Ashley Recommends - May 2016 K-Music Releases
May has come and gone already! Can you believe it? It's time for another round of my K-Music recommendations, and I've got some great, addicting releases to share with you! I realized that when using Wikipedia for the releases, they don't give you them all...like not as much K-Indie or Khip-hop, etc. So, after finding out about San E's release this month just through my Youtube subscriptions, I've decided to go through all the official music channels I can to find more gems! I will use channels like 1theK, CJENMMUSIC, official artists, and company channels to find ALL the releases! Thus, I will try my hardest to be more picky, so this doesn't get super long..lol ^_~ I just can't believe I would have missed San E, Skull, Kisum, Beenzino, Gary, and more! The horror! lol
Let's get right into it! ^^
1. BTS (Bangtan Boys) - 불타오르네 (Fire)
Released: May 2, 2016
BTS is on FIRE! Yes, they are in charge, on top, and can do no wrong! This release is insane, and I have a feeling that it could definitely draw more people into the K-pop fandom. It's a great, hardcore song that I believe many Western non-k-poppers would like as well! It's a perfect party, summer song that makes you feel bada**! I loved seeing all the dyed hair! Jin looks so good blonde! ^_~ The dance is crazy, which is why I wanted to include a gif of my favorite part...like how do they perform these hard dances?! Whoa! I love the spoken "It's burning up in here" part right before the chorus, and also J-Hope's and Rap Monster's rapping parts! But just all around awesome!! At some parts during the dance, it reminding me of stepping, and I think it would be cool if they did a full concept of a step dance (think B.A.P's "Warrior")- they would nail it! Some, including myself, are wondering if this is directed at the rapper B-Free..? With the man burning at the beginning, some lyrics, and the "I'll forgive you" at the end, is there still ongoing drama between them? But that aside, this is a prime example of why BTS is on top- perfect song, dance, video, vocals, rap, mix, beat- just everything was perfect!
Genre: Dance, Hip-Hop
Album: The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever (Special Album)
Company: Big Hit Entertainment
Music Video: Fire
English Lyrics: Lyrics
2. SOL-T - 돌직구 (Curveball)
Released: May 2, 2016
I love seeing more hardcore, hip-hop, not cutesy girl groups- especially straight out at debut! I feel like a lot of the time, girl groups debut with something soft and sweet, not SOL-T! YES! I just hope they keep this concept and style up..unlike another group I know..ehm Sonamoo ehm...(don't get me wrong, I still love them lol!) With so many debuts and new groups, I hope that SOL-T sticks around, and keeps releasing this strong, girl power music! The track has a great beat, and I love the rappers' voices. The video is very strange lol and I'm not 100% certain on the story here. It looks like the guy is at a haunted, old building, and is being chased and tormented by SOL-T..? Are they ghosts? Or just bitter girls? Haha! Anyways, this is a great debut, and I'm really hoping that I see them more/get a chance to see them grow!
Genre: Dance
Album: "Curveball" debut single
Company: Probeat Entertainment
Music Video: Curveball
English Lyrics: n/a, sorry I can't find them! :(
3. Red Velvet - 여시주의 (Yossism) (Telemonster OST)
Released: May 2, 2016
I love that this is an OST for an animated kids show! I've never seen that before, where idols have a song for not a drama, but a kids show! Plus, the show looks pretty adorable as well- I want to watch! :) The track is so cute and fun, a real dance around your room and be happy kind of song. lol ^^ It has a nice flow throughout, and it's an easy listen. The video is cute with show clips and the girls recording at a studio. :)
Genre: Pop
Album: Telemonster OST
Company: SM Entertainment
Music Video: Yossism
English Lyrics: n/a, sorry I can't find them! :(
4. I.O.I - Dream Girls
Released: May 4, 2016
I love the message and lyrics of this song! It's all about working hard, not letting others get you down, believing in yourself, and girl power! While this is a pop song, I like that the track mixes in some electronic sounds and feel. It has some cool switches in the music and beat. It's so catchy! For the video, I like that each member is doing their own activity and has her own set. There's everything from rock climbing, to dancing, to studying, to fencing, to working at a convenience store! lol They each start with having trouble succeeding or completing their tasks, but they don't give up and by the end they've done it and are happy! :) The girls are all wearing sporty, uniform type outfits during the group dancing parts, and I'm noticing that this is a very popular trend right now in K-pop! lol I'm looking forward to more I.O.I!
