Artist: APink
Album: One & Six
Title Track: I’m So Sick | Music Video
Label: Plan A Entertainment
Release Date: July 2nd, 2018
Octavia: I’m still VERY new to Apink. I’ve listened to “Mr. Chu” obviously, but the rest of their music was a bit too cute for me so I’ve never really given them a second thought. But the title track I’m So Sick?! Honey I was like yes girl y’all tell him!! Then I gave the rest of the album a listen and I can honestly say I jammed out to 90% of it. “Alright” is probably the funnest song to me. It has that, dance around your room in your pjs vibe and I’m all about that life. Again, I’m new to Apink as a whole but I think One & Six has a more mature vibe and I love that.
Artist: Red Velvet
Album: Cookie Jar – Japanese Release
Title Track: #CookieJar | Music Video
Label: SM Entertainment
Release Date: July 4th, 2018
Octavia:HASHTAG COOKIE JAR!!!!! Some times I just walk around shouting that, and I’m perfectly fine with that life decision. Red Velvet is one (of few) of my favorite KPop girl groups. Irene is my bias. Seulgi is my bias wrecker. And honestly they just can do no wrong. So when I saw they were having a comeback I was so excited!! #Cookie Jar is the type of song (and MV, let’s be honest) that if any other group came out with it I’d probably throw up in my mouth from that level of cute. But Red Velvet just has this way about them where it’s just the right level of sweet with an equal level of sass and overall badassery. I can’t explain it any better than that.
Artist: Holland
Album: I’m Not Afraid
Title Track: I’m Not Afraid | Music Video
Label: Ko Tae Seob
Release Date: July 5th, 2018
Octavia:To be honest I expected Holland’s follow up to “Neverland” to be another ballad. So imagine my surprise when “I’m Not Afraid” turned out to be a dance worthy hit?! It’s not my favorite song of 2018 but it’s definitely on a playlist.
Shelly: I’ve been waiting for Holland to have a comeback for so long and I’m so happy!! His first single, Neverland, was a bit more melodic and I just love that this song is one with so much meaning and you can dance to it. I love it so much.
Artist: Jessi
Album: Down – Single
Title Track: Down | Music Video
Label: YMC Entertainment
Release Date: July 6th, 2018
Octavia:I love Jessi. I didn’t love her at first, but I absolutely love her now. I appreciate her hard work, and her talent, and honey boo boo puts out nothing but fire. “Down”, while just as dance worthy as “Gucci”, had a touch of summer fun to it. Like the MV you just get this, I’m with my boo living my best life, feel and I’m here for it….even if I have no boo lol.
Shelly: Another song that you can just dance to! The video was so aesthetically pleasing and the song is great.
Artist: TWICE
Album: Summer Nights
Title Track: Dance The Night Away| Music Video
Label: JYP Entertainment
Release Date: July 9th, 2018
Octavia:TWICE has finally put out a song that I loved instantly. “Dance The Night Away” had me watching the video on repeat, and singing along while I was at work. “What Is Love” is also on this album (another jam, but one that had to grow on me) but honestly besides it and the title track the rest of the album is still just a bit too cute for me. I’d still buy it, and I still have Dance The Night Away, What Is Love, and Ho! on my dance playlist; and I have Say Yes on my sleepy time playlist. So overall it’s a win
Shelly: I’m not a huge fan of TWICE but I thought this music video and concept was so fun and perfect for summer. It’s not a song that I added to my playlist but if I hear it, I wouldn’t skip it.
Artist: MYTEEN
Album: F;UZZLE
Title Track: She Bad | Music Video
Label: Music Works
Release Date: July 10th, 2018
Octavia:Like Shelly I literally just discovered MYTEEN with this comeback. N of VIXX (I looooove VIXX. LOVE. LOOOOOOOOVE) did the choreography for their title track “She Bad”, which is how they originally landed on my radar. But turns out the song is a full on bop! “Martian”, the side track(?) is a bit more chill and honestly so is the rest of the album compared to “She Bad”, but it’s not in a bad way. It’s more like you can press play on this album at any time of day and it’ll fit your mood.
Shelly: I only discovered MYTEEN with this comeback and I LOVE THEM. This music video, song and concept is just amazing and I literally listen to the title track at least three times a day.
