[delayed post] Midweek New Music Roundup :: February 25th - March 4th

[hitokage]

This week has been ... kind of a lot, actually. I wasn't sure I was going to make it through the whole list at a couple points, but in the end, I prevailed! Just in time to start the whole process over again, but, you know... 😅

It's a long list this week, covering everything from dance pop and R&B to hiphop and alt rock. There's the debut of (sub)unit QQQ, the pre-debut of new boyband V01D, another collab between NMIXX and Pabllo Vittar, ENHYPEN spoiling their fans a little, a few OSTs, and a whole lot more. Want to get your dance on? There's comebacks from EVERGLOW and NOWZ to potentially feed the urge. Feeling the urge for some folk rock? Maybe Joo Yeahin or Kim Sungkyu have what you need. Looking for the freshest hiphop? Try the flows of BassHammer or TUNEXX. Need a theraputic cry? Hunt down the hanky warnings. Not sure what you want? Meander the list in whatever way feels right to you or pop on down into the comments to ask for suggestions!

So many good videos this week, I struggled to narrow down my picks, so we used the triple banner to give slots to Lee Youngji (left), Big Ocean (center), and YOUNHA (right), with my additional picks noted by 💚 note: I'm aware that most often I put a red flag on videos that use/are suspected of using genslop, but that's actually not the case this week.

Releases for the week of February 25th - March 4th:
KUBIN - Good High + *
ENHYPEN - No Way Back (feat. So!YoON!) 💚
NMIXX - TIC TIC (feat. Pabllo Vittar) *
The Stray - At the Edge of the World
ONE PACT - SANE * ⚠️
Wit'milly - Happier (audio only)
ASC2NT - Still Rose 🔤 * 💚
LEESEOKHOON - When It's Called Love
YounToven - The End *
LAVIN - Junk Love * ⚠️ 🚩
QQQ - UNCOOL (unit debut) * ⚠️ 💚
AtHeart - Shut Up
BALDU - for us
Kim daeyeon - So We Say Goodbye (feat. yeolyn) (audio only)
february - Lord (audio only)
COVN - now, I'm tired of everything * 🚩
Russell, HeoWa - ASD (audio only)
Lee Woo, Park Jeup - Blessing On You
Kim Kiwoong - Gajwa-dong Romance (audio only)
Six Siblings - What I Used to Chase (audio only)
Hoony Keys - to stay (audio only)
Lee Youngji - Robot 🔤 * 💚
Seo Jayeong - All I Wish (In Your Radiant Season OST) *
Joo Yeahin - Your Place
Joo Yeahin - Drift to Me
Joo Yeahin - Blame the Stars +
Joo Yeahin - After the Flowers Fall +
bluebluebird - LuckyCharm
JEONGJINGI - The end of longing (audio only)
CHEONG ROCK - Pinwheel
Son Siwoo - Travel (Where's my hero OST) *
Bang Yedam - About Time (In Your Radiant Season OST) *
blueberryclub - miss u so (feat. 남기준)
Kim Taeri - apple scent (Curtain Up, Class OST)
6002 - The Birth of Tragedy (audio only)
DáFF - 4seasons
Oh!You - Come Back to Me (audio only)
Kim Sungkyu - When I think about you *
Lim Sejun - Pray for God * ⚠️ ❌
V01D - ROCKROCK (樂樂) (pre-release) 🔤 * 💚
Minkyoung Byun - Still Warn; Migojae (audio only)
EUNJOO CHO - Who I Was in the Photo (audio only)
SOOSOJIN - Starry Night *
li:vi - Imagine * 💚
BassHammer - Blazin * ⚠️
TUNEXX - I'm Alive 🔤 * ⚠️
Big Ocean - One Man Army * ⚠️ 💚
Sweden Laundry - Wasting Love * +
Gavy NJ - Sunflower *
EVERGLOW - CODE * ⚠️
sonlmor - Jaguar * 💚
Eric Nam - How the Fire Started * 💚
n.SSign - FEELIN' GOOD 🔤 * 💚
NOWZ - AMMO (feat. YRD Leo) (Japanese release) 🔤 * ⚠️
Han Jihyo - You Love Me First (audio only)
mellow button - The Night Passed as if Nothing Had Happened (audio only)
Jeong eungang - Wonder (audio only)
SHIN WONHO - Warzone * 💚
YOUNHA - Seasonal Crime * 💚


key:
* content warning
+ includes “disappearing” hard subs
🔤 includes CC in English
⚠️ elevated content warning
🔞 age-restricted by YouTube
🚩 other warning
❌ did not complete
🌟 special note
💚 picks of the week