Genre: Pop, Dance
Album: Chrysalis
Company: YMC Entertainment, CJ E&M
Music Video: Dream Girls
English Lyrics: Lyrics
5. Akdong Musician (AKMU) - Re-Bye
Released: May 4, 2016
I love how unique AKMU is, their releases are my favorites of the month! Suhyun's voice sounds so cool in the chorus when she sings "re-bye". Chanhyuk is growing so much as a rapper, and he's really impresses me not only with his talent, but he seems to be getting more and more charismatic! :) The video is so unique with its theater concept. It has the feel of Phantom of the Opera, but also a detective story! I love it, it really holds your attention! I like that it's a darker concept, song, and look, because it really stands out against all these bright, cheerful, summer songs. AKMU always blows me away! <3
Genre: Folk, Pop
Album: Spring Vol. 1
Company: YG Entertainment
Music Video: Re-Bye
English Lyrics: Lyrics
6. Akdong Musician (AKMU) - 사람들이 움직이는 게 (How People Move)
Released: May 4, 2016
Again, I am blown away by AKMU and this is a favorite of the month! This is the one to beat! They are truly talented and everything they release is top notch, high quality! I love seeing their sound and talent evolve and grow since their K-Pop Star and debut days. This is another super unique, catchy video and song. This track is where I really noticed Chanhyuk's improvement in both rapping and singing- he was amazing in this! My favorite part is when they go all opera-ish (at 2:50 in video), how cool is that and their voices are insane here! The video is so crazy, entertaining, and fun! Slay AKMU, slay! Also my crush on Chanhyuk has just grown bounds from this comeback... ^_~ I'm pretty obsessed with this song!! <3
Genre: Pop, Dance, Folk
Album: Spring Vol. 1
Company: YG Entertainment
Music Video: How People Move
English Lyrics: Lyrics
7. Red Sun - Hot Baby
Released: May 4, 2016
Embrace this silliness in all it's wonderful glory! Haha, but really this is so catchy and fun! Both the song and video are just silly fun! The track has a great, constant dance beat that will have you up and moving right away. At first, I was like "Wait, what? What in the world is going on?" lol but then I was like "This is crazy and amazing!" ^0^ The video is so funny as the girls (I believe) are trying to find a decent guy or "Mr. Right". It has a retro vibe, especially with the silly dance moves (stupid dances for the win!). They are like a grown Orange Caramel lol But some people are commenting on their ages, saying their too old to be doing this and to be just now debuting. Well, screw that, they are awesome, fun, and sexy! Get it you grown, beautiful women! :)
Genre: Dance, Pop
Album: "Hot Baby" debut single
Company: Invictus Music
Music Video: Hot Baby
English Lyrics: n/a, sorry I can't find them! :(
8. Princess Disease - 딸기마카롱 (Strawberry Macaron)
Released: May 4, 2016
Both this song and video are so cute and sweet! It's actually a pretty simple video where the singer is preparing strawberry macarons and lovely heart balloons. I like how all the scenes seem to be cut off and close up, it makes the video more interesting and artistic! There's also a set where the singer is playing around on a playground, and it's so cute! :) The singer has one of those soothing, coffee shop voices, so this track is a real relaxing, easy listen. I love discovering K-Indie music!
Genre: Indie, Folk
Album: "Strawberry Macaron" single
Company: 공주캐슬 (Gongjukaeseul)
Music Video: Strawberry Macaron
English Lyrics: n/a, sorry I can't find them! :(
9. Crush ft. Gaeko - 9 to 5
Released: May 5, 2016
I really like seeing this side to Crush where he's more hardcore, hip-hop, and a bit cocky. lol Gaeko is a killer rapper, and is a perfect featuring on this track! It's really cool to see him experiment with his music, as this is more trap and he uses autotune. I don't think using autotune in his case is a bad thing, because Crush is a really talented R&B singer. The autotune is just a musical, stylistic choice for experimentation, not to cover up poor vocal talent. The story is kind of confusing, and I was shocked by the ending! lol I have to wonder if this connects to his other release "Woo ah"?
