(Part 2) Top 100 Albums of 2024
A ranking and review of the year’s best releases from Korean, Japanese, and Chinese artists!
Check out part one here!
#74: John Park, PSST!
Even the smallest elements of John Park’s songs sound melodic and lovely! These include the “Hmmm”s in “BLUFF,” the distant-sounding choir that complements his voice in “SILVERLINE,” and the spoken interludes in “STUTTER.” He does sing about some darker periods of a relationship, but more often than not, his songs circle back to an earnest belief in the power and daily presence of true love. In “Skit (Today’s Forecast),” he plays a flight captain and announces over the “intercom” that “The storm will pass, and something beautiful is on its way.” This is followed by a dance party in the form of “NIGHTCRAWLER”! He ends the album with “SILVERLINE” and the lyrics “Every ending door / Opens to new light,” reiterating how PSST! is a sweet tribute to love and optimism. While no song is worth skipping, John Park’s voice is particularly a must-hear on the heavenly “ALL I WANT”!
#73: BAEKHYUN, Hello, World
There are two main lyrical through-lines in Hello, World, and references to dreams are one of them. These are sometimes positive but other times referring to circumstances BAEKHYUN hopes to find out were just in his head. The second main lyrical theme is how empty life feels without love in it, something BAEKHYUN conveys a firm belief in through his words and tone in songs like “Cold Heart” and “Truth Be Told;” one mourns how cold someone’s words are to hear, while the other mourns the opposite: how loud the silence feels in that person’s absence. The sense that BAEKHYUN can’t win either way explains his downcast delivery at unexpected times, like when he responds to “Is it okay?” in “Rendez-Vous” with a blunt “No.” Electro-pop and R&B songs alike are permeated with an air of dissatisfaction. Read more here!
#72: NCT 127, WALK
As usual, this group fearlessly mashes together seemingly opposite styles and concepts. Promotion-wise, they have opted for a chill, unscripted approach in some ways (like with a series of “podcast episodes”) and a high-concept one in other ways (like with the “Intro: Wall to Wall” video, which alludes to their ongoing, supernatural music video world). Sound-wise, they stay true to their pop and hip-hop roots while dabbling in other genres, like jazz. Tonally, they sing in a cocky manner at times and a sweet, sincere one at others. They are also all over the map outfit-wise, with both formal and casual attire in this era’s concept images and videos. Tying all of these disparate elements together is the album title and main topic: walking… NCT 127 continue to shine when exposing wide ranges of possibilities where they previously went unseen; they have once again found untapped thematic and musical potential in the most seemingly banal places! Read more here!
#71: SUNGJIN, 30
SUNGJIN expresses an urgent desire to learn how to balance his personal definitions of success and happiness with society’s. There are primarily inward-looking songs on 30, like “Nowhere You Are,” but more often, he takes an analytical and removed role first, then applies his observations to his own circumstances… 30 has many observant takes on what “they say” and which edits ought to be made to those assumptions about life’s patterns and potential. Read more here!
#70: Bryn, SUPERCHARGED
Bryn airs out a lot of complaints, but she does so in humble and humorous ways!... From anxiety to apathy, from a desire to throw in the towel to steadfastness, and from critiques of the music industry to admissions of not resisting its demands, SUPERCHARGED has a refreshing lack of filters. That boldness applies to the instrumental choices, too, which mix pop, rap, and hip-hop tendencies with bits and pieces from the worlds of R&B and hyper-pop. Read more here!
#69: TWICE, DIVE
After the confessional focus of the first third of DIVE comes roughly a third of it that focuses on improving their low self-esteem… The last third of the album is much lighter and speaks to the freeness one feels after learning to love oneself. The only song that does not neatly fit into one of these categories is “Peach Soda,” but it earns its place on the tracklist too, thanks to unique analogies… This TWICE release is delightful both aesthetically and when “diving” deeper into its substance! Read more here!
#68: ExWHYZ, Sweet & Sour
This short and sweet EP is anything but sour! The best songs are the club-ready ones with a funky digital distortion done to ExWHYZ’s voices, “NIGHT COASTER” and “I won’t tell.” “present - ExWHYZ Ver.” delivers all the glitchy goodness that dance and pop music enthusiasts crave, and its spatial qualities make it a winner for those who admire the subtle art of great surround-sound arrangements. The well-paced addition of sounds in “Drama” and the imagery-provoking lyrics of “Sweet & Sour” are other highlights. Sweet & Sour is a quick but memorable energy boost for both casual listeners and those with an ear for detail.
#67: WOOSUNG, 4444
WOOSUNG makes a convincing case that substance and great EDM music are not mutually exclusive!… WOOSUNG tells his story in two parts, and the “Before Rebirth” part starts with “Paper Cuts,” which raises a glass to all sorts of memory fragments… The last song, which returns to the hazy synths from the album’s intro, ends with him saying, “Just let there be light / Hope we’ll be alright.” Part of the text on the screen at the start of the “44 (Forget Forever)” music video says “THIS IS HIS FOURTH AWAKENING,” suggesting that WOOSUNG is not actually telling just a two-part story, but one with infinite additions. No arbitrary limit can be placed on the number of re-awakenings he can have, and that ever-present ability to start over is why the album ends on a cautiously optimistic note. Read more here!
