I uploaded and reviewed this album for the LJ community music envy that I'm a reviewer at, I thought I'd post it here too. If you have a LiveJournal account you should check the community out; membership is moderated but there's hardly any requirements. I've posted a lot more full albums and full-length reviews there.



하우스룰즈 (House Rulez) - Magic Television
Release Date: July 30, 2010
Genre: Electronic Pop, Acid Jazz
Language: Korean, English

Tracklist:

01. Channel Guide
02. Good Morning (Feat.Kholo Masafu)
03. 보물섬 (Feat.웨일/Whale)
04. 서핑 웨이브 (Surfing Wave)
05. My Fantastic Island (Feat.evabossa)
06. This Corea (Feat. Chris & Jelly.L)
07. Michael vs Jackson (Feat.사파이어)
08. Pako (Feat. UV)
09. 보물선 (Feat.제이슨)
10. Pool Party 2010
11. 니가필요해 (Feat.채연)
12. Ennes Episode (Feat.엔느)
13. My Daddy (Feat.애니)
14. 달 (Feat.호란/Horan)

Download @ Mediafire

House Rulez blends many genres, most prominently acid jazz, electro-pop, house, and lounge. While their previous releases are strong, their latest album, the vibrant, summery Magic Television is the highlight of their discography in my opinion.

Let's start off with Channel Guide, a quick just-under-two-minute taste of what you'll hear in the rest of the album. It's deceptively simple, layering fragmented spoken phrases over a delightful blend of synths, jazz-style brass and sax, piano, and, perhaps most surprisingly, strings. Filled with fluid transitions, it's a perfect opener.

Good Morning is signature House Rulez, throwing a dance beat together with brass shots and playful guitar riffs. The smooth, light vocals practically blend right into the accompaniment, the two are so intertwined. I love the slower bridge, which is paired with light piano melodies and chords. Just as the percussion picks up, there's a lovely, smooth sax feature. Very sweet and light.

보물섬 features Whale of popular group W & Whale. The quick keyboard chords bring an infectious energy. The sweeping electronic strings are not your typical string section, but they make their subtle appearances nonetheless. The transitions at the bridge are impeccable, they leave the listener unsure of where the song will go next. Youthful, optimistic, and for the most part quite repetitive, I'm not sure how well it would stand as an individual song but in the context of the album, I like it.

서핑 웨이브 is one of my favourites from this album. It's vibrant and very summery; it makes me think of a day at the beach. The jazz elements - mostly electronic sax from what I can tell - lend a richness to the song, and are indeed the leading melody. The bright synths and occasional sung phrases and shouts as well as the sensitive percussion add additional layers of detail. Skillfully executed.

My Fantastic Island features finessed synths, a dance beat, and a light but growling bass line. I love the way the vocals match the rhythm of the rapid-fire synths. The occasional shouts of "Let's go!" add to the energetic atmosphere and I love the transition about halfway through that culminates with a crashing wave that somehow doesn't sound out of place at all, a record scratch, and a return to the previous motif. There are touches of jazz but they're not as prevalent as in some of the other songs. Innovative, confident, and breezy, My Fantastic Island is quickly becoming another favourite of mine.

This Corea pulls in strands of hip-hop. For the first time, we hear some rapping. House Rulez's use of guest vocals is really quite genius: each guest artist lends a touch of their own signature style and House Rulez manages to make it fit with their own unique sound. This Corea is a perfect example of this. I love the way everything slows down at the chorus with a laid-back edge and slightly more melodic hue. The male rapper and female vocalist sound great together.

Michael vs Jackson uses an addictive bass line to root bold sax riffs, atmospheric synths, and a fairly standard female vocalist. The harmonies created within the synths are worth noting. The busy sax solo starting at 2:53 brings a burst of energy and enthusiasm, not that the song was lacking it.

Pako's opening, which features various rhythmic repetitions of the song's title, creates an addictive hook. The guitar riffs are light and breezy, and the build-up leading to the incorporation of a stronger beat and synths is wonderfully executed. The song blends heavy electronica with a catchy jazz-rock sound and touches of dance, a difficult feat.

