I've been posting a lot of mixtapes and English/indie music so I thought I'd do a rotation of Asian music this time. There's no real theme, but most are relatively recent releases.
Please comment if taking, I'd love to hear what you think of the songs. :)
- Haruhi
亞特蘭提斯 - F.I.R.
Mandarin | Pop-Rock
I've never been a huge fan of F.I.R. despite their popularity, but I really enjoyed their most recent album, Atlantis, which this track and the one below are from. I love the dramatic intro, which has strong traditional/folk Chinese influences which kind of pop in and out of the rest of the song, mixing with strong electric guitar riffs and strong but light female vocals. I love the bridge, which has a slower, hazier sound in contrast to the sharp definition of the rest of the verses.
淚光閃爍 - F.I.R.
Mandarin | Pop-Rock
A lovely mid-temo ballad. I love the tone of the electric guitar in the intro, and the light clarity of Faye's voice really works well. The verses flow into the chorus beautifully, and on a whole the song has a fantastic melody. While I loved the power and drama of 亞特蘭提斯, 淚光閃爍 really shows another side of F.I.R. and I think both songs are extremely memorable in their own ways.
아이 (Love) - f(x)
Korean | Pop/Dance
I've never really liked or disliked f(x), their music mostly struck me as mediocre and forgettable. But I skimmed through their latest album, and this track caught my attention. It's a mid-tempo pop track with a bubbly bass line, but it strikes me as being more sophisticated than their usual fare. The girls sound confident and it's a catchy, danceable song without being loaded with auto-tune or synths.
못된 것만 배워서 - B1A4
Korean | Pop
I have mixed feelings about this new boyband, but I like this song - it reminds me of older k-pop before electronica reigned supreme. It has some hip-hop influences but it's still pretty melodic, and their vocals work well together.
轉身之後 (Korean Version) - Bii
Korean | Pop/Ballad
Bii is a Korean singer who debuted in both Korea and Taiwan. His EP has both Korean and Chinese versions of songs. I first saw Bii on One Million Star (the Taiwanese equivalent of Don't Forget the Lyrics but with celebrities rather than ordinary contestants) and I really liked the delicate quality of his voice, which I think came out best live/a cappella but is really well shown in this ballad as well. I find that he seems to sound more at ease when singing in Korean which is why I chose the Korean version of this song. It's quite simple in composition but has a lovely melody that seems to float over the accompaniment, especially in the chorus and on higher notes.
曇花 - Khalil Fong
Mandarin | Rock
I love Khalil Fong. He is not only one of my favourite singers, but just one of my favourite musicians in general. Due to illness he couldn't sing for a while, and so he spent a lot of time playing the guitar - thus his latest album, titled 15 is filled with guitar. His sound and style has definitely changed, and I'm caught between missing his melodic, pop/jazz songs and really liking his newer, more rock-influenced songs. I think that his vocals were better shown in his older songs (not sure if that's just a result of his illness or not), but I'm growing to love his new style. 曇花 is a filled with gritty, tough electric guitar and texturized vocals, including a rap segment - the first I've heard from Khalil.
Gotta Make A Change - Khalil Fong
Mandarin | Pop-Rock
Did I mention that Khalil is fluent in English? This song starts with a solemn string intro before, surprisingly, gently breaking into a gorgeous funk/soul-influenced beat. Khalil's vocals are melting in the chorus, in contrast to the slight staccato to the verses. I don't know how to explain this song properly, so you'll just have to listen to it - but it's fantastic.
Long-D - Neon Bunny
Korean | Indie
I really like how this song is really pretty and soothing without being too laid-back or insubstantial. It's pop-rock but Neon Bunny's vocals are really light and floaty, and there's kind of a vague retro vibe to it, I think mainly from this one riff that appears in the backdrop.
Love Girl - C.N. Blue
Korean | Pop-Rock
I really liked C.N. Blue at first, then as they drifted closer to pop or stereotypical pop-rock and went to Japan I kind of lost interest in them. I like Love Girl because it embraces the sunny, pop-rock feel of their newer songs without feeling, as most songs of that sort do, as though you've heard it done before. It's energetic and bright.
직감 (Intuition) - C.N. Blue
Korean | Pop-Rock
Another song from C.N. Blue's first album that I like for entirely different reasons: it brings back the darker, more daring sound of their first songs like 외톨이야. I love the piano, especially when it drifts into low ranges. Catchy and infectious.
Labels: B1A4, Bii, C.N. Blue, F.I.R., f(x), Khalil Fong, Neon Bunny
