release radar '26

January can be a little bit slow, but so far we're off to a strong start with two highly anticipated releases from Chuu and Apink, as well as a surprise release from Viagra Boys ahead of their 2026 Australia headline tour which I'll be attending next week.

Here is a recap of everything I've listened to so far.

Viagr Aboys by Viagra Boys (Japanese Deluxe Edition)

The most recent and unexpected addition to this list. Viagra Boys just dropped a Japanese deluxe edition of their 2025 album, Viagr Aboys, which was already one of my favourite albums last year.

Now they've graced us with four additional songs and I'm hoping they'll play at least one of these live next week. I texted these thoughts about them to a friend of mine on my third beer at pub:

Therapy II sounds like a b-side from Cave World fused with Devo. It wouldn't surprise me if they play this one live, it's the song they're promoting the most on social media and sounds like it could become a crowd favourite especially if there's an improvised jam in between.

Middleage(d) Humanoid. Shrimped as hell.

Watching You sounds like the guys went into the studio drunk as hell and went "yeah we can do The Gorillaz" and essentially made their own version of Kids With Guns. 5/5 stars from me.

cumboy is one of the most subdued and atmospheric songs they've ever released, and this was the name they ran with. Love it. Band of all time.

Really enjoyed them. I can see why they didn't fit on the album, but right now, who cares? Shrimptech stocks are at an all time high, so you better start investing xx

Re: LOVE by APINK

I genuinely thought Apink disbanded? Anyway, I'm glad that isn't the case! It is always nice to to see second generation k-pop group still going strong, especially with how cutthroat the industry is and how newer girl groups barely get their chance to shine before their companies chew them up and spit them back out. Many such cases.

The title track 'Love Me More' perfectly encapsulates Apink's wistfully nostalgic sound layered with catchy melodies, strong vocal performances and a dose of new jack swing. Definitely a must listen for anyone who enjoyed LUV .

All of their voices have matured wonderfully over the years, and I felt quite emotional hearing Chorong's lines, she has a really beautiful tone which harmonises well with Hayoung's husky vocals. The EP is short, sweet, and safe, but overall a very enjoyable comeback from a senior girl group. I hope they're able to continue releasing music whenever the stars align in their busy schedules.

Internet Girl - KATSEYE

I have nothing against the members of Katseye. HYBE on the other hand...

Internet Girl is deliberately annoying in the vein of 2010s rock pop where songs were loud, abrasive, and nonsensical. I saw a comment on youtube calling it "indie sleaze dance monkey" and that made me chuckle, because it sounds exactly like something Poppy would've uploaded to youtube back then.

The only reason I can come up with as to why this song exists is so a verse like "Eat zucchini, eat zucchini! Can you read me like the emoji?" can be used in tiktoks and instagram reels. It's a shame because Katseye are extremely talented and I wish they were allowed to establish their identity as a group rather than staying boxed into creating music for the sake of attracting negative criticism to boost exposure.

Call me boring, cranky, annoying, whatever you want but I'm a little exhausted by this deeply ironic, often mean spirited "you just wouldn't get it" culture that so many people online feed into to defend such lazy artistic direction.

But here's the thing, I'm not even against silly songs about food! If this leaned towards camp, I could probably get behind it. Gimme Chocolate! was the first song by Babymetal I ever heard back when they debuted and I've been a fan of them ever since. Red Velvet are one of my all-time favourite k-pop groups and are well known for their campy, upbeat food-themed songs!

Again, I really like the Katseye girls but at this point we're just waiting for the world to burn so we can take HYBE down with it...

It Was Love - Latency

It is a truth universally acknowledged that whenever a girl group disbands, an angel loses its wings and can only gain them back whenever the members find a way to continue pursuing music in an otherwise unforgiving industry.

Latency are a five member girl band project consisting of former members of LOONA, cignature and Hashtag. I'm sure everyone knows by now I'm one of those orbits who inevitably loves whatever the girls do in their post-LOONA careers. Congrats to everyone in Latency for one of the coolest comebuts!

Band concepts are so cool and I'm always begging for more of them. It's incredibly fun to see idols in an environment which allows them to showcase the best of their vocal abilities, as well as their proficiency at playing instruments.

I haven't read the lyrics yet but It Was Love is really groovy! I'm stoked that with all those key changes throughout, the song ended up building towards a ripping guitar solo. We absolutely need more girl bands where they're allowed to shred! More solos please!

Hopefully this means Latency will release an EP later this year!

XO, My Cyberlove - CHUU

I will always be sad about what happened to LOONA, but I'm happy that most of those girls are still pursuing music, either as a group or as soloists. Since Chuu's successful re-debut in 2023, she has released three solo EPs: Howl (2023), Strawberry Rush (2024), and Only Cry In The Rain (2025) which earned a spot amongst my top 25 albums of 2025 . I was hoping she would eventually release a full length album, and I was overjoyed by the announcement of XO, My Cyberlove.

Chuu's vocals have matured a lot over the past year! She has always been a vocal powerhouse, that much was proven during her LOONA days , but what I love the most is how her solo career has allowed her the freedom to experiment with her tone and range, exploring new genres such as synth pop, r&b/jersey club, garage. Sure, she can belt out plenty of high notes, but that's not all I want to hear her do!

The title track sounds like a cool, mellow older sister of Chocolate , whether or not that was intended, I'm not sure, but both tracks are so indicative of the sound that Chuu has chosen to pursue for herself, a sound that is infused with playful sweetness and emotional vulnerability.

I won't review every track here, but Limoncello might genuinely be my favourite track because it is the most experimental song that Chuu has ever released. As the title implies, it's a zesty, groovy house track that made me feel quite nostalgic for Red Velvet's early summer tracks. I never expected this genre from Chuu and I hope she continues to experiment on future releases.

Cocktail Dress took me by complete surprise. I had to double check foobar because Chuu sounded so similar to one of my favourite ever soloists, Sunmi . This is a mellow pop song with a lot of overlapping melodies, and Chuu's vocals feel playful and clever in delivery.

XO, My Cyberlove is a dreamy pop album that sounds bright and refreshing, like drinking a gin cocktail with a floral twist, Chuu brings something new to a classic landscape. Personally, I'd love to see her branch out into more house-inspired music in the future!

What's next?

I have far too many gigs lined up this month to even think about spending some time trawling bandcamp, so that's all I have for now.

I'll definitely do another wrap-up for January towards the end of the month as there are a few major releases I'm really looking forward to including a brand new album from LA punk darlings, Joyce Manor , as well as a the first full-length release from XG. Sébastien Tellier will be closing out end of the month and I'm only now realising that we're just two years shy of the 20th anniversary of Sexuality , what the fuck?

p.s if anyone out there has a Wonder Girls Reboot album in good condition and wouldn't mind parting with it please get in touch with me. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take...