Infant – Clazzi

Favorite songs: Star Child (with Christina / Rap MYK), How We Feel (with Seulong of 2AM), Sexy Doll (with Kota and Jubi of SUNNY HILL / Rap MYK)

Okay, so this isn’t technically Kpop, but I don’t believe this is considered indie either because of Clazzi’s popularity. Anyway, Clazzi’s first solo album is a totally different road from his work with Clazziquai Project. It’s all electronic here with some serious club beats to keep you pumped up and dancing; though there is the occasional mellow tune to slow you down, a beat is still alive and pumping. I will say that some tracks sound a tad messy and with too much repetition can get tiring, but I still believe this is one entertaining album. All around a well put together album with sick beats and amazing, unique vocal talents from the mainstream and indie scene.

The Return – Shinhwa

Favorite songs: Hurts, Be My Love, Move with Me

Now despite being into Kpop for three years, I’m still quite oblivious to the older Kpop groups that started back in the 90’s, so hearing about the legendary Shinhwa returning, I had no particular feelings for this news. However, that doesn’t mean I didn’t know how talented these men are. It took me a while to listen to their new album as I didn’t want to make it seem like I was jumping on the Shinhwa bandwagon acting like an old fan, which I obviously wasn’t. So I finally gave the album a try and it turned out to be quite fantastic. The album as a whole feels very fresh. The electronic tracks are light and not so obnoxious sounding, while the ballads are sentimental and highlight the group’s passionate vocals (especially in ‘On the Road’ and ‘Hurts’). There’s a good balance of up-beat and slower-paced songs. The album also has an old school quality to it, but at the same time is modernized just enough to grab hold of the current generation of listeners. Shinhwa’s 10th album has certainly convinced this Kpop fan to check out their early releases.~

Males: ALIVE – BIG BANG

Favorite songs: Ego, Still Alive, Feeling

With all the scandals that occurred after their comeback last year, it was a sight of relief to see these men come back together to do what they do best: singing, dancing, and making music. With their fifth mini album, Big Bang comes back with some interesting variety in sound that is, overall, a little different than their usual releases. There’s more of a pop/electronic vibe going on instead of the usual hip-hop undertones (with the exception of ‘Still Alive’ and ‘Bad Boy’) and they have also brought in acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and other instruments to enhance certain songs, giving them a style that I wouldn’t really expect from Big Bang. However, being a long time listener, there’s still that sense that yes, this is Big Bang with their quirky and cool style. In a way, it’s classic Big Bang, but upgraded, modernized. I specifically choose the special edition (which includes the Korean versions of ‘Ego’ and ‘Feeling’ from the Japanese version of ALIVE, a longer version of ‘Still Alive’, and two new songs, ‘Monster’ and ‘Bingeul Bingeul’) because of the variety, which gives us so much more for our ears to experience. Still Alive is definitely one of Big Bang’s best, even if it strays a bit away from their usual sound.

Females: Electric Shock – f(x)

Favorite songs: Let’s Try, Love Hate

Just as the title states, this mini-album is purely electric with the sweet, harmonious voices of f(x) swirled in. It’s certainly a step-up from their previous releases, which, while sounding decent, had no flow. This time around there’s a central theme, but each song is still its own unique piece. The sound theme isn’t repetitive to the point where each song sounds the same. The vocals as well have stepped up this release as there’s more diversity and the lines are actually evenly distributed among the members. It’s as if f(x) has been testing all these music styles, releasing messy mini-albums, and finally found a perfect fit with Electric Shock. Overall, a very bright and fun album to keep you running cheerful and energetic.~

Males: Sherlock – SHINee

Favorite songs: Alarm Clock, Stranger

After a year of promotions in Japan, SHINee finally came back to the Korean music scene with this semi-interesting mini-album. Though as a dedicated SHINee fan (Shawol as they call it) I at first couldn’t bring myself to buy the physical copy of Sherlock, and not because of the…awkward (yet fun!) covers for it. It wasn’t as well put together as their previous flawless mini albums have. It’s not that the songs weren’t good, but well, two of the songs were mashed up for the title song ‘Sherlock’ and one track, ‘Stranger’, was already released on their first Japanese album. I felt cheated in a way, as a fan, but the three other new tracks were incredibly delightful (or rather epitomes of PERFECTION) and had me swooning over SHINee just as much. I recommend the mini album, but not as much as their previous releases.~

