Here we are, finally. Sorry again about the wait!

Phoenix:

#12345. Happy Together - Super Junior Link has been fixed, sorry about that!
Korean | Pop
This song reminds me heavily of Marry U, they were composed by the same person. It's a light-hearted, mid-tempo pop song off of SuJu's third album. It's rather disposable, but sweet and warm.

#1234. Follow Me - Big Bang
Japanese | Pop/Dance
Pretty standard fare. It's a fast-paced song with lots of synths and electronica routes. However, I didn't find it very catchy or memorable. I've given this song a few listens, and each time it fails to make an imprint on me. I'm getting more than a little bored of Big Bang, and I'm really hoping to see something fresh from them.

#123. Doubt & Trust - access
Japanese | Rock
I love the flowing, quick keyboard intro, leading into an equally energetic rock song. It's not an amazing song, but the sheer energy and movement of this song is impressive.

#9876. Got Some Teeth - Obie Trice
English | Hip-Hop
A confident, laid-back song with lots of brass riffs and a great albeit repetitive beat.


#444. Golden Wing - antic cafe
Japanese | Oshare Kei
A bright, feel-good song from Antic Cafe. It's not super-hyper like some of their songs can be, it's actually pretty relaxed. Miku's voice bugs me a little though.

albeitalways:

#107. Valkyrie - abingdon boys school
Japanese | Rock
I love abs, and Valkyrie is no exception. The energy of the song is apparent right from the electric guitar in the opening. Some people really don't like T.M. Revolution's voice, and I guess I can see why, but personally I've always liked how unique and recognizable it is. It's slightly dark in tone and despite its urgent, fast pace, it never seems rushed or hurried.

#1991. Koe no hate - CELLT
Japanese | Rock
I don't know much about this band and I've only heard a couple of their songs, but so far I'm liking them. Koe no hate is a little formulaic, but if you're just getting into rock or aren't really a fan of heavier rock, this might be good for you. It sounds slightly familiar - I really like the melody, and the chorus.

#8923. I WILL - Miliyah Kato
Japanese | R&B
A gorgeous ballad from R&B singer Miliyah Kato. Her songs have always been a bit hit-or-miss with me. I really like her warm, smooth voice, but her songs tend to be a bit forgettable in my opinion. I WILL's opening was a bit too soft for my liking, but then it breaks into the rich, heartfelt chorus. It's absolutely beautiful, and well worth the wait. Although I think her voice could use a little more power and richness in the verses building up to each chorus, it's still a lovely song.

#5439. 出会い - HY
Japanese | Alt. Rock
A relaxing track from HY. I really like their vocalist's clear, soothing voice and the overall soft, acoustic atmosphere of this song.

#132. Murder Licence - Acid Black Cherry
Japanese | Rock
I really love Acid Black Cherry's jazz-influenced tracks. Unfortunately this isn't one of them, but it's still quite good, although quite standard j-rock fare. Complete with dense, static-y guitar riffs and a busy atmosphere, it's a decent track but not a real stand-out.

Nepu:

#363. Gekkou Yoku - alice nine.
Japanese | Rock
Although I'm not really a fan of their recent releases, I still really like this band. Gekkou Yoku features some great guitar work, I really like how it alters from being short and choppy to very smooth and melodic.

#1796. 彼女と星の椅子 - BUMP OF CHICKEN
Japanese | Alt. Rock
A midtempo track from BUMP OF CHICKEN. I really like how clear and prominent the bass from 2:18 and on. It's not my favourite track from them - I have to say I'm a bigger fan of their acoustic-style songs - but definitely worth a listen.

6336. Who Are You - John Murphy
English | Soundtrack
This song is from the Miami Vice OST that I uploaded a while back. I love this song. It may not be the kind of song that you put on repeat, but it's absolutely beautiful and so rich with emotion. The thick, resonating bass sound contrasts perfectly with the gentle, almost hesitant piano melody. The chords and sheer depth of this song are sophisticated and dense. It's incredibly sorrowful and delicate. It's only flaw, in my opinion, is that it clocks in at only 1:35.

Labels: abingdon boys school, access, acid black cherry, alice nine., Antic Cafe, Big Bang, BUMP OF CHICKEN, CELLT, HY, Kato Miliyah, number lottery, Obie Trice, Super Junior

Sorry this rotation got backtracked so much. Hopefully it’s worth the wait, I’ve tried to upload as many runners-up as possible. This theme does not include any pop-rock, alternative rock, soft rock, etc. - but it does include rock ballads. Like with all the top ten/twenty themes, these are only the top songs in my opinion. Unfortunately, ruling out alt rock, soft rock, and “rock-influenced” groups/songs also ruled out many Korean or Chinese/Taiwanese groups. This rotation is extremely Japanese-dominated, but since pop songs were mainly Korean/Chinese and ballads were mostly Korean, I think overall it’s pretty fair. I haven’t been following rock music as much lately, so most of these songs will be a little older.

This rotation took a tiring amount of time to prepare, especially my comments (which get progressively worse), so please take the time to comment/leave a rating. Anyways, on to the music. =)
- Haruhi

#10. DOLLS - Janne da Arc
I really like Janne da Arc. Dolls is a mid-tempo track - the opening verses are a bit of a bore featuring a sweet if somewhat repetitive melody, but the chorus is great. It’s a slightly formulaic track, which kept it from moving up on the chart.

#9. Black Cherry - acid black cherry
I just realized I’d uploaded this before, way back in my tenth rotation, so there’s two links for you. A seamless blend of rock and jazz - Black Cherry starts out slow and ambient with light guitar and percussion, putting Yasu’s unique voice into the spotlight. Wailing electric guitars kick in and the percussion steps it up into a fast-paced fusion track, complete with trumpet riffs. A fantastic song from a great group.

#8. Orange Dream - Antic Cafe
This song was uploaded in rotation 19. Since most of their songs are upbeat and happy (after all, they are an oshare kei group), I was surprised at the richness and maturity of this ballad. I love the piano part - I think it adds a lot of colour to the song. The opening is heartbreakingly sad, but as the song builds it grows more and more hopeful and optimistic. A beautiful rock ballad.

#7. Et cetera - ONE OK ROCK
An angsty rock song, leaning more towards the style of American rock than Japanese. I absolutely love the chorus and the contrast in volume between the chorus and other verses. The arrangement might not be the most original or innovative, but it all fits together perfectly to make a unique and memorable song.

#6. yozora ni saku hana - Clavier
Returning to ballads, yozora ni saku hana opens with a sad piano intro. The whole song just has a certain flavor that’s unique to Japanese music, I can’t explain it - you’ll know it when you hear it. Toshi, their lead singer, has an expressively vulnerable but steady voice that suits the song perfectly. This group is technically oshare kei, but even in their other songs they don’t have a really sugary, sweet sound - their material is just generally brighter than visual kei stuff.

#5. Kimi ni Negai wo - Miyavi
Being the first Japanese artist I listened to, Miyavi had to show up somewhere on this rotation. This was also one of the first songs I heard by him. It’s a fairly bright, midtempo track driven by piano and guitars - and later, strings. Miyavi’s voice is soft and crooning pretty much everywhere but the chorus, but can still be heard over the relatively light accompaniment.

#4. Close - Mot
The sole Korean band to make the list (actually the only non-Japanese band), Close definitely deserves its position. Some people call them alt rock, but whatever. It’s such a unique song, filled with dazed, dreamy synths. Overall the song has a very sad, longing atmosphere, but its emotional value is what makes it good. It can get a little repetitive, which actually kind of adds to the atmosphere of the song - definitely try them out.