Artist: Crush
Album: Wonderlost
Title Track: Cereal ft. ZICO | Music Video
Label: Stone Music
Release Date: July 13th, 2018
Octavia:Ok so Crush is my boo. I discovered “Hold Me Tight”, Loco’s song ft. Crush, a few months ago and ever since I’ve been adding all of Crush’s work to my Apple library. “Bittersweet” (which came out a few months back) is probably my favorite ballad of the year so far and that’s high praise considering all the music I listen to. The mini album opens with “Chill” feature Sik-K (my future ex-husband) and it is such a whole ass mood! You just want to rock to it and ugh I love it!! “Cereal”, was crazy weird to me but….I love it? Like…did you seriously just make a song titled “Cereal” and then shoot that weird ass MV for it!? YAS BOO YAS.
Shelly: Crush’s music continues to be amazing. I was a bit skeptical of a song about Cereal being the title track but it actually works well.
Artist: Mamamoo
Album: Red Moon
Title Track: Egotistic | Music Video
Label: Rainbow Bridge
Release Date: July 16th, 2018
Octavia:Mamamoo will never do any wrong in my eyes. Like ever. Red Moon, was beyong amazing. “Egotistic” may be the title track but “Sleep in the Car” stole the show for me. It has such a street sound and I think that’s hilarious when you remember what dorks Mamamoo are.
Shelly: I love Mamamoo and this comeback gave me LIFE. The video is so aesthetically pleasing and Hwasa continues to be the most gorgeous person I’ve ever seen. The rest of the album is a bit short but I still loved it.
Artist: Seventeen
Album: You Make My Day
Title Track: Oh My! | Music Video
Label: Pledis Entertainment
Release Date: July 16th, 2018
Octavia:Ok so hear me out…Seventeen are my boos. Like, 3rd fave KPop group, boos. They’ll never put out a bad song to me and I’ll stan them for all eternity. That said. YOU MAKE MY DAY WAS TOO SHORT, AND I NEED ONLY FULL ALBUMS FROM THEM FROM HERE ON OUT. Oh My! Was such a fun title track and the choreo!! I say this a lot, but, in my eyes no one will ever touch Seventeen’s choreo. It’s obvious how hard they work and their synchronization is so on point it’s almost scary. It’s funny, because when the teasers started to drop I sent Shelly the link for the audio clips and in that moment she fell down the SVT rabbit hole with me and I’m counting that as a win.
Shelly:
Artist: Ashley
Album: Here We Are
Title Track: Here We Are | Music Video
Label: Polaris Entertainment
Release Date: July 17th, 2018
Octavia:Ashely is 1000% new to me. Honestly I only know about “Here We Are” because one of my favorite YouTubers did a reaction to it and I watched it after not being about to find the remote. That said, it’s obviously very summery, and I really like that, but it’s the MV that really pulled me in. The colors, the concept, the fun! It’s all just so pretty!!
Shelly:
Artist: Holland
Album: I’m So Afraid – Single
Title Track: I’m So Afraid | Music Video
Label: Kp Tae Seob
Release Date: July 17th, 2018
Octavia:I’m So Afraid is like the emo brother to I’m Not Afraid and honestly I’m not mad at it in the least. If you play them back to back the balance and talent for making both songs is apparent and I’m always here for that.
Shelly: I love this matching pair to I’m Not Afraid. It’s really different and the video is gorgeous.
Artist: Varsity
Album: Flower – Single
Title Track: Flower | Music Video
Label: Stone Entertainment
Release Date: July 18th, 2018
Octavia:Like Shelly, I can’t say I love Varsity, but I can say I love this song. Honestly I body rolled from the moment the beat drops till the song goes off and if that doesn’t tell you what kind of song it is you’re in the wrong place.
Shelly: I only discovered this song a few days ago but I’m really into it! I can’t say that I love Varsity or their past songs now but this was definitely a solid single.
Artist: Chung Ha
Album: Blooming Blue
Title Track: Love U | Music Video
Label: Stone Music Entertainment
Release Date:
Octavia:Chung Ha is so stunning to me. Her visuals are crazy and I’m not even ashamed by the fact that that’s how I found out about her. Now of course, I’ve seen clips of her from her Produce 101 days and honey boo boo is hella talented. Love U, is another summer jam but I think I can see myself playing this regardless of the season.
