Jpop: Yousei Teikoku (妖精帝國)

The Japanese group Yousei Teikoku,which literally means the Fairy Kingdom, has been running for 15 years since its formation in 1997. Their music span over several music styles but they are basically what in the west would be described as an emo goth band. Well, sort of.

• Yousei Teikoku - Mischevious of Alice
• Yousei Teikoko - Wahrheit
• Yousei Teikoku - Hades: The bloody rage
• Yousei Teikoku - Rebellion Anthem
• Yousei Teikoko - Filament
• Yousei Teikoko - Fantasy Mythology
• Yousei Teikoko - Last Moment (Live)

Jpop: MAA/MAR

First in short lived rock band Marbell and then as a solo artist, MAA has an american father and a japanese mother. I quite like the expression of her videos (Marbell and she was much part of the Visual Kei style), and Ghost System and Ballerina Brain System are really good songs too.

• MAA - Ghost Enemy
• MAA - Ballerina Brain System (バレリーナ･ブレインシステム)
• MAA - Okay
• MAA - Feel it
• MarBell - Miss All Birthday
• MarBell - Is it time for grace? (テノ鳴ル方ヘ)

Kpop: Chi Chi (치치)

The debut single (Don't play around) from Chi Chi almost 2 years ago was a really catchy song, but I havent seen that much from them since then, really. "Love is energy", was OK, but the tempo of releases are quite low and doesn't bode well.

• Chi Chi - Don't play around (장난치지마)
• Chi Chi - Love is energy
• Chi Chi - Longer

Kpop: BPPOP (비피팝) - Aegyo gone to far?

The debut of kpop group BPPOP has been greeted with rather mixed responses from fans and reviewers alike since the group may be taking the aegyo style to far. The Korean name of the style is an affection often used in asia and may be known to you indirectly via the wider concept of Kawaii in Japanese culture. If you aren't fluent in hangul you may miss out on some of the finer points in the video which is the way they pronounce and use words like children, but the video choregraphy tells some of it. On the other hand, this kind of naive acting may be unusual in kpop, but just step over the Korean strait to Japan and you will get this kind of affection in almost every video with female members. You actually get to see much more explicit and evident aegyo channeling in kdrama's, where you usually cant go for more than 10 minutes before hearing a "oppa" in most romantic dramas.

• BPPOP - Today

Kpop: Lee Hi (이하이)

Known in Korea for her special expression and voice, Lee Ha Yi, known as Lee Hi, released her debut single a couple of months ago, and the album is said to be released soon (March). She sorely reminds me of a western music artist but I can't for the world remind me who (it may be a stereotype rather than a special artist) or what song it is that gives me extreme deja vu when listening to 1,2,3,4. Just so you don't think she has only one mode of operation, listen to Scarecrow too.

• Lee Hi - Rose
• Lee Hi - It's Over
• Lee Hi - 1,2,3,4
• Lee Hi - Scarecrow

Jpop: Kimura Kaela (木村 カエラ)

One could argue that much of jpop have a rather "endemic" sound and look, ie a original touch that you don't find elsewhere. That is to simplify things of course, since all pop music today borrows from what has been done before, and nothing is new. What can be new and unique is the combinations made by the individual, and the uniqueness of a certain genre. In that sense, Japanese pop has a rather high quota of songs and videos that stand out. Compare it to Korean pop music, which excels at refining western pop (with a Korean touch ofc), while Japanese pop excels at recreating inspirations from abroad into a kind of local melting pot.

Kimura Kaela is another example of this. She has been a TV presenter and singer, and has a british father. Her songs carries a for me evident heritage from British music while at the same time having that special taste level (or not) and approach to music of the Japanese.

• Kimera Kaela - Sun Shower 
• Kimura Kaela - Mamillel (マミレル)
• Kimura Kaela - Wonder Volt
• Kimera Kaela - Emotions Plus Love (喜怒哀楽 plus 愛)

PS Sorry if its mostly short PV's, get the full audios if you like what you hear... ^_^ DS

Kpop: Speed - Pain (the Love of Heart)

The third single and video in a short while, SPEED is really getting promoted right now. And I must say, while the video in itself is quite simple, the song has got that something which places it above average. Both the refrain and the "digital" sound piece that comes and goes works for me.

• SPEED - Pain (the Love of Heart) (통증)