KUBIN - Good High https://youtu.be/hVoBEGsJh3o
genre: pop rock
cw: flashes, background twinkling tree
note: the hardcoded subs are intermittently useful, but Kubin is seriously cute and not the standard Kpop girl voice.


ENHYPEN - No Way Back (feat. So!YoON!) 💚 https://youtu.be/C3L-OFma-cE
genre: pop rock
note: ENGENES being spoiled this time around and I'm fine with it since this was actually my favorite track.


NMIXX - TIC TIC (feat. Pabllo Vittar) https://youtu.be/aDjQMDZFNiM
genre: EDM
cw: flashing
note: They could have done more with this, I'm a little disappointed by the performance aspect. Good beat, but the constraints of that tiny stage really undermined what this could have been.


The Stray - At the Edge of the World https://youtu.be/3ehhTr4a1lM
genre: R&B
note: putting the English hard subs in yellow-orange was A Choice all right.... Neither line ever entirely disappears, but still could've done better. Potential hanky warning for style and content both.


ONE PACT - SANE ⚠️ https://youtu.be/C6--84TzxZc
genre: dance pop
cw: camera motion, flashing, surrealism, lens flares
note: ... I'm going to need to look up liner notes because what are these lyrics, boys? Elevated warning for the level of flashing. The dancing is so good, but I'm reserving judgment on the song until I've looked into it further. 😜


Wit'milly - Happier (audio only) https://youtu.be/HNcyfE8Csdk
genre: R&B
note: ... I'm pretty sure this was entirely in English, but my attention wandered in the middle. Almost a jazz track, really.


ASC2NT - Still Rose 🔤 💚 https://youtu.be/n7AChRJK7tc
genre: dance pop
cw: arson, lens flares
note: CC in Korean, Japanese, and English. Ah the intricate hand choreo ... wait, that was actual sign for a second. Well now I'm going to be wondering if that was an accident or something put in intentionally.....


LEESEOKHOON - When It's Called Love https://youtu.be/05EyEdtbp0A
genre: R&B
note: more performance than narrative, piano and solo mournful voice, so here's your potential hanky warning.


YounToven - The End https://youtu.be/_SSqD5uvTfA
genre: adult contemporary
cw: domestic discord
note: between the title and the CW, you can probably guess how this goes....


LAVIN (NINE.i) - Junk Love ⚠️ 🚩https://youtu.be/jBSuAbstfEA
genre: alt rock
cw: aggressive flashing effects, lens flares, unsteady cam, shirtless Lavin
note: previously known as Vahn and this is his rebrand/redebut as a soloist. Elevated warning for the Very Bad flashing, especially the end titles, oh my god, who raised you, boy? That was not cool, you trying to give someone a surprise seizure???? Lost heart for that bad act, so yes, for once, the red flag is NOT for genslop, but rather the very high potential for triggering someone at the end of the MV.


QQQ - UNCOOL ⚠️ 💚 https://youtu.be/xSM4nToXTj4
genre: alt rock
cw: aggressive flashing, club violence
note: Welcome back Love, darling. So this is currently cited as a sub-unit of OnlyOneOf, but LyOns have all kinds of theories, so we'll have to wait and see. They are at least continuing to unflinchingly support queer identities. Elevated warning for the amount of flashing.


AtHeart - Shut Up https://youtu.be/LD6jMlUC18k
genre: dance pop
cw: surrealism
note: auto-translate kicked in, but how good that translation is remains up for debate


BALDU - for us https://youtu.be/6jch95boyjE
genre: adult contemporary
cw: camera jitter
note: this unexpectedly had me feeling homesick. A jazzy little song and a whole lot of Seoul at night.