#3. Isshunfuran - B'z
A polar opposite of the sad, longing atmosphere in Close, Isshunfuran is upbeat, bright, and irresistably catchy. You can’t help but move along to it - it’s confident and assured. Not convinced? This duo has been around since 1988, and are considered the most popular rock group in Japan. They were also the first artists from Asia to have their handprints and signatures put in in Hollywood’s Rock Walk, placing them right alongside American rock legends like Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Les Paul, and Jimi Hendrix.

#2. Libra - MUCC
MUCC is one of my favourite j-rock groups. I still follow their releases despite losing interest in heavier rock (I posted a recent single of theirs not long ago). Libra is definitely my favourite song by them - it’s dark and gritty, but then it leads into the chorus, which is just stunningly beautiful and pure. I absolutely love the PV and lyrics, too.

#1. over - 12012
I knew this song would be in the top two when I started this rotation. 12012 is one of the first j-rock bands I listened to, and one of the first Japanese bands in general. “Over” is a simple but gorgeous ballad. The haunting melody always gets stuck in my head and I never forget it, even if I haven’t listened to the song in a long time.

Runners-up:

Carnation - Janne da Arc
A simple but beautiful relaxing acoustic ballad. If it was a little more of a rock song, it definitely would have made the list.

ブランコ - kannivalism
I love these guys, but unfortunately I think they’ve disbanded. A fairly slow, relaxing song with refreshing clear vocals and a dreamy arrangement. I prefer their upbeat songs, but couldn’t find any on my computer.

Lost Reason - abingdon boys school
I love this song. It was definitely close to making the list. It transitions from gritty and aggressive to softer, melodic portions. I absolutely love the chorus. A great song.

風の鳥 - Matenrou Opera
I really like this band in general; I wasn’t sure what song to upload by them. In the end, I chose a piano-based ballad, which shows their impressive vocalist. The piano is just gorgeous.

My Heart Draws a Dream - L’arc~en~Ciel
I’m sure most of you know this song, I’ve followed Laruku for a while but have never really picked out any real “favourites” by them. My Heart Draws a Dream would definitely come close - a fresh, mid-tempo track with a great melody. Of course, Hyde’s voice is wonderful.

JEALOUS -Reverse- - Dir en grey
There’s quite a few ballads in this rotation, huh? JEALOUS -Reverse- is another one, also piano-based, but Kyo’s unique voice sets it apart. I’ve kind of grown apart from their harder material where he screams more than he sings, but he has quite a nice voice when he’s actually singing, although he sounds a bit strained at times. It’s sad but hopeful, and very emotional.

Aribai - SID
A light-hearted, jazzy track that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a breath of fresh air after listening to all these heavier rock songs or emotional ballads.

The Love From A Dead Orchestra - Versailles
This band’s whole image reflects splendor, royalty, etc. Their music, too, is extravagent - deep, thick vocals, a densely packed arrangement, many transitions. I love the slower, melodic verses of the song (eg. the one starting at 1:22), but unfortunately found the song to be on a whole too overdone. The slower portions where the different parts can actually be separated and viewed individually are the best. The transition about halfway through between the piano solo and the next, heavier portion of the song is roughly done - I would have thought it was going into a whole other track. A lot of great ideas and themes that got cramped together into one big song - personally, I think they could have been better and more fully explored, which kept this song from ranking higher.

Snow Flower - Plastic Tree
Ghost - Plastic Tree
Two great songs from another j-rock band that’s been around for a while: since 1993, to be exact. One of the first j-rock bands I really got into and one of few that I still loosely follow.

Night - Kazoku
I absolutely love the intro of this song. The transition into the actual song is brilliant and seamless. Faint jazz influences, a dark-ish, mysterious feel.

너 없인 행복할 수 없잖아 - Mary Story (I Can't Be Happy Without You)
I had to stick another Korean band in here somewhere. These guys are awesome, they were very close to making the list. A pretty light rock song that might even be considered soft-rock or pop-rock or whatever, but I love it. The melody is just extremely memorable to me, and even when I haven’t listened to this song for ages I can still recall it without any difficulty. Try them out if you haven’t, k-rock needs more attention - and these guys definitely deserve it.

Note: I ran out of tag characters, so I took the tag for Kazoku off because the song "Night" is already uploaded in a previous rotation, and they're tagged in that post.

I likely messed up at least one link, so if there's any mistakes with the links or anything else, please let me know!

Labels: 12012, abingdon boys school, acid black cherry, Antic Cafe, B'z, Clavier, Dir en grey, Janne da Arc, kannivalism, L'arc~en~Ciel, Mary Story, Matenrou Opera, miyavi, Mot, MUCC, ONE OK ROCK, Plastic Tree, SID, Versailles

Sorry that this rotation was a little late - the jazz band that I play in had a concert on Saturday, so I didn't have much time to update this weekend.

Fashion Scans was started roughly October of 2007. It’s November 2008 now, so the site recently passed its one year birthday! ^_^ Rotation 20 is themed then and now, featuring songs that topped the charts in 2007 and ones that are topping the charts now.

Korean;

2007:

둘이라서 - Eru (Because it’s the two of us)
Ballad | Vol 3 - Eru Returns
The ever-popular ballad seems to dominate k-pop charts, although I’ve noticed recently that with the new electronica trend, more upbeat songs are taking the top spots, especially with artists like Big Bang, Wonder Girls, and DBSK. 둘이라서 is a typical Korean ballad - to my ears, it was a bit too generic. IMO, Eru’s second album was better than his third, although his voice is still lovely. Worth a listen if you’re a fan of ballads.

사랑한다 - Lee Seung Chul (Sa Rang Han Da)
Ballad | The Secret of Color 2
Another ballad. As opposed to Eru’s deeper, thicker voice, Lee Seung Chul’s vocals are light and melodic. The warm, uplifting arrangement is really what made this song worth listening to.

2008:

어제보다 오늘 더 - Kim Jong Kook (Today More Than Yesterday)
Pop/Ballad | Vol. 5 - Here I Am
2008 saw the return of Kim Jong Kook, one of the top male singers in Korea, from his mandatory military service. He’s always been one of my favourite artists. His voice, while high in range, is still thick with emotion. Recommended.

라디오를 켜봐요 - Shin Seung Hoon (Turn on the Radio)
Pop/Rock | Radio Wave
A veteran k-pop singer known to be the “king of ballads”, has also returned with a mini-album that differs from traditional ballads, featuring an acoustic rock sound. Turn on the Radio starts out as a relaxing, laid-back track featuring a simple piano accompaniment, building suddenly and without much warning into the chorus. I love the contrast in dynamics in this song, but the softer parts were a bit dragged out.

Gossip Boy - Younha
Pop-Rock | Someday
Last year, Younha topped the charts with the song “Comet”. She seems to be enjoying a relative amount of success this year, too, with the release of her album Someday. I love her voice and the style of her music. Gossip Boy is an upbeat rock-influenced track, catchy and fun.

Japanese;
Songs chosen from the top 100 Oricon Singles of 2007 & from the most recent Top Singles chart of November 2008.

2007:

Tabidachi no Uta - Mr.Children
Soft Rock | Tabidachi no Uta
A laid-back, slow rock ballad. It’s not one of my absolute favourites by them, but worth a listen.

Eien ni - KinKi Kids
Pop/Ballad | Phi~Universal Love
A gorgeous ballad by KinKi Kids. Their vocals are rich and thick with emotion. The accompaniment is kept light throughout the song, even in the chorus, allowing their voices to shine through. Recommended.

Daybreak’s Bell - L’arc~en~Ciel
Rock | Daybreak’s Bell
I haven’t enjoyed Laruku’s newer material much, this is probably the last release by them that I really liked. Daybreak’s Bell has a darker tone and a memorable chorus, hopeful and strong.

