jose168 Posted December 22, 2017 Author Posted December 22, 2017 As for albums not making it, this is basically a top 40 and i was too lazy to fully format/write for every single album. I liked the hm's alot - ~Kpop~ 70. Not Today - BTS BTS came hard with their WINGS repackage, as they should considering the massive hype. I love the blaring siren instrumental and obviously they are some of the best choreographed groups in the game. Spoiler 69. Now, We - Lovelyz The repackage to their R U Ready? album went for a more cutesy concept and who can blame them, it's where the moneys at and they sure are cute. Despite being a bit midtempo, the chorus is kind of a euphoric explosion. Spoiler 68. Time Lapse - Taeyeon This song was instantly a fan favorite on Taeyeons debut. It's a little MOR but her voice does sound great on it. -No Video- 67. You Are - GOT7 My favorite GOT7 title, don't get me wrong they usually have great album cuts but their leads tend to be really cringe, trying to keep up in a post BTS world. It's uplifting and the chorus is great Spoiler 66. Girl Front - LOONA/ODD EYE CIRCLE LOONA's concept is so confusing lol. Have they debuted yet? Whatever, one of their more impressionable singles, the glitchy video game esque instrumental is bound to get in your head. Kim Lip served too. Spoiler 65. I'll Be Yours - Girl's Day I love the jazzy intermissions that space out the verses and the chorus. Minah also served VOCALS. It's like a mature Ariana Grande song Spoiler 64. Fruity - Hyolyn/Kisum Cute little pop/rnb number, gives me Destiny's Child teas. Plus Hyolyn looks got in the video Spoiler 63. Lonely - Sistar Gaaaah one of the most upsetting disbandments this year for me. It's kind of tragic because they were still seeing success with their singles. One of the most mature goodbye letters to fans by a group, the final line hits hard With time, everything will be forgotten And so will you That’s what’s really sad Spoiler 62. Happy - WJSN WJSN is like a concoction of every kpop stereotype and god do they do it well. A sugar rush compact into 3 minutes, the chorus will give you diabetes Spoiler 61. Peek-A-Boo - Red Velvet Red Velvet have had an insane singles run this year. They are never afraid to experiment with quirky instrumentals and song structures. Some say they strictly do "silly" concepts but personally what they do takes thought to execute well. I love the instrumental in the chorus, its like aggressive clap machine against a simple xylophone effect making an awesome stomp cheerleader esque yet creepy vibe. Spoiler
jose168 Posted December 22, 2017 Author Posted December 22, 2017 (edited) -Albums- 30. Taeyeon - My Voice (Deluxe) I know I just finished kpop but hey . Taeyeon is seen by many as Korea's answer to taylor swift. The album is confessional, has some stunning vocal moments and all in all one of the more solid pop projects of the year. See: Fine, I Got Love, Fire 29. Rainbow - Kesha I was initially going to exclude this album as on first listen it seemed a little dry. But on relistening, the vibrant personality that drove keshas earlier material is still there. We see kesha really flaunting her vocal chops in ways she may not have been allowed to before. I didn't like some of the more twangy cuts on here, which i get is a part of who she is but for me read as trying too hard to be taken seriously. Call me a poptimist! See: Let 'Em Talk, Praying, Boots 28. War & Leisure - Miguel This album is very organic compared to Wildheart, with the instrumentation being less digital and Miguels vocals being the standout of many of the cuts. Despite being heavily R&B, one can't deny the heavy 70s psychedelic rock influences, especially the lyrics. Bringing life to inanimate objects and giving double or triple meanings. The album is a high all the way through. See: Skywalker, Caramelo Duo, Harem 27. Perfect Velvet - Red Velvet Red Velvet on top of amazing singles have never disappointed with their bodies of work, and in Perfect velvet, they explore influences of indietronica and hip hop. Kpop excells in it's lack of walls, they get to look at western culture and without inhibitions, take the best aspects of popular music genres and make them into scientifically designed FrankenBOPs. Some cuts sounding like portishead meets paula abdul goes pop superstar. See: Peek-A-Boo, Attaboy, Look 26. Plunge - Fever Ray I've unfortunately never been a huge Fever Ray fan. I've actually never even been much of a The Knife fan, aside from their landmark 'Silent Shout' record. When shaking the habitual came out and everyone fan girl'd, i didn't get it. I felt left out . However, i know a good album when I see one. While her voice may be jarring, sis has some stellar lyrics here that make you think, gag, laugh, or get your life. This Country alone earns a spot on any list (i forgot her). The production does not lay off for one second either, every track is immaculately produced. See: This Country, To The Moon and Back, IDK About You 25. CollXtion ll - Allie X Where each and every mainstream popstar has failed, here comes Allie X delivering a solid, tight, cohesive 10 cut collection of tracks. Radio ready, yet just enough personality to be pointed out in a crowd. The tracks study their references well, yet don't sound dated. I'll look foward to her next project! See: Vintage, Paper Love, Old Habits Die Hard Edited December 22, 2017 by jose168
Dom Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 rainbow is amazing, you got the tea sis. slay. i don't like k-pop tho can't comment on that.
