Hello!

You may notice we have a new layout. :) And to make up for my long break in updates, I bring you another full rotation. Rotation 45's theme is Whatever happened to ...? and features artists that have been MIA in the music scene for a while. All artists that I'm rather fond of, because if I didn't like them, I probably wouldn't notice that they hadn't released anything in a long time.

- Haruhi


Korean | Pop

Crash (Crazy In Love)
고장난 가슴
Step By Step

Apparently these guys have paused activities because two of their members are doing military service, one has (temporarily?) returned to his studies abroad, etc. - although their agency is adamant they are not disbanding, it's hard to imagine when they'll be reunited as a group, although Jin Tae Hwa, their lead singer did release a solo single a while back (which I posted, if you're curious click the "Battle" tag at the bottom of this post and it should be in that group of posts). For those of you who aren't familiar with Battle, they were meant to be the "next Shinhwa" and their members were chosen by Shinhwa's original members. While it seems like that idea kind of flopped considering they released three sporadic singles and dispersed, I really hope these guys will reunite sometime soon. The time I started getting into k-pop happened to be around the time they released their first single, which was Crash (Crazy in Love). It's a confident pop song with rock routes, and something about its energy and catchiness just stuck with me. 고장난 가슴 is from their second single, and it's a gorgeous piano ballad. Vocally, they're all quite strong, and their voices are distinct but come together nicely. I love the sweetness and warmth of their vocals and their layered harmonies. Step By Step is their most recent single, and shows a change in style as it turns to the electronica trend. It's catchy and I enjoy listening to it, but I've always felt a little disappointed by this single. While I felt like their previous singles were unique and heartfelt, Step By Step seemed a little too cookie-cutter in comparison.


Korean | Rock

마지막 인사
Night Blue

My Aunt Mary, one of Korea's more well-known "rock" bands (while I do consider them rock, those who are familiar with Korean music will know that what's labelled as "k-rock" is usually soft/ballad-rock) has been around since 1999, and these two songs are from their Circle album, released in 2008, which is their last album to date. I don't know what's up with these guys. I've heard no news of them disbanding - which is good - but nothing about any future releases, either. 마지막 인사 is such a gorgeous song. It's melodic, genuine, and basically the perfect mid-tempo rock ballad. My favourite parts are the intro where the melody is introduced in a more isolated fashion than it's heard further in in the song, and the outro where a female singer (no idea who) sings the last verse accompanied by piano. Night Blue is a bit more melancholic in tone. It reminds me of a rainy day - not pouring, since it's fairly downtempo, but raining. Recommended.


Korean | Rock

Close

This duo released their first album in 2004, their second (which Close is off of) in 2007, and I haven't been able to find any information on them since. Which is a shame, because I love them. I would have uploaded more of their songs, but this was the only one that I had on this computer (the rest are on my external HD which I didn't really feel like digging out). And to make it even worse I think I've already uploaded this one before, too. Anyways - Close opens with this delicate synth melody, backed with soft guitar, that I've never been able to forget. It's a bit despairing in tone, but beautifully so. One of my favourite songs, and one that has remained a favourite throughout the years.


Korean | Pop/Ballad

그림자
거짓말도 자꾸 하면 늘어

Beige released an album in 2007, which 그림자 comes from, and a mini-album in 2009, which 거짓말도 자꾸 하면 늘어 was featured on. Yes, she's only been "inactive" for about an year, but it's more the long pause between her releases and the fact that it's hard to find much information on her, partially because her English name is a little hard to search. You may have noticed my bias towards male singers, but Beige's strong, rich voice is perfect for ballads. 그림자 is a great example of this - it's a pretty straightforward piano-and-string ballad, but Beige's powerful but not overpowering voice makes all the difference. I also love the light, feathered harmonies. 거짓말도 자꾸 하면 늘어 is backed only by piano for the first minute or so, allowing Beige's voice to really shine through. Some light percussion is incorporated after that, as well as touches of guitar. It gives the song a sense of dimension and direction. I love how clean and rich her voice is, especially in the chorus.


