Jpop: Nogizaka46

I have written about the Japanese mega-group/phenomena AKB48 before, and there is really too much of this certain type of idol jpop to need me writing about it, but one of the explicit challengers to AKB48 is supposed to be Nogizaka46 ("We can be as good with two fewer members"...). I can't see the difference mostly, but "Life is Beautiful" is a better than average with some interesting visuals and a emotional tone that goes beyond most of standard idol pop. A little.

• Nogizaka46 - Life is Beautiful (命は美しい)
• Nogizaka46 - Uniform mannequins (制服のマネキン)

Jpop: Hanae (ハナエ)

Hanae has been making anime songs mostly, as an example she made songs for both seasons of Kamisama Kiss. Those two songs are quite charming, actually, and does very much feel like good anime songs to me. Still, if you listen to the new S-T-A-R-S, you get another version of her; a little edge and focus, kind of.

• Hanae - Kamisama Kiss (神様はじめました, short fun version) 
• Hanae - God of God (神様の神様)
• Hanae - S-T-A-R-S
• Hanae - Love is Holy Rome (恋は神聖ローマ)
• Hanae - Juvenile!!!
• Hanae - Boyz and Girlz
• Hanae - Hengen Jesus (変幻ジーザス)

Kpop: Fiestar - You’re pitiful(짠해)

This is really, really not anything new about this, possibly parts of the chair gimmicks, but this is not a problem as this is more like a retro trip back a few years somehow. It feels very much 2013 or something. In a good way. Thank you, Fiestar. ;-)

• Fiestar - You’re pitiful(짠해)

Mandopop: Pang Mailang (龐麥郎)

From the start, it should be obvious to even non-mandarin speakers that Pang can't sing. He also sings with a strong southern dialect, and off-beat... And the song is about a pair of skateboard shoes he desperately longs for... This is a really big viral hit in China, and has given new defintion to the term "diaosi" (屌丝), in a very modern and ironic way, with people loving to do various interpretations of it in a somehow loving way when something that everyone can relate to is described in such a humiliating way. Combine this with a media campaign where his age and background is fabricated in an obvious way to invite specualtion (also, observe the video - it's obviously much more calculated than one would think at first) and you have here a kind of phenomena that is another sign of China being very much a modern place (yees, it's not just positive, I know... ;-P)

• Pang Mailang - My Skateboard Shoes (我的滑板鞋)

Cantopop: SiS Lok's (SiS樂印姊妹)

I'm finally blogging about SiS, as they really showcase some of the unique sound qualities relative mandarin. Listen to "520" and then don't tell me you really don't agree that they utilizes the chinese dialect to the fullest degree. SiS Lok's is doubly interesting as the two sisters have made their way into greater fame through alternative media with the younger Lok Yan reaching over 3 million via her YouTube channel where they spread their videos.

• SiS - 520
• SiS - Don't just dream (不要只是有夢)
• SiS - If I were a boy (如果我是個男孩)
• SiS - 愛phone了 (Play on words in regards to iphone...)
• SiS - Modern Taiwan Song (最新派台歌)
• SiS - Goodnight Song (晚安歌)