Picking up right where we left off from the songs list, 2016 was the year for some of, not only the best but also, my favourite albums of all time. While there’s not many albums from newly debuted groups on here, we do have some of the best albums created by many senior and veterans in the industry. I will personally say this is probably one of the best years for albums from seniors ever and it is time to finally see what the year had to offer.
As a note, these are some of my personal favourite albums and not necessarily the best or most iconic. I will also list some of my favourite songs from the album in a loose manner but I will talk about them in detail as we go on.
16. NU’EST - Canvas
Favourite songs: Love Paint (every afternoon), Daybreak (Minhyun & JR), Thank You (evening by evening)
Ever since their debut in 2012, NU’EST has always been improving on their sound and has created something that is inherently unique to them. Despite being away for almost 2 years by this point since their first full album, the boys has returned with 2 mini albums that is vastly different from the last few albums but still managing to sound like them. While Overcome is an amazing song, my pick for their albums this year has to be Canvas as it has such a unique take on how the album should be and further experiments on this newfound style. Love Paint has more sexy, RnB style and flair to it and takes the experimental EDM sound Overcome had and further expands on it in different ways. Using a vast array of different synth samples and textures, the song paints a smooth yet oddly unique soundscape to it.
The way the album was tracklisted also plays an important part as it was said that the songs are arranged in a certain order and should be listened at certain times of the day, which is why Love Paint has the subtitle of ‘every afternoon’. Starting with Daybreak, which is the unit song between JR and Minhyun, is a very chill and mellow song which is very fitting for the title and the purpose of it following a certain time schedule. The use of the rhodes and synth patches adds a sense of peace to the soundscape while still maintaining the slower momentum of the song. R.L.T.L (Real Love True Love) is the song meant for morning which is an interesting choice as it is a very upbeat, EDM track with a lot of interesting choices in its melodic writing as it plays with the parallel major a lot in its chorus.
Love Paint acts as the song for afternoon while Thank you acts as the evening song which is also very fitting as it seems to act as a sort of pop ballad with a lot of movement and dynamics. The use of the background harmonies, synths and percussion adds a lot of high energy to the song despite it being quite slow in its momentum. The last song to represent the night is Look (A Starlight Night) which is another interesting choice as it is another funky, EDM focused song but with it being more muted in some sections and having the soundscape sound more wavy as opposed to the higher energy levels of R.L.T.L. The entirety of the album has a very interesting and unique approach to its tracklisting and it is sad to see this album along with the Q Is album be so overlooked during the time.
15. Seventeen - Love & Letter Repackage
Favourite songs: Pretty U (예쁘다), Very Nice (아주 Nice), Hit Song (유행가), Say Yes, Simple, NO F.U.N, Adore U (Vocal Team Ver.)
Seventeen has had an amazing track record of producing amazing songs while still giving quantity as the repackage for their first full album added 5 whole new songs, as opposed to how other companies would add 2 or 3 at best. Both title tracks are quite different from each other yet still have inherent qualities still unique to Seventeen. Pretty U is very lighthearted song that has some funky and jazzy elements that compliments the already signature seventeen sound. Very Nice, which is the title track for the repackage version, is arguably one of the most recognisable and representative song Seventeen has ever done. Still taking the somewhat jazzy sound and mixing it with a more pop influenced sound, the song has very gimmicky elements that would seemed to fail in a lot of other circumstances. But not for Seventeen as the elements seem to enhance the song as the very theatrical yet comedic chorus makes it iconic and a staple song for anyone to listen to when getting to know Seventeen.
As it is a full album, there are many things they could do and with the repackage, even more content and substance has been added in to make it a fully definitive album. Chuck starts off the original album and is probably the only outlier in the album, style wise, as it is very EDM focused and hard hitting. This differs from the rest of the album so it acts as a very explosive start to, what is otherwise, a very happy and chill album. Still Lonely and Drift Away, which are both special unit songs, are quite similar in the sense where they are both more chill and relaxed while still being upbeat. The difference between the two is that Still Lonely has more momentum and some very slight funk elements while Drift Away is overall slower and has quite the coffee shop feel. Hit Song is quite an interesting song as it seems to be their take on RnB without relying on it being sexy, rather it focuses on the rhythm and melodic writing of the overall song. Say Yes is a duet between DK and Seungkwan and acts as the obligatory pop ballad of the album but it does the job well as it shows off their vocal abilities just fine and the song itself is incredibly well written while having enough pop elements to keep it interesting enough for the casual listener.
