Jpop: Wagakki Band - Strong Fate

Wagakki Band don't just revel in historical/fantasy Japanese culture in their looks and videos, they really own the concept as they combine rock guitars and drums with classical japanese instruments to deliver music that is distinctly theirs. That said, their videos is really worth watching in themselves, the music and Yuuko's song acting as a perfect companion to the visual drama.

• Wagakki Band - Strong Fate

Jpop: Band-Maid®

The maid clothes gimmick of Tokyo based group Band-Maid may distract you (but not for long) from the fact that they actually play their own instruments, and they play them damn good! Their newest video "Alone" was released on Valentine's Day and the dark theme matchesthe kind of ironic approach. Could one hope for more groups of this kind surfacing in the idol industry? It would make a welcome and refreshing change.

• Band-Maid® - Alone
• Band-Maid® - Real Existence
• Band-Maid® - The non-fiction days
• Band-Maid® - Thrill (スリル)
• Band-Maid® - Don't let me down

Jpop: Wagakki Band - Ikusa (War/戦)

The Wagakki Band with their traditional instruments in a modern setting is back, this time with another theme song for the Samurai Warrior/Sengoku Musou anime. As usual the video is pure eye-candy for anyone into Japanese historical/fantasy culture.

• Wagakki Band - Ikusa (戦)

Kpop: Royal Pirates (로열 파이럿츠)

I was so sure I had written about Royal Pirates before, but evidently it slipped my mind. Anyway, they are something as unusual in kpop as an boy band that actually plays (their) instruments. The sound is fun and light-way rock (in a positive way), and the new Love Toxic is no exception.

• Royal Pirates - Love Toxic (사랑에 빠져)
• Royal Pirates - Drawing The Line
• Royal Pirates - Shout Out (Synth Rock version)