With a new comeback right around the corner for Bias List favorite Golden Child, it seems like the perfect time to finally commit to a top ten ranking of their title tracks. Since 2017, the group has been delivering nothing but quality, even though I have my preferences.
As will quickly become obvious, I’m a proponent of “bright child” over “dark child.” But, the guys have shown an ability to improve upon many different genres and moods. This list is all-killer, no-filler.
10. Spring Again (2019)
Something of a stopgap release during their long 2019 hiatus, Spring Again nonetheless bounds with warmth, capturing the essence of the season with ornate instrumental touches and a whistling hook. (full review)
9. Without You (2020)
Middle entries in trilogies are often more pensive and character-driven, and you get that sense with Without You. Opening with an prolonged, atmospheric build, the song soon settles into its slinky beat-drop hook. (full review)
8. Wannabe (2019)
Offering the first glance at a darker, BLSSD-produced Golden Child, Wannabe shone new light on the group’s brilliant cache of vocals. It’s a skeletal dance track, twisting and pulling with stuttering beats and hip-hop touches. (full review)
7. Pump It Up (2020)
Back on the bright side after a series of moodier fare, Pump It Up captures Golden Child’s enthusiastic pop sound, galloping over bright funk beats and growing to an effusive, shout-along hook. (full review)
6. One (Lucid Dream) (2020)
The culmination of the group’s edgier sound, One moves from aggressive electro stomp to funk bass nirvana and back again. The guys perfectly harness the song’s dense, experimental soundscape, creating a style all their own. (full review)
5. Let Me (2018)
Drawing upon the power pop sound of their debut, Let Me secured Golden Child’s place as this generation’s number one purveyors of feel-good anthems. Let Me skips forward on unbridled optimism, driven by punchy guitar and youthful exuberance. (full review)
4. DamDaDi (2017)
I didn’t quite know what to think about DamDaDi at first, but it quickly established itself as a K-pop classic. Golden Child debuted with a clear intention, drawing upon their personalities to drive this bombastic singalong. It’s the sound of an exclamation point, repeated for three-and-a-half minutes. (full review)
3. It’s U (2018)
Sweetune and Golden Child proved to be a match made in heaven, as the unrelenting It’s U played like the baby brother to Infinite’s 2013 mega-hit Man In Love. The song’s bright synth backbone supplies a sugary adrenaline rush, anchored by a major earworm of a hook. It has aged better than I would have ever thought. (full review)
2. Lady (2018)
Taken from the group’s strongest mini album, Lady was too flawless to remain a simple b-side. Thankfully, the guys promoted it as a follow-up, and the world was blessed with their second Sweetune-produced classic. Lady takes a heaping dose of classic pop melody, finds an utterly transcendent pre-chorus, and ties it all together with a brilliant vocal. (full review)
1. Genie (2018)
In my mind, there’s no better combination of Golden Child’s core strengths than Genie. It’s a fluffy pop song, but the structure is robust, the melodies are sharp and distinct, and the arrangement is varied – but never at the expense of the song’s propulsive momentum. It all culminates in a walloping dance break that ushers in an extended finale that draws upon the group’s enviable vocal line. (full review)
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