We also can’t forget about the main unit songs as they seem to be renditions of previous songs. The vocal team’s rendition of Adore U is, personally, an even better version of the original as it is now an RnB/Ballad and brings the song to new life. The hip-hop team’s rendition of Mansae is quite interesting as it turned the very fun song into something along the lines of chill-hop while the performance team’s rendition of Shining Diamond brought a lot of interesting mixes into the song while adding a lot of dubstep elements into and still keeping it very upbeat. Love Letter acts as the closing song for the album and it seems to be a very fitting end as it is very upbeat and happy while having that Disney style to it.
We still can’t brush over the repackage songs as they add a lot to the overall album. Much like Chuck, NO F.U.N acts as the outlier for the album, even more so than Chuck, as the sound is much darker compared to anything they’ve released ever up till this point. The song also has lot of emphasis on percussion and has more explosive sound comparatively. Healing is also another happy song that fits right in within their entire discography. Space is a hip-hop unit song that features DK and is an interesting choice without being too different. It is more of a chill song that is quite solemn just based off the soundscape alone. Simple, which is Woozi’s solo, sounds like a normal upbeat pop song but the melodic and harmonic writing is what sells me on the song. It feels very sincere and grandiose on a more personal level and the instrumental compliments it very well. Seventeen has already released amazing content within their first year in the industry and it always surprises me how they managed to push so many songs of such high quality at a real consistent rate.
14. Gugudan - Act.1 The Little Mermaid
Favourite songs: 일기 (Diary), Maybe Tomorrow, 구름 위로 (Could This Be Love), Wonderland
While still in the middle of their contract with I.O.I, Jellyfish pulled Sejeong and Mina out to have them debut in their new girl group, Gugudan. While this may be a very questionable business decision on their end, it did end up with them releasing one of my favourite debut albums of all time. While Wonderland can be seen as just a normal cute song with nothing special to it, it is one of the best cute songs to be made. Simple but with enough happening to keep me invested. With such simple instrumentation of just synths and some strings and a simple guitar occasionally popping up in the track, the song feels full and complete enough for my ears.
The rest of the album also follows a similar style but still branching out far enough to be separate and distinct from each other. Could This Be Love is quite similar to Wonderland as they are both upbeat and happy songs. The song has much simpler melodic writing, using the guitar line as a basis while having sprinkles of synths through the song. It does have some interesting moments as the pre-chorus and the end of the chorus love to go higher in the key and adds some spice to the song. Good Boy is another upbeat song but has some interesting textures used in the keys and bass. Diary, which is probably my favourite song done by them ever, is a good mix of being a more mature sound while still being poppy enough for the public. It does take the form of a pop ballad that would be more in line with western music as the melodic writing is quite simple yet effective at what it’s meant to be. Maybe Tomorrow is the classic slow ballad of the album and while it is quite simple and straight forward, ballads will always do the job for me as long as it does the cover the basis and is good enough to keep my attention. While this is a fairly simple album, the execution and production of it all really stuck by me as it has all the elements I do love when it comes to simple music.
13. Oh My Girl - Windy Day
Favourite songs: 한 발짝 두 발짝 (One Step, Two Step), Stupid In Love, Knock Knock, I Found Love, Liar Liar
Oh My Girl has returned to my lists with an album this time and this is probably one of my favourite mini albums from them. Continuing on from the upbeat cute sound they’ve done with Cupid, Liar Liar seems to be a more playful and whimsical version of that sound as it still has the upbeat nature while still having some mystical undertones which feels more fulfilling to the overall sound. The pre-chorus seems to be sidestep in the melody wand immediately goes back into the original sound. This would be an amazing title track on its own but the repackage brings an interesting new perspective to the whole album. Windy Day is a very interesting song as it still plays with the idea of a happy song with the simple guitar strumming at the beginning and the accompanying background harmonies. While the start is so sparse and simple, the chorus picks up in momentum and instrumentation and fills in the song more with its three part chorus. The second part of the chorus is interesting as it has a chromatic unison singing while the third part is where the duality kicks in as the Middle Eastern/Egyptian scale (which I know in this case is the Phrygian scale) is used to pick up the intensity and make the soundscape sound more intense.
While the two title tracks play around with the duality that the girls are capable of, the rest of the album expands upon the song we do know from them. Stupid In Love, which is a duet song between Seunghee and Binnie, is added in the repackage and really shows off as softer side as the song is essentially an acoustic pop song that shows off the vocal capabilities of the girls without going overboard. B612 is another one of those happy, upbeat songs but is more chill in its momentum and plays with some interesting chords during the pre-chorus as it adds some depth to the overall sound. I Found Love is similar but is accompanied by a very tinny sounding piano line as opposed to the synths used in B612. Knock Knock is a quite different from the rest as it seems to take a more RnB approach to the sound as it is more groovy and rhythmic driven as heard in the guitar line and rhodes-esque timbre in the keys.