Japanese | Pop

SAMURAI
Ai Check It

Japanese idol duo Tackey & Tsubasa are signed to Johnny & Associates and debuted in 2002 although they have a long pre-debut history with Johnny's too. Their last single was released in 2008, and I haven't been able to find much information on their activities since then. SAMURAI is an energetic, rock-influenced track. I love the bright brass riffs, but its a bit repetitive. Ai Check It is also rock-influenced, but it's a bit grittier than SAMURAI although these guys are definitely still pop-driven. It's catchy and dynamic. The chorus always gets stuck in my head.


Korean | Ballad

얼굴
뒤돌아봐

Joo is signed to JYP, and is most famous for her song 남자 때문에 (Because of A Man). She debuted in 2008 and has released a few OST songs after her first mini-album, but has been pretty quiet other than that. Okay, so she was featured on the Cinderella's Story OST (with the song 뒤돌아봐 above) just this April, so she hasn't really "disappeared". But I really hope she hasn't been relegated to releasing single songs on OSTs here and there. 얼굴 is a gorgeous mid-tempo ballad, it really showcases her warm, clear voice. A very pretty song with a lovely melody. It's very cleanly executed but doesn't compromise expressiveness. 뒤돌아봐 is from the aforementioned Cinderella's Story OST, her most recent song. It's another ballad, and Joo sounds fantastic as usual. I love how clean and smooth her voice is.


Korean | Rock

바래

So this four-piece Korean band released one album in 2007 and promptly disappeared. Like I mentioned before with My Aunt Mary about k-rock bands not exactly being the heaviest rock bands around, well, Bay is another example of that, so if you're looking for something heavier, this might not be to your liking. 바래 is an understated rock ballad. At first listen it seemed a bit bland to me, but it's grown on me a lot. I love their vocalist, his voice really shines through the accompaniment and carries the melody well.

Labels: Battle, Bay, Beige, Joo, Mot, My Aunt Mary, Tackey and Tsubasa

You may have noticed we have a new contributer, Lena! =) I am hoping to have the rest of the number lottery up this weekend, I'm working on uploading right now. In the meantime, I have the solo single of Battle's lead singerJin Tae Hwa/Zin Tae Hwa, as well as DBSK duo JaeJoong & Yoochun's Shelter and popular YouTube artist Gabe Bondoc's Gentlemen Don't.



Jin Tae Hwa (진태화) - Fallen Angel (디지털싱)

Release Date: Oct. 6, 2009
Language: Korean
Genre: Pop
Bitrate: 320kbps

01. With U...
02. 타락천사 (feat. Jed)

I love Battle, and TaeHwa has always been my favourite member, so I was thrilled to hear that he was releasing a solo single (but just to clarify, he is not leaving the group). With U... is a smooth, warm R&B-influenced song. TaeHwa's creamy voice sounds fantastic against the soft piano-sprinkled backdrop. I love the delicate harmonies (especially from 2:03 - 2:06). Recommended! 타락천사 is slightly faster paced, with synths & dance influences. Although I'm quite sick of the whole electronica trend - and 타락천사 embodies it quite closely - it's a well-executed song, catchy and danceable.



02. Shelter - JaeJoong & YooChun (from 東方神起)
Japanese | Pop

The b-side to COLORS ～Melody and Harmony～, Shelter begins with an isolated piano, leading into a midtempo R&B ballad. It's warm and light, and I love YooChun's slightly deeper voice in combination with JaeJoong's sweeter, lighter tone. The chorus is backed by light synths and harmonies, which create an airy but rich atmosphere. A mature, carefully presented song.



Gentlemen Don't - Gabe Bondoc
English | Acoustic

I've heard lots of good things about Gabe Bondoc, who is based in California although he is of Filipino descent. This was the first song I heard from him, and I was simply blown away. It's one of his original songs, not a cover, and it's incredibly genuine and heartfelt. Gabe Bondoc's full-bodied voice is paired with a soft acoustic guitar, and the whole song has a very delicate, raw feel. I love the chorus and the lyrics throughout the song.

