Jpop: E-girls

E-girls is a japanese dance performance group that gradually has focused more (or rather, begun to more seriously focus) on the singing. I have already written about one of their sub-groups, Happiness, but now it is time for E-girls too. I usually don't share Christmas videos but let's make an exception as I feel it is really time to share the holiday spirit. ;-)

• E-girls - Merry × Merry Xmas★
• E-girls - One Two Three
• E-girls - Dance Dance Dance
• E-girls - Never Ending Story
• E-girls - Rydeen (Dance All Night)
• E-girls - Celebration!
• E-girls - Just in Love
• E-girls - Mr. Snowman
• E-girls - Anniversary!!
• E-girls - Highschool ♡ love
• E-girls - I'm sorry for kissing you
• E-girls - Follow me
• E-girls - Round & round
• E-girls - Diamond Only
• E-girls - Odoru Ponpokorin
• E-girls - Candy smile

Mandopop: Top 10 of the fourth quarter of 2015

My selection of Chinese language songs may still be smaller than the corresponding korean or japanese ones, but what there is, is still very interesting and it is obvious that the Chinese market is still very much evolving and trying to find its own general style. Being bigger as a country than  its neighbors, it will probably not become as uniform as kpop as an example, but it also still obviously is examining influences from America and other countries for inspiration. This reminds me of Sweden's process in many ways.

10. Wang Rong - Shark Shark. I should have chosen a better song for number 10, but this is just so crazy-fun so it had to be this in the end. Wang Rong does it again.

9. K Na - Sensitive Principle. For the chemistry between the dancers.

8. Han Geng - Heart Shot. Dramatic video with a sound track to match this.

7. Celeste Syn - Control Freak. She matches her song theme and video very well, and shows of a quirky (european? french) style that's not to usual in mandopop, but still feels very natural for her.

6. Xiao Ai & The Flowers band - Return of the King. A mixture of goth and cosplay, this video has its place just for lifting up the growing gamer/fantasy sub-culture in China.

5. Tianyo - Three Second Countdown. Very stylish dancing and production from a man that himself is the owner of a HK branding company.

4. Popu Lady - Gossip Girls. This video would feel at home as a music video for a Hollywood drama production. Soo stylish.

3. Jike Junyi - Lotion Song. Her best song so far takes a step off the/her beaten path and enter a dreamy universe beyond the usual R&B.

2. Li Yuchun - Only You. Is she the synth queen of mandopop now? These two songs does well to place her firmly as a eastern pop/electronica icon in my eyes anyways.

1. Momo Wu - I wanna be your lover. I have always felt that she has brought a bit too much of her theatrical diva into the singing, but here it finally is turned down to just the right level, instead changing it into a great asset as an emotional bottom for a great pop song.

Kpop: Top 20 of the last quarter of 2015

Lots of nice songs and videos this autumn/early winter, with a nice mixture of debutantes and celebrities.

20. Click-B - Reborn. This they earned for their posing. Seriously.

19. LPG - Slow. This may not be the best song they've made, but I have a weak spot for trot music (old fashioned korean pop) so this wa snot to be missed.

18. Exid - Hot Pink. Basically a high quality production in a song that is in its roots average, resulting in an enjoyable video that may or may not last much beyond when you play it.

17. Oh My Girl - Closer.  The video may be etheric bordering on bland in trying to be otherwordly, but it is still a very nicely creation from the new girls in their second single.

16. Teen top - Ah-Ah. This is honestly a summer track, but I added later so no matter. A very positive and life-affirming video.

15. Hotties - Bambambam. A catchy refrain for this new rookie group.

14. ATT - Temptation. As I wrote, it is interesting for being slightly 'off' somehow in its singing/sound. A bit of assymetry can do all the difference.

13. Ailee - Mind Your Own Business. The first single from her first album, her strong voice and presense is familiar by now.

12. Laboum - Aalow Aalow. I agree with the fans - why doesn't this have more plays?! Even though not everyone likes 80s retro, this is so sharply implemented that I'm still perplexed over why not more enjoy it.

11. DinDin - Pour. I like this for the unabashed drinking and partying. ;-)

10. f(x) - 4 Walls. Like, don't like, like, don't like. Sometimes I feel the mood of this video is one of the best this year, other times it feels like that song you just skip over in your play list because you just don't have the patience for it.

9. Jay Park ft Okasian - You Know. Jay Park is The Man of kpop this year, all hands down (and with just a little irony). With Okasian doing his slow stupid rap, this song is like rap syrup down my ears.

8. Brown Eyed Girls - Brave New World. While 'Hole' was just too much idea and to little real musical quality, this song and video had that edge that suits BEG just where they are now, with soundbites from classical disco and some odd space vibes in the video.