One Step, Two Step, which is produced by Jinyoung from B1A4, is probably one of the most representative song Oh My Girl as it perfectly captures their sound while still being easy to understand to the casual listener. The use of strings in unison with the synths and background harmonies create such a full sound that is so heartfelt and loving that it is really surprising as to how Jinyoung manages to create such amazing music for girls. This is one of the earliest yet most well done example of Oh My Girl’s best sound, it is cute and sweet yet loving and I feel like this is their best attributes when it comes to music.
12. DAY6 - Daydream
Favourite songs: Sing Me, Letting Go (놓아 놓아 놓아), First Time, Blood, Hunt
DAY6 is finally back after a long while and they came back with a familiar yet different sound, not just for the title track but for the album as a whole. Letting Go is pretty much like any rock ballad but one that is quite unconventional at points. The song starts very slow with just the lone guitar strums and as the first chorus plays on, the rest of the song starts to fill in and develop. With the second verse onwards, it starts to sound to like a normal rock ballad but suddenly takes off as the second chorus starts. The sudden momentum shift may throw some people off but it settles in nicely and with this, we now have the start of DAY6’s signature sound.
With the rest of the album, the sound is very different from their previous one and even very unconventional when considering the sound of other Korean bands in K-pop. The overall sound of the album is very Indie or Alt even as it it steers away from the normal sound while still having the signature DAY6 sound. First Time starts off the album well and sets the overall mood as it is a very melancholic song with a very Alt twang to the sound. Blood, while still having an overall different feel like the rest of the album, is another different song as it seems to be more funky and more aligned with how Western music is with its emphasis on the rhythm and bassline. Hunt is another type of funky song but rather than focusing on the bassline like how Blood does, Hunt is more funky in the sense where the groove and momentum drives the song in its more grandiose soundscape. Wish is the most calm pop song on the album, after Letting Go since that is more of a rock ballad, and the overall sound of it is more Alt/Indie much like First Time but in a different reign.
Sing Me, which is my favourite song on the album, is the embodiment of what I love in pop rock when it is used in more modern way. The use of the pop rock instrumentation mixed with the waves of synths in the chorus creates such a pleasing and well rounded sound that is satisfies my inner audiophile. It is definitely their most ‘pop’ song but it does wonders with its sound. Daydream is one their most different albums in terms of overall style but there’s something for everyone in an album like this.
11. IOI - Chrysalis
Favourite songs: Crush, 똑 똑 똑 (Knock Knock Knock), When The Cherry Blossoms Fade (벚꽃이 지면), I.O.I - Intro
As the first ever winning team from the first ever installment of the legendary Produce 101 series, I.O.I made their mark on the industry and on the rest of the series despite their short run time together. With such an amazing lineup of girls, the possibilities are endless and while they did have a shaky start to a lot of people, it is still a really good album to me and I have a lot of enjoyment and memories with it. Dream Girls acts as the sort of starting anthem sort of song with how it is presented and produced but it does the job well. With a very fitting set of synths and a really good guitar line, the song really set itself up to be an incredible starting point for the girls.
The rest of the album is more well rounded and brings out a lot of different sides that they’re capable of. Knock, Knock, Knock and Doo Wap are both the only songs on the album which was not used on the show, besides Dream Girls and they act as fitting accompaniments to the rest of the album. The former is a slower song yet very upbeat and cute and shows off the more mellow yet capable vocals of the girls while the latter is more swung and upbeat and acts as a good contrast to the rest of the album. Crush, which was used as the song for the show’s finale, is a very pop focused song and has a more grandiose, finale soundscape to it. The use of the darker sounding synths really help build the song up and the chorus really sells it off as this complete package of a song fit for a finale.
When The Cherry Blossoms Fade, another song produced by Jinyoung from B1A4, acts as the slower, ballad-esque song for the finale but it is still upbeat and happy and lets the show end of a higher note rather than a sad one. The more acoustic pop elements of the song really lends itself to the soundscape associated with spring and is very fitting for the title. As much as I.O.I is my favourite girl group of all time, I tried my best to not let my bias get in the way and to present a fair review and opinion on their debut album which I still enjoyed regardless.
10. Lovelyz - A New Trilogy
Favourite songs: Dear You (마음 ( *취급주의 )), Bookmark (책갈피), 1cm, Destiny (나의 지구), Doll (인형)
Lovelyz also makes a return to my lists with their only release of the year yet it seems to be one of their most definitive and well rounded albums. Destiny is a sort of departure from the cute sound they’ve had before but instead elevates it to be more mature while still keeping the same sort of style and flair from their previous songs. With the set of synths and string lines used, it sets to be the blueprint for how orchestral pop music is done by girl groups in K-pop when they do decide to do a song like this.