This alternate version of 보물선, featuring a male vocalist instead of Whale, is a nice throwback to a song heard earlier in the album, but House Rulez cuts no corners: it's not simply the same song with a different vocalist; this version has a different sound. It's more atmospheric and less youthfully bright than Whale's take. Although there are some saxophone riffs near the beginning and sprinkled throughout the song, it's one of the more purely electronica songs on the album.

Pool Party 2010 is, as the title suggests, another take on their song Pool Party released as the title track of a mini-album. The opening with the chipmunk-voice-like synths is basically untouched, but while the older version takes on a smoother, synth-fed beat, the 2010 version brings in some edgier electronic guitar sounds. While it keeps the flavour of the original, it's a little more defined.

Light and airy, 니가필요해 consists of soft vocals, creamy synths, and a faint Latin vibe. It's more laid-back and relaxed than the songs preceding it, which is a nice change of pace. It's a solid track, but a bit forgettable.

Ennes Episode is another slower track, but more mature in atmosphere than 니가필요해. It has an air of mystery set by the light vocals and mixture of effects on the guitar - sometimes very clean, sometimes distorted. It's quite soothing and downtempo.

Picking up the energy level again, My Daddy is heavy on the acid jazz, with lots of bright sax riffs. It has a more sophisticated, reined-in feel than the other songs on this album; it's not quite as dynamic.

달 is a song that I was looking forward to seeing as it features Horan. Horan delivers a light, almost whispery vocal performance that brings the lush, full-bodied synths to the spotlight. 달 takes a while to establish itself, but about halfway through it picks up a little with the incorporation of a minimal beat and stylized harmonies.

House Rulez's use of guest vocalists and their own impeccable intuition when it comes to blending genres has created a delightful mix of styles that come together in a vibrant, innovative album. Each individual song as well as the album as a whole takes the listener on a journey. The diverse Magic Television has its fair share of gems, my favourites being Surfing Wave, My Fantastic Island, This Corea, Michael vs. Jackson, and Pako.

Labels: album review, House Rulez

I uploaded and reviewed this album for the LJ community music envy that I'm a reviewer at, I thought I'd post it here too. If you have a LiveJournal account you should check the community out; membership is moderated but there's hardly any requirements. I've posted a lot more full albums and full-length reviews there.



하우스룰즈 (House Rulez) - Magic Television
Release Date: July 30, 2010
Genre: Electronic Pop, Acid Jazz
Language: Korean, English

Tracklist:

01. Channel Guide
02. Good Morning (Feat.Kholo Masafu)
03. 보물섬 (Feat.웨일/Whale)
04. 서핑 웨이브 (Surfing Wave)
05. My Fantastic Island (Feat.evabossa)
06. This Corea (Feat. Chris & Jelly.L)
07. Michael vs Jackson (Feat.사파이어)
08. Pako (Feat. UV)
09. 보물선 (Feat.제이슨)
10. Pool Party 2010
11. 니가필요해 (Feat.채연)
12. Ennes Episode (Feat.엔느)
13. My Daddy (Feat.애니)
14. 달 (Feat.호란/Horan)

Download @ Mediafire

House Rulez blends many genres, most prominently acid jazz, electro-pop, house, and lounge. While their previous releases are strong, their latest album, the vibrant, summery Magic Television is the highlight of their discography in my opinion.

Let's start off with Channel Guide, a quick just-under-two-minute taste of what you'll hear in the rest of the album. It's deceptively simple, layering fragmented spoken phrases over a delightful blend of synths, jazz-style brass and sax, piano, and, perhaps most surprisingly, strings. Filled with fluid transitions, it's a perfect opener.

Good Morning is signature House Rulez, throwing a dance beat together with brass shots and playful guitar riffs. The smooth, light vocals practically blend right into the accompaniment, the two are so intertwined. I love the slower bridge, which is paired with light piano melodies and chords. Just as the percussion picks up, there's a lovely, smooth sax feature. Very sweet and light.

보물섬 features Whale of popular group W & Whale. The quick keyboard chords bring an infectious energy. The sweeping electronic strings are not your typical string section, but they make their subtle appearances nonetheless. The transitions at the bridge are impeccable, they leave the listener unsure of where the song will go next. Youthful, optimistic, and for the most part quite repetitive, I'm not sure how well it would stand as an individual song but in the context of the album, I like it.