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap, Trap, R&B
Album: Interlude
Company: Amoeba Culture
Music Video: 9 to 5
English Lyrics: Lyrics
10. R3hab x f(Amber+Luna) - Wave (SM Station)
Released: May 6, 2016
I love seeing SM experiment with artists and music styles within the SM Stations! This track is so catchy with a club, EDM sound, and it's cool to see SM artists collaborate with non-Korean artists like R3hab! I've never heard of R3hab, but I love that he is open to collaborating with K-pop artists.
I've been so impressed with Amber's growth within her singing, and Luna always comes to kill with her vocals. This song will make you want to dance, and I wish I could hear this playing at the clubs I go to! The video is so much fun to watch. There's really cool, comic book-like animation, and the shoppers are really funny when they start dancing! It would have been cool to see more pulsating, flashing lights to match with the EDM, but I love the stage club shots!
Genre: EDM, Dance
Album: "Wave" single
Company: SM Entertainment, ScreaM Records
Music Video: Wave
English Lyrics: Lyrics
11. Phonebooth - MAI 2016
Released: May 6, 2016
I always love seeing actual bands within K-music, because K-pop girl and boy groups are seen most often. So, I love actually seeing the band play their instruments in the video! The track has a really nice acapella kind of beginning, which the singer's voice is just wonderful. <3 His voice fits in perfectly with the K-Indie genre. The singer and the whole band are so talented- they deserve more popularity and recognition! The video has all these props that make it funny and entertaining. This track is quite a nice break from all the upbeat, dance K-pop groups!
Genre: Indie, Rock
Album: "MAI 2016" single
Company: Tripper Sound
Music Video: MAI 2016
English Lyrics: n/a, sorry I can't find them! :(
12. Crush - 우아해 (Woo ah)
Released: May 6, 2016
Crush truly is the king of sexy, soothing perfect R&B! I think he's the ultimate K-R&B artist! ^0^ I love all the neon lights in the video- beautiful and so cool! There are also lots of artistic close ups and scenes in this video, that make the video so intriguing and almost hypnotizing along with the lights. His range in his voice is amazing- his high notes are fantastic! Crush is on top of the R&B game for a reason, and this is why! <3
Genre: R&B, Soul
Album: Interlude
Company: Amoeba Culture
Music Video: Woo ah
English Lyrics: Lyrics
13. Moxie - Ketch UP!
Released: May 7, 2016
I love the beginning of the video where you see behind the scenes, and the girls just goofing around! So cute! Also, throughout the video, I really like the camera work lol I don't know why, I just do. ^^ I always love seeing female rappers, and they are bomb! I especially love the member with the more deep rap voice! I love this beat, and it's really on par with the popular K-pop music- they should be much more popular! They switch is music is so unexpected, but really cool. The two in this video are like who I want to be during summer haha! They are living life!
Genre: Hip-Hop, Dance, R&B
Album: Ketch UP!
Company: Urban Entertainment
Music Video: Ketch UP!
English Lyrics: n/a, sorry I can't find them! :(
14. Tiffany - I Just Wanna Dance
Released: May 11, 2016
I'm so happy she's finally getting the spotlight she deserves! :) I love watching her in videos, performing, and on shows- I think she's so charismatic! <3 She's just a beautiful, pop princess! This is a great dance song. It's like a having fun, letting go girl anthem! I will definitely be listening to this as I'm getting ready to go out and have a good time with my girl friends! ^^ The video is beautiful, and has lots of lights and effects. I love the dance, the beat, and her high notes blew me away! She has such a great, powerful voice, but I feel like this dance type of song doesn't showcase it to its fullest..I still enjoy this though! I could see this playing in the U.S.! Also, she's so gorgeous it's unreal!! lol ^^
Genre: Dance, Pop
Album: I Just Wanna Dance solo debut
Company: SM Entertainment
Music Video: I Just Wanna Dance
English Lyrics: Lyrics, there's also an English version that is a remix (through iTunes)!