The rest of the album takes sounds we’ve already heard from the girls before and refines it to be some of the most well done example of what they can do. Fondant is more mellow but still upbeat and happy song that makes good use of the different synth patches and string lines. While the energy and soundscape is quite low and calm, the feel and textures of the song is still quite bright and has a sense of playfulness to it. Meanwhile, 1cm is a song that fully embraces the cute, playful energy and makes it more energetic. While the soundscape is still quite limited, its use of the many synths in the track make for quite a fun listen and will probably put a smile on your face. On the other hand of the spectrum, Bookmark is the ballad of the album and is quite typical in its style and production but it is still quite a well done pop ballad. The use of synths and the strings in unison create such a well rounded sound that lends itself well to what the song is going for.
While Doll might as also be considered a slow song of some sort, it is definitely the most different song the girls have done so far at this point in their careers. With a rhodes styled piano line accompanying the main track, the instrumentation and soundscape of the song is very interesting yet sparse as it has a lot of interesting instrument choices. From a peculiar type of wind instrument to the brushes of some sort being used as a type of percussion, the overall style is quite playful while having a sense of unsettling eerie-ness to it. Dear You takes the best of both worlds as it makes use of the happier, brighter instrumentation from the happier songs while also having some grounded senses as the song has a lot of dynamics and doesn’t consistently stay too bright in its sound. While this may have been the start of their new trilogy, they managed to create such a well rounded album that showcases the best of what they were able to offer in such a well produced fashion.
9. VIXX - 2016 Conception KER
Favourite songs: Fantasy, Dynamite, The Closer, Good Night & Good Morning, Romance Is Over (로맨스는 끝났다), Milky Way, 손의 이별 (Badbye), Love Me Do, 늪 (Six Feet Under)
2016 might have been one of VIXX’s most eventful year to date, with having done a trilogy of albums and wrapping it all up together in the conception KER album. Each part of this series has been so distinct and different from each other and from anything they’ve done in their careers while still keeping the VIXX flair that makes their music so unique in the first place. Milky Way, being the song used for this collection, is the most different song from the rest and is not apart of the lore for the trilogy. However, the song is still just as good as it makes excellent use of the RnB chords in this very cosmic soundscape while also being very groovy and somewhat funky.
As for the other title tracks in the trilogy, Dynamite seems to be the most interesting as it has such an interesting set of sounds to create this mysterious yet groovy soundscape. The song also loves playing with weird chords and chromaticism as heard in the pre-chorus while the chorus itself is much happier in the major yet it still fits the overall song well without standing out too much. Fantasy is the darkest sounding song on the album with it being very gloomy soundscape and having such a minor sound to it, courtesy of them sampling Moonlight Sonata while doing do. The song makes such good use of its source material while expanding upon it with amazing instrumentation to create such a sinister sound. The Closer is an interesting track when looking at the bigger picture as it uses a lot of RnB elements while still being very unconventional in its production and composition.
While it may be more interesting to explain the different parts of the series separately, they do have a lot of parallels from each other that will also be interesting to look while being simpler to analyse. Six Feet Under and Love Me Do are parallels from each other as they do seem to accompany the title track while adding a bit more contrast. The former is also a funky, groovy song that is more straightforward as opposed to how complex and interesting Dynamite is while the latter is more dance focused, with an electronic sound done in a more mature and sexy style to fully contrast from how dark of a sound Fantasy. Desperate would’ve also been a song as dark as Fantasy as it served as the supporting track to The Closer and contrasted it well enough. However, while Desperate also had a dark, almost gothic soundscape in the verses and opening, the chorus picked up on the electronic elements and made it a very interesting sort of dance song. Shooting Star is more in line with Milk Way as it is the only other funky and light hearted song on the album.
Badbye, Butterfly Effect, Romance Is Over and Good Night & Good Morning all act as the slower songs of the album. Badbye and Romance Is Over are both very typical ballads as the former is more pop focused and has more dynamics while the latter stays relatively calm in its momentum and is more straightforward. Good Night & Good Morning is more RnB focused while still being quite slow and is very vocally focused and Butterfly Effect is very jazzy in it’s RnB nature and is very dynamic while still keeping its energy levels low enough to not stray away from the style. It is amazing to see how VIXX managed to do an entire trilogy in the span of a year, which gave way to some of their most well done work in their career, and even did this special collection with another special song just for the fans who supported them through this project.
8. Jonghyun - She Is
Favourite songs: Moon, 좋아 (She Is), Cocktail, RED, White T-shirt
The late Jonghyun was an amazing singer and producer and his first full solo album is the greatest example of his work. While I am not into the vast majority of solo debuts or solo careers from people who has debuted in groups before, Jonghyun is the few exceptions who broke through that and is not even a bias of mine at that. She Is is one of those upbeat and bright songs but is done so tastefully with interesting production choices. Using a wide array of synths to create a real satisfying soundscape, the sound he as created is dynamic and interesting yet easily palatable to the ears. Together with hints of a funky bass, he created such a well made and well rounded song that could easily anyone’s ears.
