Recent Repeats—2019 Edition
“City Lights” - TVXQ feat. NCT’s Taeyong
When it comes to TVXQ releases, I always seem to end up having an affinity for Yunho’s solo tracks. The most recent album is no exception, as “City Lights” was instantly my favorite release on the album. The track features a rap verse from NCT’s Taeyong, who happens to be my bias from that group as well. The melody blends heavy EDM influences with a sexy R&B rhythm, making for a totally addicting song all together. Yunho’s soft vocals add to the sexy vibe, and Taeyong’s hard-hitting rap makes for a perfectly lovely track that you’ll surely have on repeat.
“ㅁㅊㄷㅁㅊㅇ” - ONEUS
Surprise, it’s a rap line song! ONEUS definitely made an impactful debut with “Valkyrie,” but what really caught my attention on the mini-album was this track. As a whole, the group seems to generally focus on EDM-driven melodies for their songs, so to hear this pure hip-hop melody at the end of the album was a nice surprise. The rappers of this rookie group definitely have yet to get a lot of exposure, so “ㅁㅊㄷㅁㅊㅇ” is a nice introduction to the otherwise overlooked trio thus far.
“해적왕” - ATEEZ
It’s been a few months since ATEEZ debuted, but I’ve been unable to move on from “해적왕” since it came out. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’ve listened to this song once a day since it came out in October. “해적왕” just has that “it” factor—a unique and memorable melody backed up by powerful vocals and rap. ATEEZ is definitely the group to keep your eye on going forward; they are a group destined for great things.
“Killing Me” - iKON
We’re going back quite a ways for this choice, but it’s hard to deny the lasting impact iKON’s “Killing Me” has had ever since its release. “Killing Me” sounds so drastically different from what the group usually releases, which is what made the release so intriguing upon first listen. That melody has a way of burrowing itself into your brain and making it impossible to forget. Time and again, I find myself seeking out this track when it comes time to listen to music, and I doubt that is changing anytime soon.
“Senorita” - VAV
VAV has really managed to steal my heart going into 2019. I always love when K-Pop groups branch out to Latin influence in their music, so “Senorita” was bound to make it to my regular rotating list. I can’t lie, my heart skipped about five beats when Lou said “sexy mamacita”; my poor Mexican heart cannot take it. That aside, “Senorita” has a very lovely, classic Latin beat that is incredibly addicting and fits the group incredibly well. If you haven’t had a chance to check out this track yet, be sure not to pass it up!