Labels: Battle, gabe bondoc, jin tae hwa, Tohoshinki

Rotation 13 is unthemed. Sorry it's a few days late. Since I uploaded a few complete singles and most of the releases are fairly mainstream and therefore easier to find album covers for, I posted the album covers as well. =) Enjoy, and please remember to comment.


JUNE * mini-album [ I.L.X ]
Japanese * Pop
01. I.L.X
02. SCREAM
03. The Light
04. Lift Me Up
05. GAME
06. beautiful days

JUNE has released two singles before this mini-album, he's Korean but sings in Japanese. He's been compared to Se7en, and I liked his first two singles. He seems to have changed his approach in I.L.X, which is heavier and not as "innocent" as his previous releases. I.L.X is a catchy, upbeat dance track with a good beat. But, I liked SCREAM more - some interesting guitar work and smooth, melting vocal work. It's a little darker in sound. The Light is very laid-back and more R&B influenced, though not outstanding. The light-hearted Lift Me Up is probably closer to the feel of his previous two singles. GAME is pretty good, mid-tempo and showing some impressive vocal work. beautiful days is one of the "cuter" songs on this mini-album, with faint disco influences. Overall, I really liked this mini-album. JUNE has a lot of potential, definitely try him out.


Dragon Ash * single [ Velvet Touch ]
Japanese * Latin rock
01. Velvet Touch
02. La Bamba

I love these guys. Velvet Touch features an awesome bass line and some nice guitar work. It's bright and summer-y. La Bamba doesn't disappoint either - sweet acoustic guitars set a nice tropical feel. I thoroughly enjoyed this single.


Step By Step * Battle
Korean * Pop

I loved Battle's first two singles, I was a bit surprised by how much their style had changed in their third. Step by Step is the title track of their third single. You've probably heard that KiHyun left the group. T_T Step By Step reminds me of Big Bang. Electronica-influenced and consistent, it's catchy and worth a listen, but I liked them better before.


Chun Young Jin * 1st album [ All In One ]
Korean * Pop/R&B/Dance
11. STOP
13. 행복 찾기
14.COUNTDOWN
15. WITH LOVE

This album released in August 2007, but I absolutely love it. Unfortunately, I don't think he's released anything since. His songs have a kind of retro quality, and he has a rich voice. I'll probably be uploading more songs from this album soon. STOP, COUNTDOWN and 행복 찾기 are on the more upbeat side. 행복 찾기 shows the higher range of Chun Young Jin's voice. STOP is catchy and fun. COUNTDOWN has a nice arrangement but doesn't show his voice as well. The heartfelt ballad WITH LOVE seems a bit out of place amongst all the dance tracks, but it's beautiful if a bit generic. Accompanied solely by a piano, his vocals really shine out.


통화 연결음/Ring Back Tone * SunnyHill
Korean * Pop

JangHyun, who was originally chosen to be a member of Battle, is the male vocalist of this group. This mid-tempo ballad is memorable for the vocals - their female vocalist has a sweet, flowing voice. There's actually two female vocalists, but I can't tell them apart. JangHyun's soft vocals compliment them beautifully. Accompanied by acoustic guitars and a steady bass, Ring Back Tone is definitely worth a listen.


LIFE - Kimaguren
Japanese * Rock

This song is simply beautiful. Driven by acoustic guitars and with Latin influences, I love the lyrics (translated lyrics) which are partially in English. I don't know how to describe this song, you kind of have to hear it. Highly recommended.


검은 하늘 (By 투지, Poet, LuK2) - Orifeeling
Korean * Hip-Hop

The arrangement, especially the piano, reminds me a little of Epik High's darker stuff. I'm not a huge hip-hop/rap fan, I only grabbed this because of LuK2. I thought it was decent, but not outstanding.

Labels: Battle, Chun Young Jin, Dragon Ash, JUNE, Kimaguren, Orifeeling, SunnyHill

Hello!

