[Recap] 2016 May-August: Explosion

I've figured out how to do spoiler / dropdown buttons so that's where I'll shove the list of songs reviewed in the period, which will help clean up the appearance of this section at least. Additionally, more ghetto banners will make their kickoff across each section, which should help break up the monotone appearance of blocks of text. All for fun artistic imagery that tricks me into thinking I can make stuff look nice, haha.

20. Hyuna - How's This? (65)
19. Fei - Fantasy (70)
18. AOA - Good Luck (77)
17. FIESTAR - Apple Pie (77)
16. AMUSE - Lip 2 Lip (80)
15. Cosmic Girls - Secret (80)
14. I.O.I - Whatta Man (82)
13. Black Pink - Whistle (82)
12. Jessica - Fly (82)
11. EXID - L.I.E (82)
10. Tiffany - I Just Wanna Dance (85)
9. Twice - Cheer Up (85)
8. CLC - No Oh Oh (85)
7. EXO - Monster (88)
6. Luna - Free Somebody (88)
5. Lovelyz - Destiny (90)
4. Sistar - I Like That (93)
3. Wonder Girls - Why So Lonely (95)
2. GFriend - Navilerra (95)
1. BTS - Save Me (95)

Damn I almost reviewed 20 songs across four months. I'm sure that's probably my personal record in that timespan, but I'd have to doublecheck. Anyways, the leading trio of Wonder Girls / GFriend / BTS deserve it with their songs which were leagues above the rest of the field. Meanwhile, groups like Sistar and EXID delivered with strong rebound tracks. Conversely, FIESTAR and AOA were rather lackluster given their previous installment. For the first time in a while, I don't think any song's placing is too high or too low. Everything seems perfect. What a time to be alive.

The spring months housed plenty of chart-topping material, but the summer was bit more volatile. It certainly felt like there was more of a rollercoaster in terms of releases. Some songs were just straight up bad, while others weren't as good as expected or teased. Still, there are a handful enough of winners and addicting songs so here are some picks for summer highlights.

Jonghyun - She Is

S.M. and their individual artists have been knocking it out of the park this year. Jonghyun's release with "She Is" is an example of the high-quality material they've been churning out in 2016. Jonghyun's voice always makes for a thrilling listen, even if the pronunciation and instrumental makes it sound like he's saying "oh shit" for the entire chorus. But hey maybe that's an appeal factor of the song. "She Is" is electrifying and addictive, and adds another noteworthy track to Jonghyun's solo career.

Kisum - 2 Beer

Kisum has flourished post-Unpretty Rapstar 2. She's been pretty damn consistent with dropping new tracks, and "2 Beer" is a chill listen for a lazy afternoon. Kisum's rapping continues to be riddled with her charisma while showing off her flow, much to our ears' delight. Her "Muzik" EP is full of gems, but "2 Beer" and "No Jam" are on another level. I'm waiting for a new collaboration effort though, one that can really put her into mainstream discussions.

Taeyeon - Why

Speaking of S.M. and their solo material, Taeyeon's return to the stage was another welcome addition to the library. "Why" capitalizes on the rhythmic patterns of "I" but aligns itself with the EDM-style that S.M. has fallen in love with (and they continue to make mostly great songs so why stop?). Being a dance track, the choreography is also easy on the eyes and the couple theme is certainly a rarity nowadays. Even though I prefer the predecessor, Taeyeon deserves credit for a splendid comeback that definitely kept up with the hype.

SPICA - Secret Time

Holy crap, SPICA is back. "Secret Time" is a season-appropriate dance track that uses its repetitive chorus to make you addicted. Boa and Bohyung prove their worth as one of the best girl group vocal tandems, strutting their stuff all over this track. And elsewhere, the rest of the roster maintains the group's status as the most effective girl group in terms of vocal prowess. Also, bless Jiwon's and her abs. Do not leave SPICA criminally underrated, who knows when we'll see them again.

Can we talk about the emergence of solid performances from girl group rappers across the board? From CLC's Yeeun to Wonder Girls' Yubin, from 9MUSES' Sojin to Oh My Girl's Mimi, rap quality ranged from surprisingly good to extremely catchy. Most of the girls pulled their weight and showed their might from the rapping position. Though I gotta call out Hyeran of Brave Girls for a rather disappointing rap break in a rather disappointing "High Heels." Bora's record on the Insane Love EP were also paltry offerings compared to albums past.

In related news, the 3rd season of Unpretty Rapstar is coming (this part was written before the show started), and the lineup features a few notable idol names like Miryo (of Brown Eyed Girls), Nada (of Wa$$up), and Yuna (formerly of The Ark). I'm most excited to see how Yuna will fare. This is her chance to go somewhere following the unfortunate collapse of The Ark. I'm not sure how I feel about the gradual increased mix of idols and non-idols, but honestly if they can produce some decent tracks I'll be pleased.

Here's a segment where I'll just talk about random stuff. Who knows if this will be a recurring section or not. Anything goes? That sounds fair. Let's start with Secret. This group is on the verge of being the next 4minute, because I don't think they'll be nearly as lucky as SPICA to have a comeback anytime soon. They will likely carry on the 4minute path to the T, because I imagine Hyosung will be the only member to resign with TS (or vice versa). Jieun, Hana, and definitely Sunhwa will bail and pursue their dreams somewhere else.

On the subject of 4minute, Jiyoon will be making her solo debut in the fall with her new label. I look forward to seeing what she'll bring to the table. Given her versatility as both a rapper and vocalist, it could be literally anything (please no bubblegum pop though). Another free spirit who should be making a solo appearance soon is Minzy, who desperately needs some music action sometime soon. Also can I ask where the hell is Nicole? I see her post on Instagram from time to time but I thought she was making a comeback, dammit.

Honestly I think starting next year I'll change these it up and recap every two months as opposed to every four months. Part of that depends on how active the industry is between months and another part is gonna depend on how busy I'll end up being (since trimesters would be easier on me). It'll be another experimental step for the Recap series, so we'll see how it goes.

I'm ultimately a little disappointed with some of this summer block, but rest assured the existence of songs like "Save Me," "I Like That," and "Navillera" more than make up for the less impressive comebacks. Solo material was also solid, and will pave the way for future ones by other idols. Things should continue to pick up in September and October, with girl groups like A-Pink and Girl's Day making overdue returns to the stage.