This is just a quick rotation of songs from at least two years ago that I missed/ignored the first time the album/single was released.

E.M.M.M – 이효리
Korean | Pop
It’s got an interesting rock edge to it that kind of reminded me of The Donnas’ New Kid in School. It’s got a great beat (although I wish the kick drum had a little more base in it) that’s catchy and Hyori’s voice goes well with the accompaniment.

Galaxy – Rip Slyme
Japanese | Hip Hop
It’s a relatively catchy song, upbeat and has a bit of a jazzy feel due to the guitar. It’s a bit of a quirky song (the video all the more so) that’s fun and there’s enough of a contrast between the members’ voices that they don’t blend so much that they sound like the same person rapping.

Fly – Epik High
Korean | Pop
A nice slightly faster than mid-tempo song, not overly memorable, but nice. I really do like their raps and how they contrast with the female singer’s vocals during the chorus.

Nobody Knows (Live Acoustic Edition) – Yuna Ito
Japanese| Pop
This is still one of my favorite songs of hers (I really like this version in comparison to the original. Her voice really shines through and compliments the band, which has more of a jazzy sound to it.

Wedding – Shinhwa
Korean | Pop
Yes, this is a super old (if you call 2002 old) song of theirs, but it was definitely one of my favorites. Parts of Eric’s English raps didn’t really make sense to me at the time (probably because I didn’t understand the words he was saying) but they were still good anyway. It’s a good upbeat song and reminds me of how good they were.

Labels: Epik High, Lee Hyori, Rip Slyme, Shinhwa, Yuna Ito

Another rotation, so soon? I've actually been working on this mixtape for a while and finally came up with a final tracklist, so I thought I should post it up before I forgot about it.

- Haruhi



Summary:
A selection of songs that are sometimes bitchy, sometimes fierce, and always strong and tough.

Tracklist:
♪ Supermassive Black Hole - Muse [♫]
♪ Sour Cherry - The Kills
♪ Giant Cat Woman - Pati Yang
♪ Ricochet! - Shiny Toy Guns
♪ Don't Trust Me - 3OH!3
♪ 벌 (Punishment) - Wheesung
♪ Scene Change - The White Tie Affair
♪ In For The Kill - La Roux
♪ Run Devil Run - Ke$ha
♪ Breakdown (Supreme Mix) - Epik High [♫]
♪ Another Way To Die - Alicia Keys & Jack White
♪ 沒有人是傻瓜 - 潘裕文 (Peter Pan)
♪ Fighter - Christina Aguilera
♪ Never Saw Me Coming - Faydee
♪ Passion - Se7en
♪ Backstabber - Ke$ha
♪ 天生反骨 - Energy
♪ Dimestore Diamond - The Gossip
♪ Something Bigger, Something Better - Amanda Blank
♪ Ghost Town - Shiny Toy Guns [♫]

Download:
[MF]
♫ = individual downloads

Note:
I rarely upload .zip files, especially ones I've compressed myself, so if there are any tracks missing, corrupted tracks, etc., let me know and I'll provide alternate links for those songs.

Creating and especially uploading this mixtape took a long time, so please comment if taking. A simple thanks will do, or, even better, tell me what you thought and what you think I can improve, or suggest some songs you would have added.

Labels: Alicia Keys, Amanda Blank, Christina Aguilera, Energy, Epik High, Faydee, Jack White, Kesha, La Roux, mixtape, Muse, Pati Yang, Peter Pan, Se7en, Shiny Toy Guns, The Gossip, The Kills, The White Tie Affair, Wheesung

I just wanted to let you guys know that I will not be rotating this week, instead I will be working on uploading songs that were picked for the number lottery which ends on Tuesday. There were quite a few songs picked & I'm trying to review each of them too, so it might take a while to get those up. Sorry in advance about the wait!

On another note, Alistere is having problems with her Internet which is why she didn't rotate last week. =) Also, you might have seen that we have a new contributer to the site, Cate! I am still accepting contributers to the site, so if you are interested in occasionally posting up music or reviews, feel free to contact me at tokyomonochrome@gmail.com for more information.

