
JoySauce Radio: Hot Tracks to Welcome Cold Weather
From K-pop tracks to Keanu Reeves' musical comeback, this month's playlist has a little something for everyone
Words by Anjana Pawa
JoySauce Radio: Consider JoySauce Radio our own personal song recommendations—from the tunes and videos our writers love to DJ-produced mixes of dance floor bangers—all from Asian and Pacific Islander artists around the world.
Every K-pop fan knows that the last few months of the year are quite busy for releases and comebacks, and 2023 is no different. The end of the year is a big time for releases, and we’ve been getting some hits delivered from artists all over the world. Among all the new music this month has been a handful of K-pop releases, along with releases from the West, that are sure to encourage us to our feet during an otherwise sluggish, slow start to the colder months. These tunes remind us that, even though the weather is getting colder and the sun begins to set a bit sooner, there’s still a reason to get up and dance.
“So I Danced” by DPR Ian
This Seoul-based, Korean Australian artist is incredibly versatile and has the ability to play with vocals and body movements that leave the audience in awe. His performances are theatrical, and this song is, too. The accompanying video for the high-energy song has visuals that include a somber DPR Ian with a full face of dramatic, shimmery makeup in a fur jacket. This one is at the top of our fall playlists.
“Fact Check” by NCT 127
Powerhouse K-pop group NCT 127 is back with another banger. This group never backs away from experimenting with different sounds and genres in their new releases and “Fact Check” follows that status quo. Members Mark and Taeyong open the track with a quickfire rap verse and the vocalists of the group shine as the song continues. The video features stunning visuals and choreography to match.
“Baddie” by IVE
IVE are total hitmakers with a no-skips discography. This song is different from everything else they’ve put out, but it shows us a new, slightly darker, and broodier side to the girl group. They’re officially claiming themselves as “baddies” and are giving us the attitude to match. The outfits, the choreography, the makeup, everything is taken up a notch, and we’re excited to see this new incarnation of IVE.
“Nails” by Saint Levant
This artist is multilingual and can rap in three different languages: Arabic, English, and French. The song starts off with a quiet and witty rap that gets your attention, as the song progresses, it slowly adds in a bass line which pumps up the energy, something Saint Levant never shies away from on his tracks. “Nails” is a song you won’t be able to take off repeat, and you’ll be tapping your feet along while listening.
“Glimmer” by Dogstar
Is there anyone who isn’t a Keanu Reeves fan? After a 21-year hiatus, Reeves’ band Dogstar is back with another album titled Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees. Back in May, they reunited to perform after their hiatus and it seems they just needed more, which manifested in a new album that’s full of nostalgic sounds and an upcoming tour in 2024. You can catch him playing bass on the road with his bandmates Robert Mailhouse and Bret Domrose.
Published on October 25, 2023
Words by Anjana Pawa
Anjana Pawa is a Brooklyn-based culture reporter who regularly covers music, entertainment and beauty. You can find her on Twitter at @apawawrites.