Kpop: Got7

Got7 is an "international" male kpop idol group as it was put together with members from several countries (obviously with the idea to attract more fans) and their videos has been quite popular. I find myself still not feeling they have delivered anything worthwhile, but the new "If You Do" is promising. It has a little more focus and nice melody than the older tracks.

• Got7 - If You Do (니가 하면)
• Got7 - A
• Got7 - Stop stop it (하지하지마)
• Got7 - Around the world
• Got7 - Girls girls girls
• Got7 - Just right
• Got7 - Love train

Kpop: Spica - I Did It

Spica is one of those above average kpop groups that still never quite makes it. This song is actually over one year old, and it is fully in english as they even tried to make it in the US. As I have written before, there is always some loss in translation, and it holds true here too as the energy and character of the korean language gets lost when changing to the more common english, but it still is a positive and uptempo song that deserves getting played.

• Spica - I Did It

Jpop: Ladybaby

After the international success of Babymetal, many have tried to copy the formula, but I think the trio of Ladybaby may be the first to come near. They follow the same idea of a) crossing metal and idol pop and b) having young girls (Rie Kaneko and Rei Kuromiya) doing this, but - and it is a big but - there is a big difference and that comes in the form of its third member Richard Magarey who is a male cross-dressing, wrestling Australian known as Ladybeard who does the heavy metal roars. He has actually been doing this for a while and the cross dressing started a long time ago. It is more a question of that his and the girls time has come, and I actually find them quite charming. Read more at Dazed.

• Ladybaby - Nippon Manju (ニッポン饅頭)
• Ladybaby - Renge Chance! (蓮華チャンス！)
• Ladybaby - C'est si bon Kibun (セシボン・キブン)

Jpop: Sakanaction - New Treasure Island (新宝島)

Long time favorite from Japanese Hokkaido, Sakanaction, is re-releasing and remixing lots of stuff right now it seems, which is nice for old and new fans, but "New Treasure Island" is a completely new song made for the upcoming live-adaption of the manga Bakuman. A nicely tuned creation with a both sober and lively video. Love the guitars and the song and the whole composition.

• Sakanaction - New Treasure Island (新宝島)

Kpop: Stephanie - Blackout

The blond haired comeback for korean Stephanie last month with "Prisoner" didn't come close musically for to what she did with "Game" or her earlier group The Grace. The new "Black out" i smusically quite a different thing with amuch more interesting edge to it, but I'm quite sure that it is the video that will be the thing kpop fans will be talking about. That outfit and dancing makes stuff like Stellar's Marionette look mild in comparison. I can't remember when I saw any music artist present something with as much hip focus as this? ;-P

• Stephanie - Black out
• Stephanie - Prisoner