Kim daeyeon - So We Say Goodbye (feat. yeolyn) (audio only) https://youtu.be/7oiU-ItF76M
genre: adult contemporary
note: I suppose out of fairness I should put a potential hanky warning on this, but it's not nearly as hanky-warning-ish as some others we've had


february - Lord (audio only) https://youtu.be/l3wHvZuxSY8
genre: R&B
note: is it actually Christian music or not? It's a bit of an edge case at worst, so it stays in


COVN - now, I'm tired of everything 🚩 https://youtu.be/l8dMC6gWQ_Y
genre: hiphop
cw: drinking (antisocial), depictions of mental illness (depression), smoking, glitches
note: If you or a loved one are experiencing serious mental health issues, reach out to your country's suicide prevention hotline or other resources.


Russell, HeoWa - ASD (audio only) https://youtu.be/p1wNmKi1HRc
genre: EDM
note: kinda trance-y, but only in pieces


Lee Woo, Park Jeup - Blessing On You https://youtu.be/b0PVOKUEScY
genre: adult contemporary (ballad)
note: potential hanky warning?


Kim Kiwoong - Gajwa-dong Romance (audio only) https://youtu.be/QT4pruJHc5s
genre: folk rock
note: with that opening harmonica, it almost falls under country western ballad


Six Siblings - What I Used to Chase (audio only) https://youtu.be/gBcuZKA-Ugk
genre: folk rock
note: sticking with calling it folk rock, but it is a bit tinged with R&B


Lee Youngji - Robot 🔤 https://youtu.be/dnL8tAmkZaU
genre: hiphop
cw: lens flares, flashes, hockey violence (light), depersonalization, supernatural elements (magic?)
note: CC in 10 tracks, including English. Oh my, the hours she must have spent in makeup for this video.... Hopefully she agrees it was worth it for how cute this came out.


Hoony Keys - to stay (audio only) https://youtu.be/oTdWQHnNHrw
genre: neoclassical instrumental
note: a soft piano interlude, should you need it


Seo Jayeong - All I Wish (In Your Radiant Season OST) https://youtu.be/xvoQ7Vv-IqY
genre: adult contemporary (ballad)
cw: lens flares, medical/hospital
note: video is entirely clips from the drama, so may contain spoilers.


Joo Yeahin - Your Place https://youtu.be/-UCDSERBJO0
genre: folk rock
note: first in a batch and ooph, the instrumental track came off as badly leveled? Let's see if that continues or if it's a fault on my end....

Joo Yeahin - Drift to Me https://youtu.be/ASxEPuH3EBo
genre: soft rock
note: second in the batch drop, this doesn't have the burr of the last one, so that's ... something.

Joo Yeahin - Blame the Stars https://youtu.be/TRaFsWQWpR0
genre: folk rock
note: third in the batch, the white hard subs are really not great

Joo Yeahin - After the Flowers Fall https://youtu.be/lsRA8G0dVO8
genre: folk rock
note: last in the batch and again with the not so helpful white hard subs.


bluebluebird - LuckyCharm https://youtu.be/1417SG1Gxwg
genre: folk rock
note: a somewhat whimsical and wonderfully clearly typeset lyric video, complete with a papercraft green kitty.


JEONGJINGI - The end of longing (audio only) https://youtu.be/61f87VBR4Jw
genre: rock (ballad)
note: I was expecting something that went a bit harder, given that opening, but it's fine 😜 that's on me, anyway


CHEONG ROCK - Pinwheel https://youtu.be/P7Gk8qEUjCE
genre: alt rock
note: not me not noticing how long this was until it had already passed the three minute mark by two minutes. Man, remember when songs were regularly this long?