Pink Matter Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 Haven't really been hip to K-Pop this year Anything in the vein of TIFFANY's I Just Wanna Dance or Mamamoo's Melting? Or any K-R&B like Dean? Albums: Rainbow and War & Leisure I decided against adding it to my 2017 list even though it's dope af. We love an early 2018 AOTY Caramelo Duro and Harem are also my faves.
Eeveelution Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 Quote Taeyeon is seen by many as Korea's answer to taylor swift. Nnn that explains some of my feelings after I listened to it. Collxtion, Rainbow, Plunge.
Pedro Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 Yeah, I also despised Kesha's album at first but then it kicked in! Love the three ones you mentioned
oceans Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 10 hours ago, jose168 said: Ive never heard it before now her umbrella
oceans Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 girl front>>>>> Peek aa boo>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>rookie woo, taeyeon snapped on WIWY, i love it rainbow is cute and perfect velvet slayssss
Tom Vercetti Posted December 23, 2017 Posted December 23, 2017 I wish War & Leisure was a bit more adventurous like Wildheart.
Remmy Posted December 23, 2017 Posted December 23, 2017 Rainbow and CollXtion II Both are incredible! They did that! Went off, snapped, the whole bit!!! Let Em Talk, Praying, Vintage and Old Habits Die Hard in your trinities
TheWayWeWere Posted December 23, 2017 Posted December 23, 2017 Rainbow still gets me everytime ,amazing body of work didn't really expect anything from W&L but ends up being soooo good
Maddox Posted December 23, 2017 Posted December 23, 2017 Peek-A-Boo is my least fav single of theirs this year, it doesn't have as much replay value as i hoped, but i enjoyed their recent album. Didn't expect 'Now, We' to be this catchy kinda like an AKB48 sing. I recently got into LOONA and some of the stuff i heard was actually nice! And yeah that description of Time Lapse is pretty accurate. Nice set of albums!
lhdang2000 Posted December 23, 2017 Posted December 23, 2017 Peek-A-Boo being so low. It's probably my most favorite track from them ever. Rainbow. I'm disappointed in Taeyeon's album. I don't know what I was expecting but definitely not THAT.