In the meantime, I've uploaded a couple songs for you guys that have recently been released. There's been quite a few recent releases that I've been excited about (eg. TaeGoon, Lee Seung Gi, Epik High) so I thought I'd share a few . =) Please comment or leave a rating if taking!



❖ 어떻게 니가 - ShinJae (신재)
Korean | Ballad
I wasn't too sure about him at first - seeing the cover image I was expecting upbeat, dance-style songs, but the genre said ballad. Overall, I'm glad I gave him a try - his voice is warm and rich, and has depth without being too husky. Arrangement-wise, it's a classic, uplifting strings-and-piano ballad that makes good use of dynamics, starting out softly and building up to a stronger chorus although it's slightly predictable. Not an exceptional song, but a promising one.

❖ 사랑병 - ShinJae (신재)
Korean | Ballad
사랑병 has stronger pop routes. I really love how the piano arrangement echoes the melody - it ties in with his voice very nicely, although I found it a bit overpowering in some places. A sweet, bright song - my only complaint is, as with the first track, that it was a bit bland. I think he has a lot of potential, but compositionally his songs are a bit lacklustre.



❖ 말해줘 - TaeGoon
Korean | Pop/Dance
TaeGoon is a fairly new artist, but so far I've been quite impressed with his releases. 말해줘 is from his third mini-album, and following in the style of his older releases, it's strongly electronica-influenced. It's very catchy and the rap portions remind me a bit of Big Bang (in fact, I've seen him compared to Big Bang quite a lot), but I think it'll take a few more listens to really grow on me. It just seems a bit flat and two-dimensional, I feel like it isn't as powerful as some of his previous releases.

❖ Finally - TaeGoon
Korean | Pop/Dance
A fast-paced and energetic song. At first I found the synths in this song way too overpowering, but they really suit the atmosphere of the song. The chorus is catchy and overall the song has the power that I felt was missing in 말해줘. This is also one of the few songs where I actually didn't mind/liked the use of autotune.



❖ 愛されたい (Aisaretai) - Hiromi
Japanese | R&B/Pop/Ballad
I first heard Hiromi in a song with Nao'ymt (called Recover), and I really loved her voice. It's smooth, clear, strong, and perfectly suited for R&B. Aisaretai is a pretty R&B ballad. Hiromi's seasoned vocals and powerful harmonies really add a lot of colour to the song. I love the repetitive keyboard melody in the background.



❖ 사랑이 맴돈다 - Lee Seung Gi
Korean | Ballad
I love his voice so much. <3 It's light, clear, and melodic. 사랑이 맴돈다 is a mid-tempo ballad. It seems like a blend of modern elements (as seen in percussion, synths) and the "classic" ballad with the occasional appearance of strings. I'll admit I'm probably more than a little biased towards him, but I really enjoyed this song.

❖ 사랑이란 - Lee Seung Gi (Sa Rang Ee Ran)
Korean | Ballad
Something a little brighter and more sugary from Seung Gi. 사랑이란 is cheery and poppy. Although I still prefer his ballads, it's definitely nice to see a few more upbeat songs in an album dominated by ballads. I really like the ending where he's just singing "La la la" to the melody.



❖ 선물 (ft. 박지윤/Park Ji Yoon) - Epik High
Korean | Hip-Hop
Epik High and Park Ji Yoon? Definitely an exciting collaboration. 선물 is simply lovely arrangement-wise. I love the light, rich piano and Latin-influenced bass/percussion. Ji Yoon's airy, feminine voice contrasts perfectly with the rapping.

Labels: Epik High, Hiromi, Lee Seung Gi, ShinJae, Tae Goon

Epik High Vol 6 - 魂:Map the Soul



Tracklist:
01 Believe
02 Cipher (feat. Beatbox DG)
03 Map the Soul (feat. MYK)
04 Customer Service (Skit)
05 Top Gun
06 Scenario (피해망상 Pt. 2) (feat. MYK)
07 London
08 Free Music (Tablo And MYK)
09 Map the Soul (Worldwide Version) (feat. Tablo, MYK & Kero One)
10 8 By 8, Pt. 2 (feat. MYK, Minos, Paloalto, The Quiett, Verbal Jint, Kebee, E-Sens & Simon Dominic)

SUPPORT EPIK HIGH & BUY THE ALBUM.
[ iTunes US ] [ Map the Soul ]

So here's my little promotional post for Epik High. It's actually a "book album" - the music portion is available on iTunes (worldwide), but the hard copy (book + CD) is only available at their website, which I have provided a link to.

