EXO - Lucky

Despite absolutely loving their debut EP last year, I wasn't really sold on EXO's 2013 full-length album. Too many ballads and midtempos. Over time, I've grown to like the single, Wolf, but have been even more won over by the album's re-release, with its awesome r&b single Growl. Beyond Growl, the re-release includes two new songs. Of both of them, Lucky is the truly awesome track. It's a full on dance production, which would sound completely at place on the stages of Melodifestivalen or Eurovision. There's something about it that just doesn't sound like most contemporary Korean music. That chorus melody smashes it... a sugar rush that screams Scandinavia even though there's no connection.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Selina Stoane - One Sin Is Never Enough

"Give me more than one if you wanna have fun"

Thanks to the always amazing Scandipop for posting this track today, because I loved it from the first listen. I'd never heard of Selina Stoane before, but apparently she's an independent pop artist from Norway. I haven't listened to the album yet (it's all streaming on soundcloud), but this track is making me want to. It's utter cheese, in the best way. A non-stop disco/dance beat with vocals that sound like early Madonna? You know what you're in for, so just give in!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Kang Seung Yoon - Wild And Young

Oh, yeah! What I usually like most about k-pop is its futuristic, highly polished and choreographed pop/dance/r&b music, but this is totally different. What we have here is a classic, big-riffed guitar anthem. It's like something Lenny Kravitz (or even my favorites, the Ark) would have performed. Kang Seung Yoon has been training with one of the big three record companies, YG, and this sounds very atypical to their usual output. However, of the big three, it seems that YG is the most adventurous, so I guess it's not a huge surprise. Whatever the case, I was obsessed with this from the first listen and can't imagine anybody disliking it. For those not particularly interested in Asian music, it's got a pretty strong western influence. Plus, this guy's got a great rock voice.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Eli Lieb - Young Love

"I need some more tonight"

I'm really starting to love this song. It's got that strummy, anthemic pure pop sound to it that I just eat up. Eli Lieb released his debut album a few years ago and showed off some amazing potential with an expressive voice and a knack for a big hook. Still, Young Love is far and away the highlight of his career so far. I love songs that seem to tell a story, and the lyrics and melody here evoke a relationship in such a visual way. Plus, you can totally sing along to it. I'm not sure when the album is out, but hopefully it lives up to this single.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.