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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

For awhile now, it’s felt like GFriend has been hiding their best material deep within their albums. Compare last year’s Rainbow with its single, Summer Rain, or April’s Flower Garden vs. Time For The Moon Night. I definitely see why they chose to promote Sunny Summer this time around, and it’s a great track. But I hope listeners give the whole mini album a chance. You simply can’t miss Yuju’s octave-climbing power notes in the euphoric Windy Windy, or the quintessentially GFriend album-closer Love In The Air.

This is a song that incorporates pretty much everything I love about GFriend’s sound. Its robust instrumental features a dramatic strings riff and explosive electric guitar, all in service to one of the most uplifting pop beats we’ve heard in some time. The girls are unshackled from any need to be K-pop cute, tackling the impressive melody straight-on with a balanced performance that gives each member a chance to shine. Love In The Air’s ebullient chorus is utterly refreshing, with a timeless quality that hearkens back to pure melodic pop — free from concessions to trends. In many ways, the song feels like a successor to BoA’s classic Atlantis Princess from 2003, but with a faster tempo and the added depth of six voices.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xACWE0WOUHs