Hello and welcome back to HallyuTones – always focused on sound, stage, and substance.
With a bunch of full albums releasing and soloists dropping incredible songs, May continued the trend of great months for K-Pop. There have been so many great songs released in May that I just had to break the unwritten one-per-artist rule for a lot of this month’s best. The best tracks of the month are all-timers, with nostalgic returns for long-dormant groups coming the same time as established hit-makers dropping unique, exciting releases that easily rank among the year’s most interesting, best tracks.
13. WOO – Unlock
The first of this month’s releases by a former girl group member, we have former ARVVY and PoshGirls member WOO (formerly known as Chuurry) releasing her first single under her new name, a fun little track that’s really fun and groovy.
Thanks to the slight tropical touch in the song’s simple yet effective production, this is a song pretty much perfect for relaxing on the beachside. It’s catchy, complete and a satisfying solo release from the artist.
12. Hyemin – Oops
One of May’s debuting soloists, Hyemin brings out a disco-pop banger that’s sure to worm its way into your ears. It’s got a catchy chorus and funky production, allowing the singer to debut with a nice splash.
With an actual emphasis on the instrumental, the song finds a nice balance between the artist’s solid vocals and the great disco-pop production behind her.
11. HYOJUNG – Purple Note
For one of this month’s more underrated releases, we have Oh My Girl leader Hyojung delivering a very strong, guitar-led track in her debut single album. Along with a really nice, slower b-side in Look Around, this release is one of May’s nicest surprises.
Fans of H1-KEY’s To. My First Love will find a lot to love in Purple Note for its nostalgic, band-driven sound. It’s certainly one of this year’s most underrated title tracks, and it’s hard not to hum along to this surefire banger.
10. BIBI – BUMPA
Following up one of last year’s best albums (listen to EVE: ROMANCE if you haven’t yet), BIBI delivers one of this year’s best summer hits in this fun, insanely catchy song that makes you just want to dance.
Coming in at way over 3 minutes, this song is content in relishing in the fun vibe it brings, all while showcasing the soloist’s typically incredible vocals. It would be a major miss to not include this tropical banger on your summer playlists.
9. CrazAngel – Land of Dreams
Returning after debuting almost a year ago, CrazAngel brings a bright, sweet energy with its newest release. With two brand new songs, including the pretty enjoyable title track Picasso, the group shows a noticeable improvement over their debut, with stronger production allowing the girls to finally shine.
Land of Dreams was an absolute surprise to listen to, featuring a really strong chorus anchored by the group’s capable vocals. Its production is slightly reminiscent of ODD YOUTH’s release C♡NDY.exe with its playful synths. It’s very easy to get sucked into this song and hit replay right after listening.
8. HEART OF WOMAN – Told U So
Debuting with an unprecedented 11 songs, HEART OF WOMAN absolutely made an impact with a pretty good collection of songs, of which at least one will be bound to catch your attention. The title track Lost in Proof is pretty great and is a really good choice for a leading song, but within the album is Told U So, an excellent, pretty much perfect b-side.
There’s a heartfelt, rather nostalgic tone to this song that’s incredibly easy to enjoy, and it’s executed so well. The song’s production is tender and dreamlike, and it’s joined by really strong vocals from the members. With this only being the group’s debut, it’s a great sign that they’ve been able to release such incredible music this early on into their career, showing them off as one to look out for.
7. Fairy – ily
Fairy made her debut last May 10th with this single track, and my god is it one of the best I’ve heard all year. Its short length aside, it maximizes its runtime to deliver a really fun and excellently made debut.
With a refreshing sound, this easily serves as one of the year’s best songs thanks to every element of it coming together to make a coherent, groove-worthy song. With this just being her debut, it’s easy to see a bright future ahead for the artist.
6. ITZY – Asylum (LIA), Glitch, Motto
ITZY is having a really good year, on top of the great debut YUNA had just last April, and their new EP Motto is quite possibly their best release in years. It’s a fantastic release overall (shoutout to the other tracks you And I and Tangerine, also from YUNA), with the three songs mentioned in this list being downright incredible.