2008:

無責任ヒーロー - Kanjani8 (Musekinin Hero)
Pop | Musekinin Hero
I have to say I don’t like these guys much. They’re fun, but a little too poppy/cheesy for me. A bright, upbeat song filled with trumpet riffs and a jazzy/ska feel.

Monochrome no Kiss - SID
Rock
I think this was done for the opening theme of an anime? While it seems very fitting as an opening theme, I prefer SID’s jazzier side. A solid rock song, but not much more.

My Heart Leaps for “C” - Antic Cafe
Oshare kei |Koakuma Usagi no Koibumi to Machine Gun
Upbeat, electronica-influenced in parts - at first I thought it was bit too overwhelmingly hyper, but it tones down a bit. Eh, it wasn’t exceptional in my opinion - most of my favourite AnCafe songs are actually their ballads - but worth a listen.

PROMiSE - MiChi
Pop/Rock | PROMiSE
She’s a relatively new artist, I think she’s only released one demo EP before this single? Signed to Sony. A simple mix of pop, rock, and electronica. If you’re looking for something experimental this probably won’t suit you, but it’s a decent song.

Mandarin;

2007:

離開地球表面 - Mayday
Rock | Jump! The World
Mayday! <3 All their releases seem to be fairly successful - their latest album, Poetry of the Day After, is also topping charts - in fact, I’ve uploaded a track from it further below. 離開地球表面 is an fast-paced, catchy track. I love the beats in this song - slightly choppy yet never jerky.

青花瓷 - Jay Chou
Pop | I’m Busy
Jay Chou is another artist who you’ll see twice in this rotation. Is it just me, or have his last two albums (this one & his latest, Capricorn) really gone downhill in quality and consistency? There’s two or three decent songs and the others are either mediocre (more like “fillers”) or just really bad. T_T Anyways, 青花瓷 is a soothing, mellow ballad. Like many of Jay’s songs it features some faint influences of classical Chinese music, but unlike in some of his other songs it’s not quite so overwhelming. I actually thought this song was quite nicely balanced out between classical influences and modern sounds.

Super Sunshine - Gary Cao
Pop | Super Sunshine
I love Gary Cao. <3 This song starts out with a sweet a cappella verse, leading into a light-hearted, feel-good pop song. Despite the cliched lyrics - You are my sunshine, my only sunshine I thought it was nice.

夠不夠 - Khalil Fong (Is it enough?)
Pop/R&B | Wonderland
Another great artist. A tasteful blend of R&B and pop, Is it enough? allows Khalil Fong’s wonderful vocals to shine through while also having a great beat. It’s not my favourite song by him, but definitely close.

我就是我 - Guang Liang (I Am Who I Am)
Pop/Ballad | 不會分離 (Never Apart)
A great singer - you might know him from his song Fairytale/Tong Hua which was a huge hit (I think I’ve uploaded it before, too). I Am Who I Am is a lovely ballad - while it lacks the instant impact of Tong Hua, it is a song that I found myself replaying.

2008:

Always Online - JJ Lin
Pop | Sixology
One of my personal favourites from JJ Lin’s latest album. Always Online is fairly slow in tempo with faint R&B influences. It’s a sad song but catchy at the same time. Recommended.

稻香 - Jay Chou
Pop | Capricorn
This was the closing track of Jay Chou’s Capricorn album, and, IMO, one of the few decent tracks. A peaceful mid-tempo track backed by acoustic guitar 稻香 is light and youthful.

如煙 - Mayday (Ru Yan/Smoke)
Rock | Poetry of the Day After
A lovely acoustic ballad from Mayday. The vocals are genuine yet laid-back and the thick, blunt bass sound contrasts nicely with the short, separated guitar chords.

Labels: Antic Cafe, Eru, Gary Cao, Guang Liang, Jay Chou, JJ Lin, Kanjani8, Khalil Fong, Kim Jong Kook, KinKi Kids, L'arc~en~Ciel, Lee Seung Chul, Mayday, MiChi, Mr.Children, Shin Seung Hoon, SID, Younha

Rotation 19 is a touch of colour, featuring song names that contain colours. Along with the new rotation is a new layout, featuring Lee Jun Ki. Also, we have a new cohost, Aranka, who will probably be introducing herself soon. =)

22 songs this rotation, definitely one of the larger rotations I've done. Please remember to leave a comment or rating.

Red Soul - AAA
Japanese | Pop
AAA's style varies so much, I never know what to expect from them. Red Soul is rock-influenced and upbeat. It sounds like something out of a video game or anime. A fun listen, but not exceptional.

Red Hot - ELLEGARDEN
English | Alt Rock
This is the original version, not the remastered one. I love ELLEGARDEN's unique sound and style, it killed me to hear that they were going on "hiatus". Although they're a Japanese group, this song is in English. Takeshi's voice is raw and powerful.

醉赤壁 (Drunk Red Cliff) - JJ Lin
Mandarin | Ballad
This track is from JJ Lin's new album, Sixology. The intro incorporates traditional Chinese instruments, which make small appearances throughout the song. A nice ballad, not overloaded with influences of classical Chinese music yet touching on them all the same.

Red Room - Lolita23q
Japanese | Rock
One of my favourite VK groups. Red Room doesn't waste any time, jumping right into a noisy, fast-paced rock number. It's a little repetitive, but I enjoyed it.

Mirage in Blue - Chemistry
Japanese | Pop/R&B
A sweet, poppy song, accompanied with acoustic guitar. The sparse accompaniment allows their vocals to shine through. Recommended.

BLUE VACATION - BOØWY
Japanese | Rock
'90's rock just has that ... feel to it. Haha, not really my kind of thing, but it's fun as an occasional listen.

Blue & Green Waves - DE DE MOUSE
Japanese | Electronica
I'm loving the variety of genres this theme allows. DE DE MOUSE has an experimental, fresh sound. It's an acquired taste, but give them a shot if you're a fan of electronica.

Blue Doors Ahead - F.I.R.
Mandarin & English | Pop
This is probably the only time you'll see me upload F.I.R., I'm not a huge fan of them. A downtempo jazz track, Blue Doors Ahead is relaxing and strong vocally, but not overly memorable.

Blues - Jam Hsiao
Mandarin | Rock
An underrated but up and rising star in the C-pop industry, Jam Hsiao's style varies from pop to ballad to, as is the case with Blues, rock. It sounds better when you listen to it with the rest of the album, where it stands out more against the ballad/pop tracks. But, a good song nonetheless.

Deep Blue - Vidoll
Japanese | Rock
Eh, I'm kind of iffy on Vidoll. Some of their songs I love, others, not so much. Deep Blue is kind of in-between, I thought it was decent but not great. The bass-heavy accompaniment kind of drones out the already whisper-y vocals.

Green Apple - Ynot?
Korean | Rock
This rotation is pretty low on Korean songs, I noticed. A light-hearted rock song reminiscent of summer. I quite like this group.

Green Rivers - Pia
Korean | Rock Ballad
Pia is probably one of the more well-known K-rock groups. Green Rivers is a strong rock ballad. It sounded a little bland to me at first listen, but it's starting to grow on me.

Green Requiem - Joe Hisaishi
Instrumental | Piano
A relaxing piano piece. If you like Yiruma, you'll probably like Joe Hisaishi.

Yellow Beauty - LM.C
Japanese | Rock
Typical LM.C, jumps at you right from the start. It dies down a bit, showing impressive changes in tempo and mood. Recommended.

Yellow Butterfly - Fly to the Sky
Korean | R&B/Ballad
I love this duo. Yellow Butterfly varies - at times a sweet acoustic ballad with a sparse guitar accompaniment, at others an almost upbeat R&B song. Beautiful vocal work, as usual. Not my favourite song by them, but it's pretty good.

Purple Rain - Shin Hye Sung
Korean | Ballad
Pretty typical ballad, HyeSung's voice is beautiful and strong in parts but can barely be heard in others.