15. G.Soul - 멀리멀리 (Far Far Away)
Released: May 12, 2016
This is the perfect chill, summer song! Both the video and the song scream summer, and it's so enjoyable to watch. ^^ His voice just makes you go wow! He's got serious talent, and his voice is so soothing and relaxed. Along with the video, this track is perfect for driving to and spending time at the beach or just outside on a nice, breezy summer day. The lyrics are actually kind of sad, but it's like he's finally coming to terms with and moving on from a past relationship. I love the dog everywhere in the video- so cute! This video is super chill and real- love it!
Genre: R&B, Soul
Album: "Far Far Away" single
Company: JYP Entertainment
Music Video: Far Far Away
English Lyrics: Lyrics
16. Geegooin - 흙수저 (Scraper)
Released: May 12, 2016
I only know him and heard of him through his featurings on other songs, but man, he's awesome! I love his voice, and the way he raps is so cool and unique. I like that the music is simple, kind of like a sample, his rap is the focus! I love the truth in his lyrics- it's so real and relatable. He goes through some emotional, strong issues throughout including growing up poor, mental health problems, and failure. This is a great rap track!
Genre: Rap, Hip-Hop
Album: CinemaKid E01
Company: Loen Entertainment
Music Video: Scraper
English Lyrics: Lyrics
17. Yella D ft. Hanhae (Phantom) - GoalKeeper
Released: May 12, 2016
I love this! It's a really smooth, sexy song with great rapping! The featuring of Hanhae is amazing- Hanhae gives me so much life! ^^ I'm so happy he also actually appears for his part in the video. The track is a sexy dance song with a killer beat! I love the legit club scenes in the video, and that it's not as innocent as most popular K-music. lol Yella D and this song give me a Jay Park vibe, but others see Chris Brown (I can see that too!). I want to hear more from Yella D- so good!
Genre: R&B, Hip-Hop/Rap
Album: "GoalKeeper" single
Company: CJ E&M
Music Video: GoalKeeper
English Lyrics: n/a, sorry I can't find them! :(
18. Live High - Happy Song
Released: May 13, 2016
Just like the title says, this song really does make you feel so happy! I love the music, it's kind like pop-rock, and it's sounds like J-Pop! The video is cute with real people and families expressing their happiness and love! Live High reminds us that love is all around, so be happy! I see so much potential here, and I hope I get the chance to see them grow. I really think they could be a popular group similar to Apink or GFriend. This track is a great mainstream, K-pop girl group song, but with a sweet, more unique video!
Genre: Pop, Dance
Album: Happy Song
Company: Crayon Star Entertainment
Music Video: Happy Song
English Lyrics: n/a, sorry I can't find them! :(
19. V.O.S - 나의 멜로디 (My Melody)
Released: May 13, 2016
This is a great pop song and V.O.S members are so talented, but I feel that while you can still hear their amazing voices, it's not as noticeable or breathtaking as their ballads. At the same time though, it's nice to hear them switch it up, and release a more upbeat song! I still love this release- it's an easy, cheerful listen. I can't find a video, but I need one! lol it would be so adorable! I like the funky, retro sound in the music. Their voices are so sweet and charming that I want them to sing this to me haha! ^_~
Genre: Pop
Album: "My Melody" single
Company: Happy Face Entertainment
Music Video: n/a, but here is a fan uploaded audio, and a live performance!
English Lyrics: n/a, sorry I can't find them! :(
20. K.Will x Baekhyun (EXO) - The Day (SM Station)
Released: May 13, 2016
Their voices sound so wonderful and warm together- both beautiful talent! It's a sad, but beautifully emotional song, and in the video the actor is remembering all the memories and downfall with his past girlfriend. He sees all their happy times, himself treating her poorly, their breakup, and her crying alone afterwords. It's a very heartbreaking video as he sees and is going through the pain, her side of the breakup and aftermath, and going through his regret. Both K.Will and Baekhyun are so talented and my jaw dropped at how well they can hit those long, powerful notes. I love that the video is in black and white, it adds to the feeling of the painful, but beautiful video and ballad song.
