Jpop/metal: Babymetal

If you want the expected, polished and well produced pop music, kpop and korea is your place to go. If you want something that tests your palate and challenges your eye and mind, Japanese culture is in general a better place to be. Nine times out of ten, I go with kpop, but the tenth time jpop and its aberrations is just what I need to wake up and feel interest again. At those times nothing beats japanese culture.

The three girl group Baby Metal (a subgroup of Sakura Gakuin) is one of those things. A crossover of kawaii jpop with heavy metal whcih actually works quite well. You could say its somewhat of a asian version of the recent ten year surge of western heavy metal bands having female singers, but it takes the concept another step. Enjoy!

• Babymetal - Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!  (ヘドバンギャー!!)
• Babymetal - No More Bullying (イジメ、ダメ、ゼッタイ)
• Babymetal - Megitsune (メギツネ)
• Babymetal - The One
• Babymetal - Doki Doki☆Morning (ド・キ・ド・キ☆モーニング)
• Babymetal - How nice (いいね, live)

Kpop: Gavy NJ (가비엔제이)

To be honest its hard to put a finger on Gavy NJ's identity from their member changes and image, but a number of ballads are there at least, and less of uptempo kpop.

• Gavy NJ - Everyday
• Gavy NJ ft Nut Job - Hello
• Gavy NJ - Farewell Cinema (이별극장)
• Gavy NJ - Shubirubirub (슈비루비룹)
• Gavy NJ - An Obvious Melo
• Gavy NJ - Don't call (연락하지마)
• Gavy NJ Eun ji with Areum (T-ara) and Shannon (Coed School) - Day and night (낮과 밤)
• Gavy NJ ft Sunnyside - Sunflower 
• Gavy NJ - Ladykiller

Kpop: E.Via (이비아)

Lee Ok Joo, known as the female rapper E.Via, has been cencored for her explicit lyrics, which then is as it should for any rapper who wants to be respected, am I right or not? ;-)

• E.Via ft Lee Soo of M.C the MAX - Crazy fate (미친인연)
• E.Via - Hey
• E.Via - Shake (쉐이크)
• Lyn ft E. Via - The Noona Song (누나의 노래, A "noona" is how you adress an older woman)

Kpop: DJ Clazzi/Classiquai project (클래지콰이)

Kim Sung Hoon alias DJ Clazzi, which together with others like Alex and Horan is Clazziquai project, has done some quite nice songs. They aren't of the usual mainstream mold,  but since they are signed under LOEN I'm not sure you could call them indie either. No matter, the music is really relaxing and plush, somewhat jazzy maybe.

• DJ Clazzi ft. Seulong of 2PM - How we feel (우리 변한거잖아)
• Clazziquai project - Tell Yourself 
• Clazziquai project ft Jariah Mariano - Kiss Kiss Kiss
• Clazziquai Project - #Curious (#궁금해)
• Clazziquai Project - Call Me Back
• Clazziquai Project - Madly
• Clazziquai Project - Love Satellite
• Clazziquai project - The world of OZ (The anime Summer Wars shown in the video is also not to miss)
• Clazziquai project - Lover Boy
• Clazziquai project - PING
• Clazziquai project - Sweety (스위티)
• Clazziquai project - Dance
• Clazziquai project - Fill this night

Kpop: She'z (쉬즈)

She'z is another kpop group that debuted 2012, and they got a lot of good critique for their vocal cababilities (even though their popular spread wasn't as high).

• She'z - My way (내맘대로)
• She'z - UU (유유)
• She'z - Day & Night (낮과밤)

Kpop: Glam (글램)

One of 2012's rookie groups, Glam, now releases their second single 'I like that'. Reminds me of something, but can't quite put my finger on it. But I like it, and doesnt it look like they are having real fun too? ^_^

• Glam - In Front of the Mirror
• Glam - I like that
• Glam - Party(XXO) (파티)

Kpop: Girl's generation/SNSD (소녀시대)

GIrl's Generation, or SNSD as their korean name 소녀시대 first letters are pronounced, is Koreas most known girl group and with their 9 members somewhat the korean counterpart to Japanese AKB48, though not as influental. They conform to the standard formula of kpop by being an a) large group of b) fair maidens (cough) who c) dances in well choreographed music videos singing d) easy-to-listen-to radio pop.

Just a selection:

1. SNSD - Gee
2. SNSD - Catch Me If You Can
3. SNSD - Mr Mr
4. SNSD - Run Devil Run
5. SNSD - I got a boy
6. SNSD - Beep Beep (Japanese release)
7. SNSD - Visual Dreams (min favorit)
8. SNSD - Seoul (tillsammans med Super Junior)
9. SNSD - Mr Taxi

Kpop: Beast/B2st (비스트)

Beast, or B2st, is one of those bands composed from ex-memebers of others band and therefore in general doesn't have that good future prospects. Still, Shock as an example is quite a good track, and maybe the higher visibility of lead vocalist Yoseob can help the group also.

• Beast - Shock (쇼크)
• Beast - Breath (숨)
• Beast - Bad Girl (배드 걸)
• Beast - Fiction  (픽션)

Jpop: Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 (渡り廊下走り隊)

The AKB48 subgroup Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 (which means "Corridor Running Team"...) is a favorite with my 4-year-old daughter, and I can kind of understand it. If you watch the videos you quite understand that the target audience is quite young (even though I find myself sometimes beginning to smile when we watch it, the mv's are quite like small stories in themselves). You may not believe it, but some of the members are even  20+ years old, but ofc looking old and grownup isn't quite that attractive here, I suppose. ;-P

• WH7 - Valentine Kiss (バレンタイン･キッス)
• WH7 - Boys, Tell a lie! (少年よ　嘘をつけ)
• WH7 - Unskilled Wink (へたっぴウィンク)

And if you still haven't got enough, here is more of the same... ^_^

• WH7 - Hope Mountain Range (希望山脈)
• WH7 - Hug (ギュッ)
• WH7 - Akkanbe Bridge (アッカンベー橋)
• WH7 - Perfect Partner (完璧ぐ～のね)

Kpop: Nu'est (뉴이스트)

Kpop boyband Nu'est, whose acronym comes from the rather unwieldy "New Established Style and Tempo" (yes, typical kpop nerdiness...), consists of members starting of as backup dancers, a rather common phenomena in pop music in other parts of the world too.

• Nu'est - Sleep Talking(잠꼬대)
• Nu'est - Hello (여보세요)
• Nu'est - Face (페이스)
• Nu'est - Action (액션)
• Nu'est - Not over you (낫 오버 유)
• Nu'est - Sandy
• Orange Caramel and Nu'est - Dashing through the snow in high heels (흰눈 사이로 하이힐 타고)