Best of April 2023
We have seen a lot of amazing comebacks this month, from veterans of the second generation of K-Pop to the incredible young idols of today’s K-Pop scene, to some of those inspiring artists in between. So, with this in mind, let’s take a look at some of my favorite B-Side tracks to have been released across April 2023.
"섬찟 (Hypnosis)" - IVE
On April 10, IVE released their first full-length album, I’ve IVE, which featured the incredible B-side track “섬찟 (Hypnosis).” An R&B, hip-hop fusion with slight EDM aspects, “섬찟 (Hypnosis)'' shows IVE in a new style, one that we would love to see them create again. In line with its title, the members’ vocals are hypnotic, while rappers Rei and Gaeul impress with their impeccable rap flow. If you are interested in reading about the other tracks on I’ve IVE, then check out my full review of the album here.
"Good Enough" - Xdinary Heroes
Not enough words can explain how much I love “Good enough,” one of the B-side tracks from Xdinary Heroes’ new mini-album Deadlock, released April 26. Originally a poem written by Gunil (the band’s leader and drummer) and now a beautiful song (written with the help of DAY6 member Young K), “Good enough” pulls on your heartstrings through the instrumentation, lyrics, and emotional vocal deliveries. With “Good enough” on repeat, I am blown away more and more by Jooyeon’s tone and vocal balance. Dare I say, I truly believe he is one of the best vocalists within the K-Pop/K-Rock industry right now, and I sincerely hope he (and the rest of Xdinary Heroes) gets more recognition for their talent! Check out a more descriptive praise of “Good enough” here in my review of Deadlock.
"Inspiration" - TAEYANG, Beenzino
TAEYANG (of iconic K-Pop boy band BIGBANG) dropped his highly-anticipated album [Down to Earth] on April 25, featuring the likes of LISA from BLACKPINK and rappers BRYAN CHA$E and Beenzino. A difficult choice to make as this album consists of many great B-side tracks that I could have chosen, but it is the fifth track, “Inspiration,” featuring Beenzino, that stood out to me the most among them. Listening to “Inspiration,” my imagination is immediately transported to an outdoor location, like a late-evening coastal drive or beach outing, where the sun is out but beginning to set, and the wind continues to blow through our hair. “Inspiration” is a peaceful track with smooth vocals and great vocal chemistry between the two artists. While referencing Prince’s “Purple Rain” in the lyrics, there are also some nostalgic similarities to the song in the opening guitar melody, which I love.
"Snooze" - Agust D, Ryuichi Sakamoto, WOOSUNG
On April 21, Agust D made his long-awaited comeback, releasing his debut 10-track studio album D-DAY. The ninth track, “Snooze,” is a sentimental B-side that features the beautiful piano sounds of the late Ryuichi Sakamoto (who passed away in March of this year), a Japanese composer who Agust D greatly looked up to. The song also features the soft vocals of Kim Woosung, the leader, vocalist, and electric guitarist of the K-Rock band The Rose. “Snooze” is a beautiful song with a comforting message that outlines the hardships of Agust D’s path while encouraging listeners to dream and make their dreams come true. “Everything will be okay…Dream…I will be there for your creation ‘til the end of your life…you will fully bloom, after all the hardships…the beginning may be weak, but the end may be great,”* sings Agust D. With its combination of piano, rap, and a vocal lead chorus, “Snooze” gives me nostalgic feelings and, while not entirely the same, takes me back to the Hip-Hop-ballads of American rapper 2Pac, particularly 2Pac song’s “Changes” with Talent and “Ghetto Gospel” with Elton John.
"I Don’t Understand But I Luv U" - SEVENTEEN
From the title alone, SEVENTEEN’s “I Don’t Understand But I Luv U” reads as an upbeat, rock-pop track, but instead, SEVENTEEN presents us with a rock-influenced R&B ballad. As soon as the song begins, an electric guitar pierces through the instrumentation, providing the song with a sensual rock touch along with the melodic, electronic beat behind it. Performed by members Jun, Hoshi, The8, and Dino on SEVENTEEN’s latest mini-album FML, “I Don’t Understand But I Luv U” shares a beautiful message with their fans (known as Carats) about how it doesn’t matter if they don’t speak the same language; they still understand and love each other with them singing, “Different languages and different times / you don’t have to understand / …you know, there are more important things than words between us, right?”* I haven’t listened to a lot of SEVENTEEN’s music, so I’m impressed with how strong the members’ vocals are in this song. I’ll definitely make sure to check out more of SEVENTEEN’s work.
*Lyric translations from Genius