Cantopop: Fiona Sit - Let Go & Miss Fiona

I was going to write about cantonese' Fiona Sit's new "Miss Fiona", an interesting enough video (what with the flourescent cleaning clothes and all), but then I realized I hadn't talked about "Let Go", and of course I had to tell you to listen to it, it being one of her best songs. Do it now!

• Fiona Sit - Let Go
• Fiona Sit - Miss Fiona

Iranian pop: Sogand

As I've said before, every language is like a new instrument with its own unique harmonies, so I've never bothered to much with having to understand the lyrics from the start. Listen to Sogand, the German-Iranian singer who with "My Heart" makes great use of her persian language to create a mystical and still clear atmosphere.

• Sogand - My Heart (The Lom)
• Sogand - One Way Ticket (Bilite Yektarafe)
• Sogand - Living Life (Leben Leben)

Kpop: Jinbo (진보)

Jinbo is supposedly a rapper but I find it is better to describe his kpop as belonging to the R&B bracket, with nice samples and electronica added for good taste.

• Jinbo - Fantasy
• Jinbo - Be My Friend
• Jinbo - Cops Come Knock
• Jinbo - Miss Thang

Jpop: Crystal Kay

Crystal Kay somehow mixes the heritage that her African American father, Korean mother and Japanese birthplace/childhood has given her, evident in her music. She has done a lot of traditional Japanese R&B, really nice if you like that stuff, but I hold the odd "Dumb Ditty Dumb" from 2014 the highest.

• Crystal Kay - Dumb Ditty Dumb
• Crystal Kay - Superman
• Crystal Kay - If I Fall In Love (恋におちたら)
• Crystal Key - Forever
• Crystal Key - Delicious Friday (デリシャスな金曜日)
• Crystal Kay - Kirakuni

Mandopop: Cyndi Wang - Dare to want, Dare to reject (敢要敢不要)

It has been a while since I wrote about Cyndi Wang, but she has mostly been up to the kind of slow ballads that I find just boring. The new batch of videos from the "Dare To Want, Dare To Reject" has been either just boring, or not good enough. Enter the 5th video, and now I finally find myself getting something in my taste. It is basically a concert ('Cyndi Wants' I think)video plus Cyndi doing a photo shoot, but it is fun to watch.

• Cyndi Wang - Dare to want, Dare to reject (敢要敢不要)
• Cyndi Wang - BFF
• Cyndi Wang - Make A Wish (少女的祈禱)
• Cyndi Wang - A Person's Life (一個人的日子)
• Cyndi Wang - Far Away (遠在眼前的你)
• Cyndi Wang - Angel's Paranoia (天使的偏執)
• Cyndi Wang - A Place I've Never Been (從未到過的地方)

Mandopop: Li Yuchun - Only You & Real Love

Boygirl Li Yuchun's song "In 1987, I didn't know I would meet you" was one of my absolute favorite mandopop songs of 2014, so I'm really happen when she return with new music in the same ilk - "Only You" (produced by A.G. Cook) and "Real Love" is really two fantastic electronic gems. Worth mentioning is the nuances lost in translation when they chose the english titles - in mandarin, the first song actually literally means "Asshole, I miss you" and the second one "Love gravitation".
(The full length videos keep getting blocked, so you may have to search yourself for a working version...this latest is a english-language version)

• Li Yuchun - Only You (混蛋,我想你)
• Li Yuchun - Real Love (愛有引力)

Jpop: 0.8Syooogeki (0.8秒と衝撃)

0.8秒と衝撃 means '0.8 seconds and a crash" and the japanese duo consisting of Tadaomi Toyama and J.M. for sure likes music with a bit of wild in it. Their videos are a feast of joyfulness and carefree energy with a musical edge.

• 0.8Syooogeki - Words of rainbow color (虹色の言葉)
• 0.8Syooogeki - Arashima machine gun
• 0.8Syooogeki - Jasmine lover (ジャスミンの恋人)
• 0.8Syooogeki - Cieolo Drive 10050 (シエロ・ドライブ10050)
• 0.8Syooogeki - NO WAVE ≒ sunset ''
• 0.8Syooogeki - Mad Drumming 1
• 0.8Syooogeki - Brian Eno
• 0.8Syooogeki - Lasagna (ラザニア)
• 0.8Syooogeki - Beatnik killers (ビートニクキラーズ)