Kpop: Asakura Saya - Shinjo Melody (新庄節)

Shinjo is a part of the Japanese region Yamagata, which is where Asakura Saya come from. This then is fully natural, as she writes about and sings in the dialect of Yamagata. This song is picked from the album "Future Trax", just like the last song I wrote about. She really does something simple but magical with these folk songs.

• Asakura Saya - Shinjo Melody (新庄節)

Japan: Yuko Oshima meets the Kano Sisters

It is hard to miss that my blog takes it name from japanese Yuko Oshima, the extremely charming and popular ex-AKB48 member that for represents much of my ideal personality would be. Everyone who follows japanese pop and their idol groups can't miss out on how chaste the girls are supposed to be. Even a suggestion of one of them having a boy-friend may merit exclusion from all activities. It may then come as a surprise when we get to see her not only visit but do ... things ... that we almost wouldn't see on sexually liberated swedish television. The Kano Sisters are known for their big 'charms', but actually their fan base is as much women as men. Please read this very nuanced article before you judge them. The short clip is also an excellent peek into the kind of anti-stylish and very folksy TV shows that are so popular in Japan. Yuko Oshima shows what a big heart she has, expanding the narrow idol role to something more and meaningful, something about human equality and even love.

• Yuko Oshima meets the Kana Sisters

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)

Jpop: Ladybaby - Renge Chance! (蓮華チャンス！)

No, this is not a bad taste copy of Babymetal. Well. The three members of Ladybaby may be riding on the waves that the idol metal girls of Babymetal has created, but Ladybeard has its own distinctive style that is one part beard, one part scream metal and one part kawaii Japan. This time around they have released two videos for each of the songs from the new single! The first song "Renge Chance!" is an ode to Ramen noodles (You can see the producer from many Dempagumi.Inc videos have been a part of the creation), and the second "C'est si bon Kibun" has been inspired and produced by clothes designer Higashi Kanae.

• Ladybaby - Renge Chance! (蓮華チャンス！)
• Ladybaby - C'est si bon Kibun (セシボン・キブン)

Jpop: Sssurrounddd / (((さらうんど)))

The trio released their first album this year and is part of the vaguely defined term "new city pop" which is meant to be a renewal of the 80s bubble pop era. Anyway I like their electronic sound quite much.

• Sssurrounddd - You're New Age (きみは New Age)
• Sssurrounddd - Night line (夜のライン )
• Sssurrounddd - Siren Syrup

Jpop: Rebecca ft Charisma.com

This is a really cool cooperation - the front singer Rebecca of a 80s rock band Nokko and modern rap duo Charisma.com does a nice electronic dance track out of a hit from 1985. Love the sound and contrast between the voices.

• Rebecca ft Charisma.com - Friends (フレンズ)
• Rebecca - Friends (original sound)

Jpop: BoA - Lookbook

After the success (and quality) of BoA's "Kiss My Lips" earlier this year, I was careful with expecting more of the same this year, but here is "Lookbook", her 39th (!) single in Japan, and again she shows of her star quality both in singing and dancing. The theme is obviously fashion, with both obvious visual que's but also lyrical references like the title (a lookbook is a collection of photos etc for a model) or terms like OOTD. A nice EDM track really.

• BoA - Lookbook (Shorter YouTube version)
• BoA - Lookbook (Full version, slower loading)