[Bonus] Best Of 2019...So Far

It'll be tradition to post a Best Of the year at the midway point because I loved the idea that some songs would start strong early and then falter off, or new challengers would rise up during the second half. In the 2018 edition four of the nominees would go on to make the final list at the end of the year so let's see if 2019 can do better. Compared to last year, I haven't paid as much attention music-wise because I've been busier (though blog production is the best going into July over the last three years) but I'm pretty comfortable with my list. This time we'll go in alphabetical order by artist, to prevent bias when I reference this at the end of the year for Best Of 2019.

Chungha - Gotta Go

Oh look it's Chungha again, back so soon? "Gotta Go" is the pinnacle of her solo career thus far, showcasing her wide range of vocals, enchanting choreography, and gorgeous visuals. She struts her stuff from start to finish and the fact that it kept improving off her previous releases makes things even better. Extremely consistent, excellent composition, and stellar aesthetics make for a well-rounded track out of this well-rounded artist.

GFriend - Sunrise

This entry is a painful reminder I need to finish the next iteration of Girl Group Power Rankings seeing as GFriend is coming back very soon. Nonetheless their "Sunrise" was a perfect way to start the Kpop year. The main selling point of this song is the chorus, which is once again spearheaded by their two-headed vocal monster in Yuju and Eunha. Said chorus is exhilarating and climbs in both the notes and energy, something which you'll see from another girl group later in this post. Between the strong team performance and beautiful structure of the song, "Sunrise" is yet another addition to GFriend's repertoire.

iKON - I'm OK

YG Entertainment has been solidly placed in the dumpster during the events of 2019 but iKON are outside of that negative sphere of influence. They've been on a tear with killer tracks like "Goodbye Road" and "Love Scenario." "I'm OK" is a fusion between their recent string of songs and lands on the slower side of the spectrum. iKON proves they can master any genre thrown their way, and the melancholic nature of "I'm OK" is a statement release.

LOONA - Butterfly

There were two shoe-ins for this list and "Butterfly" was easily one candidate. From the eerily high notes to the message of the lyrics, Loona already gives us plenty to like about this song. But then how can anyone forget this dance. The synchronization, the formations, the grace. Truly beautiful and will no doubt be one of the best choreographies of the year. "Favorite" was unable to claw into the Best Of 2018, will "Butterfly" do better?

NCT 127 - Superhuman

Have I fallen into some alternate dimension where NCT 127 released a solid song? Packing a killer instrumental, glorious harmonies, and potent rapping, "Superhuman" is electrifying and frankly nothing like what I expected coming out of this subunit. Where was this during their debut era? Anyway it doesn't matter, because this song is extremely polished and it shows. If "Butterfly" is the girl group dance of the year so far, then "Superhuman" is the boy group equivalent. These boys got some sharp and funky moves, damn.

Oh My Girl - SSFWL

Somewhat reluctantly, Oh My Girl finds a spot with "SSFWL" or whatever name you want to call it. Generally I'm not a fan of this style but Oh My Girl does a really good job at the execution that I can't ignore it. Between OMG and WJSN, they're monopolizing this ethereal / otherworldly sound. Mix in some pop and anime elements and voila. They improved on the concept of a rising chorus as seen in GFriend's "Sunrise" and by improved I mean they took it into the stratosphere when Hyojung came in. Mimi is criminally underused (misued?) again but I'm gonna keep the faith. Please give her something fire soon.

Sandeul - One Fine Day

During my lame Boy Group Vocalist Power Rankings, I nonchalantly left Sandeul on the lower end of the ranks because B1A4 never stood out to me. And truth be told sometimes even his individual stuff gets swept under the rug, too. However one cannot ignore "One Fine Day" for being the beautiful ballad it is. This is concept mastery at its finest and Sandeul deserves all the praise he gets and then some.

Sunmi - Noir

In the sea of disappointing female solo releases from the likes of Chungha, Somi, Ailee, I take solace in that Sunmi dominated with another stellar track. "Noir" has enough Sunmi in the DNA while still being different to and standing out from her other songs. The message is brilliant and adequately portrayed in the music video. It's easy to make the argument that Sunmi has been the most successful solo artist over the last two years. "Noir" tells us perhaps this streak will go on.

Taemin - Want

Three straight solo artists huh? Taemin's ascension into the highest ranks of Kpop from both a group and individual standpoint will be talked about for generations to come, and "Want" is the latest addition to his library. Ever since he started doing solo work he's perfected his craft of sensual R&B dance numbers and that's exactly what "Want" delivers. His choreography and dancing are pinpoint as always while his vocals

Taeyeon - Four Seasons

How fitting that Taeyeon ends the list. Ironically though, her selection may be the shakiest one of the bunch. Still, there's no denying that "Four Seasons" is sublime to the ears. Taeyeon is as Taeyeon does, which is sing beautifully from start to finish. And the bridge to final chorus is splendid, with subtle harmonies that go underappreciated. She's basically at the level where to talk about her greatness is boring, so she's in a sense overlooked. Regardless she remains a queen.