Artist: Triple H
Album: Retro Futurism
Title Track: Retro Future | Music Video
Label: CUBE Entertainment
Release Date: July 18th, 2018
Octavia: Triple H is doind something I’ve never seen a Kpop group do and I LIVE FOR IT. Show your sexy HyunA! Give me them vocals Hui! Spit that fire E’Dawn! And I love how weird this whole album is. It’s so fitting for them and I appreciate how they just seem to be having fun while working hard.
Shelly: I have no complaints about this comeback, concept or album other than it’s too short!! I love Triple H and I really need them to get full length albums. *sighs*
Artist: Hyolyn
Album: See Sea – Single
Title Track: See Sea | Music Video
Label: Brid3
Release Date: July 20th, 2018
Octavia: Hyolyn is a goddess. Her vocals are unearthly. Her sex appeal is untouched. And each single she’s released this year is unparalleled. Don’t at me.
Shelly: I love this. Hyolyn is literally amazing.
Artist: Jay Park
Album: Ask About Me
Title Track: FSU ft. GASHI & Rich The Kid | Music Video
Label: ROC Nation/ AOMG
Release Date: July 20th, 2018
Octavia:I love Jay Park. I love how he’s funny and hard working and fine as all hell. But this album? Not sure I can say I love it. I see him getting his and branching out, and I’m here for it! But this album….it reminds me of everything else you hear in rap and I’m not sure how I feel about that yet. Especially when I know how talented he is.
Artist: Seungri
Album: The Great Seungri!
Title Track: 1, 2, 3! | Music Video
Label: YG Entertainment
Release Date: July 20th, 2018
Octavia:The Great Seungri is a literal show from the first track to the last and it’s made it’s way into my top 10 of 2018 so far. I don’t know much about Big Bang, but Seungri is a showman in every sense of the word.
Shelly: This entire album is just so fun! I really liked the music video for the title track and the entire album is just perfect for summer.
Artist: Astro
Album: Rise Up
Title Track: Always You | Music Video
Label: Fantagio Entertainment
Release Date: July 24th, 2018
Octavia: I don’t like cutesy concepts like Shelly so ASTRO has always been more miss than hits for me. But “Always You” is a step in a direction I’m happy to go. The only other song on this album that I find myself going back to is Stay With Me. I don’t know what it is about that song but it hit me in the feels. If ASTRO keeps this whole “more mature” concept going, I can see myself anticipating every comeback from here on.
Shelly: I can’t say that ASTRO is a group that I’m really into but I think this comeback/album was really decent. I’m not a huge fan of cutesy concepts and this album was the exact opposite so I really liked it.
Artist: KARD
Album: Ride On The Wind
Title Track: Ride On The Wind | Music Video
Label: DSP Media
Release Date: July 25th, 2018
Octavia:KARD finally came back after an eternity and the wait was worth it. Like all KARD songs, this album is fire. Put it on when you’re getting dressed in the morning, or sitting in traffic, or grocery shopping and I guarantee you’ll find yourself dancing and smiling from ear to ear.
Shelly: I really loved KARD so I was really excited for the album. While I love the title track and the entire concept/mood, I’m a bit meh over the rest of the album and I wish it was a bit longer. I may have to listen to the full album a few more times but the title track is still the most impressive to me.
Artist: Leo
Album: Canvas
Title Track: Touch & Sketch | Music Video
Label: Jelly Fish Entertainment
Release Date: July 31st, 2018
Octavia:I’ve been listening to Canvas literally all day and I regret nothing. I didn’t stan VIXX until this Eau De VIXX era but I quickly gravitated toward Leo. He looks kind of mean in videos, but he is really this giant shy teddy bear and I just want to protect him at all cost you know? So when I saw he was releasing his first solo album I flailed nonstop to Shelly…who supported me in all my extraness. And the album is so good! Touch & Sketch has this crazy sexy vibe to it and honestly the whole album is such a mood. I was driving in to work when Dream came on and I swear his vocals had me all in my feelings. No clue what he was saying but there was a tear in my eye when he hit them notes and that has to mean something.
