat pop, with a pulsing beat that means you can dance to it. A soaring chorus means your spirits will be uplifted, if nothing else. There's at least one good singer in the band, so the performances are solid and there's a terrific weird synth that sounds like a random "woops" sound effect that adds colour, as does a bit of xylophone.  If AOA released this it would revive their flagging musical careers, ChoA or no ChoA. Instead it will likely sink without a trace.

DIA - Woo Woo

Man they took so long to release a new music. Woo Woo was worth the wait. I just love it so much. It would have been perfect for Twice, who I have been disappointed by lately, after they had such a great run. Shinsadong Tiger (legends only please) has served them up a frothy delight. It's barely there and yet packs so much joy. The rattle of the 808 percussion, the gently chiming bells, the electronic echo of "woo woo woo woo" that sounds like spaceships being downed in Galaga. Then there's the cat performance on The Show complete with whiskers and paw mittens. Please enjoy.

Loona - Favorite

An amazing song, from what is, quite frankly, a pretty flawless album, in what is, let's face it, an almost perfect catalogue. Loona's 'debut' album is that in name only, given that various solo members and subunits have released multiple singles and mini albums since the first, HeeJin's solo single Vivid was released in 2016. There aren't any songs I really don't like on ++, and with time there maybe songs I like more, but right now I love Favorite, with its hard slicing synths and beats and sweet harmonies - like a 60s girl group performing against the clatter, whirr and crank of a factory production line.

Nature - Allegro Cantabile

So for the debut of this eight-piece girl group, their agency n.CH Entertainment has given them the theme to a Japanese anime to cover, because of course that makes perfect sense. And somehow it kind of does? The group has Korean, Chinese and Japanese members so obviously they have an eye on the Japanese market (and who doesn't). Allegro Cantabile is the theme from Nodame Cantabile, composed by Suemitsu Atsushi, with Korean lyrics by k-pop stalwarts the Jam factory. If "anime" already didn't clue you in, it's a power pop-py number, with cheesy throwback 60s organ, which makes the power-chord air guitar choreography a little weird because there isn't too much guitar to be heard. But I guess all the keyboard choreography has been done to death by the boy bands lately. It's a fun track and their performances have been pretty slick, so it will be interesting to see what else they come up with.

Live High - First Love

More rookies. This quartet has been around since at least 2016 without troubling the charts but if you need a break from relentless dancehall beats their classic pop could be the perfect palate cleanser. They released the sunny Yes! earlier this year - a bouncy bop based on a springy acoustic guitar riff. First Love is a smoother, classic girl group jam - a bit like something BerryGood or Lovelyz might serve up. It's heavy on the orchestration and vocals, with lots of long drawn out notes. There is a nice flourish in the arrangement, with delays in the phrasing and delivery of certain lines that give a kick to the polished melody. The appeal is in the songcraft and production; the vocals, which are probably aiming for winsome, unfortunately verge on lifeless. Lovelyz could nail this.

 BigFlo - Upside Down

It's Brave Sound, so I am contractually obliged to love it. Just kidding. Truth be told I didn't recognise them when I saw their comeback on whichever show it was and my first thought was, ooh, bro needs to rethink whether K-pop is still right for him, then the song kicked in, and I was like, heh, pretty good, and by the end I was like, yeah can I play it again. One of their guys, Euijin, finished second in the The Unit, and has been in UNB - who did some pretty good stuff, so they're trying to capitalise on that. This has Brave Sound trademarks like catchy AS FUCK melodies and I would say the descending hookline probably is something he also has a penchant for - it's also something I have weakness for. I am also keen on any song that has "You can be my lady tonight" in the lyrics and the false finishes is also a nifty trope. You gotta go with the classics. Brave uses some pretty nice electronic textures in this; rough rasps verging on squelches that support more traditional washy synth sounds, leading into a bridge and chorus where call and answer vocals take centre stage. This is so damn classy. And you can dance to it. Also did I mention it's Brave?

Soya - Y-shirt (Deep Inside)

This has two of my least favourite things lately: a dancehall rhythm* and the dolphin noises so beloved of trop house songs. And yet it's so beguiling. The arranger is a sneaky bugger: he starts with a sweet lilting reggae rhythm and when the segue into dancehall comes, it's muted. The melody is the star and the chorus, unforgettable. Soya has a lovely velvety voice and the contrast with Heedo's (B.I.G.) deep voice is delightful, as is their playful choreography, which also serves as a slightly sad reminder that men and women don't dance together enough in K-pop.



*I am not totally against dancehall, I just think it has become lazy shorthand for producers/agencies looking for a hit.

Also on play: Stray Kids: Insomnia; Varsity: Flower; Leo: Touch & Sketch; Laboum: Between Us; NeonPunch: Moonlight; Aivan: Curiosity
Spotify playlist of 2018 K-pop songs here.