You may notice we have a new layout. :) And to make up for my long break in updates, I bring you another full rotation. Rotation 45's theme is Whatever happened to ...? and features artists that have been MIA in the music scene for a while. All artists that I'm rather fond of, because if I didn't like them, I probably wouldn't notice that they hadn't released anything in a long time.

- Haruhi


Korean | Pop

Crash (Crazy In Love)
고장난 가슴
Step By Step

Apparently these guys have paused activities because two of their members are doing military service, one has (temporarily?) returned to his studies abroad, etc. - although their agency is adamant they are not disbanding, it's hard to imagine when they'll be reunited as a group, although Jin Tae Hwa, their lead singer did release a solo single a while back (which I posted, if you're curious click the "Battle" tag at the bottom of this post and it should be in that group of posts). For those of you who aren't familiar with Battle, they were meant to be the "next Shinhwa" and their members were chosen by Shinhwa's original members. While it seems like that idea kind of flopped considering they released three sporadic singles and dispersed, I really hope these guys will reunite sometime soon. The time I started getting into k-pop happened to be around the time they released their first single, which was Crash (Crazy in Love). It's a confident pop song with rock routes, and something about its energy and catchiness just stuck with me. 고장난 가슴 is from their second single, and it's a gorgeous piano ballad. Vocally, they're all quite strong, and their voices are distinct but come together nicely. I love the sweetness and warmth of their vocals and their layered harmonies. Step By Step is their most recent single, and shows a change in style as it turns to the electronica trend. It's catchy and I enjoy listening to it, but I've always felt a little disappointed by this single. While I felt like their previous singles were unique and heartfelt, Step By Step seemed a little too cookie-cutter in comparison.


Korean | Rock

마지막 인사
Night Blue

My Aunt Mary, one of Korea's more well-known "rock" bands (while I do consider them rock, those who are familiar with Korean music will know that what's labelled as "k-rock" is usually soft/ballad-rock) has been around since 1999, and these two songs are from their Circle album, released in 2008, which is their last album to date. I don't know what's up with these guys. I've heard no news of them disbanding - which is good - but nothing about any future releases, either. 마지막 인사 is such a gorgeous song. It's melodic, genuine, and basically the perfect mid-tempo rock ballad. My favourite parts are the intro where the melody is introduced in a more isolated fashion than it's heard further in in the song, and the outro where a female singer (no idea who) sings the last verse accompanied by piano. Night Blue is a bit more melancholic in tone. It reminds me of a rainy day - not pouring, since it's fairly downtempo, but raining. Recommended.


Korean | Rock

Close

This duo released their first album in 2004, their second (which Close is off of) in 2007, and I haven't been able to find any information on them since. Which is a shame, because I love them. I would have uploaded more of their songs, but this was the only one that I had on this computer (the rest are on my external HD which I didn't really feel like digging out). And to make it even worse I think I've already uploaded this one before, too. Anyways - Close opens with this delicate synth melody, backed with soft guitar, that I've never been able to forget. It's a bit despairing in tone, but beautifully so. One of my favourite songs, and one that has remained a favourite throughout the years.


Korean | Pop/Ballad

그림자
거짓말도 자꾸 하면 늘어

Beige released an album in 2007, which 그림자 comes from, and a mini-album in 2009, which 거짓말도 자꾸 하면 늘어 was featured on. Yes, she's only been "inactive" for about an year, but it's more the long pause between her releases and the fact that it's hard to find much information on her, partially because her English name is a little hard to search. You may have noticed my bias towards male singers, but Beige's strong, rich voice is perfect for ballads. 그림자 is a great example of this - it's a pretty straightforward piano-and-string ballad, but Beige's powerful but not overpowering voice makes all the difference. I also love the light, feathered harmonies. 거짓말도 자꾸 하면 늘어 is backed only by piano for the first minute or so, allowing Beige's voice to really shine through. Some light percussion is incorporated after that, as well as touches of guitar. It gives the song a sense of dimension and direction. I love how clean and rich her voice is, especially in the chorus.


