Kpop/Classic: Twerking to Dvorak

Well, never say kpop can't try sonething new. I had a discussion with a friend in regards to classic music and I couldn't help bringing up this example; here's twerking by dance group Waveya to Dvorak. ;-)

• Waveya doing Dvořák - Symphony No. 9

Jpop: 0.8Syooogeki (0.8秒と衝撃)

0.8秒と衝撃 means '0.8 seconds and a crash" and the japanese duo consisting of Tadaomi Toyama and J.M. for sure likes music with a bit of wild in it. Their videos are a feast of joyfulness and carefree energy with a musical edge.

• 0.8Syooogeki - Words of rainbow color (虹色の言葉)
• 0.8Syooogeki - Arashima machine gun
• 0.8Syooogeki - Jasmine lover (ジャスミンの恋人)
• 0.8Syooogeki - Cieolo Drive 10050 (シエロ・ドライブ10050)
• 0.8Syooogeki - NO WAVE ≒ sunset ''
• 0.8Syooogeki - Mad Drumming 1
• 0.8Syooogeki - Brian Eno
• 0.8Syooogeki - Lasagna (ラザニア)
• 0.8Syooogeki - Beatnik killers (ビートニクキラーズ)

Kpop: Twice (트와이스)

All the images is from Like Ooh-Aah

JYP entertainment has tried to follow all the correct trends with their new nine member girl group Twice; they had a competition to whittle down an initial 16 applicants down to nine, and four of the members are from Japan and Taiwan to make the potential immediate market even bigger.
The debut song "Like OOH-AAH" is an energetic and quite sharp debut, with strong and focused choreography and singing with some interesting turns soundwise.

• Twice - Like OOH-AAH (OOH-AHH하게)
• Twice - Cheer Up
• Twice - TT (티티)
• Twice - Cheer Up

Jpop: Inshow ha - Pretty (綺麗)

Since the start, I have liked the distinct ID that the dreamy voices of japanese duo "Inshow ha" has, as heard especially in "Pretty" from the new album AQ released in August.

• Inshow ha - Pretty (綺麗)
• Inshow ha - Miss Flashback
• Inshow ha - Cream Soda City (クリームソーダシティ)

Mandopop/indie: Hello Nico

The voice of lead singer Zhan Yuting of Hello Nico from Taiwan was what attracted me to them last year with their first EP (Plankton of the City / 浮游城市) and the songs like "Barren" and "Tearless weeping", and I haven't quite found the same feeling from the new album this year, but hopefully that will come with new songs.

• Hello Nico - Barren (荒蕪)
• Hello Nico - Tearless weeping (哭泣的橄欖樹)
• Hello Nico - Now and Then (接下來如何)
• Hello Nico - Flower (花)

Jpop: Suiyoubi no Campanella - Medusa (メデューサ)

I like the quirky but melodic Suiyoubi no Campanella. They have released several videos since I wrote last time, finishing up the Triathlon EP with "Utah", and then, in preparation for the upcoming album Zipang, releasing the Sapporo-inspired "Shakushain" (a track counting up foods but with a name after a Ainu revolt leader...), but I like the most the latest "Medusa" for its' musical qualities - not just being odd but instead also having a accessability beyond the others.

• Suiyoubi no Campanella - Medusa (メデューサ)
• Suiyoubi no Campanella - Shakushain (シャクシャイン)
• Suiyoubi no Campanella - Utah (ユタ)
• Suiyoubi no Campanella - Nishi Tamao (西玉夫)

Kpop: ATT

The jazzy and sultry song from new kpop group ATT is interesting for its sound and they way it is executed voice-vice, with the girls singing in a way that is just slightly off in a interesting way, but notable is also that the song actually was used by another kpop group, ZZBest, in January but then sold to ATT's company to be used by the group instead. If I compare the two versions I actually think ATT has improved on the concept.

• ATT - Temptation (템테이션)
• ZZBest - Temptation

Kpop: Melody Day (멜로디데이)

After a few songs for korean drama series and ballads, all very uninteresting, the first single from Melody Day that sparked my interest was "#LoveMe" earlier this year, but it still wasn't quite there. Now they follow up with "Speed up", and it fooled me at the first listen as nothing really stood out.
Then I listened again and again and I realized that the song also practically have no low points either. It's a feel-good kpop song which will very nicely into my playlists, thank you very much.

• Melody Day - Speed Up
• Melody Day - #Love Me
• Melody Day - Listen to my heart
• Melody Day - You're my everything