Georgian pop: Diana Gurtskaya (Диана Гурцкая)

Some may remember Diana as the blind singer who represented Georgia in the ESC in 2008. This newer song from 2014 is a better one with a better quality "drama" in the song.

• Diana Gurtskaya - I'm losing you (Я тебя теряю)
• Diana Gurtskaya - Peace Will Come

Kpop: Queen B'z - Pippi (삐삐)

Well, as a Swede, in the end I really had to write about this as Korean pop girls Queen B'z takes their inpsiration from Swedish Pippi Longstocking in the rakish and fun styled video. It is rather interesting to see a rookie group go from cool and sexy (in their vampire themed debut "Bad") to childish and cute in their next concept. But why not?

• Queen B'z - Pippi (삐삐)

Korean indie: Love X Stereo

The background of Korean indie rock/pop band Love X Stereo is a rather winding way to todays trio consisting of Tobie, Annie and Sol. The sound isn't what you would expect from a Korean band(or would you? It all depends ofc...) with english lyrics and a western sound in the non-kpop sense.

• Love X Stereo - Storm
• Love X Stereo - Fly Over
• Love X Stereo - Soul City (Seoul City)

Mandopop: Jolin Tsai - Medusa (美杜莎)

"Medusa" is the third single from Jolin Tsai's latest album Play (after "Phony Queen" and "Play"), and true to her tradition, it is 1. a great video, 2. very clearly sponsored. The visuals and music may not be among her best, but it is still great fun to watch, with sponsors this time obviously being Intel and Pepsi (the later one being her co-sponsor for a long time).

• Jolin Tsai - Medusa (美杜莎)

Jpop: YukaD / Ostooandell

After being part of Ostooandell for 10 years, YukaD went solo in 2010. The new "Kimi wa Dancing Queen" is quite fun, and from the old videos I recommend "Bakyun the everyday".

• YukaD - You are a Dancing Queen (君はDancingQueen)
• Ostooandell - Bakyun the everyday
• Ostooandell - 君はまるでダンスしているみたいに
• Ostooandell - Hero's Hero (audio only)

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)