Kpop: Luna (루나)

SM Town is really giving Luna from f(x) a real boost for her solo career, first with her participation in the polished EDM co-op track "Wave", and now with her first real solo "Free Somebody" that feels like a dance hit, just perfect as it works both perfectly for the dance floor as a dreamy disco at home, if I didn't hear the korean singing I would place it on some british dance floor. Maybe the best kpop song these last few months.

• Luna - Free Somebody

Kpop: Heyne - Love Cells (연애세포)

It was quite some time ago since I last wrote about Heyne, ie at her debut back in 2013, and already then I noted that her voice has a kind of love it/hate it sound, and it is even more true with "Love Cells" which utilizes/worsens her cutesy singing in a nostalgic (I'd say 80s even though her label says 90s) track with the expected summer/love theme in both text and video.

• Heyne - Love Cells (연애세포)

Jpop: Nature Danger Gang (ネイチャーデンジャーギャング)

Last year, I shared some of the jpop bands like Riemann mic and Sloth that conciously delves into a more "everyday ugly/vulguar" side of modern japanese pop culture. Nature Danger Gang with a home in fashion-eclectic Shinjuku, Tokyo, is another example of this with a techno sound that would even make some 90s music offenders blush. But I so love this kind of kitsch now and then!

• Nature Danger Gang - Cherry Blossom Uncle (桜おじさん)
• Nature Danger Gang - Dopa (どぱ)

Kpop: Turbo (터보)

There is a time for nostalgy and it seems this year may be the year for old kpop groups to return. Enter Turbo, the successful group from the 90s which now has returned 15 years after they disbanded. The song isn't too bad at all, actually, and ofc it is fun (or maybe not) for one-time fans to see their heroes return. ;-)

• Turbo - Again

Vietnamese pop: Bigdaddy & Touliver - Check That Bass

One thing I have noticed with the budding pop sound of Vietnam is its penchant for 90s european EDM/techno/eurodisco. It seems this is very popular and Bigdaddy's rap together with Touliver's sounds makes a prime example of this.

• Bigdaddy & Touliver - Check That Bass

Kpop: Laboum - Aalow Aalow (아로아로)

Laboum has so far stayed under the radar for many kpop fans but I quite liked their "What about you?" that they released almost exactly one year ago. The new song "Aalow Aalow" (which I think is a onomatopoeic for something moving quickly past) is a 80s/90s retro that again shows off some really ear-catching sounds that lays the base for a song to like. The video for sure is basically a 80s variation on the aegyo theme, but still, it works fine here.

• Laboum - Aalow Aalow (아로아로)

Jpop: Bed In (ベッド・イン)

This odd band with the name Beddo In (which comes directly from the english words "bed in", and which in Japan means to seduce someone and/or get them into bed) at first glance be easy to dismiss as a kind of bad taste version of the idol bands that use scantily clad young girls. But below the surface they are actually more than that. The first obvious thing is that the two female singers is obviously "overage" for this genre where you're usually ripe when over 25. The second thing is that their songs is actually quite interesting, and one of the girls even play an instrument when live. No, this another typical example of the Japanese taking something established and then turning it on its head or more extreme. This is basically Bad taste done good.

• Beddo In ft Ijiri Okada - C-tone beauty-eggplant (C調び～なす)
• Beddo In - Poker Game (♂×♀×ポーカーゲーム, live here)
• Beddo In - Posion (プワゾン)
• Beddo In - ワケありDANCE たてついて