Purple Apple - the pillows
Japanese | Alt Rock
From the pillows' latest album, PIED PIPER, Purple Apple is typical to the pillows' style - quirky and fresh. I love the bass line and bright guitar chords.

Orange Evolution - ALvino
Japanese | Rock
I don't remember where I first heard of these guys, but I love them. They're a rock group but not VK, their sound is a little more mainstream. The chorus is genuine and memorable, although overall I wouldn't say this is one of their best songs.

Orange Dream - Antic Cafe
Japanese | Oshare kei
It's been so long since I heard a slower track from anCafe. It does build more and more, but differs from their usual fare in that it's much more serious in tone. Their sound has matured a lot. I love the piano accompaniment in this song. IMO, a very impressive track.

Orange - BRIGHT
Japanese | Pop
I'm not a fan of girl-groups, but I like BRIGHT for their great vocal work. A breezy R&B song, Orange features beautiful harmonizing. The melody and composition of the song itself isn't the most memorable though.

Orange Parade - Ichigo69
Japanese | Rock
More upbeat, in your face rock. Personally it was a little too messy for me, I found the bass of the song to be lacking - there was no real foundation, although it does even out a little. The slightly off-key vocals and random squeals from the guitar are kind off-putting. Part of the song sound almost ... fast-forwarded. O_o Definitely interesting, but I found it too jarring.

ORANGE GRADATION - Imitation PoPs Uchuu Sentai NOIZ
Japanese | Rock
I love this band. The song has a nice intro and vocals, it's upbeat and energetic but not overwhelming.

Note: Ichigo69 and Imitation PoPs Uchuu Sentai NOIZ are not tagged in this entry because Blogspot will only let me add 20 tags per post.

Labels: AAA, ALvino, Antic Cafe, BOØWY, BRIGHT, Chemistry, DE DE MOUSE, ELLEGARDEN, F.I.R., Fly to the Sky, Jam Hsiao, JJ Lin, Joe Hisaishi, Lolita23q, Pia, Shin Hye Sung, the pillows, Vidoll, Ynot?

part 1 - chinese/taiwanese music.

Coral Sea - Jay Chou ft. Lara

Ballad | Mandarin



I'm not a huge Jay Chou fan, but this is one of the few songs by him that I like. It's a nice ballad that features his voice perfectly. Lara, from the band Nan Quan Mama, offers her vocals as a nice contrast to Jay's. Definitely worth a listen.

Sa Rang Hae Yo, 只对你说 - JJ Lin

Ballad | Mandarin



Though the only part of this song that's Korean is the phrase "saranghaeyo", it's nonetheless a good JJ Lin song. I like the chorus, and the English phrases are well done. There's also a nice piano solo.

Qi Dai Ni De Ai [Anticipating Your Love] - JJ Lin

Pop/Ballad | Mandarin



This song builds more than "Saranghaeyo" does, but I don't like it as much. It lacked emotion to me, but the chorus is catchy. Worth a listen.

One Umbrella - 183 Club

Pop/Ballad | Mandarin



I've heard a lot about the, but since I rarely listen to music in Mandarin I only recently got around to trying them out. Pretty typical boyband fare, a mid-tempo ballad. The harmonizing is well done, but it's a pretty forgettable song. I do like a few of the verses though.

星空下的吻 - JJ Lin

Pop | Mandarin



This song starts out with strong beats and a rap verse, so it surprised me how absolutely beautiful the chorus was. It completely turns the song around. Definitely my favourite JJ Lin song and one of my favourite Cpop songs in general. Highly recommended.

Shi Er Yue De Qing Ge - Gackt ft. Wang Lee Hom

Ballad | Mandarin



It's like a Christmas song with the sleigh bells at the beginning. XP Wang Lee Hom & Gackt ... not a combination I was expecting. Gackt's Mandarin is surprisingly good, and his voice isn't as powerful as it could be, but I guess it's probably harder for him to sing in Mandarin than in Japanese. The chorus builds a fair bit, and Gackt's distinctive voice is really what makes this song.

Kiss Goodbye - Wang Lee Hom

Ballad | Mandarin



"Kiss Goodbye" has always been one of my favourite Wang Lee Hom songs since it's probably the first I heard. It's pretty old, so I thought some of you might not have it. It starts out with a beautiful piano melody and is an absolutely wonderful ballad. The MV is also pretty sad, though I found that it failed to capture the emotion of the song alone.

Xing Qi Liu De Shen Ye [星期六的深夜] - Wang Lee Hom

Ballad | Mandarin



A more recent Lee Hom ballad, I'm not as fond of this song but it does showcase Leehom's vocals and the chorus is beautiful. It's also interesting to see how his voice developed from the older song "Kiss Goodbye" and from this song.

Now That She's Gone - JJ Lin

Pop/Ballad | English



JJ Lin's English is surprisingly flawless, and any minor pronunciation errors are negligible. However, his voice seems kind of weak and overpowered by the piano accompaniment. I found myself unable to really focus on this song; it didn't really capture me as much as some of his songs do. Great effort, but the lyrics aren't anything special and overall, it's worth a try but not really that good of a song.

Understood - TANK

Pop | Mandarin



I'm sure some of you will know this song from the Hana Kimi soundtrack. I prefer Tank's more upbeat songs. His vocals aren't that great, which is underlined in slower tracks such as "Understood". It is pretty catchy and the lyrics are sweet.

part 2 - my picks

Meat Market - Everybody Else

Alternative Rock | English



A great band I first discovered off another rotation, musical chairs. Very catchy; I love the chorus and the lyrics. I rarely listen to American bands, but Everybody Else is one of the few that I like. Definitely try them out if you haven't already.

In Memoriam - Everybody Else

Alternative Rock | English



Piano intro = <33333. Lyrics are also awesome, I like the lyrics to this song even better than the ones for Meat Market. It's less upbeat than Meat Market. Again the chorus is great. Highly recommended.

GO!!GO!!GO!! - anCafe

Oshare Kei | Japanese



It starts out as a sweet ballad. Miku's voice is lovely and not at all annoying as it can be in some anCafe songs. About thirty seconds in the song really gains momentum, something expected but I was expecting it would happen sooner. Typical anCafe fare, not that that's a bad thing. This song isn't as overwhelmingly oshare kei as some of their songs are.

I Wanna Go To The Disko - THE BEAT CRUSADERS

Rock | Japanese



I love the guitar riffs near the beginning of this song. It's absolutely addicting and made me realize I don't listen to The Beat Crusaders often enough. I love the bass line throughout this song. Highly recommended.

Black Engine - Jang Keun Seuk

Pop/Hip-Hop | Korean



I never thought I'd actually like this song. Actor-turned-singer Jang Keun Seuk released the "Black Engine" single with JYP. Just the fact that it's a JYP song ensures that it'll probably be catchy, which it is. For some reason, Jang Keun Seuk's weak voice mixes very well with heavy beats. Worth a listen.

Space Hunter - Mix Speaker's,Inc.

Visual Kei | Japanese



I love this band, but this isn't one of my favourite songs from them. I do like the way the vocals are arranged and I thought it was a bit different from their usual style.

part 3 - goong s ringtones

Se7en's ringtones from Goong S. They are very weird to listen to as MP3s. O_o I have no idea why I have them but just in case there's any Goong S fans out there, I just uploaded them.

@01 자장면 시키신분 Se7en

@02 자장면 시키신분(Sexy Ver.) Se7en

@03 아싸!(미공개 벨소리) Se7en.

Labels: 183 Club, Antic Cafe, BEAT CRUSADERS, Everybody Else, Gackt, Jang Keun Seuk, Jay Chou, JJ Lin, Mix Speaker's Inc., Se7en, TANK, Wang Lee Hom

Here we are, finally. Sorry again about the wait!