Although I personally will not be uploading this album, I think it's a little hypocritical that a lot of people are upset that it's been uploaded at various other sites, especially LJ communities. I can see where they're coming from, since Epik High is no longer under a major label and they've been working really hard on this album. But if you're a member of these music sharing communities, then that means you very likely download music from other artists. Does this mean they don't work as hard, and don't deserve as much support? There are plenty of other indie/underground artists and I'm willing to bet some of the people angry that "Map the Soul" is up for download have downloaded albums from other independent artists. Fans of Epik High will buy the album regardless of whether or not they are able to download the album. Yes, if you can, you should buy this album and support Epik High. But it's hypocritical like you're so disappointed with the people who uploaded this album when you download other music from them all the time. -end rant-

Anyways, on another note, the next rotation will be up either later today or sometime tomorrow.

Labels: Epik High

Wait a minute, wasn’t this top 10’s? Since I decided to merge all the languages together, I also decided to extend the list to 20 songs. I made an original list to choose from, which had 35 songs (which itself started out at 29 and kept growing as I thought of more songs that deserved to be added, haha), and I simply couldn’t pick just ten. Well, more songs for you guys, right? Since it was pointed out to me that my top 10 ballads rotation was all-male, I’ve done my best to encorporate some female artists as well - although, admittedly, it is still male-dominated - I’m picky about female artists, okay?

Also, the runners-up for this rotation will be posted at a later time. It's been too long since I did such a big rotation.

This rotation really took a long time to prepare, so please comment or at least leave a rating! Thanks to all those who do.

#20. Paparazzi - AJOO ft. Younha & C-LUV
A catchy, extremely danceable song by AJOO. I have to admit, I really like AJOO except for his latest song. Although his image keeps changing, from sweet, innocent boy to a more mature, sexy look, then to his latest eyeliner-obsessed image which, as you can tell, I’m not a big fan of. Anyways. Paparazzi is a fun, poppy listen. It’s not particularly innovative or original, but it’s a good song.

#19. 痴妹與王兩 - Xiao Yu
Gritty, tough, and aggressive. Xiao Yu’s voice is dripping with an easy, slick confidence. It does get repetitive and a little generic, but it makes for a nice occasional listen.

#18. D.D.D. - Koda Kumi ft. SOULHEAD
I’m not really a fan of any of the big female j-pop stars - Ayumi Hamasaki, Koda Kumi, Amuro Namie, Utada Hikaru, etc. but out of them, Koda Kumi is probably my favourite. D.D.D. is energetic, confident, and fun.

#17. Scream - JUNE
An upbeat club number, Scream just begs for another listen. Addictive, catchy, and complete with smooth, slick melodies that JUNE brings to their best. It almost has a bit of a disco feel to it at times, yet is undoubtedly modern.

#16. 넌 나의 노래 (You're My Song) - Dong Bang Shin Ki
Wrong Number originally held this position, because I guess you could kind of consider this song a ballad, but I just love this song too much. This is definitely, by far, my most listened to track off of MIROTIC. I was expecting one of their more upbeat songs (eg. Mirotic, Wrong Number) would be the most memorable, but it ended up being You’re My Song - an absolutely gorgeous slow pop track. The melody is beautiful by itself, but the boy’s vocals and harmonizing really bring it to another level - at times vulnerable and at others strong and hopeful. I love the piano accompaniment too.

#15. In My Bed - Rain
Being one of the first k-pop artists I listened to, Rain had to show up somewhere on this rotation. Anyways I’m not sure what he’s up to now, but I think he really needs to return to music. His latest album Rainism didn’t really leave much of an impact on me. This song is from his fourth album, Rain’s World - a smooth, slightly downtempo, R&B influenced number. His unique voice is perfectly accented against the relatively minimal but steady arrangement. A memorable song that has a lot of replay value.

