Japan: Yuko Oshima meets the Kano Sisters

It is hard to miss that my blog takes it name from japanese Yuko Oshima, the extremely charming and popular ex-AKB48 member that for represents much of my ideal personality would be. Everyone who follows japanese pop and their idol groups can't miss out on how chaste the girls are supposed to be. Even a suggestion of one of them having a boy-friend may merit exclusion from all activities. It may then come as a surprise when we get to see her not only visit but do ... things ... that we almost wouldn't see on sexually liberated swedish television. The Kano Sisters are known for their big 'charms', but actually their fan base is as much women as men. Please read this very nuanced article before you judge them. The short clip is also an excellent peek into the kind of anti-stylish and very folksy TV shows that are so popular in Japan. Yuko Oshima shows what a big heart she has, expanding the narrow idol role to something more and meaningful, something about human equality and even love.

• Yuko Oshima meets the Kana Sisters

Austrian pop: Supermax

Supermax was the pet project of Austrian musician Kurt Hauenstein, and his "Love Machine" really is such a great piece of dreamy rock.

• Supermax - Love Machine
• Supermax - It Ain't Easy

Jpop: Haraeki Stage Ace (原駅ステージA)

The Japanese idol world can be complicated. Take Haraeki Stage Ace - they are one of four sub groups of "Harajuku Ekimae Parties" which in turn is supposed to be the girls to take over after their "seniors" in jpop group Fairies. Anyway, they sing about "hard rock", but the song is rather a (quite nice) uptempo pop song with them doing a cheerleader theme.

• Haraeki Stage Ace - Rockstar (short ver)
• Haraeki Stage Ace - Rockstar (full ver, longer time to load)

Jpop: Hajimetal (ハジメタル)

Hajimetal had Kaneko Rie from Ladybaby singing on his track "Giri Gal" before their career took of this spring, but he has several other odd and lovely songs to enjoy. He is really inventive and loves mixing the serene with the somewhat course (which betrays his punk background with Midori).

• Hajimetal ft. Kaneko Rie - Giri Gal
• Hajimetal ft. Mishio Ogawa, Kaneko Rie, hiropon - Hardcore Summer Vacation
• Hajimetal - Last Violence

Kpop: Icia (아이시어)

After a rather anonymous debut under the name Sida last year, and a number of explicit fancams, Icia now debuts properly with a charming music video and a song that is quite catchy, "Time Bomb". If their company has the proper economical strength to push them forward, they could be quite successful.

• Icia - Time Bomb
• Sida - It's You 

Kpop: R3hab, Amber & Luna, Xavi & Gi - Wave

The newest effort from "SM Station", SM Entertainment's idea of releasing singles sung by varying combinations of their artists, is an EDM song named "Wave". It works rather nice and my strongest impression is how well Amber (who together with Luna is from f(x)) looks and sings when she is doing this more dynamic thing with her rap.

• R3hab, Amber & Luna, Xavi & Gi - Wave

Kpop: CocoSori - Exquisite! (절묘해)

With their weird theme and special design latex clothes, the debut "Dark Circles" of CocoSori was very much worth noticing. The 2nd single "Exquisite!" keeps the colors and the clothes, switching theme to a correspondingly colorful American 40s look, but the song steps up the tempo significantly and adds odd almost metal-esque interludes now and then. It leaves me feeling the song is slightly schizophrenic but the video is still a "should see". Getting high on candy and fighting a cat boss with laser beam eyes is not to be denied...

• CocoSori - Exquisite! (절묘해)
• CocoSori - Exquisite! (Dance version)