Phoenix:

#12345. Happy Together - Super Junior Link has been fixed, sorry about that!
Korean | Pop
This song reminds me heavily of Marry U, they were composed by the same person. It's a light-hearted, mid-tempo pop song off of SuJu's third album. It's rather disposable, but sweet and warm.

#1234. Follow Me - Big Bang
Japanese | Pop/Dance
Pretty standard fare. It's a fast-paced song with lots of synths and electronica routes. However, I didn't find it very catchy or memorable. I've given this song a few listens, and each time it fails to make an imprint on me. I'm getting more than a little bored of Big Bang, and I'm really hoping to see something fresh from them.

#123. Doubt & Trust - access
Japanese | Rock
I love the flowing, quick keyboard intro, leading into an equally energetic rock song. It's not an amazing song, but the sheer energy and movement of this song is impressive.

#9876. Got Some Teeth - Obie Trice
English | Hip-Hop
A confident, laid-back song with lots of brass riffs and a great albeit repetitive beat.


#444. Golden Wing - antic cafe
Japanese | Oshare Kei
A bright, feel-good song from Antic Cafe. It's not super-hyper like some of their songs can be, it's actually pretty relaxed. Miku's voice bugs me a little though.

albeitalways:

#107. Valkyrie - abingdon boys school
Japanese | Rock
I love abs, and Valkyrie is no exception. The energy of the song is apparent right from the electric guitar in the opening. Some people really don't like T.M. Revolution's voice, and I guess I can see why, but personally I've always liked how unique and recognizable it is. It's slightly dark in tone and despite its urgent, fast pace, it never seems rushed or hurried.

#1991. Koe no hate - CELLT
Japanese | Rock
I don't know much about this band and I've only heard a couple of their songs, but so far I'm liking them. Koe no hate is a little formulaic, but if you're just getting into rock or aren't really a fan of heavier rock, this might be good for you. It sounds slightly familiar - I really like the melody, and the chorus.

#8923. I WILL - Miliyah Kato
Japanese | R&B
A gorgeous ballad from R&B singer Miliyah Kato. Her songs have always been a bit hit-or-miss with me. I really like her warm, smooth voice, but her songs tend to be a bit forgettable in my opinion. I WILL's opening was a bit too soft for my liking, but then it breaks into the rich, heartfelt chorus. It's absolutely beautiful, and well worth the wait. Although I think her voice could use a little more power and richness in the verses building up to each chorus, it's still a lovely song.

#5439. 出会い - HY
Japanese | Alt. Rock
A relaxing track from HY. I really like their vocalist's clear, soothing voice and the overall soft, acoustic atmosphere of this song.

#132. Murder Licence - Acid Black Cherry
Japanese | Rock
I really love Acid Black Cherry's jazz-influenced tracks. Unfortunately this isn't one of them, but it's still quite good, although quite standard j-rock fare. Complete with dense, static-y guitar riffs and a busy atmosphere, it's a decent track but not a real stand-out.

Nepu:

#363. Gekkou Yoku - alice nine.
Japanese | Rock
Although I'm not really a fan of their recent releases, I still really like this band. Gekkou Yoku features some great guitar work, I really like how it alters from being short and choppy to very smooth and melodic.

#1796. 彼女と星の椅子 - BUMP OF CHICKEN
Japanese | Alt. Rock
A midtempo track from BUMP OF CHICKEN. I really like how clear and prominent the bass from 2:18 and on. It's not my favourite track from them - I have to say I'm a bigger fan of their acoustic-style songs - but definitely worth a listen.

6336. Who Are You - John Murphy
English | Soundtrack
This song is from the Miami Vice OST that I uploaded a while back. I love this song. It may not be the kind of song that you put on repeat, but it's absolutely beautiful and so rich with emotion. The thick, resonating bass sound contrasts perfectly with the gentle, almost hesitant piano melody. The chords and sheer depth of this song are sophisticated and dense. It's incredibly sorrowful and delicate. It's only flaw, in my opinion, is that it clocks in at only 1:35.

Labels: abingdon boys school, access, acid black cherry, alice nine., Antic Cafe, Big Bang, BUMP OF CHICKEN, CELLT, HY, Kato Miliyah, number lottery, Obie Trice, Super Junior

Sorry this rotation got backtracked so much. Hopefully it’s worth the wait, I’ve tried to upload as many runners-up as possible. This theme does not include any pop-rock, alternative rock, soft rock, etc. - but it does include rock ballads. Like with all the top ten/twenty themes, these are only the top songs in my opinion. Unfortunately, ruling out alt rock, soft rock, and “rock-influenced” groups/songs also ruled out many Korean or Chinese/Taiwanese groups. This rotation is extremely Japanese-dominated, but since pop songs were mainly Korean/Chinese and ballads were mostly Korean, I think overall it’s pretty fair. I haven’t been following rock music as much lately, so most of these songs will be a little older.

This rotation took a tiring amount of time to prepare, especially my comments (which get progressively worse), so please take the time to comment/leave a rating. Anyways, on to the music. =)
- Haruhi

#10. DOLLS - Janne da Arc
I really like Janne da Arc. Dolls is a mid-tempo track - the opening verses are a bit of a bore featuring a sweet if somewhat repetitive melody, but the chorus is great. It’s a slightly formulaic track, which kept it from moving up on the chart.

#9. Black Cherry - acid black cherry
I just realized I’d uploaded this before, way back in my tenth rotation, so there’s two links for you. A seamless blend of rock and jazz - Black Cherry starts out slow and ambient with light guitar and percussion, putting Yasu’s unique voice into the spotlight. Wailing electric guitars kick in and the percussion steps it up into a fast-paced fusion track, complete with trumpet riffs. A fantastic song from a great group.

#8. Orange Dream - Antic Cafe
This song was uploaded in rotation 19. Since most of their songs are upbeat and happy (after all, they are an oshare kei group), I was surprised at the richness and maturity of this ballad. I love the piano part - I think it adds a lot of colour to the song. The opening is heartbreakingly sad, but as the song builds it grows more and more hopeful and optimistic. A beautiful rock ballad.

#7. Et cetera - ONE OK ROCK
An angsty rock song, leaning more towards the style of American rock than Japanese. I absolutely love the chorus and the contrast in volume between the chorus and other verses. The arrangement might not be the most original or innovative, but it all fits together perfectly to make a unique and memorable song.

#6. yozora ni saku hana - Clavier
Returning to ballads, yozora ni saku hana opens with a sad piano intro. The whole song just has a certain flavor that’s unique to Japanese music, I can’t explain it - you’ll know it when you hear it. Toshi, their lead singer, has an expressively vulnerable but steady voice that suits the song perfectly. This group is technically oshare kei, but even in their other songs they don’t have a really sugary, sweet sound - their material is just generally brighter than visual kei stuff.

#5. Kimi ni Negai wo - Miyavi
Being the first Japanese artist I listened to, Miyavi had to show up somewhere on this rotation. This was also one of the first songs I heard by him. It’s a fairly bright, midtempo track driven by piano and guitars - and later, strings. Miyavi’s voice is soft and crooning pretty much everywhere but the chorus, but can still be heard over the relatively light accompaniment.

#4. Close - Mot
The sole Korean band to make the list (actually the only non-Japanese band), Close definitely deserves its position. Some people call them alt rock, but whatever. It’s such a unique song, filled with dazed, dreamy synths. Overall the song has a very sad, longing atmosphere, but its emotional value is what makes it good. It can get a little repetitive, which actually kind of adds to the atmosphere of the song - definitely try them out.

