BoA has been one of K-pop’s most iconic trailblazers since her debut in 2000, creating countless trends and inspiring many of the idols that we love and know today to make their jump into the industry. In fact, many may not know this but she made her US debut all the way back in 2008 with Britney-Spears-written 'Eat You Up.' And her 20th studio album, Better, released on December 1st, 2020, is only a testament to this timeless persona and skill of hers in all its sultry, dance club glory.

The album starts off with its namesake title track ‘Better.’ Driven by deep, repeating bass chords sampled from Scandinavian singer AWA, this very ultramodern soundscape compliments BoA’s husky timbre well. The chorus is light, accompanied by symphonics, as well as an interesting static effect on BoA’s vocals that makes her sound as if she is underwater. This chorus is an addictive counterpart to the bass-heavy verses. The powerful key change of the bridge is also notable, but where 'Better' truly manages to turn heads is the sudden, yet casual transition back to the smooth, bass-structured sections of the song. It is obviously witty production on the part of SM’s bonafide producer, Yoo Young Jin. Especially here, I adore the phantasmal atmosphere and the confidence in her attitude.

Following this is the similarly intense ‘Temptations.’ Heralded by plucked strings, the strong dance club influences of the song remind me of something fellow soloist Chung Ha might opt for. The pre-chorus is a beautiful highlight: ushered by an ascending 90s-style synth, the track races into its explosive chorus with an excitable, jumpy momentum. And the overall song has this tense, grungy, and overexposed aesthetic that is so delightful and well complemented by the strings. Easily one of Better’s better b-sides.

(Credits to SM Entertainment)

What I find especially compelling about this album is that many of the downtempo songs are interspersed throughout the tracklist, as opposed to being collected only at the end. While this is nothing new, and could even impose a deficit on the pacing of the album experience, BoA’s charisma and skill manage to convey interest in these songs. Epitomizing this is ‘Cloud,’ a rather stereotypical ballad that, despite reeling in from the prior dance songs, maintained my attention just as well. BoA’s vocals are the star on this chillpop soul track. Her emotional falsetto holds your attention to a tee– you don’t even realize how fast the song has ended, and its sudden melancholy leaves a lasting impression that becomes another standard for the remainder of the album to live up to.

These 3 songs essentially embody the entire album. And yet, it would be disgraceful not to mention at least some of the remaining, quality b-sides. The ethereal ‘All That Jazz’ that incorporates the drums symbolic of underground poetry, beatboxing, and more falsetto, the retro-groovy and sassy ‘L.O.V.E’, the cool and confident ‘Cut Me Off,’ the pop ballad ‘Gravity’-- not a single track off the album is a throwaway song, which is almost insane to think of in modern K-pop where apparent “growers," ambivalence surrounding songs’ likeability, and musical pandering abound. These latter qualities are not necessarily negative, but the manner in which BoA needs not even consider it, to me, is a statement on something unique to her in this industry.

Better is BoA asserting her authority. There is casual sensuality and confidence to reinforce her stature as K-pop’s original female soloist, but humility and a down-to-earth quality to accompany it. The manner in which every single one of the 13 songs pleases with ease and genuinely stands as its own song with unique qualities– I truly think it is an attestation to her artistry, as well as autonomy from the “generations” that generally define the tenure of K-pop acts (20 years is virtually unheard of!). The sheer quality of the album and consistent musicality truly underpins her agelessness, which is why I think Better excels so well in its duties. In a few days, too, on January 3rd, she will be returning alongside members of newer female acts from her label for ‘Girls On Top,’ a sort of female Avengers assembly for K-pop. And if Better hadn’t already established it, she’s here to stick around for a long while after it.