Japanese | Pop

SAMURAI
Ai Check It

Japanese idol duo Tackey & Tsubasa are signed to Johnny & Associates and debuted in 2002 although they have a long pre-debut history with Johnny's too. Their last single was released in 2008, and I haven't been able to find much information on their activities since then. SAMURAI is an energetic, rock-influenced track. I love the bright brass riffs, but its a bit repetitive. Ai Check It is also rock-influenced, but it's a bit grittier than SAMURAI although these guys are definitely still pop-driven. It's catchy and dynamic. The chorus always gets stuck in my head.


Korean | Ballad

얼굴
뒤돌아봐

Joo is signed to JYP, and is most famous for her song 남자 때문에 (Because of A Man). She debuted in 2008 and has released a few OST songs after her first mini-album, but has been pretty quiet other than that. Okay, so she was featured on the Cinderella's Story OST (with the song 뒤돌아봐 above) just this April, so she hasn't really "disappeared". But I really hope she hasn't been relegated to releasing single songs on OSTs here and there. 얼굴 is a gorgeous mid-tempo ballad, it really showcases her warm, clear voice. A very pretty song with a lovely melody. It's very cleanly executed but doesn't compromise expressiveness. 뒤돌아봐 is from the aforementioned Cinderella's Story OST, her most recent song. It's another ballad, and Joo sounds fantastic as usual. I love how clean and smooth her voice is.


Korean | Rock

바래

So this four-piece Korean band released one album in 2007 and promptly disappeared. Like I mentioned before with My Aunt Mary about k-rock bands not exactly being the heaviest rock bands around, well, Bay is another example of that, so if you're looking for something heavier, this might not be to your liking. 바래 is an understated rock ballad. At first listen it seemed a bit bland to me, but it's grown on me a lot. I love their vocalist, his voice really shines through the accompaniment and carries the melody well.

Labels: Battle, Bay, Beige, Joo, Mot, My Aunt Mary, Tackey and Tsubasa

You may have noticed we have a new contributer, Lena! =) I am hoping to have the rest of the number lottery up this weekend, I'm working on uploading right now. In the meantime, I have the solo single of Battle's lead singerJin Tae Hwa/Zin Tae Hwa, as well as DBSK duo JaeJoong & Yoochun's Shelter and popular YouTube artist Gabe Bondoc's Gentlemen Don't.



Jin Tae Hwa (진태화) - Fallen Angel (디지털싱)

Release Date: Oct. 6, 2009
Language: Korean
Genre: Pop
Bitrate: 320kbps

01. With U...
02. 타락천사 (feat. Jed)

I love Battle, and TaeHwa has always been my favourite member, so I was thrilled to hear that he was releasing a solo single (but just to clarify, he is not leaving the group). With U... is a smooth, warm R&B-influenced song. TaeHwa's creamy voice sounds fantastic against the soft piano-sprinkled backdrop. I love the delicate harmonies (especially from 2:03 - 2:06). Recommended! 타락천사 is slightly faster paced, with synths & dance influences. Although I'm quite sick of the whole electronica trend - and 타락천사 embodies it quite closely - it's a well-executed song, catchy and danceable.



02. Shelter - JaeJoong & YooChun (from 東方神起)
Japanese | Pop

The b-side to COLORS ～Melody and Harmony～, Shelter begins with an isolated piano, leading into a midtempo R&B ballad. It's warm and light, and I love YooChun's slightly deeper voice in combination with JaeJoong's sweeter, lighter tone. The chorus is backed by light synths and harmonies, which create an airy but rich atmosphere. A mature, carefully presented song.



Gentlemen Don't - Gabe Bondoc
English | Acoustic

I've heard lots of good things about Gabe Bondoc, who is based in California although he is of Filipino descent. This was the first song I heard from him, and I was simply blown away. It's one of his original songs, not a cover, and it's incredibly genuine and heartfelt. Gabe Bondoc's full-bodied voice is paired with a soft acoustic guitar, and the whole song has a very delicate, raw feel. I love the chorus and the lyrics throughout the song.