The rest of the album follows a familiar yet still distinct pattern of his sound. White T-shirt is the most pop sounding song on the album as it has the standard pop elements like an ear-catching piano line and a set of synths to create a simple yet effective dance hall sound. As simple as it is, the execution is still splendid and creates such an earworm. Dress Up is probably one of the more deceiving songs he has done as it such an amazing soundscape with this impeccable wall of synths but the way it drops into the chorus is such a weird mood shift but is so welcomed. As the chorus progresses, the energy seems to have been more intense but all the samples and sound really play into the soundscape so well. Red is another song that loosely follows the RnB formula of the rest of the songs yet it feels more suave in its sound and is more intricate. As the song progresses, the choices from the choice of synths and melodic writing all feels intentional and is meant to have an impact on the sound.
Orbit and Aurora are both songs that take the RnB/Jazz style and executes it in their own distinct ways as the latter is more staccato in its rhythm while having a more wavy and bouncy sound while the former is more swung and freeform in its instrumentation as there is a sense of form yet not quite. Orbit has more interesting texture and instrument choices while Aurora is more structured but is harmonically very active. Cocktail has the style of a 90s/00s pop/RnB song in its textures and writing but with a more modern production to perfectly execute the song to perfection. Suit Up also follows that style but is more mellow and pop/ballad in its production. Moon, which is my favourite song on the album, is honestly one of the best and most well produced song he has done. The very sparse yet immersive soundscape creates the perfect opportunity to showcase his vocal abilities in one of the most interesting ways possible. It is sexy in its sound but also so well crafted in its execution it can make you forget how simple the song is with how impactful the song is. Jonghyun will be missed dearly but he left a mark on the industry not just as a person but with his music that will surely live on forever.
7. Infinite - Infinite Only
Favourite songs: One Day, 태풍 (The Eye), AIR, Zero, True Love
As the album name suggests, Infinite returned with an album that has a sound only they can pull off to perfection. All the songs on the album sound like they were created just for Infinite and they’re all songs that only they can pull off. The Eye is a title track that takes the capabilities and sounds that they’re able to do and uses it in ways that has upgraded the way we’ve known of their sound. With a mix of the distorted strings and piano line together with the dubstep elements, they have created a rather dark and ominous soundscape rather than any weird, colourful orchestral pop that people would’ve done nowadays with this sort of combination. The union of these elements make up a very intense experience yet something still so dramatic. This song definitely takes their usual sound and enhances it in ways that truly deserves to be on an album titled Infinite only.
The rest of the album showcases the best of their various sounds in ways that may truly change the way someone can experience their songs. Air and Zero are both songs that heavily focuses on the EDM elements but both providing enough distinction from each other to truly stand out. Air focuses more on having a dynamic sound in both the EDM drop and vocal melodies as it has a lot of variety within the short sections in terms of textures and melodic writing. On the other hand, Zero focuses more on impact and hits as the electronic hits all have so much weight to the sound. True Love is probably the odd song out of the album but if we look back at their discography, this song fits right in as one of their most prominent sounds. The song is more funky and jazzy in its composition but it has the swing and weight to its production accompanied with the iconic Infinite harmonies which leads to this becoming apart of the staple sounds they are capable of. One Day and Thank You acts as the album’s ballads and both excel at the classic ballad style they’re known for in two different ways. Thank You is a more mellow sort of rock ballad but with some kick in the soundscape while One Day is more of a pop ballad with some pop rock elements sprinkled in. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again but this album truly deserves the title of Infinite Only as a collection of all of their signature sounds done in the best way possible to truly showcase what Infinite really is.
6. GOT7 - Flight Log: Departure
Favourite songs: Rewind, Fly, See The Light (빛이나), 못하겠어 (Can’t), Fish, Home Run
GOT7 has had a decent track record for their songs as their first 2 years in the industry was very eventful in both Korea and Japan. However, I personally feel like they finally reached one of their peaks with the Flight Log trilogy, especially this first entry. Fly is quite a neutral song in terms of GOT7’s usual sounds but it perfectly sets the balance of what they are capable of. The soundscape is very light but has a lot of movement in its production and the synths used are all light as well yet it all somehow manages to create this sense of depth. The hip-hop/RnB style makes for a very interesting mix considering what is being used but this has created the best balance of sounds that shows off what they’re capable of without going overboard in any department. Home Run, which acts as the album’s follow-up title track, sets to be a contrast to Fly in a very good way. Home Run is more upbeat and happy while still having this funky groove and rhythm to it. Production on both songs are top notch and gives enough differentiation to truly set them apart as separate title tracks.