#14. 통화 연결음 (Ring Back Tone) - Sunnyhill
I never get sick of this song. This group is made up of 3 vocalists - two female, one male. Their male vocalist was supposed to be a member of Battle. I absolutely love their female vocalists. Both have airy, light voices that sound absolutely wonderful. A peaceful, calm, sweet song.

#13. Letter - BRIGHT ft. K
I’m not a fan of girl groups as a general rule, but I absolutely love BRIGHT. Just the opening lines, in absolutely stunning harmony, should tell you that these girls are something different. A light, breezy, relaxing song. K’s sweet voice fits in perfectly with BRIGHT’s vocalists. Like I mentioned, the harmonizing in this song is just beautiful.

#12. Funky N Roll Tonight - A’ST1
There had to be one cheesy, boyband, bubble-gum pop song on this rotation. Complete with a nonsense English title, A’ST1 delivers a sugary, fun track. Bright, upbeat horns, paired with feel-good guitar chords that are then taken over by a keyboard. Twangy, thick bass, sweet poppy vocals, easy-to-follow melodies. Nothing particularly original, but well-executed.

#11. Get Chu! - AAA
A summer-y, upbeat song. Cute, playful, and light-hearted. It’s a feel-good song, plain and simple.

#10. Always Online - JJ Lin
I just bought the album this was from, Sixology. <3 A really good song to wind down to - it’s relaxing but not too slow, with faint R&B influences in the beat and bass. JJ Lin’s voice is smooth and melodic.

#9. truth - Arashi
A dramatic, memorable song with a pushing string accompaniment competing with the rich piano arrangement. I really think this is one of Arashi’s best songs. It has a bit of a darker feel than most of their material but is uptempo and energetic, and at times hopeful. Complete with a gritty electric guitar solo about halfway through, truth definitely shows another dimension of Arashi.

#8. One - Epik High ft. JiSun
An electronica-infused song that is just beautiful. Ji Sun’s light, airy vocals fit the slightly haunting air of the song perfectly. Although this song is a lot more mainstream from Epik High’s older releases, I still liked it. It has a dark edge to it, but at the same time is hopeful and energetic.

#7. 거짓말 (Lies) - Big Bang
I loved this song when it first came out. I think I listened to it so much that I got kind of sick of it, and it’s been a while since I revisited it. IMO, this song really defined their electronica-infused style. The sweet piano melody, although repetitive, lends colour and contrast to the verses, really bringing the song to another level. The chorus is wonderful.

#6. 어쩌다 (How) - Brown Eyed Girls
I really hate how every song from every artist of whatever this company is starts off with this weird robotic voice saying “play this sound” or “brand new sound” or something like that. Anyways. Brown Eyed Girls is one of the few female artists to make this rotation, and pretty far up on the rankings too! How is infectiously catchy and fairly quick in tempo, but the vocal work maintains its depth and emotion. the girl’s voices are sweet but not annoyingly so. Although there is some faint synthesizing, especially in the harmonies, it’s not overdone. The rap verses give a playful, light touch to the song.

#5. 星空下的吻 - JJ Lin
Kicking off energetically with a heavy beat and quick verses, the song then transitions beautifully into an airy, melodic chorus where JJ Lin’s voice simply soars over the arrangement. I love the contrast between the two moods - the angst of the supporting verses, and the beauty of the chorus.

#4. Bump - Lee Min Woo
A straightforward uptempo track, active and aggressive. Min Woo’s latest solo album disappointed me because it lacked the fire of his older songs - such as Bump, from his 2nd solo album. It cools down for one verse, with melting melodies and smooth vocal work, but other than that, never loses its energy and intensity. Min Woo’s strong, slightly rough voice is a perfect fit for this song.

#3. Passion - Se7en
Ah I remember being so obsessed with this song. This song really got me into Se7en. His voice is rough and powerful, bordering on a bold aggressiveness. Slick, sensual melodies paired with harsh accenting gives the song a sharp edge. The beat and arrangement definitely takes its influences from American music, but it’s so catchy and driven. Definitely a song you could dance to.

