[Bonus] Best Of 2019: Honorable Mentions

Christmas is almost here and that means the Best Of 2019 are also almost here. But before that, let's check out some of the songs that almost found their spot on that prestigious list. Some of these songs will be very familiar, as will some of the final set that drops on Christmas day. Nonetheless they are all here for a reason: quality tracks with a plethora of positives. Might not necessarily be the best of the remainder (when is it ever) but all are worth mentioning.

I'm actually going to go out of my way and list some of the songs I've previously talked about throughout this year. Since this is not a valid strategy for the actual Best Of 2019 post I'm utilizing it here. The leading lady of this group has to be Twice and "Feel Special." If these were ranked, their best work would surely have been #11. Such a fantastic dance number with many boons and a refined mature sound that they have been working toward all this time. Jihyo is god tier, and the members make solid contributions paired with a blessed instrumental. Had this been any other year it'd have been good enough for a higher placing but the competition in 2019 is super tough.

[Bonus] The Late Report: June 2019

It's the late edition of The Late Report haha. Almost two weeks into July and we've got our retrospective into June. From now on, these posts should be out before the first week on the month. Can't wait until August to break this rule immediately. Let's look at the selections.

Sulli - Goblin

June was kind of an average month for music (that interested me). Chungha's "Snapping" was the headliner so I'll use Sulli's unexpected song "Goblin" in its place. How fucking sad is it that Sulli released music before the rest of f(x) did. Probably as shocking as her lack of eyebrows in the music video. The song itself is alright but the message and theme about psychology and dissociative disorder is the more prominent aspect.

[Bonus] 2018 Kpop Awards

Another year, another edition of the prestigious Kpop Awards. There's a slate of nine exciting awards that will be handed out to this year's very best. Who will take home the wonderful prizes? Who will have to wait until next time? Let's find out with the 2018 Kpop Awards.

Best Girl Group: Mamamoo

After the battles between Red Velvet and Twice (sorry Black Pink), Mamamoo come out on top of the girl group ladder. To call 2018 "the year of Mamamoo" is an understatement. Whatever you wanted from them, you got. Group comeback? How about the diverse tastes of "Starry Knight," "Egotistic," and "Wind Flower." Solo efforts? Solar continued to release soft ballads while Moonbyul and Wheein had strong debuts with "Selfish" and "Easy." Even though I predict they'll slow down a bit in 2019, their incredible 2018 campaign lands them as the best girl group of the year.

Best Boy Group: BTS

Goodness, BTS have won this award for four consecutive years. From this series' inception in 2015, no other boy group has been as dominant and as consistent as BTS. This was another year full of production from the squad. The R&B-infused "Fake Love" started their year while "Idol" was full of psychedelic elements in both song and video. So trippy in fact that there was a version with Nicki Minaj guesting. Individual stages were also plentiful, just check out the end of the year performances for proof. Huh, they're finishing up another album? Are we sure these dudes are human?

[Bonus] Best Of 2018: Honorable Mentions

Here come the Best Of 2018! Well, the ones that didn't make the final cut anyway. With five selections, they serve as a teaser to the final Best Of 2018 list. But unlike that list coming later this week, these will remain unranked. They may not necessarily even be the best outside choices (when are they ever?) but they certainly made a strong case throughout the year. May they wet your palette before the official best drops on Friday or something.

LOONA - Favorite

Not enough BRRRRA in Kpop honestly so thank goodness for Loona. The styling of group names is something I've struggled to get consistently in writing and tagging posts, and still haven't found a working ground for. Anyway "Favorite" is like EXO's "Mama:" a debut track that isn't really a debut track. Still there's a lot to like here. The choreography is strong, the instrumental is bangin', and the energy is through the roof. With this and "Hi High" as their official "debut," Loona is giving us plenty to look forward to.

[Bonus] Best Of 2018...So Far

Nothing wrong with a little June speculation. Here are my picks for the best songs released so far in 2018. Obviously I'll have missed some artists (especially the more recent ones) but we're in the middle of the year so we can see who is winning so far.  It'll be interesting to see how the selections here last when December rolls around and everything gets reevaluated with new songs in the second half of the year. They will be grouped loosely, and don't really serve a purpose since I believe trying to rank them right now would be silly.

