Jpop: Metafive - Musical Chairs

I really liked the debut of Metafive, "Luv U Tokio", being such a cool and laid back masterpiece of electronica set just perfectly in its mood. The new "Musical Chairs" repeats this achievement in much the same way, using what looks like hot versions of GoogleMaps to create an experience that fits very well in with the ambience of the music.

• Metafive - Musical Chairs

Jpop: Mito Natsume (三戸なつめ)

Anyone familiar with Perfume, when listening to Mito Natsume one can hear some similarities, because they share the same producer, the famous Nakata Yasutaka. Natsume has her own almost anti-glamorous style which isn't totally about doing crazy stuff either, rather it is about being a rather "normal" but goofy girl, which is very refreshing.

• Mito Natsume - 8 Bit Boy (8ビットボーイ)
• Mito Natsume - I cut my bangs to short (前髪切りすぎた - 白菜篇-)
• Mito Natsume - I cut my bangs to short (前髪切りすぎた - 容疑者篇-)
• Mito Natsume - I cut my bangs to short (前髪切りすぎた - たわし篇-)
• Mito Natsume - I'll do my best 

Jpop: Perfume - Flash

On the 6th of April, jpop synthpop stars Perfume will release their new album "Cosmic Explorer", and as a first single we have already got to hear "Flash" one month ago as part of a trailer for the movie "Chihayafuru" which premiered last week in Japan. That was a movie about a Japanese card game based on first guessing the end of poems being read up, think of it like a version of Jeopardy without the money part.
The new short video released this week instead lets us finally see the three girls themselves with anew martial art styled choregraphy. The music is slightly above average, the hallmark electronic sound well in place.

•  Perfume - Flash (Short)
•  Perfume - Flash (Full audio, Chihayafuru trailer)

Kye Kye

Kye Kye is an American electronica band but their song Honest Affection is interlaced with Japanese sounds and themes. I really love the athmosphere in this video.

• Kye Kye - Honest Affection
• Kye Kye - People
• Kye Kye - Softly
• Kye Kye - Dreams (2am)
• Kye Kye - Scared or Selfish

French pop: Madeon

Young French electronic pop music wizard Madeon's "Pop culture" is a great piece that noone interested in dance music probably have missed, but to be honest I think much of his songs sound somewhat alike. The new "You're on" is not such a big step either, but I love the sci-fi video. Also, the music is, while predictable, still great.

• Madeon ft Kyan - You're on
• Madeon - Pop culture (live mashup on his Launchpad)
• Madeon ft Ellie Goudling - Stay Awake
• Madeon - The City

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

Kpop:: IU & Seo Taiji - Sogyeokdong (소격동)

Even though IU is immensely popular in her home country, most of her songs the last year or two hasn't really got to me, but I find the new collaboration between her and korean pop icon Seo Taiji to be quite a rewarding experience, which is quite natural as it sounds more like an electronica indie piece than a mainstream production. This video is the "IU" version, and soon the "Seo Taiji" version will be released too. The theme is also rather serious as the name of the song is the place where the dictatorship of the 80s "schooled" university students to not be reactive and left-wing, in ways not so democratic.

• IU & Seo Taiji - Sogyeokdong (소격동)

Kpop: Crayon Pop - C'mon C'mon (뜬뜬뜬뜬 뜨든뜬)

Korea's possibly most cute girl band, cute as in japanese kawaii, must be Crayon Pop, who has gone for lots of odd dancing concepts and funny clothes in their videos. This is obvious a niche that has worked well for them, but I love how their new retro "C'mon C'mon" really manages to do 80s in a way that feels meaningful and genuinely charming. The song is taken from the korean drama "High school: Love on" which is quite natural as ChoA has participated in it.

• Crayon Pop - C'mon C'mon (뜬뜬뜬뜬 뜨든뜬)