#2. Hero - Shinhwa
What I liked about this song was that, on top of being catchy and lively, it also had emotional value. The beat is fairly straightforward, but infectious nonetheless. Random bit of trivia: at ~2:42 in the track, you can hear someone cough. This song, released in 2002, was one of the first Korean songs that I listened to (and when I listened to it, a few years had already passed since its release). It’s been a while since I listened to it, but it really doesn’t get old.

#1. Okay, so this is where it gets kind of weird. There are two #1 songs.

简单爱 - Jay Chou
Wait a minute, I don't even like Jay Chou. Why are two of his songs tied at first place? Well, as much as I’m not feeling Jay Chou’s latest albums, I really like some of his older work. This is an example of it - innocent, sweet, and genuine. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been listening to these songs for so long that I love them.

髮如雪 - Jay Chou
I love this song. Jay Chou’s voice is just perfect in it, smooth and light - there’s some classical Chinese influences in the arrangement, but they’re not overbearing. I seriously always have some verse or some melody from this song resurface in my head, even if I haven’t listened to it in a long time. Okay, admittedly, the part where it sounds like he’s gargling near the end of the song (around 4:30) is just ... weird. But still.

Labels: A'ST1, Ajoo, Arashi, Big Bang, BRIGHT, Brown Eyed Girls, Dong Bang Shin Ki, Epik High, Jay Chou, JJ Lin, JUNE, Koda Kumi, Lee Min Woo, Rain, Se7en, Shinhwa, SunnyHill, Xiao Yu

Rotation 11 is slightly smaller than my previous two rotations, but I'm spending a little more time on comments. I was intending to find some images of the artists/albums too, but I decided not to this time.

The theme this week is remixes (this also includes different versions of songs), as well as a couple other songs I wanted to upload. I haven't uploaded the originals for most songs, but if you want, I can probably find them. Just leave me an e-mail or a comment somewhere, and I'll be happy to put it up for you. =)

Enjoy.

-Haruhi

REMIXES.

La La La (DG YG Remix) - Se7en
genre: Pop/Electronica
language: Korean
rating:
comments: I'm usually not a fan of electronica-type remixes of slow songs since I usually find that it takes away from their overall sound, but I have to say that Iike this mix. It's well done and puts a lot of emphasis on the bass, without losing the original essence of it. I actually really like the little eletronic-riff bridge. Probably one of the better remixes I've seen.

Yes Forever (Piano Version) - MISIA
genre: R&B/Ballad
language: Japanese
rating:
comments: I uploaded the original of this song in my last update (not the last rotation, but the update in between). This is the piano version of it, which is just as good. She has a wonderful voice, but I do have to admit that this song can get boring after a while. If you like ballads, definitely try her out.

Ashita wa kuru kara - Tohoshinki
Ashita wa kuru kara (A capella version) - Tohoshinki
genre: Pop/Ballad
language: Japanese
rating:
comments: Probably one of my favourite Tohoshinki ballads. I always like their a capella versions, too. It has a sweet but simple piano accompaniment, the same could be said for the melody. The chorus always gets stuck in my head. Their voices are soft but not lacking strength. The a capella version is good, but the piano accompaniment is just a little too loud, in my opinion. But their voices stand out a lot more in the chorus. The harmonizing is well done, their voices blend together nicely. I think I actually like Jae Joong's voice best in these two songs.

Together (Night Falls Mix) - Monkey Majik
genre: Pop
language: Japanese
rating:
comments: I uploaded this single a while ago, but without this remix. It's got a kind of bossa-nova/trance feel to it. It's not as good as the original and although it's well executed, it just doesn't suit the style of the song very well. But if you're fan of Monkey Majik, it's worth a listen.

Hit (Remix) - Cho Shin Sung
genre: Pop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: I'm usually not a huge boyband fan, but I like these guys. The beginning of this remix is kind of annoying with the guy saying "Run it" over and over, but it's a nice, upbeat track with some pretty dang nice bass beats. Their vocals are good and the first verse of this song reminds me a LOT of Super Junior. I actually thought this was a cover of one of their songs, since they have a song called "Hit" too, but ... it's not. I love the parts where you can hear the glass breaking. Try them out, they're not bad.

