#i could theoretically pick it back up again on top of japanese and arabic

[justapalspal]

one time this girl got mad at me for speaking spanish with an american accent (which was the best I could do at the time) and like that definitely, looking back on it, nerfed any confidence I had in speaking spanish. I was but a young pal then. baby’s first not-english language and all that

#i could theoretically pick it back up again on top of japanese and arabic #like uh #time to heal old wounds or something #¿qué tal si estudio español? #¿otra vez? #lo escribo más mejor que lo hablo pero si escribo gramatica mala lo siento 😭 #voy a hacer mi mejor #ramble

[veri-us-kpop-weekly]

2019 K-Pop Top 50: 50-43

Hello, again! It’s finally the end of 2019, so I’ll be doing a year-end list of my top 50 songs. (I was originally only doing 42 with 7 honorable mentions, but I changed it since that was a weird number and because I would be putting a shorthand list on Twitter.) Here are a few notes:

-This is only my opinion. If your opinion differs, that’s fine. Music is subjective, and different technical and theoretical arguments can pretty much always be made. -I only picked one song per album. If an artist appears multiple times, they had to have had multiple comebacks. This was to prevent me from just slapping a couple of albums I’m biased towards on here and calling it a day. -To be considered, a song has to have had a Korean-language release any time throughout the year (yes, December tracks are included). No Japanese, English, Chinese, Arabic, or other tracks are eligible. -I am aware I picked very few female artists. Producers quite audibly choose different styles based on gender. I would suggest that you listen to miss A tracks to hear what I typically like in girl group songs. It is not that I am against girl groups; rather, very few songs fit that particular musical niche in my opinion. -Refer to my introduction post for a general idea of my taste.

Now, it’s countdown time!

===Day 1===

50. (G)I-DLE-Uh-Oh

(G)I-DLE have a tendency to change up their sound. While they have tackled more trendy sounds before, the 90s hip-hop sound was a smart match for their bold image and powerful vocals. Distorted vocal samples, record scratching, and prominent percussion help to solidify the song’s placement in time.

49. IMFACT-Only U

Objectively, it could be argued that “Only U” has some less-than-great parts (ex. trap pre-chorus and EDM bridge build that’s used in every martial arts performance song ever), and while that’s certainly a valid point, it also has some of the nicest key changes I’ve heard all year and a dreamy, bouncy deep house groove. I would suggest playing it on a nice speaker for full effect.

48. THE BOYZ-Clover

I can sum this up with “e.one does their typical thing and it works,” which is mix classic bubblegum or synth pop with something trendy (trap percussion) and heavily process the vocals. It results in a sugary rush of pop with a soaring chorus, and it’s hard to ask for a lot more in this kind of song.

47. JBJ95-Spark

Fair warning that this is probably one of the slowest songs that will be covered. Nonetheless, it keeps up its energy with a more percussive bass line (repeated sixteenth notes) with rock accenting under shimmering synthesizers, culminating in a repetitive but insanely catchy vocal refrain.

46. DONGKIZ-Fever

Quirky and bright, Dongkiz, like in their previous title tracks, have established their own sort of chaotic, brassy sound. Though not quite as good as Nom, Fever is still fun and echoes the same sort of eccentric instrumental choices that have defined each of their title tracks so far.

45. Kim Jaehwan-Nuna

Though its beat may come off as monotonous in its insistence, its bouncy and quirky feel recalls earlier pop hits. The song never seems too serious, especially in its comically abrupt pauses. Perhaps the only notable flaw is the repetitiveness of the bridge (as is true with the next song), which can be overlooked due to the central hook.

44.greatguys-DANG!

With a post-chorus as strong as the chorus, throwback sounds, a piano intro, and guitar a bit lower in the mix, this song is a strong rendition of the tried-and-true pop formula. My only major critique is the same as in “Nuna.”

43. Seven O’clock-Midnight Sun

Tropical house is overused, but lightening up the generic sound with smart instrumental choices to create a dreamlike atmosphere makes for an interesting listen, especially with a proper chorus written on top of it.

That’s all for today’s list! Check back tomorrow for 42-36!

~Yume

(Perhaps I’ll add a GIF for each song later. I’m already posting at 5 AM.)

#kpop #k-pop #music recommendation #kpop recommendations #top2019 #top2019music #top50 #topkpop #(g)i-dle #uh-oh #imfact #only u #the boyz #clover #jbj95 #spark #dongkiz #fever #kim jaehwan #nuna #greatguys #DANG! #seven o'clock #midnight sun