jose168 Posted December 24, 2017 Author Posted December 24, 2017 ~Kpop~ 60. April Story - April I love when kpop takes notes from jpop. The structure plays out like a story. I'm also a sucker for a long chorus Spoiler 59. Paradise - S.E.S. Seeing more mature women in Kpop is soo refreshing. And this song shows they have something valid to bring. This funky throwback has notes of 90s girlgroup pop music meets rnb in the best way. And it all sounds contemporary too. Spoiler 58. O Sole Mio - SF9 It obviously wasn't going to be long before kpop began flirting with latin music. The spanish guitars are sexy and the songs hook is #major Spoiler 57. Likey - Twice I don't understand this kind of praise for the song when it is very much Twice by the numbers. While it's not my favorite from them this year it still bops and the hand choreo is memorable. Spoiler 56. Power - Exo Can we talk about a WASTED concept It's literally such a great idea and the video was a complete snooze. Where is the camp? They looked bored in the video . That said the song is cute electropop if you're into that Spoiler 55. Body Talk - Red Velvet Red Velvet for good reason have the most entries on my countdown. This alt-pop gem is up there with the greats. The melancholic instrumental, the somber verses, the explosive yet reserved chorus. whew. The lyrics are great too. -No Video- 54. Babe - Hyuna The song was a refreshing change of pace for HyunA and probably her most KGP-friendly single in ages, and it worked out since it outperformed "How's This". It's a cute departure but I'm glad she returned to the raunch we know her for. Spoiler 53. Kiss On The Lips - Melody Day Wonder Girls impact! This is like the uptempo sister to 'Why So Lonely' and I'm not mad at it. The song packs the Caribbean vibe of the former but stays true to pop with strong melodies Spoiler 52. Babyface - WJSN WJSN are pretty overlooked when it comes to packaging full albums. They always put out k-uality. This album track serves bratty sing talking electropop, Like i said for Happy, they kind of bring everything you think of when you think of kpop and this is not a bad thing -No Video- 51. 무제(無題) (Untitled, 2014) - G-Dragon G-dragon coming back with a simple piano-backed ballad was shocking, not just the idea of it but just how raw the song is. The sheer emotion vibrates throughout the song as he isn't just doing by the numbers here is a sad song vocals but really going in there. Spoiler
jose168 Posted December 24, 2017 Author Posted December 24, 2017 ~Albums~ 24. Happy Moment - WJSN Why not pick up where I left off. The album is ~atrl gay pop perfection®~ Not one song passing the 4minute mark, you have short, concise, scientifically constructed pop songs. Taking all the cues from alt-pop and the mainstream, the album blends notes of funk, disco and 80s synth all mixed in with kpop-isms that we come for. See: Happy, Babyface, Plop Plop 23. Big Fish Theory - Vince Staples Vince delves deep into electronic, house and uk garage influences on this album yet remains 100% vince throughout. I do think that in focusing on the production side of things, some of the charming humor he puts out does not translate well. However I do think it makes for a more accessible album than Summertime. The highs dont also go as high, but it runs through as a more consistent album. Through all the pros and the cons i think its about 'as good' as his previous record and definitely worth a spin. See: Big Fish, 745, Rain Come Down 22. What Do You Think About The Car? - Declan Mckenna The album is here mostly because of the potential it shows. He speaks on political issues and while the lyrics may not always be that strong, the perspective is refreshing and have a coming of age aspect to them. It reminds me of why we find Lorde so endearing. He obviously has ways before getting to her lyrical chops but i digress. The album has smooth indie rock jams and some of the electronic instrumentation is very fun, like what sounds like a keytar loop? on Isombard. See: Brazil, Isombard, Humongous 21. Nightmare Logic - Power Trip One of my favorite thrash albums in yeears. At just 34 minutes run time, it gives you the juice you need and does not overstay it's welcome. Each song is as high energy as live concert would be, full of exciting vocal performances, killer guitars and lyrics about hell and the end of the world. See: Executioner's Tax, Firing Squad, Nightmare Logic 20. El Dorado - Shakira Latin Music through all it's phases and trends always does have heavy reverence and takes cues from those who have paved the way. At any party, a 70s salsa song would gain as much traction as the latest reggaeton smash. Shakira has been in the game for over 20 years now and as the trends change, she continues to find her place in the mainstream in this same way. While some of the concepts here may be derivative, Shakira's voice and performance make for unique presentation and tie it together, in one of her most eclectic albums to date See: Chantaje, Trap, Perro Fiel 19. Ti Amo - Phoenix Phoenix deserve a daft punk esque resurgence on this album. It shows a taste level that cannot be bought, and an eye to remain contemporary yet in their hard of hearts an original. The album takes influence from sugary sweet gelato and each song is just that, with immaculate glitzy bombast synths, earworm melodies and an all around fun concept. See: J-Boy, Ti Amo, Goodbye Soliel
SLIME Posted December 24, 2017 Posted December 24, 2017 Homemade Dynamite was my least fav on Melon but I think it JUST hit me. Ur power! I like that LFL has the mix of styles cuz otherwise it'd be waaay too much, but def HM material still
SLIME Posted December 24, 2017 Posted December 24, 2017 Oh and Shaking the Habitual is trash don't feel like you were missing out. Shouts to Plunge 4 redeeming
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