A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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.

On what must be a limited budget, debut group Waker managed to deliver seven full tracks on their first “mini” album. Not every one is amazing, but it’s nice to see a rookie emerge with some breadth of material. The album has a very old-school appeal — a little generic, but anchored by good melodies and crisp performances.

Dash was pre-released last month, and apart from the title track (which gets better with each listen!), it’s the strongest song on the album. It takes a more rugged turn than Atlantis, perching its hooks over distorted electro elements. Tight harmonies remind me of SHINee and Seventeen in equal measure — two fantastic influences to pull from. The “uh huh” backing vocal in each chorus is very addicting, but the whole track is stuffed with peaks and flourishes. I only wish the producers found one more melodic turn to distinguish the climax from the rest of the song.

Grade: B+