Five songs I've been listening to a lot this week. There will probably be a mixtape coming next week, I'm still working on it. Also, if anyone wants to suggest themes for mixtapes, feel free to leave me a comment. :)
- Haruhi
Illuminated - Hurts
English | Synth-Pop
I featured Hurts in my last mixtape with the song Blood, Tears & Gold which I've been repeating over and over recently, I love it. Another great song by this duo is Illuminated. It's airy, yet grounded by the percussion and guitar. I love the spot at around 1:30 where everything drops away but the quiet hum of a string instrument, and all of a sudden the chorus breaks into that near-silence like a crashing wave. I really don't know how to describe this song, but it's gorgeous. This duo is amazing, and their first (and so far, only) album Happiness has become one of my favourites.
Maximum - DBSK
Korean | Pop
I still have difficulty calling Changmin and Yunho "DBSK" without the other three members. It just doesn't seem right, and I hope that one day they'll be reunited ... and if they're not planning on that happening, they should just change their name like JYJ chose a new, different name. I've only skimmed through their album once, and the only track that stood out to me was Maximum. It has a great beat and reminds me of Rising Sun - it has the same intensity and energy and even uses some of the same vocal techniques. It's energetic and addictive.
영화도 안보니 (Feat. Chan Sung) - Joo
Korean | Pop/Ballad
I was really impressed by Joo's debut mini-album which was released about an year ago. I was beginning to think she was a one-hit wonder with her famous Because of a Man, the title track of that mini-album, because she basically disappeared except for doing a few OST songs here and there. She's recently returned with a second mini-album called Heartmade, which this song is taken from. While most of the songs on Heartmade are ballads that, despite showcasing Joo's powerful voice, are quite formulaic, 영화도 안보니 is a light, airy mid-tempo track. It's melodic and the lighter accompaniment really works with Joo's vocals, which are strong but not overbearing.
Fuck You - Eliza Doolittle
English | Acoustic
This is a cover of Cee-lo Green's song of the same name. I've had this song for a while but only started really listening to it more recently. I don't know anything about Eliza Doolittle, but she has a rich, unique voice that sounds great over the acoustic backdrop. I'm usually not a fan of covers, but this one is great.
OH YEAH - GD & TOP ft. Park Bom
Korean | Pop
Like most of Big Bang's songs, OH YEAH is catchy and heavily laced with electronica. It's a combination that usually works, but the thing that I dislike about their songs is that they tend to get old really fast. That's already happened with GD & TOP's HIGH HIGH for me, but OH YEAH has staying power in Park Bom's gorgeous vocals. I'm not a 2NE1 fan at all, but Park Bom has really grown on me. To be honest, I think her vocals aren't really put to use in 2NE1, so I love it when she releases solo material or, in this case, collabs with other artists. She sounds amazing, and it really adds colour and texture to the song.
Labels: Big Bang, Dong Bang Shin Ki, Eliza Doolittle, Hurts, Joo, Park Bom
