Kpop: CocoSori - Exquisite! (절묘해)

With their weird theme and special design latex clothes, the debut "Dark Circles" of CocoSori was very much worth noticing. The 2nd single "Exquisite!" keeps the colors and the clothes, switching theme to a correspondingly colorful American 40s look, but the song steps up the tempo significantly and adds odd almost metal-esque interludes now and then. It leaves me feeling the song is slightly schizophrenic but the video is still a "should see". Getting high on candy and fighting a cat boss with laser beam eyes is not to be denied...

• CocoSori - Exquisite! (절묘해)
• CocoSori - Exquisite! (Dance version)

Jpop: FEMM - PoW!

Stylized due FEMM from Japan was my favorite Japanese act in their debut year 2014, with an extremely high output of high quality videos and all of them in english. Now they are back with the new "PoW!" and it continues in the same great fashion. This time the theme is comics, and I would say in an American setting from the lyrics and visual cues. The whole project of FEMM is obviously geared towards the international/American nerd scene and as such may feel a bit too obvious this time (pretentious) but in the end I love it for its quality of delivery.

• FEMM -  PoW!

Mandopop: Khalil Fong (方大同)

Khalil Fong's latest album is really something else, from it's highly stylish and cool "Dangerous World" who is up there with the best kpop or american videos in production values and smoothness, to his charm and talented singing in "Little Fong". In comparison to what he has done before, I think his voice is at its best in these more uptempo songs. This is star quality of a special kind. Listen to Lights Up where he sings in english and it's obvious his voice spans several languages.

• Khalil Fong - Dangerous World (危險世界)
• Khalil Fong - Black White & Grey
• Khalil Fong - Little Fong (小方)
• Khalil Fong - Very Not Low Key (HBDD/很不低調)
• Khalil Fong ft Diana Wang - All Night
• Khalil Fong ft Zion T & Crush - Flavor (味道)
• Khalil Fong - Monkey King (悟空)
• Khalil Fong feat Miss Ko - No Love (愛不來)
• Khalil Fong - BB88
• Khalil Fong - Lights Up (english, audio only)

Jpop: bomi (ボーミ)

The background of bomi can be said to be a somewhat unique representation how international the kpop/jpop scenes really are today as she has Korean parents, was born in USA, and then grew up as a Japanese. As an parallell, many of the famous korean pop idols we see today was often born/grew up in America, only to move to Korea as a grown-up when they wanted into the kpop scene. The latest song is a airy synth sounding cover of CSS:s "Part Night, Hold Me Tight".

• bomi - Party Night, Hold Me Tight
• bomi - Mr. & Ms. Boring
• bomi - iYo-Yo
• bomi - Nakittsura Lily (泣きっ面リリー)

Indian/American pop: Gods Robots

Just read about these, and I find them fascinating. Being an indie band, a bonus is that there is even a video for Stay. Check it out, its quite nice.

• Gods Robots - Stay
• Gods Robots - Stormy Weather (only audio)
• Gods Robots - Jaan (audio only)

Kpop: Ailee (에일리)

Behind her Korean stage name Ailee hides the name Amy Lee who is an Korean-American who grew up in New Jersey, but who at 21 years of age moved to Korea to pursue her music career. Her 2012 hit "I will show you" has pushed her towards kpop fame. A rather clichèd affair, and I wonder why she in the end should/would chose the same guy that rejected her earlier on.

• Aileen - I will show you (보여줄게)
• Aileen - Heaven
• Aileen - Evening sky (저녁 하늘)
• Aileen - Halo (live performance)