While this isn’t the first time the members have been involved in production of their albums, this was the first time they have been heavily involved in almost all the songs included. Besides Home Run, member JB was involved in the production of the songs Fish and Something Good. All three songs he’s been involved with have such an inherent style to it while still being very different from each other. Fish is a song that more wack in its style and has a lot of variation while Something Good is more in line with Home Run as a very simple but lighthearted song. Can’t is a song written by Jinyoung and is also quite light in its sound but still has a lot of variation and weight in its sound that is quite different from how Jb would do. See The Light is a song written by both Mark and Yugyeom and is probably the slowest song on the album, while still light in its soundscape it is still groovy in its own right.
Rewind, which is my personal favourite, is the song that stands out the most on the album with how intense it is. Written by Youngjae, this would be one of the most hard-hitting and intense songs he has written for the band. Despite it not being very intense as a whole, it does stick out among the album with its Hip-Hop/RnB inspired style with the synths used and textures created. Beggin on my knees is the only other song besides Fly to not be written by a member, instead written with the help of Young K from DAY6. The song has its own funky charm and very reminiscent of how a rock band would write their songs as seen that it is from a member of DAY6. While this album may not be the most representative of the member’s writing styles, I do believe it to be one of their most well done albums considering it is the first time we’ve had all of them so heavily involved.
5. Monsta X - The Clan Pt.2 Guilty
Favourite songs: Queen, Fighter, Blind, Be Quiet, 하얀소녀 (White Love), Roller Coaster
Monsta X has also jumped onto the trend at the time to release a trilogy of albums and like a lot of them, this trilogy of albums happened to be some of the best they’ve ever released. While All In managed to get into my songs of they year list for 2016 as one of my favourite title tracks from them, this album in particular has provided the best type of variety from them in all sorts of glory. Fighter as a title track continues on the hard style that the members are capable of but done in a genre they’ve never done before, Rock. With this being their first attempt at a rock song in any way shape or form, it has this rawness to the sound that makes it sound even more grandiose and epic which leads it to be what I consider some of their more iconic songs.
The rest of the album manages to hit all the sweet spots that I love in an album and does so at an incredible level. Be Quiet acts as the promoted B-side as manages to show off the same level of power and impact as Fighter, and even on the same level as other Monsta X songs, but done in a different style. Using a very interesting and distinct synth sound as the hook, the EDM style of the song creates such a powerful but not necessarily intense soundscape that commands the stage. Blind, produced by rapper Giriboi, is meant to be a more laid back and sensual song but by using more Hip-Hop/Rnb elements and textures. By using a more electronic instrumental with sprinkles of a guitar line in the verses, the overall sound and direction of the song is clear as it is truly meant to be a sexier song with the impact that is found in the rest of their discography. Queen being my favourite B-side, the song takes the mix of the intense EDM instrumental and takes the best capabilities of Kihyun’s powerful vocal work to take the song to the next level. Kihyun himself has said this is one of the hardest songs for him to sing and it is apparent as to why. The powerful chorus and the powerful instrumental makes this the most intense song on the album without going overboard.
Roller Coaster is one of the odd songs out as it is the happy song of the album but it is done so well and so interestingly. It still uses a synth soundscape but the textures and harmonic writing is so well done and interesting. The song is sprinkled with weird chords using very retro/video game-esque textures which makes this an interesting song in their catalogue of songs. White Love is the ballad of the album and while I am not a big fan of acoustic ballads, this does happen to be the few exceptions. An acoustic pop ballad, it is far from plain or boring as it has a more full and thicker texture and soundscape to it. Having more variation in the instrumentals with a piano and horn line, the song takes its dynamics and turned what could’ve been a boring acoustic ballad to one that is very fulfilling. While they may have moved away from this sort of sound later in their career, this still remains one of their best and most well-done in my ears.
4. Red Velvet - The Velvet
Favourite songs: 7월 7일 (One Of These Nights), Cool Hot Sweet Love, 처음인가요 (First Time), Light Me Up
After releasing The Red last year, Red Velvet has returned with The Velvet which is meant to contrast with the album prior. While these are two different sides of music they are capable of doing, most people expected this album to have a sexier, mature sound to it. Instead we were greeted by an Rnb/Ballad album which is exactly my cup of tea, as opposed to what many people were hoping for. One Of These Nights is an amazing ballad that is not only sophisticated in its sound but still manages to be so complex and interesting in its composition. The song has a very standard ballad instrumentation but all of the melodic and harmonic writing is so interesting and well crafted with its use of harmonies that when the pop production elements kick in, it elevates the song to higher levels than one could imagine with a song like this.
