On the single "The Anecdote," released on Aug. 27, Supreme Team rapper E-Sens turns his recent trouble with the law into fuel for a fiery and cathartic performance for both him and his fans alike.
On the 2NE1 vocalist's US debut, released Nov. 21, CL sets her sights on her competition across the Pacific. The result is a a warning shot across the bow of Western popular music.
On the single "No Make Up," released on Oct. 15, the 26-year-old South Korean hip-hop artist and producer Zion. T demonstrates a deep knowledge of the past while still sounding contemporary.
Laboum's single "Aalow Aalow," released on Dec. 6, is a clear riff on Cyndi Lauper's 1983 hit "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" with a bit of the sounf K-pop icons like Girls' Generation and SISTAR for good measure.
It is on their debut album's title track "Welcome Back" that iKON really seems to hit their stride, grabbing hold of the song's slinky groove and nailing it to the wall.
Though they were chosen from a group of previously unknown performers courtesy of the South Korean reality TV program "Sixteen," TWICE pull off an incredible feat on "The Story Begins," released Oct. 20.
Bump "Beer In My Backpack," the standout cut from the 11-song album "Made In '98" released on Nov. 25 by South Korean rapper illinit and you may find yourself waving your hand in the air like you just don't care.
A good example of the great results of a classic rap sound through a different cultural lens is "Want Me Girl," released Nov. 27 by Wekeyz and featuring vocalists Kirin and Hoody.
On "Brave New World" the new single from Brown Eyed Girls from the album "Basic," released on Nov. 4, the South Korean girl group takes classic disco tropes and gives them a modern K-pop once-over.
The compositional strength of KARA's "Cupid," released on May 26 on the EP "In Love," and the motivation of K-pop girl group to realize the writers' vision, makes the album's single worth taking another listen to.
On their Sept. 17 digital release "Star Shell," Nell walk in the arena-sized footsteps of U2, Muse and Arcade Fire and find themselves clearly up to the challenge.