INFINITE / The Chaser

I think INFINITE should just claim ‘elegant pop’ as their own sub-genre. There’s something so sophisticated yet approachable about their tunes. Always well produced, always of the highest quality, yet catchy enough for anyone to sing along to. And while I don’t mind when artists prance all around the musical map (SISTAR are a K-Pop group who play well in various genres) there’s something to be said for an act who can cultivate their own unique brand and build on the formula.

Much like SHINee took their version of modern Michael-esque R&B to the ridiculous extreme earlier this year, INFINITE combine familiar sounds from past hits and craft something new from the parts. A bit of the 90’s synths of “Be mine”, the dynamic string production from the middle 8 of “Come Back To Me”, the early 00’s bubblegum choruses of “She’s Back” - put into the machine, shined down to the sleekest metallic finish and popped out as this new single. Of course, the process is easy to mess up, but producer Sweet Tune (KARA, Nine Muses) is like a Korean Xenomania in their prime. The signature is always there, but the best songs are allowed to have their own personalities. 

I like this single a lot for INFINITE and think it’s a much stronger comeback than their last release “Paradise”; a song which also took cues from old material but to me sounded like a retread rather than something fresh. I do wish however that this video focused more on the (gorgeous) outdoor scenes, as the indoor dancing set-up is a bit stale and K-Pop by-the-numbers. 

Crystal Kay / Forever (Teaser) 

Crystal Kay is on such a roll she could release just about anything and I’d lap it up, but thankfully the songs are great in their own right. J-Pop’s summer season arrives with Kay’s new single “Forever”, which is the leading release off her upcoming VIVID album dropping on the 27th of June. Following the fabulous “Superman”, “Delicious Friday” and “Haru Arashi”, it’s shaping up to be one of the best releases this year. 

CK rocks the breezy dance vibe and the video is appropriately colorful and festive (those dollar store hair extensions - another story). Crystal’s voice is so silky and adaptive it won’t take much work at all to get me moving to this. The full song is out June 6. Check out the teaser and make sure to watch in gorgeous HD!

Cassie / King of Hearts (R3hab Remix + Video)

There’s a lot of things in pop I wish would stop, but the continued milking of “King of Hearts” isn’t one of them. In true 90’s Bad Boy fashion Cassie & Co. have shot a brand new video for the R3hab Remix version of 2012’s premier dance cut, and between this version, the celestial Richard X mix from a few weeks ago, and the original; I’m not sure which glorious variation I like the most (we can all agree the Kanye mix is the worst).

Kyary pamyu pamyu / Pamyu Pamyu Revolution

It just dawned on me that Kyary’s album is out in less than 2 weeks, and how much unbridled joy that gives me is almost too much to think about. Almost.