SPECIAL FEATURE #2: MY TOP K-POP SONGS OF 2018, PART 2

A special feature post is a post where I post content that isn't a song critique review. Rather it focuses on other areas of K-Pop that I think are just as interesting, as well as ranking lists of songs from a particular artist or a year, which can be extremely difficult, yet fun to create.

Welcome back to my greatest K-Pop songs of 2018 special feature, part 2! As I mentioned in part 1, 2018 was an exciting year full of releases that had my jaw dropping at times, so let's get started and finish this countdown!

#10: Oh My Girl- Secret Garden

Crisp symphonic instrumentals and a mid-tempo beat shapes up one of Oh My Girl's best vocal performances by far. Returning back to its orchestral-influenced past, Secret Garden utilizes Oh My Girl's singing to the greatest extent with strings sprinkled on top of their gorgeous vocals. Each singing part felt seamlessly stitched together like a quilt, highlighting the individual qualities of each member, and the melodic instrumental and final verse in the bridge puts the icing on top of the cake.

#9: UNI.T- No More Reggae isn't a genre heard often in K-Pop, but No More takes advantage of this to craft a lively vocal performance that only gets stronger after each chorus. The "Oh-no-no-no-no-no" hook is immediately enthralling and it only gets better from there, with a stunning chord progression in the bridge that delivers a vocal climax that will be remembered as one of the best of 2018.

#8: GFRIEND- Time for the Moon Night

Although I am still a sucker for orchestral instrumentals, Time for the Moon Night's moderate pace and lack of a notable crescendo actually didn't garn my approval in the beginning, before the entire chorus started to grow on me. A playful but smart mix between the strings and the vocals wonderfully transitions to a very effective post-chorus hook that is reminiscent of G-Friend's good old days.

#7: EXID- LADY

This hip-hop retro track wields a perfect combination of jaw-dropping vocals courtesy of Hyelin, some gorgeous percussion chimes and brass instruments to add in that mix of that 90s nostalgia, and some catchy phrase loops in between to mesh between sections effectively. Each part in the song's structure is so unique and different from each other, giving way to a track that takes many unexpected turns for the better.

#6: NeonPunch- Moonlight

Moonlight starts off relaxed but unexpectedly and immediately amplifies to its bread and butter; a nu-disco house-influenced beat ruled by powerful piano chords and glazing vocals whose energy never stops to take a breather at any point. The chorus has the momentum of a song's climax, but the slick instrumental bridge and final verse remains as the track's highest point, adventuring into new territory while maintaining that stamina. In some ways, it is the younger sister to T-ARA's Roly Poly.

#5: TWICE- Yes or Yes

Twice isn't necessarily known for off-the-chart vocals, but Yes or Yes has beautiful vocal layers and harmonies that gives the track the proper treatment. On top of those vocals, Yes or Yes's composition structure is at its finest, with every part contributing in creating an identity without ever deviating off-course. The repetitive phrases in the verses, a post-chorus that compliments and extends the amplitude felt in the chorus, are all elements to grab your soul and never let go. Did I also mention how the introduction of chimes in the post-chorus almost give Yes or Yes a Christmas vibe?

#4: BTS- Fake Love Fake Love switches things up from the traditional composition to make it sound even more intriguing. Starting the song with a pre-chorus that is pure bliss and uplifting was a brilliant idea, while the chorus continues to ride on those rich synth instrumentals and guitar riffs to empower Fake Love's dark tone. The bridge replaces the second chorus, but makes it up with a stellar vocal performance, and what better way to end the song with the pre-chorus again?

#3: Olivia Hye (from LOONA)- Egoist (Feat: JinSoul) Definitely one of the biggest surprises of 2018, Olivia's debut single as part of a project to introduce LOONA has so much complexity to digest here, but the more you listen to it, the more layers you can hear underneath. Some unique but ultimately effective elements include the whistle melody that proceeds her vocals in the chorus, the echo effect in the post-chorus that illuminates that dark room and meshes beautifully with the "weh" synths, and the dripping cave effects in the rap part. Each of those sections were thoughtfully planned-out to paint a picture that almost sounds uncanny in real-life. The result is a masterpiece that is beautifully weaved from start to finish and deserves a lot more attention.

#2: WJSN- Save Me, Save You (Review Here)

Ambient and atmospheric, Save Me, Save you is a total pop-perfection that is drizzled with dreamy percussion synths, complimenting the gorgeous vocal layers of WJSN. The energy felt never fizzles out from beginning to end, especially during the rap parts, and the result is a complete track that only the musicality of WJSN can pull off.

#1: GFriend- Memoria My number one undisputed track of 2018 may garn a lot of disagreement, but I came to this conclusion with heavy acceptance from my gut, after listening to this track just a couple of times. As a huge sucker of orchestral sounds, Memoria appalled me in which every single instrument from an orchestral family was utilized very well, contributing to the song's long but natural climb to the climax and its graceful fall. At 4 minutes and 10 seconds, Memoria take its time to slowly mature part after part until it can't blossom any further, but it doesn't wither out. Instead it continues to pick up where it left off to flourish even more. As great as the chorus is, the post-chorus has to be one of my bone-chilling moments, an explosion of high notes that cap off what has been a majestic performance both vocally and musically. And that is why Memoria is my all time favorite song of 2018.