7. Stephanie ft. Eljo - Higher. Another one of her italo pop - inspired songs that feels just so fun as usual.

6. Jay Park ft Genius Nochang & B-Free - Want It. Jay goes to Shanghai and delivers another impressive performance with his guys.

5. Tahiti - Skip. This is the song this year with the most singular sound, the most well defined song structure. You just get it all from the start. SOmetimes it is too repetitive, but mostly it is dance, dance, dance.

4. Melody Day - Speed Up. It is hard to define why I like this song so much, it is just so likeable and very much what one want from kpop.

3. PSY - Daddy & Napal Baji. These two powerful releases, had they preceded Gangham Style, would for sure been among the absolute top 5 songs of 2015. Now the fact is that he still has to be compared with his historical hit and this of course makes it hard to top that kpop landmark. Unfair? Yes, maybe, but it is still the way it is. As a side notice, I like Napal Baji more but I accept the fact that Daddy has a greater hit potential.

2. Twice - Like Ooh - Aah. I actually tried to be a bit sceptic as this felt like the new kpop group that everyone should like, but then the song just grows on you and it is soo effective. A very promising debut.

1. IU - Twenty three. Everyone's sweetheart but for me she has been doing mostly borderline pretentious music the last year(s). SO imagine my happiness when '23' shows up, with a more mature IU singing with lyrics that is to die for, and a video that is picture perfect. Every line and facial expression perfectely timed.

Jpop: Top 20 of the fourth quarter of 2015

With a few exceptions, this last quarter of 2015 seems dedicated to the odd, the different and the ugly, which is in some sense is just business as usual for what makes me love the japanese music world.

20. Riemann Mic - Re: Gokun OK. If nothing else, I liked a lot of "ugly culture" videos this autumn, with aesthetics that one would maybe think is un-Japanese, but they are very much a part of Japanese culture, believe me. ;-)

19. Inshow ha - Pretty. The life-size ice copies gimmick aside, this is very much the sound of Inshow ha again, in a good way.

18. Daoko - ShibuyaK. A rather new and young aquaintance but then she also has a very fresh and interesting take on the jpop sound.

17. Suiyoubi no Campanella - Ra. It is obvious that this video shows that SnC is getting more and more recognition for their music as it is their most expensive and visually impressive video be far.

16. Suiyoubi no Campanella - Medusa. If 'Ra' is carried by its visual strength, Medusa is more a meld of a sound and vision - yes, a typical good SnC video in other words.

15. AoA - Oh Boy. First single from their japanese debut this song and video delivers all of what the fans expects in terms of looks, choreography and sound, but I find it slightly repetitive in the long run.

14. Crayon Pop - Dancing all night. Their second japanese single is actually one of their better songs the last year, and the video shows of yet another of their excellent and nerdy dance numbers.

13. 0.8Syooogeki - Words of rainbow color. Both very beautiful *and* very punk, that is a feat in itself. Love this video.

12. Sloth - Bi Bi Bi. The video is on the trashy side, but that just suits the Serebro cover perfectly, with Tokyo rapper Sloth managing to make the song even more addictive.

11. Rip Slyme ft Chay - Jump. The sounds of this are really cool and modern, combinating perfectly with the video.

10. Beddo In ft Ijiri Okada - C-tone beauty-eggplant. It seems I have managed to dig into  more than average of ugly videos these last few months...this is another one. Charming in all its burlesque.

9. Tokyo Karan Koron - Spice. Her voice! Those guitars! So harmonic and sweet.

8. BoA - Lookbook. Yet another good song from the queen of asian pop.

7. Asakura Saya ft Gomess - River Boat Song. Super charming Saya involves autistic rapper Gomess to reach even further with her very personal take on traditional japanese enka songs.

6. 5572320 - Ponpara Pekoruna Papiyotta. This video is so very much an indirect tribute to Queen, with its pompous and crazy video and arrangement. So impressive.

5. Asako Toki - C’est La Vie ~Onna wa Ai ni Isogashii~. Asako Toki's jazzy voice is a golden jazz voice and here it comes perfectly to its right, creating a small soft universe with her singing.

4. Mizuki Nana - Super☆man. She has already made several popular songs for animes and such, but this song cought my eye for being so positive and just happy, which felt refreshing and perfect for Mizuki Nana.

3. Osaka Syunkasyuto - Furo the King. Singer Maina is so impressive in her cover och Rainbow's original song and this video version is so completely crazy and captivating!

2. Rebecca ft Charisma.com - Friends. Yep, two covers for top three, but the new version of this song is all about the nerve of the song and the contrast between Rebecca's and rapper Itsuka's singing, it just takes the song to the next level.

1. Frederic - Owarase Night. A close fight but the guys of Frederic won this on creativity, and I really love their sound.