My Favorite B-Side Songs
For my final entry in the B-sides column for The Kraze, I’d like to share some of my favorite B-sides that I have written about and rediscovered over the past year.
“Poison Love” by Dreamcatcher
Dreamcatcher is not only known for their out-of-the-box title tracks and mixing rock and metal sounds with pop music but also for their diverse B-sides. “Poison Love” is a beautiful trance genre B-side that appears on Dystopia : Road to Utopia. With cathartic lyrics, the overall vibe of the song is nostalgic, reminiscent of early 2000s electronic music, and feels like a psychedelic night at the club.
“Atlantis” by A.C.E
A.C.E returned with their fifth mini-album SIREN:DAWN in 2021, and besides the absolutely stunning concept photos and music video for “Higher,” A.C.E also created some of their most emotive tracks on the mini-album. “Atlantis” is a beautiful symphonic rock track about broken trust, which remained a highlight of the year. The track was co-composed and written by PENTAGON’s Kino.
“Sorry Not Sorry” by ITZY
“Sorry Not Sorry” is an explosive track on ITZY’s mini-album GUESS WHO, and it packs a punch. The girls perform as confident leaders who remain unapologetic in their signature attitude. The track was as popular as the title track and was promoted on music shows as well. Featuring an energizing electric guitar, the song was composed by JQ, the founder of the famous lyricist team makeumine works.
“Take Me Home” by ATEEZ
Over a rhythmic retro synth-pop beat, ATEEZ represents the lives of youth in a cold city on “Take Me Home.” The track takes advantage of the growing trend of ‘80s-inspired sounds, and the lyrics allude to an important event in ATEEZ’s storyline that will be included in their next album. The track perfectly showcases the group members’ versatility, as they are known for their intense title tracks.
“Love Me Do” by VIXX
A fast-paced track, “Love Me Do” by VIXX puts listeners into a trance. Paired with the high-pitched “doooo” that loops throughout the track, the song also features actual instruments alongside EDM beats. We also can’t forget the water choreography for the live stage of the song.
“Sleep In The Car” by MAMAMOO
Sounding like an intense diss track, the hip-hop banger “Sleep In The Car (잠이라도 자지)” by MAMAMOO is, in fact, about sleeping in a car with one’s makeup on. The witty track is about the pains of busy idol schedules that the girls of MAMAMOO endure and features one of the group’s strongest rap deliveries.
“SHADOW” by SF9
One of the darker songs on SF9’s album Sensuous, “SHADOW” was produced by legendary producer CR KIM. The dragged-out chorus filled with intense rap and the back-and-forth between the vocalists and rappers in the bridge makes the song an impactful closer to the album. Member Dawon specifically shined on the track.
“Swimming Pool” by Taeyong
Taeyong of NCT launched his SoundCloud account this year and gifted his fans a series of songs via the outlet. While “Monroe” and “Rose” received attention for their guest appearances and “Blue” was praised for its heartwarming lyrics, “Swimming Pool” went under the radar. The track seamlessly mixes city pop and trance, creating a dreamy atmosphere. Taeyong paints a scene of a dazed night out with the song’s composition and lyrics that he worked on himself.
“Narcissism” by Sunmi
“Narcissism” is a B-side inspired by the Greek myth of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection; however, Sunmi creates a different narrative on this synth-pop EDM track from her EP 1/6. She comes to the conclusion that she no longer recognizes the person she sees in the mirror.
Edited by Omani