너는 어디에 (Remix) - Cho Shin Sung
genre: Pop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: Another upbeat Cho Shin Sung song, this song features smooth vocals and a surprisingly melodic chorus. While "Hit" reminded me of Super Junior, this song reminds me of Shinhwa, especially some of their older songs. The transition between the more aggressive verses and then the gentler chorus is well done.

Love mode feat. PE'Z and VERBAL (m-flo) (pzq mode) - Clazziquai
genre: Jazz
language: English
rating:
comments: Clazziquai, PE'Z, AND m-flo - just looking at the artists made me pretty sure this was going to be a good remix, and I wasn't disappointed. I love the drums. And of course, PE'Z is amazing, adding a lovely touch of jazz to this song. The vocals are very relaxing and the lyrics are all in English. It does get kind of repetitive, but I'm recommending this because PE'Z is just awesome.

Breakdown (Supreme Mix) - Epik High
genre: Hip-Hop
language: Korean/English
rating:
comments: Another one of my favourites from Epik High's fifth album, this mix of Breakdown features mostly English lyrics, though some of the rap verses are in Korean. While the accompaniment is pretty repetitive, this song never really gets boring to me. It's very upbeat. Recommended.

One (Planet Shiver Remix) - Epik High
genre: Hip-Hop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: I loved Epik High's One, but I didn't really like the remix as much. It doesn't keep many of the original elements of the song ... there's not even vocals for most of it, or they're not lyrics from the original song. However, it does go into the chorus of One, kind of - it's recognizable, at least. When "You are the one" is sung it's just beautiful, though. Everything kind of stops before it, and you're just waiting for it. Worth a listen.

Color Your Soul (Pinch Remix) - Clazziquai
genre: Eletronica
language: Korean
rating:
comments: Starts out with some nice piano chords, then leads into the first verse. It's very unique to Clazziquai's style, and I absolutely love it. Very relaxing.

Fly Remix (Hidden Track) - Epik High
genre: Hip-Hop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: Loving the drums. It's been a while since I listened to this song, this remix is pretty good ... it doesn't actually sound that much different except for the drums, which make it sound even more upbeat.

거짓말 (Lies) (Remix) - Big Bang
genre: Hip-Hop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: This is a slower remix of Lies, with a very simple but lovely piano melody starting it off. It's got more of an acoustic sound than the original mix, and showcases their voices wonderfully. I think it's a live rip, but it's a very good one. The beat does pick up after and it kind of slowly transitions into the original version of the song. Recommended.

MY PICKS.

Call Me (Appelez Moi) - Blaise Plant
genre: Pop
language: English & French
rating:
comments: I'm in love with this song. In case you didn't know, this is Blaise Plant of Monkey Majik. The lyrics are very sweet and sad at the same time.

Love is all that stands between us

The arrangement just blows me away. Love the drums & piano. Really I love just about everything about this song. Highly, highly recommended.

With U - Big Bang
genre: Hip-Hop/Pop
language: English
rating:
comments: Their English is getting pretty good. For the most part, it's understandable in this song. With U has got some pretty infectious beats, though it is pretty generic. The first time I listened to it I didn't really think it was that good, but it's starting to grow on me. This is from their upcoming mini-album in Japan.

マイネイチャー - 超飛行少年 (Super Flying Boy)
genre: Alt-rock
language: Japanese
rating:
comments: I thought this was ONE OK ROCK the first time I heard this song. The intro reminds me of Et cetera. Yeah, their style is pretty similar to ONE OK ROCK's. They're pretty good, try them out.

Labels: Big Bang, Blaise Plant, Cho Shin Sung, Clazziquai, Epik High, m-flo, MISIA, Monkey Majik, PE'Z, Se7en, Super Flying Boy, Tohoshinki

This is just a quick rotation of songs from at least two years ago that I missed/ignored the first time the album/single was released.