The rest of the album follows a similar style, having an RnB/Ballad style overall but each song has a different take as to how they want to tackle the Velvet style that the girls are meant to have. Cool Hot Sweet Love is more in line with what people were expecting but as the promoted B-side, it adds a lot of contracts and supports the title track in all the right ways. Being the most upbeat song on the album, it still has a more mellow soundscape while increasing its momentum and maintaining the mature, sexy sound. The song uses a lot of Pop/electronic elements in its instrumentation and still manages to be interesting in its melodic writing and harmonies. Light It Up is a slower song but still has a lot of movement to it. It is very reminiscent of older RnB Ballads from the early 2000s in its style but done in a modern context. The sound design of the instrumentation is also very intricate and well placed with all of its design choices.
First Time and Rose Scent Breeze are both ballads but done very differently even when considering One Of These Nights into the mix. The former song is more straightforward and is also very reminiscent of older pop ballads while the latter is a more traditional ballad with the orchestral instrumentation and follows the standard formula for Korean ballads. While this album may not be for everyone, people should still take a listen to it as they only seem interested in the sexy velvet side of Red Velvet rather than taking a chance with the slower side of that coin.
3. IOI - Miss Me?
Favourite songs: 잠깐만 (Hold On), Ping Pong, 음 어쩌면 (M-Maybe), 너무너무너무 (Very Very Very)
I.O.I is back again on the list with their last album and while it is not their last song, this is probably the last collection of songs we will get from them as of now. While their first mini album was great, they are the type of group to get better over time as all of their releases have just gotten even better as time went on. Very Very Very, which is produced by JYP himself, is a song that is very catchy and one of the many songs at the time that took the nation by storm. Using a very upbeat and catchy synth instrumental, the song has all the elements needed to be a successful, catchy hit but has enough dynamics to not make it repetitive. While the hook may be repetitive to some, the writing still allows some breathing room for the listener to take in the other elements of the song. It is overall a well done song by a legend in K-pop who made sure to make not only a catchy hit but one that will greatly leave a legacy for these amazing group of girls.
While the album is quite short, each song is well produced and shows off all they can in such a short run time. Hold On is another song produced by Jinyoung and this is the year he really went all out for girl groups. It is a pop ballad and while it may seem like a typical type of pop ballad, it is one that is so well crafted to them by Jinyoung who knows how to create a song to their advantage. It has all the standard elements of the pop orchestra and synths but is written to truly allow the girl’s vocal abilities to shine. Do As I Say is another cute song but is done to be more swung and mellow and is relatively simple but fun enough for anyone to enjoy.
Ping Pong, being my personal favourite, is probably the most intense song they’ve done after Whatta Man. The hits in the instrumentation has a lot of depth and weight to it while the melodic writing has enough variation to keep the song interesting. The main attraction of the song is the overall style and sound as it is very sassy and has a lot of attitude which cements the song as an absolute standout for anyone listening. M-Maybe is a unit song that was included in the album and follows the fun style of other songs but has more wacky elements going on. It is very unconventional in its writing and production and is not as straightforward as the other songs. It has this stringy synth that is omnipresent and becomes a very good base for the song to build off. The hits in this song also has a lot of impact as when the chorus hits, you do feel the weight behind the impact as it comes in. While it may not be the most stand out album, it is definitely a classic of mine and I still love it to this day.
2. Beast - Highlight
Favourite songs: When I…, Highlight, 궁금해 (Curious), Baby It’s You (Dujun & Gikwang Duet), 연습 중 (Practise), Ribbon, 잘 자요 (Lullaby)
As their last album under Cube and before their rebranding as Highlight, Beast has decided to release an album that is very much them in terms of sound while still spicing the album in ways we wouldn’t think they would at that point in time. While Ribbon is a pop ballad, it makes some very interesting choices with their production. The instrumentation is very standard with a piano and guitar line, percussion and strings but the way the strings are used in the hook and chorus are in a very interesting timbre, almost sounding out of tune yet fitting the soundscape created. The few synths used almost match the string lines in how almost out of tune they are but they’re used in such tasteful ways that makes this a very interesting listen. Butterfly was used as a pre-release and is also a slow ballad but it is done with the magic that Beast always has in their songs. While starting as a slow piano/acoustic ballad, it builds up and has an amazing payoff at the end with the modulation. Beast has amazing ballads in any way shape or form and they have the vocal capabilities to truly deliver with such songs.
While most of the album follows a similar style, it certainly starts off with a bang. Highlight is a song that is truly different for this album and for almost everything Beast has ever done in their discography. Starting off with an acoustic guitar, the song immediately goes into a buildup that is very EDM/Trap heavy but is done in the style of Beast. The song has a very interesting synth hook while the rest of the song has more conventional but still well done hype section that is very reminiscent of harder EDM songs. The other songs all follow a similar ballad style but is all done in very different ways to set them apart. When I… is a very melodramatic pop ballad that has a darker undertone to the song but has all the classic elements to be a truly standout pop ballad. Curious is a more sensual but not necessarily sexy song as it uses a more mellow guitar backing track and with the very standard pop production, it now has that momentum and push to really make it pop. Practise and Lullaby are both the mellow ballads of the album and while they seem similar, there is enough differences to set them apart. The former has a more jazzy yet slightly upbeat nature to it with a very well selected set of percussions while the latter is more of a standard ballad but the melodic writing is spot on and is very well done and becomes a nice closing to the album.
However, the members have also done solo songs for the album which makes this last album much more special and more memorable. Found You, which is Junhyung’s solo, is more funky and upbeat and has such a interesting groove. As the rapper of the band, he has shown off such amazing vocal work for the song, not on par of a main vocal but impressively enough to truly stand on his own with his timbre and style that it could confuse him for a vocalist if no one knew better. Baby It’s You is a duet by Gikwang and Dujun and is also another upbeat song. It’s done in a more pop rock style with the guitar and percussions and the use of the synths makes it very reminiscent of older songs from the 2010s. While it’s melodic writing is also very typical, it is still a well produced song by Gikwang. With Me and I’ll Give You My All, which is Yoseob’s and Dongwoon’s solos respectively, are both quite similar in the sense that they are more of a jazz/ballad type of song but both have made such distinctions between each other so it still sounds different enough. While it might be a personal running joke that Beast will always make it into my lists, I truly do and have enjoyed their music for the past 12 years and will continue to do so as long as they keep making music together.
1. WJSN - The Secret
Favourite songs: Prince (짠!), Robot, 비밀이야 (Secret), Good Night (이층침대), BeBe, Would You Kiss Me? (우주키스미)
While this may be a surprise to some people, even myself, this truly has been one of my favourite albums to be released this year. While I have enjoyed their debut album, this truly feels like the start of what they have become when we take a look at their history from this point onwards. Secret is a song that is uniquely theirs and while this style of retro or orchestral pop has been done before, none of them has truly been able to call it their own until. With the help of producer e.one, this song not only takes a sound that he is known for but has added the real cosmic twist to the sounds and melodic writing to truly make this, as I personally call it, the “Wuju cosmic sound”. The use of the synths and strings used is so inherently fitting to them that I personally cannot see anyone else doing a sound like this.
The rest of the album has also created staples in the WJSN discography that we cannot miss out on in most of their albums, with there almost always being a new variation of the songs here present in their albums. Bebe is the promoted B-side and has taken the cosmic sound we’ve heard and has made it more playful and more dynamic in its soundscape and instrumentation. The use of the synths here is so dynamic and has made this playful cosmic soundscape sound so fun and endless in the possibilities. Would You Kiss Me? is what may be more reminiscent of other girl groups when he song first starts off but the electronic breakdown immediately breaks that stereotype down. While majority is still happy and more mellow, the few moments of electronic noises really adds some variation that may seem jarring to some but I personally love the spice added from it. The melodic writing of the rest of the song is still well done and deserves praises too. Good Night acts as the album’s ballad and is the most different song on the album but it still fits in perfectly. The use of the rhodes style keys and guitar strums make such a calm and peaceful soundscape and becomes the perfect end to the album.
Prince is personally my favourite song and is also my favourite WJSN B-side of all time and none has ever come close to it. The start with the rising synths is an amazing start and build up right from the start and all the other textures and instrumental synths creates such an amazing combination of sounds when the chorus hits. The post-chorus synths and all the harmonies sprinkled throughout the song are the cherries on top as they make this sound sound more complete and this truly is the upbeat, cosmic sound that I love from them. Robot, which is another song produced by rapper Giriboi, is my second favourite song off the album and second favourite B-side after Prince which makes these two songs undefeatable. While this song is so mellow and chill, the instrumentation is so interesting and piercing in ways that I enjoy. The buzzing synths immediately sets the mood and acts as a base for the rest of the song to build off. While there has been many albums and songs that I enjoyed for this year, this one definitely has been my overall favourite album of the year.
This has taken an incredibly long time to write and rightfully so as this seems to be my longest and most descrpitive list yet. I truly enjoyed writing this, as long as it has taken to do so, and to see my evolution over time from the first list to now has been mind blowing. As for now, the retrospective will take a break as I plan to do my top lists for 2022, which was originally planned to be the finale for the retrospective but will now be brought forward and will pick up again for 2017 after the 2022 list has been published. That is all from me, Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year. Until then if I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening and good night.
