Jpop: Kiryū (己龍)

I often find Visual Kei bands to much about the, yes, visual keys, and to little about good music but Kiryū's new song Etsu to Utsu has both colors and an interesting soundtrack.

• Kiryū - Etsu to Utsu (悦ト鬱)
• Kiryū - Kyōsei (叫声)
• Kiryū - Oiran Tan (花魁譚)

Cantopop: Fiona Sit (薛凱琪)

OK, I had to admit I have been holding out on Fiona Sit even though her videos are quite eye-catching. Partly due to the songs somehow not catching on, but also because, as I am trying hard to learn Mandarin, when she sings in Cantonese (a Chinese dialect quite different from Mandarin) it is a bit distracting. That my favorite Khalil Fong (方大同) writes for her helps too. ;-)

• Fiona Sit - Pheromone (弗洛蒙)
• Fiona Sit - Weekly (周末畫報)
• Fiona Sit - Contagious
• Fiona Sit - I say goodbye (告別我)
• Fiona Sit - 9:55PM (also by Khalil Fong)
• Fiona Sit - Better Me
• Fiona Sit - Palace Ruomei (宮若梅)

Mandopop: Huo Zun (霍尊)

Huo Zun is a Mancu Chinese born in 1990, and his voice is just incredible in its timbre and resonance, an otherworldly ambience which you can hear in "Song of Birds".

• Huo Zun - Song of Birds (對鳥)
• Huo Zun - Dressed (恰好)

Kpop: Yoari (요아리)

Yoari, or Kang Mi Jin as is her real name, has a history in kpop that is quite unlucky, basically she was going to be part of now famous group Brown Eyed Girls but got put in a loser group which disbanded almost directly and has been struggling since then. The song "Excuse Me" from 2010 touched many and will most probably be the song she is remembered for, with a video that suits it perfectly in its personal dramatic touch. On the other hand you have the relatively fresh "Do You Like It?" which still showcases the kind of rocky image that was the initial reason for her being moved from BEG. She got some more publicity for her participation in Voice of Korea in 2012.

• Yoari - Excuse Me (저기요)
• Yoari - Do You Like It? (맘에 드니?)

Russian pop: Julia Savicheva (Юлия Савичева)

You may remember Julia from representing Russia in the ESC 2004 in Istanbul with "Believe Me", in what I can't say is especially pleasing to the ears. The new "Bride" is much better, a breezy no nonsense dance song of the kind russians do so well.

• Julia Savicheva - Bride (Hевеста)

Jpop: Czecho No Republic - No Way

From their new album Mantle, Czecho No Republic releases the video No Way, which has an even more well-polished soft sound than before, maybe even bordering on to romantic somehow. But it is quite summery anyway and who cares if it is a predictable indie sound, when it is as nice as this. ;-)

• Czecho No Republic - No Way

Jpop indie: The Telephones - Hyper Jump

Synthy pop with rocky sounds that wanna make you jump? Yes? Then "Hyper Jump" from The Telephones from Japan must be worth a try. I loved their "Don't stop the move, keep on dancing!" and the new song extends on that happy poprock sound.

• The Telephones - Hyper Jump