MBLQ~Smoky Girl
I did a SOTM for "Smoky Girl" and didn't realize how much love they would get. Its an incredible song that should have gotten more exposure. I feel they fit this style better than their previous concepts it just seems more natural. The more I see of these guys the more I fall in love with them.
I admit I didn't like this song at first, it took alot of listening to it over & over again in order to appreciate what a gem it is. And I liked how they went with a different music producer this time around. It really helped give them more leeway to different concepts and themes. I'm a big fan of UKiss and I can only hope that they continue to grow musically and personally.
Had to decide between this and "We Are Bulletproof" and based on the lyrics went with the former. Both songs did well enough but didn't get the exposure that I would have liked to see. BTS caught me by surprised as I though they were just another new Hip Hop group to come onto the scene. "No More Dream" is a wonderful song about going after your dreams, regardless of the outside pressure coming from parents wanting their kids to go on certain career paths and society forcing you to conform to their standards. This is the kind of song that speaks to young people like myself who are in the midst of still trying to figure out our life goals. My favorite part is when Rap Monster raps "Open your eyes now, dance now, dream a dream now, and stop hesitating." Such powerful lyrics coming from a rookie group.
Well this one is pretty self-explanatory. I've always believed Seungri was overshadowed by the other members of Big Bang since his voice is more softer and not as strong as the others. But finally he has come into his own style & it fits soo well with him. He's not trying too hard to impress anyone, and he doesn't have to, he's Seungri! That entire album was a gem too bad he didn't get noticed more. After "Gotta Talk To You" I believe people will take him more seriously in the future.....well that's my wish at least.
Ahh this song speaks to me the most. I was/am in the same rut wondering where did 20 go and why did it feel like I hadn't accomplished anything substantial yet!? Kim Lim (or is it Lim Kim!?) has a great funky tone to her voice. Its unique and I like how she sings as if she's standing in front of you talking about it. I'm currently watching SUFB and when I saw her went "OMG isn't that the girl from the "Goodbye 20" song she seems like a reserved but cool person in real life.
Another one I talked about in my SOTM posts. Its a touching song about a relationship that has run its course and the emotions during that time. I really like the song because while the lyrics are sad and nostalgic, the music keeps a hopeful upbeat tempo. To me, that symbolizes that the person is hopeful that they'll come out of this experience a much better and happier person.
Ladies Code~Hate You
I can't remember if it was Pandora or Youtube that I first heard this song from but it caught my attention right away. Ladies Code's voices blend well together in harmony. For being rookies they seem like pros in the way they carry themselves and with their vocals. They beat some big time singers in K-Pop who have been singing for far longer than this group. I don't have alot of girl groups that stand out to me but this year Spica & Ladies Code have really made me change my views on girl groups. Hope there's even more to come from these girls.
I always remember San E as that one hilarious MC guy from Gurupop. The thing about San E is that he released at least 3 songs this year and each and every one was fantastic so you can understand my dilemma when trying to narrow it down. And the videos he puts out have some well thought out concepts. I really like how he can be funny and upbeat during some parts of the songs and then change to a more serious tone later on. San E's got some talent and I love how each and every video has a theme about relationships. "Break Up Dinner" is a song about not being able to let a relationship go. The video is downright sad and this time you can hear in his voice the emotions he feels, its not upbeat but more melancholic. At the beginning is voice is hopeful & optimistic but as it gets closer to the end, it becomes somber. And its so sad to see him all happy about his dinner date not realizing that he's dead in the video. Him being "dead" represents not understanding that the relationship has long run its past and San E isn't ready to accept that. I thought the plot of the mv was pretty good, heart-breaking but realistic.
"I'm Sorry" is such a jamming song. Slightly funky intersected with pop/rock the perfect combination. I felt that this song didn't really get any attention, granted it has been almost a year since it was first released. Jung Yong Hwa is not only beautiful to look at but his voice is perfect. I could listen to it all day.
Lee Hyori had a great comeback this year. Monochrome was one of my top favorite albums of the year. Sadly, "Amor Mio" got buried beneath the success of "Bad Girls" and "Miss Korea." I found this gem while listening to the album and was surprised to find there was also a video for it! Its very simplistic but her voice fused with Park Ji Yong's was perfection.
Just a great song. Everytime I listen to it I feel nostalgic and start remembering things in my past. Nell is a group that I only became aware of earlier this year with their song "The Day Before." Funny thing but I couldn't remember who sang that song or anything else but that it had those 2 model guys in it and one was from 2NE1's "Ugly" video. "Ocean of Light" is the perfect song to just relax with. The music is so soothing and it lets your mind wander to the happy places. Nell knows exactly how to create music that fits life perfectly. Every song of theirs hits my emotional spot and this song is no exception.
Such a beautiful and smooth mid-tempo song. The piano in the song is just so exquisite, it brings such a nice touch. After looking up the lyrics I fell even more in love with it. BAP is usually known for being the tough-guys of KPop but through "Coffee Shop" showed the world that they could venture into the smooth areas of music as well. Having never listened to any of their ballads before (that is if they had any) I was pleasantly surprised how smooth the boy voices were. Personally, I think this is their best song aside from "One Shot" because they take a risk and get away from their comfort zone. The music video is one of my favorites of the year. Its so simple but I adore the many landscape shots and different places shown in the video.
Not being a fan of this group before, they surprised me with "A.D.T.O.Y" its such a great mature sounding song. Having listened to their previous songs, they've really grown up in the last couple of years musically and individually. I really liked the rap in this song because it flowed nicely and it wasn't too cheesy or anything. So bonus points for that. Secondly, I like the simplicity of the video. Black and white always looks cool in music videos and it helped focus the attention on the group. Also, using the chairs as props was genius. The dance was simple, could actually be considered too simple, but adding the chairs gave it a even more special effect.