Son Siwoo - Travel (Where's my hero OST) https://youtu.be/GymkQAM1aUY
genre: pop rock
cw: lens flares
note: video is entirely clips from the drama, so may contain spoilers. Is this trying to be a reverse harem?? www


Bang Yedam - About Time (In Your Radiant Season OST) https://youtu.be/Qw0GfFo_Rxw
genre: R&B
cw: background flashing, lens flares
note: video is entirely clips from the drama, so may contain spoilers. Yedam's voice always gets me right in the soft spots.


blueberryclub - miss u so (feat. 남기준) https://youtu.be/eXn9Dncyb7k
genre: R&B
note: Well, the lyrics are mostly clear and the rhythmic fuzzing of the background is only kind of annoying, but that's very much a YMMV situation, so....


Kim Taeri - apple scent (Curtain Up, Class OST) https://youtu.be/yumpnoP_5lM
genre: R&B
note: song produced by CODE KUNST. Video features a group of cute kids


6002 - The Birth of Tragedy (audio only) https://youtu.be/Rq7gZuYJelY
genre: alt rock
note: feels almost shoegaze, but not quite. Surprise female vocalist is a surprise (because I can't keep track of indies hardly at all).


DáFF - 4seasons https://youtu.be/ZlR8sRZqOZE
genre: alt rock
note: called four seasons and then we only see the one season ww So much snow makes me cold just looking at it


Oh!You - Come Back to Me (audio only) https://youtu.be/k39q12l7n6s
genre: folk rock
note: low and slow flow


Kim Sungkyu - When I think about you https://youtu.be/F9_0WC0K_5c
genre: folk rock
cw: background flashing (mild), arson, potential hanky warning
note: I know the mess/webs are meant to signify passage of time, but it makes me twitch.


Lim Sejun - Pray for God ⚠️ ❌ https://youtu.be/RR7JKnCvKV8
genre: dance pop
cw: aggressive flashing, blood/injury, full face masks
note: love the song, but the aggressive, bright flashing took me out within the first, like, half minute of the video, so if you're at all sensitive, maybe give this one a pass. Also means the CWs may be incomplete, so proceed with due caution.


V01D - ROCKROCK (樂樂) (pre-release) 🔤 💚 https://youtu.be/KJAc31BbEyY
genre: rock
cw: flashing, lens flares
note: CC in Korean and English. Oh look, it's That Motel and That Service Station! Well, when you're a new band, makes sense to fall back on established locations.


Minkyoung Byun - Still Warn; Migojae (audio only) https://youtu.be/NlApl_rrEiE
genre: neoclassical instrumental
note: piano and synths, just ignore that "crossover" tag the uploader's intern used and let yourself have the break. Name ordered as uploaded


EUNJOO CHO - Who I Was in the Photo (audio only) https://youtu.be/ppmmXNzwIi8
genre: jazz/Korean folk
note: piano and solo female voice. Name ordered as uploaded and I'm sticking with their genre tag as well. Uploader tagged it as folk and the vocals have that quality, but the use of piano gives it a jazz/fusion overall vibe.


SOOSOJIN - Starry Night https://youtu.be/pAlgYQrPcB4
genre: adult contemporary (ballad)
cw: lens flares, fireworks/pyrotechnics
note: the soft sepia filter over most of the video blunts some of the lighting. And there's two best puppers for a brief appearance, they really should've been around more.


li:vi - Imagine 💚 https://youtu.be/5QqPZKO0Ouo
genre: R&B
cw: lens flares, blood/injury
note: ... yeah, I thought this was familiar (it was posted a couple weeks ago as an audio-only). Still wish it was longer, but I'll let it have a heart this time after all.


BassHammer - Blazin ⚠️ https://youtu.be/LQlg4oyDbM0
genre: hiphop
cw: aggressive flashing, smoking, drinking (social), full face mask
note: the flashing starts out bad, then knocks off for most of the video, but if you're photosensitive, still take caution. The lick sounds so familiar, but can't put a name to what he's sampling.