#3. Isshunfuran - B'z
A polar opposite of the sad, longing atmosphere in Close, Isshunfuran is upbeat, bright, and irresistably catchy. You can’t help but move along to it - it’s confident and assured. Not convinced? This duo has been around since 1988, and are considered the most popular rock group in Japan. They were also the first artists from Asia to have their handprints and signatures put in in Hollywood’s Rock Walk, placing them right alongside American rock legends like Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Les Paul, and Jimi Hendrix.

#2. Libra - MUCC
MUCC is one of my favourite j-rock groups. I still follow their releases despite losing interest in heavier rock (I posted a recent single of theirs not long ago). Libra is definitely my favourite song by them - it’s dark and gritty, but then it leads into the chorus, which is just stunningly beautiful and pure. I absolutely love the PV and lyrics, too.

#1. over - 12012
I knew this song would be in the top two when I started this rotation. 12012 is one of the first j-rock bands I listened to, and one of the first Japanese bands in general. “Over” is a simple but gorgeous ballad. The haunting melody always gets stuck in my head and I never forget it, even if I haven’t listened to the song in a long time.

Runners-up:

Carnation - Janne da Arc
A simple but beautiful relaxing acoustic ballad. If it was a little more of a rock song, it definitely would have made the list.

ブランコ - kannivalism
I love these guys, but unfortunately I think they’ve disbanded. A fairly slow, relaxing song with refreshing clear vocals and a dreamy arrangement. I prefer their upbeat songs, but couldn’t find any on my computer.

Lost Reason - abingdon boys school
I love this song. It was definitely close to making the list. It transitions from gritty and aggressive to softer, melodic portions. I absolutely love the chorus. A great song.

風の鳥 - Matenrou Opera
I really like this band in general; I wasn’t sure what song to upload by them. In the end, I chose a piano-based ballad, which shows their impressive vocalist. The piano is just gorgeous.

My Heart Draws a Dream - L’arc~en~Ciel
I’m sure most of you know this song, I’ve followed Laruku for a while but have never really picked out any real “favourites” by them. My Heart Draws a Dream would definitely come close - a fresh, mid-tempo track with a great melody. Of course, Hyde’s voice is wonderful.

JEALOUS -Reverse- - Dir en grey
There’s quite a few ballads in this rotation, huh? JEALOUS -Reverse- is another one, also piano-based, but Kyo’s unique voice sets it apart. I’ve kind of grown apart from their harder material where he screams more than he sings, but he has quite a nice voice when he’s actually singing, although he sounds a bit strained at times. It’s sad but hopeful, and very emotional.

Aribai - SID
A light-hearted, jazzy track that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a breath of fresh air after listening to all these heavier rock songs or emotional ballads.

The Love From A Dead Orchestra - Versailles
This band’s whole image reflects splendor, royalty, etc. Their music, too, is extravagent - deep, thick vocals, a densely packed arrangement, many transitions. I love the slower, melodic verses of the song (eg. the one starting at 1:22), but unfortunately found the song to be on a whole too overdone. The slower portions where the different parts can actually be separated and viewed individually are the best. The transition about halfway through between the piano solo and the next, heavier portion of the song is roughly done - I would have thought it was going into a whole other track. A lot of great ideas and themes that got cramped together into one big song - personally, I think they could have been better and more fully explored, which kept this song from ranking higher.

Snow Flower - Plastic Tree
Ghost - Plastic Tree
Two great songs from another j-rock band that’s been around for a while: since 1993, to be exact. One of the first j-rock bands I really got into and one of few that I still loosely follow.

Night - Kazoku
I absolutely love the intro of this song. The transition into the actual song is brilliant and seamless. Faint jazz influences, a dark-ish, mysterious feel.

너 없인 행복할 수 없잖아 - Mary Story (I Can't Be Happy Without You)
I had to stick another Korean band in here somewhere. These guys are awesome, they were very close to making the list. A pretty light rock song that might even be considered soft-rock or pop-rock or whatever, but I love it. The melody is just extremely memorable to me, and even when I haven’t listened to this song for ages I can still recall it without any difficulty. Try them out if you haven’t, k-rock needs more attention - and these guys definitely deserve it.

Note: I ran out of tag characters, so I took the tag for Kazoku off because the song "Night" is already uploaded in a previous rotation, and they're tagged in that post.

I likely messed up at least one link, so if there's any mistakes with the links or anything else, please let me know!

Labels: 12012, abingdon boys school, acid black cherry, Antic Cafe, B'z, Clavier, Dir en grey, Janne da Arc, kannivalism, L'arc~en~Ciel, Mary Story, Matenrou Opera, miyavi, Mot, MUCC, ONE OK ROCK, Plastic Tree, SID, Versailles

Sorry that this rotation was a little late - the jazz band that I play in had a concert on Saturday, so I didn't have much time to update this weekend.

Fashion Scans was started roughly October of 2007. It’s November 2008 now, so the site recently passed its one year birthday! ^_^ Rotation 20 is themed then and now, featuring songs that topped the charts in 2007 and ones that are topping the charts now.

Korean;

2007:

둘이라서 - Eru (Because it’s the two of us)
Ballad | Vol 3 - Eru Returns
The ever-popular ballad seems to dominate k-pop charts, although I’ve noticed recently that with the new electronica trend, more upbeat songs are taking the top spots, especially with artists like Big Bang, Wonder Girls, and DBSK. 둘이라서 is a typical Korean ballad - to my ears, it was a bit too generic. IMO, Eru’s second album was better than his third, although his voice is still lovely. Worth a listen if you’re a fan of ballads.

사랑한다 - Lee Seung Chul (Sa Rang Han Da)
Ballad | The Secret of Color 2
Another ballad. As opposed to Eru’s deeper, thicker voice, Lee Seung Chul’s vocals are light and melodic. The warm, uplifting arrangement is really what made this song worth listening to.

2008:

어제보다 오늘 더 - Kim Jong Kook (Today More Than Yesterday)
Pop/Ballad | Vol. 5 - Here I Am
2008 saw the return of Kim Jong Kook, one of the top male singers in Korea, from his mandatory military service. He’s always been one of my favourite artists. His voice, while high in range, is still thick with emotion. Recommended.

라디오를 켜봐요 - Shin Seung Hoon (Turn on the Radio)
Pop/Rock | Radio Wave
A veteran k-pop singer known to be the “king of ballads”, has also returned with a mini-album that differs from traditional ballads, featuring an acoustic rock sound. Turn on the Radio starts out as a relaxing, laid-back track featuring a simple piano accompaniment, building suddenly and without much warning into the chorus. I love the contrast in dynamics in this song, but the softer parts were a bit dragged out.

Gossip Boy - Younha
Pop-Rock | Someday
Last year, Younha topped the charts with the song “Comet”. She seems to be enjoying a relative amount of success this year, too, with the release of her album Someday. I love her voice and the style of her music. Gossip Boy is an upbeat rock-influenced track, catchy and fun.

Japanese;
Songs chosen from the top 100 Oricon Singles of 2007 & from the most recent Top Singles chart of November 2008.

2007:

Tabidachi no Uta - Mr.Children
Soft Rock | Tabidachi no Uta
A laid-back, slow rock ballad. It’s not one of my absolute favourites by them, but worth a listen.

Eien ni - KinKi Kids
Pop/Ballad | Phi~Universal Love
A gorgeous ballad by KinKi Kids. Their vocals are rich and thick with emotion. The accompaniment is kept light throughout the song, even in the chorus, allowing their voices to shine through. Recommended.

Daybreak’s Bell - L’arc~en~Ciel
Rock | Daybreak’s Bell
I haven’t enjoyed Laruku’s newer material much, this is probably the last release by them that I really liked. Daybreak’s Bell has a darker tone and a memorable chorus, hopeful and strong.