Labels: Battle, gabe bondoc, jin tae hwa, Tohoshinki

Rotation 13 is unthemed. Sorry it's a few days late. Since I uploaded a few complete singles and most of the releases are fairly mainstream and therefore easier to find album covers for, I posted the album covers as well. =) Enjoy, and please remember to comment.


JUNE * mini-album [ I.L.X ]
Japanese * Pop
01. I.L.X
02. SCREAM
03. The Light
04. Lift Me Up
05. GAME
06. beautiful days

JUNE has released two singles before this mini-album, he's Korean but sings in Japanese. He's been compared to Se7en, and I liked his first two singles. He seems to have changed his approach in I.L.X, which is heavier and not as "innocent" as his previous releases. I.L.X is a catchy, upbeat dance track with a good beat. But, I liked SCREAM more - some interesting guitar work and smooth, melting vocal work. It's a little darker in sound. The Light is very laid-back and more R&B influenced, though not outstanding. The light-hearted Lift Me Up is probably closer to the feel of his previous two singles. GAME is pretty good, mid-tempo and showing some impressive vocal work. beautiful days is one of the "cuter" songs on this mini-album, with faint disco influences. Overall, I really liked this mini-album. JUNE has a lot of potential, definitely try him out.


Dragon Ash * single [ Velvet Touch ]
Japanese * Latin rock
01. Velvet Touch
02. La Bamba

I love these guys. Velvet Touch features an awesome bass line and some nice guitar work. It's bright and summer-y. La Bamba doesn't disappoint either - sweet acoustic guitars set a nice tropical feel. I thoroughly enjoyed this single.


Step By Step * Battle
Korean * Pop

I loved Battle's first two singles, I was a bit surprised by how much their style had changed in their third. Step by Step is the title track of their third single. You've probably heard that KiHyun left the group. T_T Step By Step reminds me of Big Bang. Electronica-influenced and consistent, it's catchy and worth a listen, but I liked them better before.


Chun Young Jin * 1st album [ All In One ]
Korean * Pop/R&B/Dance
11. STOP
13. 행복 찾기
14.COUNTDOWN
15. WITH LOVE

This album released in August 2007, but I absolutely love it. Unfortunately, I don't think he's released anything since. His songs have a kind of retro quality, and he has a rich voice. I'll probably be uploading more songs from this album soon. STOP, COUNTDOWN and 행복 찾기 are on the more upbeat side. 행복 찾기 shows the higher range of Chun Young Jin's voice. STOP is catchy and fun. COUNTDOWN has a nice arrangement but doesn't show his voice as well. The heartfelt ballad WITH LOVE seems a bit out of place amongst all the dance tracks, but it's beautiful if a bit generic. Accompanied solely by a piano, his vocals really shine out.


통화 연결음/Ring Back Tone * SunnyHill
Korean * Pop

JangHyun, who was originally chosen to be a member of Battle, is the male vocalist of this group. This mid-tempo ballad is memorable for the vocals - their female vocalist has a sweet, flowing voice. There's actually two female vocalists, but I can't tell them apart. JangHyun's soft vocals compliment them beautifully. Accompanied by acoustic guitars and a steady bass, Ring Back Tone is definitely worth a listen.


LIFE - Kimaguren
Japanese * Rock

This song is simply beautiful. Driven by acoustic guitars and with Latin influences, I love the lyrics (translated lyrics) which are partially in English. I don't know how to describe this song, you kind of have to hear it. Highly recommended.


검은 하늘 (By 투지, Poet, LuK2) - Orifeeling
Korean * Hip-Hop

The arrangement, especially the piano, reminds me a little of Epik High's darker stuff. I'm not a huge hip-hop/rap fan, I only grabbed this because of LuK2. I thought it was decent, but not outstanding.

Labels: Battle, Chun Young Jin, Dragon Ash, JUNE, Kimaguren, Orifeeling, SunnyHill

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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