Kpop: Risso (리소)

Risso is one of those few korean artists that produces electronic synth pop, but oh how I love her sound. Most is audio only videos, but don't miss out on anything. The latest video from last week is "Baby Baby Baby", which has her filmed in a kind of retro setting that combines the 20s with VHS 80s looks.

• Risso - Baby Baby Baby
• Risso - OMG

All Audio only, but oh so great:

• Risso - A little bit more
• Risso - High Five
• Risso - 5 Hours 
• Risso - Finger magic
• Risso - Bad Boy
• Risso - Favorite
• Risso - Feels like you
• Risso - Blue Knight

Kpop: We are the night (위아더나잇)

The first image is from "You Are In", the rest from "BRother"

We are the night is the project band of punk/rock/pop band Rocket Diary, and here they have a more electronic sound with the voice of singer Ham Byung Sun being so central to the sound as to almost becoming to dominant, but if one goes back beyond this years releases, there is a more synth focused sound that makes a one-group-playlist all more viable.

• We are the night - You Are In(유아인)
• We are the night - BRother 
• We are the night - #Night (드라이브)
• We are the night - Holiday (할리데이)
• We are the night - Dial (부재중)
• We are the night - Air Balloon (열기구)
• We are the night - Star, Fire, Night (별,불,밤)
• Rocket Diary - Yahwa (야화) 
• Rocket Diary - Space Boy (live)

Jpop: Suiyoubi no Campanella - Aladdin (アラジン)

As happens when a cool, quality underground indie act goes mainstream (because it is just that, cool and quality), the die hard fans that was with the group from the beginning starts feeling frustrated, abandoned and like as if the artist has "gone commercial" or not "staying true". This is true for Japanese group Suiyoubi no Campanella, which since "Ra" has had bigger budgets and now with the latest "Aladdin" also has even become slightly sexualized (it is just one single video, but, hey, the world is going under...). I actually get the feeling but I don't sympathize with it. I think that some bands loose their way, but that is not true always, and that you as a fan has to deal with your possesiveness and be happy more people is liking what you like. To make a point, the new "Aladdin" is one of their best videos the last year.

• Suiyoubi no Campanella - Aladdin (アラジン)

Kpop: Hyukoh (혁오)

Image above from Comes and Goes, the one below from Hooka.

Main singer Oh Hyuk from the band Hyukoh has figured like guest singer for Primary among others, but with the new soundtrack "Matsitnonsoul" for the korean version of Entourage, I think the group really steps up and deserves some real attention. It really got power and a sound you don't hear that often beyond narrow indie bands. Let's hope this reaches further.

• Hyukoh - Matsitnonsoul (맛있는술)
• Hyukoh - Gondry(공드리)
• Hyukoh - Hooka
• Hyukoh - Wi Ing Wi Ing (위잉위잉)
• Hyukoh - Comes And Goes (와리가리)

Jpop: Awesome City Club

All the images is from "Outsider".

This group has an interesting background story, starting with how it was created, and how Takumi Matsuzaka have gone about  using modern means of being a successful indie band. I think that their "Outsider" is their best so far, it have a more definite and clear unique identity than before.

• Awesome City Club - Outsider (アウトサイダー)
• Awesome City Club - I will decide we are not making a mistake tonight (今夜だけ間違いじゃないことにしてあげる)
• Awesome City Club - April March (4月のマーチ)
• Awesome City Club - Don't Think, Feel

Kpop: The Koxx - Trojan Horse, By The Way & Echo

I just realized it is already almost four years since I wrote about The Koxx (so way back that I still was writing in Swedish...). Water has flown below the bridges, but they still have their great sound. Just compare the three videos from below (Trojan Horse beeing the newest), and it should be hard to miss the quality permeating their music regardless of the sound and style they choose.

• The Koxx - Trojan Horse
• The Koxx - By The Way
• The Koxx - Echo

Kpop: Stellarjet - Right Before A Storm

I really appreciated the debut "Guiding Light" of indie band Stellarjet. Ara is a lovely girl but I like that we in the new "Right Before A Storm" get to see all the five members show themselves.

• Stellarjet - Right Before A Storm

Kpop: Kiha & The Faces (장기하와 얼굴들)

Jang Kiha and his band has made their own kind of retro sounding jazzy/funky/whatever music but with the new "The Smell's Gone" they really lifted themselves a step further with more passion, more catchiness and more fun. It's great and just so cool.

• Kiha & The Faces - The Smell's Gone (빠지기는 빠지더라)
• Kiha & The Faces - Blah (Kieuk/ㅋ)
• Kiha & The Faces - Blah (live. Must see!)
• Kiha & The Faces - The Most Beautiful Song (가장 아름다운 노래)
• Kiha & The Faces - Cheap Coffee (싸구려 커피, from 2008)

Kpop: Drug Restaurant (드럭 레스토랑)

Ever since his audition and following success in the korean reality show Superstar K4 in 2012, the voice of Jung Joon Young has evolved and it has become more and more clear what a perfect sound it has for rock music, with its signature darkness and feeling. After him becoming more and more part of the band first named after him (JJY Band) they now has gone full circle and renamed them to the less self-centred name Drug Restaurant, but the sound is still unmistakably JJY-ish, and happy am I for that. The song Mistake is a glorious emo piece and the video is well produced and interesting in itself.

• Drug Restaurant - Mistake
• JJY Band - OMG
• Jung Joon Young - Teenager
• Drug Restaurant - Sexy Bomb (Audio only) 
• Drug Restaurant - What?! (Audio only)

Jpop: Oyasumi Hologram (おやすみホログラム)

The odd duo Hachigatsu-chan ("Miss Hachigatsu") and Kanami Mochizuki make up the duo Oyasumi Hologram, an indie band that with their second album "2" this spring has some interesting songs on it, especially the song "Neuromancer". I really liked their cooperation with Have a Nice Day!, especially "Emerald". Neuromancer continues on that sound that they do well, their typical disharmonic tension, but at the same time it is more stable and focused than most they've have done, making it more likeable in my ears.

• Oyasumi Hologram - Neuromancer (ニューロマンサー)
• Oyasumi Hologram & Have a Nice Day! - Emerald (エメラルド)
• Oyasumi Hologram - 11
• Oyasumi Hologram - Someone's garden (誰かの庭)
• Oyasumi Hologram - Way home
• Oyasumi Hologram - Note 

Kpop: Sugardonut (슈가도넛)

Sugardonut was a 00's korean punk band that kind of stopped their activities for a couple of years after 2010 to then make a come back with less energetic but at least as interesting sounds with the albums Double Minus in 2014 and Polyverse last year. The new album is "Third of April" headed by the excellent single "Imagine, Close Your Eyes".

• Sugardonut - Imagine, Close Your Eyes
• Sugardonut - Beautiful Life (아름다운 인생)
• Sugardonut - Magical Moments (마법의 순간)