Block B - Don't Leave

Block B have yet to break into a Best Of 20XX post, but here's their unofficial debut. "Don't Leave" shows off the melancholy side of Block B that they've perfected nearly as well as their hyperactive dance numbers. Block B were kind of one of the early groups to have two distinct sides to their title track game. Zico and P.O deliver flawless moments and both share the high point(s) of the song.

iKON - Love Scenario

Like Block B, iKON have been less of a main act and more of a disappearing one. They're more Winner and less Big Bang, if we're to use labelmate descriptions. But "Love Scenario" is their best song to date and their crazy chart successes mirror that. It's catchy, enjoyable, and has a good hook. Previous iKON releases have felt like a reach in some way or another. Sometimes the song was mediocre and other times the song had cringe moments. "Love Scenario" covers those weaknesses and has more of Junhoe's special voice.

Heize - Jenga

After "Don't Know You" last year, Heize drops another treat in "Jenga." This time she teams up with Gaeko and gives us another smooth tour of the Heize mansion. Her voice prettily glides through the track while Gaeko's rap gives us a nice boost of energy. I'll keep it short here since I previously reviewed it. That instrumental break is amazing and one of the best of all time. Between the bridge here and in Younha's "Hero," I can't quite think of other similar greats.

[Review] Heize - Jenga (feat. Gaeko) (Blitz)

Heize always delivers. If you expect her new songs to be amazing, she will not disappoint. If you expect them to be bad, she'll blow you away. Heize ain't a digital monster for nothing. This is Heize at her finest, backed by a fusion of jazz and hip-hop that create a groovy atmosphere and an enthralling listen. Her voice is delicate and firm, gliding over the verses and chorus while that smooth piano in the background takes me back to my high school days and love for jazz piano. The pure instrumental bridge is fantastic at bringing you to the final chorus. Even though Heize is a solid singer I would have loved to hear her drop a light rap in "Jenga," but that's why she brought in help. Gaeko's appearance was great. He's always been capable of any style of rapping and so fit in with the groovy theme just fine. It's honestly been so long since I've listened to anything new out of him and Dynamic Duo that his rap was arguably the highlight of the song for me. But don't let that distract you from the fact that "Jenga" is constructed brilliantly to suit Heize's strengths. The ending is a little abrupt and the MV is rather plain but the former is excusable while the latter did have some nice throwbacks in its defense. All in all yet another wonderful track by Heize.

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[Bonus] Best Of 2017

At last we have arrived. The finale of 2017. No more teasing, let's cut straight to my top 10 songs of the year.

#10. Akdong Musician - Dinosaur

Akdong Musician have been a sleeper pick all these years. They release solid music and I've casually glanced over them time and time again, but no more. "Dinosaur" was AKMU's first take on the EDM genre and it's a mighty successful one at that. I like how the song opens with guitar for ten seconds before sucker punching you into reality. In the last couple of years plagued by songs with disappointing climaxes, "Dinosaur" avoids this mistake with a brilliant break-chorus hybrid. The first time I heard this song was through speakers so I didn't even know that Suhyun was actually singing those notes (starting at 1:42). Her voice is incredible and she'll be a superstar vocalist for many years to come. Also helpful is that Chanhyuk's rapping is absent. Those were always my least favorite parts of AKMU songs. "Dinosaur" is brilliant and I hope they return to some of this stuff once Chanhyuk finishes military service.

#9. Sistar - Lonely

In a year where girl groups disbanded left and right, it felt good to see at least one end their group career peacefully. This is as beautiful and solemn a goodbye as you'll see in Kpop. Their voices are pristine, and while Soyu and Hyorin's abilities are of no surprise, Dasom turns in her strongest performance yet. Bora also shines with a powerful rap that helped erase her mediocrity of the previous few years. These solid factors make this breakup all the more painful. This was as well-rounded of an effort since "Alone," and off the heels of "I Like That" one thought Sistar would be returning to form. But alas. The fact they got to perform this song live makes their finale all the more bittersweet. God, I miss Sistar so much.