Genre: Ballad
Album: "The Day" single
Company: SM Entertainment
Music Video: The Day
English Lyrics: Lyrics
21. BTS (Bangtan Boys) - Save ME
Released: May 15, 2016
I like seeing close ups of them separately, you can focus and appreciate the talent of each individual! ^^ They have such fantastic, difficult dances so it's nice to just see a simple video of them dancing on a beach. I love this song! The chorus is so catchy, there's a great beat that builds so well, and it's like electronic meets hip-hop. There's really no stopping BTS' genius and talent! They are amazing!
Genre: Dance, Hip-Hop
Album: The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever (Special Album)
Company: Big Hit Entertainment
Music Video: Save ME
English Lyrics: Lyrics
22. AOA - Good Luck
Released: May 16, 2016
Such beautiful and talented ladies right here! ^_^ This song is so catchy, and is loaded with "I know you want me" girl power! With that, the video and song are very sexy and powerful. Also, I'm so amazed at Choa's powerful long notes near the end- just WOW! I like the concept of the Baywatch beach lifeguards, it's the perfect concept and set for a summer release. Even if this is extremely mainstream pop, it's so enjoyable and AOA's talent shines!
Genre: Dance, Pop
Album: Good Luck
Company: FNC Entertainment
Music Video: Good Luck
English Lyrics: Lyrics
23. KNK - 요즘 넌 어때 (How Are You These Days/I Remember)
Released: May 16, 2016
This rookie group is stealing my heart with each release! <3 This track is such high quality, amazing music! They have such beautiful voices, and I love the nice, chill rap. They really impress me as a rookie group- maybe even best rookie group of the year for me? ^^ They will certainly be huge, and they deserve the success! The flow and mix of the music is so impressive as well- it's a song to remember! Everyone should become a Tinkerbell (fan name)! :) Only thing...where's the video?! :( lol
Genre: Ballad, R&B, Soul
Album: "How Are You These Days/I Remember" single
Company: YNB Entertainment
Music Video: n/a, but here is a fan uploaded audio!
English Lyrics: Can't find a website, but here is a video with translated English! ^^
24. San E ft. Gary - 마치 비행기 (Like An Airplane)
Released: May 16, 2016
I am in love with San E and his voice- so sexy! ^_~ This is a really nice summer party song, but one that is more chill. I love all the cool animation in the video and how it goes over the top of the the real life video- it's funny! His songs always get stuck in my head, because he always sets up a really catchy track with a chorus that you can easily sing to. I'm a bit bitter about Gary's part being cut from the video. :( For some reason, Gary's fantastic rapping is only in the full audio..? The video is also too short- I want more San E! lol In my opinion, the full audio with Gary should have been used. It was a normal length for a song and video, around 3 minutes...so why cut it? This is a fave though!
Genre: Hip-Hop, Rap, Pop
Album: Like An Airplane
Company: Brand New Music
Music Video: Like An Airplane
English Lyrics: Lyrics
Honorable Mentions:
1. Pascol - "Wish You'd Benefit From Me" - lovely, simple, meaningful song
2. Kim Jeong Hoon ft. Rainbow's Hyun Young - "Marry Me Marry You" -
happy feeling, adorable video
3. Kwak Jin Eon - "Go With Me" - beautiful, healing ballad
4. G.Soul - "Where Do We Go From Here" - sad, but beautiful smooth R&B
Which track and which music video are your favorites? Let me know in the comments section! Also, if you have a favorite release from a group this past month- who's your bias in that group? Was there a comeback you weren't expecting, or were really excited to see? Did I leave out your favorite release? Let me know what it is, and why it's your favorite! ^^ Let me know your thoughts and opinions in the comments section!
Thanks for reading! *currently listening to "'뻔하잖아 (You Know) Jay Park Cover" by Coco Avenue
xoxo~ Ashley
