Persian pop: Hamid Sefat

Even though I don't understand (or care especially much) about lyrics in pop music, I try to be careful in checking out the story behind the music I listen to (or at least the ones I blog about). I will make an exception with Hamid Sefat, as I feel his video "Che" is interesting enough to write about. It's visual language is intriguing and makes me reflect. Good enough.

• Hamid Sefat - Che
• Hamid Sefat feat. Mohsen Bazargan - Hiss Maloome Kojay (هیس معلومه کجای)
• Hamid Sefat - Sookhtegan (حمید صفت سوختگان)

Mandopop: Elva Hsiao - Romance Strikes

The return of Elva Hsiao last month with "Shut up and kiss me" was a small disappointment. The video was well produced and nice to look at but somehow the jerky rhythm wasn't so comfortable to listen to in the end. The next single is "Romance Strikes" and it is maybe the one video that I have seen that best lifts Elva's special charisma best, and I actually like her being a little more soft (something I usually find Chinese female singers expressing too much, making videos boring) as it brings out her charm.

• Elva Hsiao - Romance Strikes (浪漫來襲)
• Elva Hsiao - Shut up and kiss me (不解釋親吻)

Cantopop: Alex To (杜德偉)

When Alex To from Hong Kong does rockabilly, and in this charming way, I cannot avoid writing about the 52-year old actor/singer. So, "1, 2, 3, I will be shaking all the way!".

• Alex To - Shake (震)
• Alex To - Love life (鍾愛一生)
• Alex To - Marry me (嫁給我)

Kpop/Indie: Thornapple

Wonderful "Strange Weather" is a perfect indie rock song from Thornapple, a korean band that I really have high expectations from after the latest song. Hopefully they have the military service done now and can continue with their music.

• Thornapple - Strange Weather (낯선 열대)
• Thornapple - Why (이유)

Mandopop: Ann / 白安

Think Mandarin singing with a clear Irish voice and you have Ann, an indie singer from Taiwan. I will be completely honest and say this didn't attract me at all when I first heard her (with "Catcher in the Rye"), but the new "Consolation" is not so obviously a green island flirt and instead shows more of her personal (?) style.

• Ann - Consolation (安慰)
• Ann - Catcher in the Rye (麥田捕手)
• Ann - What brings me to you (是什麼讓我遇見這樣的你)
• Ann - What's next? (接下來是什麼)
• Ann - I only want to care about what I care about (我只想在乎我在乎的)

Russian pop: Polina Butorina (Полина Буторина)

12 year old Polina from Russia is a successful singer already, and even do she looks like a little know-it-all to me, "My Heart" works for me as it really has a story and is thought through, with a good end point.

• Polina Butorina ft DJ Groove - My Heart (Моё Сердце)

Mandopop: Huangqi Wen (黃琦雯)

Likened to Anita Mui both in looks and musical expression, Hunagqi Wen has released two quite interesting videos this summer, the contemplative "Rain" and now the uptempo "Happiness". Both are more approachable and updated than her previous efforts (in my opinion), and the videos are quite nice. She's a multitalent that played instruments already at young age, and have studied music at university and won several competitions.

• Huangqi Wen - Rain (雨)
• Huangqi Wen - Happiness (幸福)
• Huangqi Wen - Heart Sutra (心经)
• Huangqi Wen - Springtime (春天里)

Kpop: Puer Kim - Bank (은행)

While the second single from Puer Kim retains some of the retro soundscape that the first video was so rich in,the touch is much more traditional mainstream kpop with "Bank", ie colorful and playful with Kim as a coquettish centerpiece.

• Puer Kim - Bank (은행)