서핑 웨이브 is one of my favourites from this album. It's vibrant and very summery; it makes me think of a day at the beach. The jazz elements - mostly electronic sax from what I can tell - lend a richness to the song, and are indeed the leading melody. The bright synths and occasional sung phrases and shouts as well as the sensitive percussion add additional layers of detail. Skillfully executed.

My Fantastic Island features finessed synths, a dance beat, and a light but growling bass line. I love the way the vocals match the rhythm of the rapid-fire synths. The occasional shouts of "Let's go!" add to the energetic atmosphere and I love the transition about halfway through that culminates with a crashing wave that somehow doesn't sound out of place at all, a record scratch, and a return to the previous motif. There are touches of jazz but they're not as prevalent as in some of the other songs. Innovative, confident, and breezy, My Fantastic Island is quickly becoming another favourite of mine.

This Corea pulls in strands of hip-hop. For the first time, we hear some rapping. House Rulez's use of guest vocals is really quite genius: each guest artist lends a touch of their own signature style and House Rulez manages to make it fit with their own unique sound. This Corea is a perfect example of this. I love the way everything slows down at the chorus with a laid-back edge and slightly more melodic hue. The male rapper and female vocalist sound great together.

Michael vs Jackson uses an addictive bass line to root bold sax riffs, atmospheric synths, and a fairly standard female vocalist. The harmonies created within the synths are worth noting. The busy sax solo starting at 2:53 brings a burst of energy and enthusiasm, not that the song was lacking it.

Pako's opening, which features various rhythmic repetitions of the song's title, creates an addictive hook. The guitar riffs are light and breezy, and the build-up leading to the incorporation of a stronger beat and synths is wonderfully executed. The song blends heavy electronica with a catchy jazz-rock sound and touches of dance, a difficult feat.

This alternate version of 보물선, featuring a male vocalist instead of Whale, is a nice throwback to a song heard earlier in the album, but House Rulez cuts no corners: it's not simply the same song with a different vocalist; this version has a different sound. It's more atmospheric and less youthfully bright than Whale's take. Although there are some saxophone riffs near the beginning and sprinkled throughout the song, it's one of the more purely electronica songs on the album.

Pool Party 2010 is, as the title suggests, another take on their song Pool Party released as the title track of a mini-album. The opening with the chipmunk-voice-like synths is basically untouched, but while the older version takes on a smoother, synth-fed beat, the 2010 version brings in some edgier electronic guitar sounds. While it keeps the flavour of the original, it's a little more defined.

Light and airy, 니가필요해 consists of soft vocals, creamy synths, and a faint Latin vibe. It's more laid-back and relaxed than the songs preceding it, which is a nice change of pace. It's a solid track, but a bit forgettable.

Ennes Episode is another slower track, but more mature in atmosphere than 니가필요해. It has an air of mystery set by the light vocals and mixture of effects on the guitar - sometimes very clean, sometimes distorted. It's quite soothing and downtempo.

Picking up the energy level again, My Daddy is heavy on the acid jazz, with lots of bright sax riffs. It has a more sophisticated, reined-in feel than the other songs on this album; it's not quite as dynamic.

달 is a song that I was looking forward to seeing as it features Horan. Horan delivers a light, almost whispery vocal performance that brings the lush, full-bodied synths to the spotlight. 달 takes a while to establish itself, but about halfway through it picks up a little with the incorporation of a minimal beat and stylized harmonies.

House Rulez's use of guest vocalists and their own impeccable intuition when it comes to blending genres has created a delightful mix of styles that come together in a vibrant, innovative album. Each individual song as well as the album as a whole takes the listener on a journey. The diverse Magic Television has its fair share of gems, my favourites being Surfing Wave, My Fantastic Island, This Corea, Michael vs. Jackson, and Pako.

Labels: album review, House Rulez

Welcome to Fashion Scans, an mp3 rotation that features Korean, Japanese, and Chinese music as well as the occasional English song. Fashion Scans was created in October 2007 and is run by Haruhi with contributions from Carmi.

Please send all affiliate requests to Haruhi. Carmi is currently open to requests.

Files are for sampling purposes only, I am not responsible if you keep them for longer than the 24-48 hours permitted. Please support the artists by purchasing their CDs.

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