2008:

無責任ヒーロー - Kanjani8 (Musekinin Hero)
Pop | Musekinin Hero
I have to say I don’t like these guys much. They’re fun, but a little too poppy/cheesy for me. A bright, upbeat song filled with trumpet riffs and a jazzy/ska feel.

Monochrome no Kiss - SID
Rock
I think this was done for the opening theme of an anime? While it seems very fitting as an opening theme, I prefer SID’s jazzier side. A solid rock song, but not much more.

My Heart Leaps for “C” - Antic Cafe
Oshare kei |Koakuma Usagi no Koibumi to Machine Gun
Upbeat, electronica-influenced in parts - at first I thought it was bit too overwhelmingly hyper, but it tones down a bit. Eh, it wasn’t exceptional in my opinion - most of my favourite AnCafe songs are actually their ballads - but worth a listen.

PROMiSE - MiChi
Pop/Rock | PROMiSE
She’s a relatively new artist, I think she’s only released one demo EP before this single? Signed to Sony. A simple mix of pop, rock, and electronica. If you’re looking for something experimental this probably won’t suit you, but it’s a decent song.

Mandarin;

2007:

離開地球表面 - Mayday
Rock | Jump! The World
Mayday! <3 All their releases seem to be fairly successful - their latest album, Poetry of the Day After, is also topping charts - in fact, I’ve uploaded a track from it further below. 離開地球表面 is an fast-paced, catchy track. I love the beats in this song - slightly choppy yet never jerky.

青花瓷 - Jay Chou
Pop | I’m Busy
Jay Chou is another artist who you’ll see twice in this rotation. Is it just me, or have his last two albums (this one & his latest, Capricorn) really gone downhill in quality and consistency? There’s two or three decent songs and the others are either mediocre (more like “fillers”) or just really bad. T_T Anyways, 青花瓷 is a soothing, mellow ballad. Like many of Jay’s songs it features some faint influences of classical Chinese music, but unlike in some of his other songs it’s not quite so overwhelming. I actually thought this song was quite nicely balanced out between classical influences and modern sounds.

Super Sunshine - Gary Cao
Pop | Super Sunshine
I love Gary Cao. <3 This song starts out with a sweet a cappella verse, leading into a light-hearted, feel-good pop song. Despite the cliched lyrics - You are my sunshine, my only sunshine I thought it was nice.

夠不夠 - Khalil Fong (Is it enough?)
Pop/R&B | Wonderland
Another great artist. A tasteful blend of R&B and pop, Is it enough? allows Khalil Fong’s wonderful vocals to shine through while also having a great beat. It’s not my favourite song by him, but definitely close.

我就是我 - Guang Liang (I Am Who I Am)
Pop/Ballad | 不會分離 (Never Apart)
A great singer - you might know him from his song Fairytale/Tong Hua which was a huge hit (I think I’ve uploaded it before, too). I Am Who I Am is a lovely ballad - while it lacks the instant impact of Tong Hua, it is a song that I found myself replaying.

2008:

Always Online - JJ Lin
Pop | Sixology
One of my personal favourites from JJ Lin’s latest album. Always Online is fairly slow in tempo with faint R&B influences. It’s a sad song but catchy at the same time. Recommended.

稻香 - Jay Chou
Pop | Capricorn
This was the closing track of Jay Chou’s Capricorn album, and, IMO, one of the few decent tracks. A peaceful mid-tempo track backed by acoustic guitar 稻香 is light and youthful.

如煙 - Mayday (Ru Yan/Smoke)
Rock | Poetry of the Day After
A lovely acoustic ballad from Mayday. The vocals are genuine yet laid-back and the thick, blunt bass sound contrasts nicely with the short, separated guitar chords.

Labels: Antic Cafe, Eru, Gary Cao, Guang Liang, Jay Chou, JJ Lin, Kanjani8, Khalil Fong, Kim Jong Kook, KinKi Kids, L'arc~en~Ciel, Lee Seung Chul, Mayday, MiChi, Mr.Children, Shin Seung Hoon, SID, Younha

Rotation 19 is a touch of colour, featuring song names that contain colours. Along with the new rotation is a new layout, featuring Lee Jun Ki. Also, we have a new cohost, Aranka, who will probably be introducing herself soon. =)

22 songs this rotation, definitely one of the larger rotations I've done. Please remember to leave a comment or rating.

Red Soul - AAA
Japanese | Pop
AAA's style varies so much, I never know what to expect from them. Red Soul is rock-influenced and upbeat. It sounds like something out of a video game or anime. A fun listen, but not exceptional.

Red Hot - ELLEGARDEN
English | Alt Rock
This is the original version, not the remastered one. I love ELLEGARDEN's unique sound and style, it killed me to hear that they were going on "hiatus". Although they're a Japanese group, this song is in English. Takeshi's voice is raw and powerful.

醉赤壁 (Drunk Red Cliff) - JJ Lin
Mandarin | Ballad
This track is from JJ Lin's new album, Sixology. The intro incorporates traditional Chinese instruments, which make small appearances throughout the song. A nice ballad, not overloaded with influences of classical Chinese music yet touching on them all the same.

Red Room - Lolita23q
Japanese | Rock
One of my favourite VK groups. Red Room doesn't waste any time, jumping right into a noisy, fast-paced rock number. It's a little repetitive, but I enjoyed it.

Mirage in Blue - Chemistry
Japanese | Pop/R&B
A sweet, poppy song, accompanied with acoustic guitar. The sparse accompaniment allows their vocals to shine through. Recommended.

BLUE VACATION - BOØWY
Japanese | Rock
'90's rock just has that ... feel to it. Haha, not really my kind of thing, but it's fun as an occasional listen.

Blue & Green Waves - DE DE MOUSE
Japanese | Electronica
I'm loving the variety of genres this theme allows. DE DE MOUSE has an experimental, fresh sound. It's an acquired taste, but give them a shot if you're a fan of electronica.

Blue Doors Ahead - F.I.R.
Mandarin & English | Pop
This is probably the only time you'll see me upload F.I.R., I'm not a huge fan of them. A downtempo jazz track, Blue Doors Ahead is relaxing and strong vocally, but not overly memorable.

Blues - Jam Hsiao
Mandarin | Rock
An underrated but up and rising star in the C-pop industry, Jam Hsiao's style varies from pop to ballad to, as is the case with Blues, rock. It sounds better when you listen to it with the rest of the album, where it stands out more against the ballad/pop tracks. But, a good song nonetheless.

Deep Blue - Vidoll
Japanese | Rock
Eh, I'm kind of iffy on Vidoll. Some of their songs I love, others, not so much. Deep Blue is kind of in-between, I thought it was decent but not great. The bass-heavy accompaniment kind of drones out the already whisper-y vocals.

Green Apple - Ynot?
Korean | Rock
This rotation is pretty low on Korean songs, I noticed. A light-hearted rock song reminiscent of summer. I quite like this group.

Green Rivers - Pia
Korean | Rock Ballad
Pia is probably one of the more well-known K-rock groups. Green Rivers is a strong rock ballad. It sounded a little bland to me at first listen, but it's starting to grow on me.

Green Requiem - Joe Hisaishi
Instrumental | Piano
A relaxing piano piece. If you like Yiruma, you'll probably like Joe Hisaishi.

Yellow Beauty - LM.C
Japanese | Rock
Typical LM.C, jumps at you right from the start. It dies down a bit, showing impressive changes in tempo and mood. Recommended.

Yellow Butterfly - Fly to the Sky
Korean | R&B/Ballad
I love this duo. Yellow Butterfly varies - at times a sweet acoustic ballad with a sparse guitar accompaniment, at others an almost upbeat R&B song. Beautiful vocal work, as usual. Not my favourite song by them, but it's pretty good.

Purple Rain - Shin Hye Sung
Korean | Ballad
Pretty typical ballad, HyeSung's voice is beautiful and strong in parts but can barely be heard in others.