#66: KEY, Pleasure Shop
KEY stays in character throughout the Pleasure Shop videos and songs alike. The dance-pop, house-music-inspired songs and the head-spinning amount of details in the main music video compound the feeling of being overwhelmed, in an impulsive headspace as a result, and acting as if under a hypnotic spell. He reminds his audience of their captive state in songs like “I Know” (“I know the truth, always locked away… can’t escape”) and hints at his control over them and his systematizing of their emotions in “Overthink” (“Input error / Output loss”)... Pleasure Shop is indeed a “pleasure” to listen to, but its social commentary provokes the kind of thoughts that can lead to long-lasting happiness! Read more here!
#65: Sheena Ringo, Carnival
Carnival is about living loud and living large! A flute and rattling percussion start the party with “offering sake,” which leads into a big and bold warning to not get on Sheena Ringo’s bad side in “i’m free.” With few exceptions, the rest of the album stays loud in every meaning of the word. Even the more low-key instrumentals are shaken up by sporadic piano notes, a sudden switch into a mocking tone, and/or strange sound effects! A stomp-along-ready, big-band sound is a staple, sometimes to a comedic extent, like in “open secret,” which belongs in a movie’s sped-up chase scene! What is commendable about Carnival is not its aptly party-ready atmosphere, though. What makes this a “carnival” worth hearing is its depth. The full sound is not just for the sake of bells and whistles; important reflections lie underneath them with surprising frequency. Read more here!
#64: STU48, Natsukashii Ashita Special Edition
While this album comes across as classic feel-good J-pop fare, it has many layers to it. The title combines terms for “nostalgia” and “tomorrow,” and the tracklist features a handful of older songs alongside new ones. The album stays on-message about evaluating the past and future at the same time, and the audience is made to be more receptive to these evaluations because of the way they are sent: with an encouraging, compassionate tone… STU48 then gather all the pearls of wisdom they have dropped in the previous songs and bring them together for a satisfying conclusion. Read more here!
#63: JxW, THIS MAN
The soundtrack to the story of “THIS MAN” is a complementary one. JEONGHAN compares his desire for someone to “memory manipulation” and wishes he could “stay in this dream” in the R&B “Beautiful Monster.” WONWOO’s rock ballad, “Leftover,” achingly describes the mere fragments of memories that remain with him during his waking hours. The third song, a Moonbahton one called “Last night,” speaks to both characters’ goals: JEONGHAN’s goal of living in dreams and WONWOO’s goal of retrieving the memories that can bring him a fuller picture of reality. With such a detailed, complex story told visually, it makes sense to cover such a range of character traits and genres sonically too, which this duo does with flying colors.
#62: DAY6, Fourever
Fourever is a strong representation of a rebirth. The songs stand apart from the DAY6 songs of the past, covering an expanded soundscape that includes grunge-rock, pop-punk, synth-pop, and more. However, the album is not too in-your-face about marking a new beginning. They do not rely on shock value to show they have grown up; a natural maturity from life experiences is apparent… Life lessons and the power of hindsight add meaning and a new tone to their music, and the strengthened sense of self that comes from growing up has enabled an evident expansion of their musical horizons. Read more here!
#61: KAVE, Say My Name
Say My Name is chock-full of the best kinds of kooky and spooky chaos! Each song has its own personality, brought to life through electronic and rock concoctions with humorous and haunted-house-approved twists… Say My Name invites listeners to a frightful-in-a-fun-way, fast-paced event! Read more here!
#60: Nerd Connection, And yet, We still
This rock band shows their trademark unamused attitude in amusing new ways! Standouts include “She,” and “Clown,” the latter in which they sing about following some norms just to avoid the reactions that norm-breaches might cause! They are full of dissatisfaction and distrust, and their complaints include the following: “In this world of capitalism, money is everything” (“CASH”), “The time of crisis arrived… I wasn’t ready” (“Freddy”), and “I just wanna be alone” (“headshrinker”). Subtlety is not their specialty! However, there are some less obvious intimations throughout the album, thanks to two variables. One is the thoughtful instrumental arrangements; the instrumental-only parts of songs speak volumes too, through how much they dwell on or stop evoking certain emotions. The second source of additional meaning comes from the silver linings acknowledged within certain lyrics… Read more here!
#59: Xdinary Heroes, LIVE and FALL
LIVE and FALL is a well-crafted culmination of Xdinary Heroes’ self-described “Xperiment Project.” The compilation of newer and older songs covers a broad emotional and sonic spectrum that center the band’s best go-tos: uncontainable expressions and unpredictability. “XH_WORLD_75” is a surprising start that goes from calm to chaotic, slowly and then all at once. “FEELING NICE” and “XYMPHONY” are similarly chameleonic, the former having a mid-song BPM switch and lots of messing around with reverberations. The latter includes pitch changes and a spooky twist on keyboard-playing! The fourth new song is “Night before the end,” a bitter ballad that speaks to Xdinary Heroes’ range. As for the older songs, they include everything from a cappella to alt-metal moments, always with a specific vocal presence. Xdinary Heroes have found their true sound, one that is diverse yet distinct, and LIVE and FALL is an encapsulation of it.
