A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
Judging from internet rumblings, the overriding opinion seems to be that BoA’s title track Crazier is okay but the album is much stronger. I share this sentiment, though Crazier does sound the most like a “title track.” The album as a whole has a nice blend of genres that should please fans of any BoA era.
Of the dance tracks, Don’t Mind Me stood out most on first listen. It’s not the most complex or innovative track, but I love its club-ready pulse. The production carries a few second-gen tropes that remind me of one of my favorite iterations of BoA’s music, melding its rugged electro bounce with wisps of bright synth. And rather than slow into needless breakdowns the way so many current K-pop songs do, Don’t Mind Me‘s instrumental actually speeds up as if goes. There may not be many go-for-broke melodic melodies, but the track still gives BoA the chance to belt out a few well-placed power notes. I’m not sure if this would have worked as a title track, but I’d love to hear her promote something like this again.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