Purple Apple - the pillows
Japanese | Alt Rock
From the pillows' latest album, PIED PIPER, Purple Apple is typical to the pillows' style - quirky and fresh. I love the bass line and bright guitar chords.

Orange Evolution - ALvino
Japanese | Rock
I don't remember where I first heard of these guys, but I love them. They're a rock group but not VK, their sound is a little more mainstream. The chorus is genuine and memorable, although overall I wouldn't say this is one of their best songs.

Orange Dream - Antic Cafe
Japanese | Oshare kei
It's been so long since I heard a slower track from anCafe. It does build more and more, but differs from their usual fare in that it's much more serious in tone. Their sound has matured a lot. I love the piano accompaniment in this song. IMO, a very impressive track.

Orange - BRIGHT
Japanese | Pop
I'm not a fan of girl-groups, but I like BRIGHT for their great vocal work. A breezy R&B song, Orange features beautiful harmonizing. The melody and composition of the song itself isn't the most memorable though.

Orange Parade - Ichigo69
Japanese | Rock
More upbeat, in your face rock. Personally it was a little too messy for me, I found the bass of the song to be lacking - there was no real foundation, although it does even out a little. The slightly off-key vocals and random squeals from the guitar are kind off-putting. Part of the song sound almost ... fast-forwarded. O_o Definitely interesting, but I found it too jarring.

ORANGE GRADATION - Imitation PoPs Uchuu Sentai NOIZ
Japanese | Rock
I love this band. The song has a nice intro and vocals, it's upbeat and energetic but not overwhelming.

Note: Ichigo69 and Imitation PoPs Uchuu Sentai NOIZ are not tagged in this entry because Blogspot will only let me add 20 tags per post.

Labels: AAA, ALvino, Antic Cafe, BOØWY, BRIGHT, Chemistry, DE DE MOUSE, ELLEGARDEN, F.I.R., Fly to the Sky, Jam Hsiao, JJ Lin, Joe Hisaishi, Lolita23q, Pia, Shin Hye Sung, the pillows, Vidoll, Ynot?

part 1 - chinese/taiwanese music.

Coral Sea - Jay Chou ft. Lara

Ballad | Mandarin



I'm not a huge Jay Chou fan, but this is one of the few songs by him that I like. It's a nice ballad that features his voice perfectly. Lara, from the band Nan Quan Mama, offers her vocals as a nice contrast to Jay's. Definitely worth a listen.

Sa Rang Hae Yo, 只对你说 - JJ Lin

Ballad | Mandarin



Though the only part of this song that's Korean is the phrase "saranghaeyo", it's nonetheless a good JJ Lin song. I like the chorus, and the English phrases are well done. There's also a nice piano solo.

Qi Dai Ni De Ai [Anticipating Your Love] - JJ Lin

Pop/Ballad | Mandarin



This song builds more than "Saranghaeyo" does, but I don't like it as much. It lacked emotion to me, but the chorus is catchy. Worth a listen.

One Umbrella - 183 Club

Pop/Ballad | Mandarin



I've heard a lot about the, but since I rarely listen to music in Mandarin I only recently got around to trying them out. Pretty typical boyband fare, a mid-tempo ballad. The harmonizing is well done, but it's a pretty forgettable song. I do like a few of the verses though.

星空下的吻 - JJ Lin

Pop | Mandarin



This song starts out with strong beats and a rap verse, so it surprised me how absolutely beautiful the chorus was. It completely turns the song around. Definitely my favourite JJ Lin song and one of my favourite Cpop songs in general. Highly recommended.

Shi Er Yue De Qing Ge - Gackt ft. Wang Lee Hom

Ballad | Mandarin



It's like a Christmas song with the sleigh bells at the beginning. XP Wang Lee Hom & Gackt ... not a combination I was expecting. Gackt's Mandarin is surprisingly good, and his voice isn't as powerful as it could be, but I guess it's probably harder for him to sing in Mandarin than in Japanese. The chorus builds a fair bit, and Gackt's distinctive voice is really what makes this song.

Kiss Goodbye - Wang Lee Hom

Ballad | Mandarin



"Kiss Goodbye" has always been one of my favourite Wang Lee Hom songs since it's probably the first I heard. It's pretty old, so I thought some of you might not have it. It starts out with a beautiful piano melody and is an absolutely wonderful ballad. The MV is also pretty sad, though I found that it failed to capture the emotion of the song alone.

Xing Qi Liu De Shen Ye [星期六的深夜] - Wang Lee Hom

Ballad | Mandarin



A more recent Lee Hom ballad, I'm not as fond of this song but it does showcase Leehom's vocals and the chorus is beautiful. It's also interesting to see how his voice developed from the older song "Kiss Goodbye" and from this song.

Now That She's Gone - JJ Lin

Pop/Ballad | English



JJ Lin's English is surprisingly flawless, and any minor pronunciation errors are negligible. However, his voice seems kind of weak and overpowered by the piano accompaniment. I found myself unable to really focus on this song; it didn't really capture me as much as some of his songs do. Great effort, but the lyrics aren't anything special and overall, it's worth a try but not really that good of a song.

Understood - TANK

Pop | Mandarin



I'm sure some of you will know this song from the Hana Kimi soundtrack. I prefer Tank's more upbeat songs. His vocals aren't that great, which is underlined in slower tracks such as "Understood". It is pretty catchy and the lyrics are sweet.

part 2 - my picks

Meat Market - Everybody Else

Alternative Rock | English



A great band I first discovered off another rotation, musical chairs. Very catchy; I love the chorus and the lyrics. I rarely listen to American bands, but Everybody Else is one of the few that I like. Definitely try them out if you haven't already.

In Memoriam - Everybody Else

Alternative Rock | English



Piano intro = <33333. Lyrics are also awesome, I like the lyrics to this song even better than the ones for Meat Market. It's less upbeat than Meat Market. Again the chorus is great. Highly recommended.

GO!!GO!!GO!! - anCafe

Oshare Kei | Japanese



It starts out as a sweet ballad. Miku's voice is lovely and not at all annoying as it can be in some anCafe songs. About thirty seconds in the song really gains momentum, something expected but I was expecting it would happen sooner. Typical anCafe fare, not that that's a bad thing. This song isn't as overwhelmingly oshare kei as some of their songs are.

I Wanna Go To The Disko - THE BEAT CRUSADERS

Rock | Japanese



I love the guitar riffs near the beginning of this song. It's absolutely addicting and made me realize I don't listen to The Beat Crusaders often enough. I love the bass line throughout this song. Highly recommended.

Black Engine - Jang Keun Seuk

Pop/Hip-Hop | Korean



I never thought I'd actually like this song. Actor-turned-singer Jang Keun Seuk released the "Black Engine" single with JYP. Just the fact that it's a JYP song ensures that it'll probably be catchy, which it is. For some reason, Jang Keun Seuk's weak voice mixes very well with heavy beats. Worth a listen.

Space Hunter - Mix Speaker's,Inc.

Visual Kei | Japanese



I love this band, but this isn't one of my favourite songs from them. I do like the way the vocals are arranged and I thought it was a bit different from their usual style.

part 3 - goong s ringtones

Se7en's ringtones from Goong S. They are very weird to listen to as MP3s. O_o I have no idea why I have them but just in case there's any Goong S fans out there, I just uploaded them.

@01 자장면 시키신분 Se7en

@02 자장면 시키신분(Sexy Ver.) Se7en

@03 아싸!(미공개 벨소리) Se7en.

Labels: 183 Club, Antic Cafe, BEAT CRUSADERS, Everybody Else, Gackt, Jang Keun Seuk, Jay Chou, JJ Lin, Mix Speaker's Inc., Se7en, TANK, Wang Lee Hom

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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