E.M.M.M – 이효리
Korean | Pop
It’s got an interesting rock edge to it that kind of reminded me of The Donnas’ New Kid in School. It’s got a great beat (although I wish the kick drum had a little more base in it) that’s catchy and Hyori’s voice goes well with the accompaniment.

Galaxy – Rip Slyme
Japanese | Hip Hop
It’s a relatively catchy song, upbeat and has a bit of a jazzy feel due to the guitar. It’s a bit of a quirky song (the video all the more so) that’s fun and there’s enough of a contrast between the members’ voices that they don’t blend so much that they sound like the same person rapping.

Fly – Epik High
Korean | Pop
A nice slightly faster than mid-tempo song, not overly memorable, but nice. I really do like their raps and how they contrast with the female singer’s vocals during the chorus.

Nobody Knows (Live Acoustic Edition) – Yuna Ito
Japanese| Pop
This is still one of my favorite songs of hers (I really like this version in comparison to the original. Her voice really shines through and compliments the band, which has more of a jazzy sound to it.

Wedding – Shinhwa
Korean | Pop
Yes, this is a super old (if you call 2002 old) song of theirs, but it was definitely one of my favorites. Parts of Eric’s English raps didn’t really make sense to me at the time (probably because I didn’t understand the words he was saying) but they were still good anyway. It’s a good upbeat song and reminds me of how good they were.

Labels: Epik High, Lee Hyori, Rip Slyme, Shinhwa, Yuna Ito

Another rotation, so soon? I've actually been working on this mixtape for a while and finally came up with a final tracklist, so I thought I should post it up before I forgot about it.

- Haruhi



Summary:
A selection of songs that are sometimes bitchy, sometimes fierce, and always strong and tough.

Tracklist:
♪ Supermassive Black Hole - Muse [♫]
♪ Sour Cherry - The Kills
♪ Giant Cat Woman - Pati Yang
♪ Ricochet! - Shiny Toy Guns
♪ Don't Trust Me - 3OH!3
♪ 벌 (Punishment) - Wheesung
♪ Scene Change - The White Tie Affair
♪ In For The Kill - La Roux
♪ Run Devil Run - Ke$ha
♪ Breakdown (Supreme Mix) - Epik High [♫]
♪ Another Way To Die - Alicia Keys & Jack White
♪ 沒有人是傻瓜 - 潘裕文 (Peter Pan)
♪ Fighter - Christina Aguilera
♪ Never Saw Me Coming - Faydee
♪ Passion - Se7en
♪ Backstabber - Ke$ha
♪ 天生反骨 - Energy
♪ Dimestore Diamond - The Gossip
♪ Something Bigger, Something Better - Amanda Blank
♪ Ghost Town - Shiny Toy Guns [♫]

Download:
[MF]
♫ = individual downloads

Note:
I rarely upload .zip files, especially ones I've compressed myself, so if there are any tracks missing, corrupted tracks, etc., let me know and I'll provide alternate links for those songs.

Creating and especially uploading this mixtape took a long time, so please comment if taking. A simple thanks will do, or, even better, tell me what you thought and what you think I can improve, or suggest some songs you would have added.

Labels: Alicia Keys, Amanda Blank, Christina Aguilera, Energy, Epik High, Faydee, Jack White, Kesha, La Roux, mixtape, Muse, Pati Yang, Peter Pan, Se7en, Shiny Toy Guns, The Gossip, The Kills, The White Tie Affair, Wheesung

I just wanted to let you guys know that I will not be rotating this week, instead I will be working on uploading songs that were picked for the number lottery which ends on Tuesday. There were quite a few songs picked & I'm trying to review each of them too, so it might take a while to get those up. Sorry in advance about the wait!

On another note, Alistere is having problems with her Internet which is why she didn't rotate last week. =) Also, you might have seen that we have a new contributer to the site, Cate! I am still accepting contributers to the site, so if you are interested in occasionally posting up music or reviews, feel free to contact me at tokyomonochrome@gmail.com for more information.

In the meantime, I've uploaded a couple songs for you guys that have recently been released. There's been quite a few recent releases that I've been excited about (eg. TaeGoon, Lee Seung Gi, