End-of-the-year award season is coming up, and several K-pop acts have saved their best material for last. Here are the our five favorite recent standouts.
“Crazy Sexy Cool” – ASTRO
In a time when K-pop boy groups seem to be competing to see who can be manlier and edgier than the rest, ASTRO takes a risk by taking on a more straightforward bright pop angle with their music. This works brilliantly to their advantage in this sleek, funky title track.
“Clap” – Seventeen
Seventeen has gone funk and EDM, but they’re adding a hard rock edge to their sound with “Clap.” The electric guitar riff at the beginning drives the instrumental of the song and lends even more power to this dynamic group’s performance.
“Dramarama” – Monsta X
Speaking of rock influences in K-pop, Monsta X’s “Dramarama” has an instrumental that is also driven by a sleek electric guitar riff, but the song also delivers a bit of unexpected power with a campy hook and a strong chorus.
“DDD” – EXID
Upon first listen, EXID’s “DDD” sounds like something we might have listened to in the early 2000s with a seductive vocal loop serving as our entry point into the song, but just when you think you’re about to get tired of it, the track switches it up with a catchy pop chorus and keeps things interesting.
“Black Suit” – Super Junior
The fact that we are seeing Super Junior making music together again at all is enough to get us excited for “Black Suit,” but the song itself is a refreshing hit. Playful and charming without being too gimmicky, the track blends retro and modern.
Are you moving to these beats yet?