Females: Wonder Party – Wonder Girls

Favorite songs: R.E.A.L, The DJ is Mine

I had never particularly liked Wonder Girls until their album Wonder World came out back in 2011 (which was the best album of the year in my opinion). I’m still not necessarily a big fan, but if they’re releasing something new, without a doubt I’ll check it out, especially after this mini-album. Part party-pumping pop songs, part soulful love songs about sad breakups, Wonder Party is certainly a party of a mini-album. Whether you want a light tune or a serious danceable track, there’s something for everyone’s taste. Overall a more mature feel/vibe is present in this release, from their vocals, sound, and even lyrics. However, I choose f(x) because their mini-album was a tad more interesting, but that doesn’t mean this is an unimpressionable release; it’s probably one of the better mini-albums in their discography.

SPICA may not have gotten as much as attention as other female rookie groups, but they’re certainly gaining more with their talent. Out of any debut girl group this year, SPICA are the only ones who have my complete attention. Both of their releases were outstanding; catchy pop tunes with a mix of R&B coupled with their wonderful, soulful vocals. I don’t think any rookie group this year (so far) can compare! They have managed to stay away from the female rookie group cliches that always manage to kill my interest, and have a cool, sleek style that I love. I urge you to give these lovely ladies a try.

Probably one of the most anticipated debuts this year as SM kicked up the fancy-smancy factor by giving these boys 21 TEASERS to tease us fangirls with, along with two prologue singles complete with music videos. They furthered tortured us by separating these 12 adorable boys into EXO-K, who promotes in Korea, and EXO-M, who promotes in China, and having them release the same songs in both Korean and Mandarin. Being a fan of practically every group SM has debuted, I felt it was my duty to give some support to EXO but now I’ve become a full-fledged fan on my own will (as you can tell with this recommendation). Not only do these boys have likeable (and adorable) personalities, but they bring out some powerful vocals and slick dance skills. The only tragedy is that they haven’t had a new release yet. However with the few, full songs they have, I’ve come to love every single one of them, from the intense ‘MAMA’, to the lovely ‘What Is Love’, and to the catchy ‘History’. I recommend checking out SM’s newest group, who have a lot to offer, if only SM would give them a new release.

Haute Couture – Glen Check

Favorite songs: French Virgin Party, Vogue Boys and Girls, 60’s Cardin

Glen Check is now a two-piece band (the drummer left not too long ago) consisting of singer/guitar player June-One Kim and bass/synthesizer player Hyuk-Jun Kang. Haute Couture is their first studio album after releasing three EPs in 2011 and it is just a spectacular album. It has the perfect sound that I love: upbeat for me to want to continuously listen to, yet mellow enough so that I feel somewhat at peace. A lot of the songs are oddly calming due to June-One’s monotone-ish voice that surprisingly fits among the upbeat sounds. He also sings just in English with no hint of Engrish in sight. There are so many great multi-layered melodies going on in every song that each piece is just so…interesting! Without a doubt Glen Check’s Haute Couture is one of my favorite Korean indie albums of all time and definitely worth the listen no matter what genre you’re into.

Beyond the Sky – Black Bag

Favorite songs: White One, Beautiful Morning

Now onto a completely different style than Glen Check, Beyond the Sky is Black Bag’s debut EP that showcases more of a classic rock style. It is clear of any synthesized or electronic sounds with more focus on the guitar and vocals. Without the muddling of too much background noises, this gives the overall EP a crisp, freshness to it. The sound may be simple, but each song has a different tone that keeps the EP interesting and continuously refreshing. It’s quite the…chill album that I wouldn’t mind listening to while cruising around in my car. Obviously another highly recommended album.~

1. Love Dance – THE KOXX

15. Alone – Sistar