Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
A sense of continuity is so important when it comes to albums, and that’s why I love when idol groups stick with a small group of composers. Genre-wise, Dreamcatcher’s Dystopia is actually pretty diverse, but every song is spearheaded by producers LEEZ and Ollounder. They lend the album a specific vision, and that makes it hold together. Even though I think title track Scream is the definite standout, every b-side is worthy of attention simply because of the high production value and unexpected musical twists.
It will probably surprise no one that I am a big proponent of Black Or White. I’ve always loved guitar-driven funk, and this track nudges Dreamcatcher down that route. The song opens with an excellent riff, surprisingly groovy and distorted with a scuzzy texture. Marching band percussion quickly follows before the instrumental moves into a symphonic interlude. The beat drops again for the chorus, which manages to feel minimalist and full at the same time.
Post-chorus rap breaks are usually my least favorite part of any modern K-pop song, but Black Or White turns this segment into an asset by bringing back its central guitar riff to underline the rap. It’s a smart twisting of expectations, and keeps the song moving. The instrumental continues to morph as the song draws toward its conclusion, and it’s amazing how streamlined the production feels. There are so many ideas stuffed into this track, but it never feels busy or disjointed. That’s a tricky balance to pull off.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
Be sure to add your own rating by participating in the poll below!
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
My ‘Top Five’ from Dystopia:
1. Scream (Track 2)
2. Jazz Bar (Track 6) *
3. Red Sun (Track 4) *
4. Into The Frozen (Track 8)
5. Over The Sky (Track 11)
* Was really going back and forth on the order of these two. The whole album is worth the buy, though.
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Technically, Over The Sky would be my second favorite track on the album, but since it came out over a year ago and already made it on one of my year-end best-of lists, it didn’t feel right to feature it as a buried treasure.
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Understandable.
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D’oh! Was a reply to Nick (above).
/Scampers off mumbling something about WordPress.
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Again, agree A LOT on the choice for Buried Treasure! Def one of the best tracks with Jazz Bar for me,
Overall thoughts on the full album?
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I would’ve expected you to pick In The Frozen (my own personal pick)! Haha. Glad to see love for Black Or White and the album in general though, I don’t disagree with you and this is a great song.
(Also how did you feel about And There Was No One Left off The End of Nightmare, for me that is the closest they’ve really gotten to a groovy funk track)
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Wow, we again match, Black and White is my favourite dreamcatcher track, I feel it has great longevity, and also a great dance number❤️❤️❤️
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I also love Jazz Bar, both tracks are my ult favourite
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I wasn’t sure where to put this, but I thought you’d be interested in reading about these producers! It’s mostly about EDEN but also discusses LEEZ and Ollounder ^^
http://www.mtv.com/news/3157546/eden-interview-k-pop-producer-ateez/
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I actually retweeted that article yesterday. It’s super good, and I’m so happy to finally have an official name (“Edenary”) for this amazing group of producers.
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