Jpop: De De Mouse

De De Mouse is really Daisuke Endo from Tokyo, who combines 8-bit pop, folk music from East Asia and vocies from children to create ambient electronica.

• De De Mouse - Baby's Star Jam
• De De Mouse - Floats and Falls
• De De Mouse - Milkyway planet
• De De Mouse - Alice
• De De Mouse - East End Girl

Korean indie: Jambinai (잠비나이)

The Korean trio Jambinai performs what one could call experimental music, using traditional instruments to play what sometimes sounds like heavy metal (to my ears), sometimes like experimental jazz, and sometimes just beautiful. Short interview here.

• Jambinai - Time of Extinction (소멸의 시간)
• Jambinai - Connection
• Jambinai - Grace Kelly

Jpop: Oresama (オレサマ)

Oresama (a duo from Tokyo mostly active in Shibuya, Tokyo) does the ending theme for the anime Wolf Girl and Black Prince with their new song "Ookami (Wolf) Heart". The standalone video is a great comic styled 80s celebration which suits the sweet and funky synthpop perfectly.

• Oresama - Ookami Heart (オオカミハート)
• Oresama - Trip Trip Trip
• Oresama - Wonder Drive

Kpop: Kim Sarang(김사랑)

Korean Kim Sarang debuted already in 1999 as a solo - and self-produced artist and in recent year he has gone more soft from his original rock-heavy sounds. The ICU song and video from 2013 is his most successful to date.

• Kim Sarang - ICU
• Kim Sarang - Love Up
• Kim Sarang - Consolation (위로)

Die Antwoord - Ugly Boy

Ever since I saw the first video with Die Antwoord ("I Fink U Freaky"), I have been fascinated by their beautiful ugliness. From the fantastic graphic contrast between petite Yolanda and drug addict-looking Ninja (who together with DJ Hi-Tek is the trio that forms the group) to the slightly morbid videos inspired by South African white thrash - culture (called zef) and Ninja's inner world. The new "Ugly Boy" (from the Donker Mag album) takes this to an even more beautiful level, with cameos from Marilyn Manson, Dita von Teese, Cara Delevinge, and more showing of blood, ugly boys (ofc), penis guns, unique fashion, and just spectacular graphics. The details here. The lyrics and song again shows DA making use of the contrast between Yolanda and Ninja in a text about being there for your partner whatever it takes, with samples from Aphex Twin.

• Die Antwoord - Ugly Boy

Kpop/Mandopop: T-ara with Chopstick Brothers - Little Apple

The internet viral hit "Little Apple/Xiao Pingo" by the chinese comic duo Chopstick Brothers have now been taken up by one of the most famous kpop groups, T-ara, which does a funny video where they and the brothers mix Korean and Chinese in a fun way. There's even an indirect tribute to another team of music nerds, korean Crayon Pop, with the four yellow jumpsuits screaming Dancing Queen, am I not right? ;-)

• T-ara with Chopstick Brothers - Little Apple