#58: Kimberley Chen, kiki
The pacing of this album ebbs and flows like the water in its intro, and also like a body of water, there is something beautiful in both its high and low tides. The more subdued “low-tide” moments are admirable for their softness and sincerity… The “high-tide” moments come from “Say What” and “Love Me More,” rousing songs during which Kimberley brings a more distinguishable style to her voice. The instrumental choices further fuel the feeling of the songs’ rises and falls… kiki encompasses a range of topics and sounds without straying too far from its emotional core. Read more here!
#57: Jin, Happy
Despite being the product of worldwide collaborations, with contributions from the U.S.’s MAX, British musician Gary Barlow, and Japanese rock band members Taku and Toru; despite having some darker moments, most notably in “Another Level;” and despite its refusal to stay in a specific genre box, with “rockabilly” sounds, a piano ballad, and rock songs; Happy manages to be cohesive. Each song sticks to the main theme of optimism. This is the most overt in the main tracks… The B-sides bury their optimism more: “Another Level” is about getting back up after falling down, “Falling” is about an unrequited love but an exciting love to feel nonetheless, and “Heart on the Window” is a wistful yet grateful ode to the passing of the seasons. Read more here!
#56: SUHO, 1 to 3
“A line becomes an edge, if you see it differently,” SUHO says in “1 to 3,” acknowledging how perspective is everything. Therefore, he consciously decides to see edges as lines, to see youth as something capable of prolonging (a view he elaborates on in “Alright Alright”), to see a lack of direction as a great opportunity (“Zero Gravity”), and to see unproductive days as just waiting periods before he really shines… The text on the screen during the “1 to 3” music video includes “It’s never too late to be whoever you want to be,” and SUHO impresses with how he sends that downright-cliche message with original characterizations. Read more here!
#55: RIIZE, RIIZING
RIIZE treat talking about lived experiences and talking about the power of music as inextricably linked; they treat music itself as a metaphor. From “Boom Boom Bass” to “Talk Saxy,” songs about crushes and other relatable feelings are intentionally discussed through music-themed contexts… Besides using music itself as a theme of their music, RIIZE take the boy-next-door appeal in a unique direction with new spins on other artists’ songs… By repurposing familiar tunes and revealing what memories they personally attach to other ones, RIIZE’s songs trigger nostalgia and forge connections with listeners that become stronger than what is typical. Read more here!
#54: DOYOUNG, YOUTH
YOUTH tells a descriptive yet abstract tale about a search for meaning in memories and the many “little lights” and “little waves” that assist in that search. DOYOUNG brings this story to life beautifully, with a focus on pop-rock and band music that enhances the story’s coherence. Read more here!
#53: LEECHANGSUB, 1991
1991 dips its toes into many waters, from ballads to dance-pop, but it also sticks to one overall theme: the passage of time. LEECHANGSUB looks back to the past in songs like “OLD TOWN” and “#RUN,” paints a picture of his ideal future in songs like “vain hope,” and soaks in the present moment on the fun-loving “Saturday night” and “BUMPBUMP.” The past appears to have the strongest hold on him, infiltrating the songs that would otherwise only be about moving forward. For instance, in “33,” he asks himself “What if” questions about how his present day would look were he to have made different choices. He also repeatedly acknowledges being the same person he has always been… 1991 speaks to the powerful potential for the past to shape both one’s future and the futures of others. Read more here!
#52: Xdinary Heroes, Troubleshooting
There are countless lyrics throughout Troubleshooting in the band’s typical style of self-hype, about breaking out of thought confines, living by their own rules, and not caring what others think of them. But there is a pivot point once the listening experience gets to “Dreaming Girl” and “until the end of time.” The members are struck with the realization that they are kidding themselves when they use words like “always;” nothing lasts forever. The wave of sadness upon comprehending the fleeting nature of time is palpable, but so is their newfound resolve to make the most of every moment… Xdinary Heroes’ use of thought-provoking prompts continues to add a distinct direction to their journey... Read more here!
#51: Sakurazaka46, Ikutsunokoronimodoritainoka? special edition
This album is a natural extension of the conversation prompted by the pre-release single of the same name. “Ikutsunokoronimodoritainoka?” thoughtfully reflects on how to strike a balance between cherishing and romanticizing the past, and the new songs convey similar internal conflicts… These songs show cautious, self-protective instincts that make them feel more real and relatable. The music speaks to the messy in-between states of running towards and away from feelings… Ikutsunokoronimodoritainoka? special edition takes a one-of-a-kind approach to addressing old-as-time feelings, and the songs are anything but skin-deep. Read more here!
Stay tuned for the rest of the countdown!
More of 2024’s best music:
The Best K-Pop Music Videos, No. 50 - 26