April was another great month for music, but life was a bit crazy from me. The first two weeks of April started so fast and I felt like I’ve been running ever since. Just a quick update on what happened: I got my vaccine (yay). There was construction going on where I live (so I was unable to film for a few days).

I was called back to work (physically in an office…trust me I cried). I desperately miss working from home. PLUS Mnet’s Kingdom premiered and I’ve been posting recap videos to each episode.

Also I should confess, I recently discovered 2PM and their music. I watched the video “2PM Giving JYP a Headache for 20 minutes” and I immediately fell in love with the group. I should mention, I blame BTOB for indirectly leading me to 2PM. That’s a long story and I’ll share it some other time.

With all that being said, I’ve been trying to keep up with all the comebacks (and debuts) from April.

In this post I’m only listing my top favorite releases for the month. If you want to see the full list check out my Spotify playlist (it’s at the bottom of this post).

So in no particular order here are some of my favs!

2Z – “Stupid”

2Z is a Kpop band that I’ve kept my eyes on ever since their debut back in 2020. Their songs are alternative rock. Their sound is very different from most of the songs released under the Kpop genre. In April they released their first full length album ACT1. Their title track “O @ sis” is really cool. However my favorite track on their album is “Stupid”.

The song reminds me of an old school 80s California band. Not sure if I’m describing the song correctly. But that’s the type of vibe I get from that song. It’s great and it should be on everyone’s road trip/ good vibes playlist.

NU’EST – “Don’t Wanna Go”

Here’s my reaction to NU’EST “INSIDE OUT” MV.

NU’EST released their second full length album. Plus it’s been almost a year since their previous comeback. But the wait was definitely worth it. NU’EST releases quality music, their album Romanticize is proof of that. All the tracks are top notch. Their title track “INSIDE OUT” is smooth, suave, and catchy.

But the song I replay even more (and I absolutely love their title track) is “Don’t Wanna Go”. It was love at first listen. Their vocals are heavenly. The song is full of emotion and it’s the type of song you want to sing at the top of your lungs. I always hit replay every time the song comes up on my playlist.

Great Guys – “Touch By Touch”

Need a song to boost your mood? “Touch By Touch” from Great Guys will brighten your day. The chorus is catchy and it’s easy to sing along too. This is a song I wished I would’ve filmed my reaction to.

Also! They released an English version of “Touch By Touch”. So I highly recommend adding this song to your mood boosting/ happy jams playlist.

Whee In feat. G.Soul – “Butterfly”

What happens when you put two incredible vocalists together? An incredible song. Whee In released her solo EP Redd. Her title track “water color” is fun, retro, and I love the lyrics. I think the other songs on her album are great too. But “Butterfly” is the song that made me melt. It’s such a beautiful song and I really hope Whee In and G.Soul perform this song live one day.

Kang Daniel – “Antidote”

Here’s my reaction video to Kang Daniel’s “Antidote” music video.

Kang Daniel released his most personal mini album to date. This is one of my top favorite comebacks of the month. “Antidote” is about finding a way out of his pain. It’s a powerful song and his mini album carries a strong message.

I wrote a full blog post on his mini album YELLOW. You can read it HERE. Even though I love all the songs on his album (especially “Save U”), I still go back to “Antidote”. I applaud Daniel for speaking openly about his mental health. I hope his album can comfort and strengthen people.

P1Harmony – “AYAYA”

Here’s my reaction to P1Harmony “Scared” MV.

P1Harmony had their first comeback with a powerhouse song called “Scared”. I love the message of the song. It sounds like the members are hyping you up, giving you motivation. Their entire mini album DISHARMONY: BREAK OUT is amazing. But the track that I replay the most is “AYAYA”. I was so happy when I found out it was written by their label mate, Seunghyub from N.FLYING.

The song is addicting, it has a great message, and it’ll make you dance. It’s such a jam. I absolutely love it and I can’t get enough of this song.

ENHYPEN – “Drunk-Dazed”

Here’s my reaction to Enhypen “Drunk-Dazed” MV.

Enhypen is another rookie group that had their first comeback too. Their title track “Drunk-Dazed” continues their vampire storyline from their debut. The song is hypnotizing, haunting, and fun. It’s incredibly well written and arranged. This was one of my top favorite comebacks from April as well.

I also want to mention the rest of their mini album BORDER: CARNIVAL is fantastic. Each song adds to their storyline. I love this comeback and I look forward to whatever Enhypen releases next.

D-CRUNCH – “My Name”

Another underrated group with a song that deserves more recognition. D-Crunch’s latest song “My Name” reminds me of my early days of Kpop. I got into Kpop in late 2018 early 2019, and this song has that dance/electronic sound that I love. To me, it’s a classic Kpop song. It’s a hidden gem.

Their mini album DAYDREAM, also has great songs. If you’re unfamiliar with D-CRUNCH and their music I highly recommend you check them out.

ITZY – “마.피.아. In The Morning”

Here’s my reaction to ITZY “In The Morning” MV.

I don’t care what anyone else says, I think this song is great. ITZY’s concept is all about confidence and I love how their lyrics reflect that. “In The Morning” has a strong chorus and it’s catchy. It’s a perfect song to play when you need some energy. Sing this song and you’ll feel like you can conquer the world.

The other songs on ITZY’s mini album GUESS WHO, continues their whole concept of self-confidence and I love it. Some people might not like it, but that’s fine. Music is VERY subjective. But in my opinion I think their comeback was fantastic.

Kim Jae Hwan – “Pray”

It was really hard to pick just ONE song from Jaehwan’s mini album Change. His songs are so unique and his lyrics are wonderful. But for this list I chose the song “Pray”. It’s beautiful, comforting, and his vocals are incredible. His title track “I Wouldn’t Look For You” was a strong runner up.

The songs on his album are perfect to play in multiple occasions. Coffee shop vibe? Road trip? Good vibes? Easy listening? Heartfelt love song? Change has it all. Seriously, I recommend checking out all the songs on his album.

Once again there are plenty of songs I didn’t list here but check out my Spotify playlist. If I missed a release I do apologize. Like I mentioned earlier I was really busy throughout the month and April was packed with comebacks. I know May will be just as busy but I hope (and plan) that I’ll be able to keep up with all the awesome new music.

-EliMarie

I talk more about KPOP on my channel YouTube.com/elimariereacts

You can follow my Twitter HERE and my Instagram HERE. 

*I do not own any of the pictures of the artists and groups on this post.