TUNEXX - I'm Alive 🔤 ⚠️ https://youtu.be/atnITn_WIgw
genre: hiphop
cw: surrealism (talking food, generalized weirdness), bright/aggressive flashing, camera motion
note: CC in English. Elevated warning for the flashing. I think I'd enjoy a purely performance version a bit more - the narrative visuals are distractingly weird. Oh hey, there's a suit dance version, I'll have to look that up later


Big Ocean - One Man Army ⚠️ 💚 https://youtu.be/HM7UMkgHPC4
genre: dance rock
cw: bright/aggressive flashing, stylized martial arts combat, blood/injury
note: The black and white nature of the video makes the flashing more stark. And also makes the addition of blue towards the end that much more striking. Disappointed by the lack of CC, though, sigh.


Sweden Laundry - Wasting Love https://youtu.be/Ko0W8JNBrD0
genre: soft rock (ballad)
cw: lens flare
note: with the font being faint and skinny, the hard subs almost disappeared entirely, even when the white text is against her dark brown hair, so....


Gavy NJ - Sunflower https://youtu.be/RiWbMezuiCs
genre: R&B
cw: implied character death, smoking, sudden kiss trope, camera flash
note: potential hanky warning


EVERGLOW - CODE ⚠️ https://youtu.be/pe3EWBY7SIc
genre: dance pop
cw: aggressive flashing, glitch effects, camera motion
note: elevated warning for the level of flashing/glitch effects. I predict this is going to come up on Kpop ON! and I'll have to remind myself that it's not aespa actually. The flashing didn't actually take me out, but it sure did want to 🙄


sonlmor - Jaguar 💚 https://youtu.be/56URjUuQHJ0
genre: rock
cw: flashing (slow), camera motion, lens flares
note: all the warnings are on the mild side, but I'm always going to tend towards over-warning, just in case. A surprise favorite, go figure.


Eric Nam - How the Fire Started 💚https://youtu.be/ZNdMrUCOLqQ
genre: R&B
cw: lens flares, fake cowboy violence I guess??
note: Horsies! That ... is a lot of fringe, Eric. Sorry for the warning field, I don't know how else to put it. It's ... weird and old-timey but not and yeah. I almost wanted to call this country-western, but that's entirely the costuming influence.


n.SSign - FEELIN' GOOD 🔤 💚 https://youtu.be/L9Kfpv8503s
genre: jazz/R&B
cw: lens flares
note: CC in 5 tracks, including English. Didn't we just have a comeback from these guys? Time is a mess. Anyway, that's a lot of dance pop moves for an R&B/jazz number. Like it really feels like no two elements of this entire production actually fit together, exactly, and yet they make it work?


NOWZ - AMMO (feat. YRD Leo) (Japanese release) 🔤 ⚠️ https://youtu.be/4W7qezZKB6g
genre: dance pop
cw: flashing, lasers, false color
note: CC in English, Japanese, and Korean. Elevated warning for the level of flashing. Yup, you got some screws loose. 😜 Yeah, I know, I'm a cranky old lady, but when a group isn't even two years old and is trying to call itself the GOAT, I'm going to be snarky. Although I guess this is a marginally better way to react to negativity than some other options, so....


Han Jihyo - You Love Me First (audio only) https://youtu.be/GcCF2id7yWM
genre: pop rock
note: a happy sound for a not so happy story in the lyrics


mellow button - The Night Passed as if Nothing Had Happened (audio only) https://youtu.be/fD8D-KaAuPs
genre: neoclassical instrumental
note: another piano interlude, should you need such


Jeong eungang - Wonder (audio only) https://youtu.be/qIVEL2NJoOA
genre: alt rock
note: singer's from a nasally school of rock, so if that's liable to be a turn-off, here's your warning


SHIN WONHO - Warzone https://youtu.be/w-qC9NL_id8
genre: dance pop
cw: flashing, lens flares
note: I'd sorta forgotten what a cutie pie this Wonho is. So many types of couples, but especially happy at the interracial couples. Now if only there'd been a visibly queer couple in there, too, but I guess we'll just have to randomly assign one as the "stealth" queer couple. 😜


YOUNHA - Seasonal Crime 💚 https://youtu.be/9b5pwzrXM3g
genre: R&B
cw: lens flares
note: a gentle way to end the listing this week with this excellent candidate for a winding down playlist.


Look at that, you made it to the end! What were your favorites this week? Any surprises? Let's chat!


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