No, I’m not just biased because I’m in love with LIA’s voice, Asylum is an incredible song that really feels like the ultimate love letter to MIDZYs who have supported both LIA and the group for years. Her voice shines through in this memorably uplifting highlight on the EP. Glitch is weird in all the best possible ways. Its production is quite unusual, and parts of it even harken back to their classic, ICY, and the chorus is terrific. Lastly, Motto is just a great choice for a title track. There’s a brightness and energy to it that the group so capably carries.
5. SOORIN – Five Star, Lemon Slice
It’s hard not to be biased over my favorite soloist right now, but putting my obvious preference aside, SOORIN always delivers. With her third single album, she marks her return after last year’s Sure Thing with an upbeat pair of tracks that continue her hot streak.
With the soloist participating in writing the title track and its b-side along with composing the latter, she keeps showcasing her immense talents with songs filled with amazing vocals and great instrumentals. Five Star is a great showcase of those vocals, especially in the pre-chorus, while the chorus itself is a bouncy, energetic surge of fun. Lemon Slice showcases her voice further in a more impassioned, powerful track that has a slight lingering sadness behind its melody. Thanks to these two songs, she maintains her flawless streak of songs with extreme ease.
4. Billlie – ZAP, WORK
After far too long without a full group release, Billlie makes a triumphant return with a full album, with the two songs they promoted being absolutely worthy. Along with the solid b-sides TBD and OFF-AIR, the group returns without having missed a beat as they deliver incredibly produced songs with fantastic performances behind them from the girls.
WORK joins club bangers of prior years as a powerful, immaculately done hit. It’s a high-energy triumph for the group, peaking in the incredible climax where the production and vocals go off the rails in the most fun way possible. The song is easily one of the group’s fun and most easily replayable, much like the other title track, ZAP. Both songs work well to remind listeners just exactly what they missed.
3. aespa – Camouflage, LEMONADE, Switchblade (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)
Dropping an entire full album, aespa manages to deliver some of the year’s best tracks. When aespa locks in on a song and goes all out, they easily deliver something capable of being one of the strongest of any given year.
This trio of tracks showcases aespa at their best in many different ways. LEMONADE may feel really familiar to Whiplash, but that similarity actually helps it, showcasing their strength in making club-ready songs. Camouflage is a hyperpop-adjacent song that, surprisingly, is more reminiscent of Charli XCX’s Pop 2 and how i’m feeling now along with Effie’s work. Switchblade is a genuine SOTY contender. While I myself am generally skeptical of features on K-pop songs, Ty Dolla $ign’s presence elevates this electric, unforgettably awesome track.
2. NMIXX – Crescendo, Heavy Serenade, LOUD
With every single release, NMIXX has proven time and time again that they’re one of the best groups performing out there. Their newest batch of tracks has some career highlights in the three selected songs.
Crescendo serves as an incredible album opener that has an incredible chorus that highlights the powerful vocals the girls all have, making the most out of its shorter length. Heavy Serenade works as a terrific successor to Blue Valentine, with a nicely rousing tone. LOUD is one of the best album closers of the year, with really good production backing the girls’ voices. This is looking to be another great year for the group in terms of music, as they don’t seem to know how to do wrong.
1. I.O.I – IOI (Where My Girls At), Suddenly
After many years, the first Produce group returns, and I.O.I prove that they haven’t come close to losing their touch. Releasing a mini album, they found great commercial success for good reason with some pretty amazing tracks.
IOI (Where My Girls At) is a song that feels perfectly out of place in the modern K-pop landscape. Its sound definitely feels like it belongs to the 2010s in the best way imaginable, from the really catchy and chantable main line in the title to the production and dance break towards the end. Suddenly is a nostalgic, sentimental track very similar to WJSN’s own Bloom Hour, another reunion track earlier this year. Listening to Suddenly, it’s hard to not get swept up in the miracle that is this true, genuine comeback for the girls, some of whom haven’t been active in music for years. Both songs are triumphant returns and are among the best of any release this year for very different reasons.
To support the artists featured in today’s special piece, please follow them at their social media links below:
HYOJUNG: Instagram; Spotify
HEART OF WOMAN: Instagram; Spotify
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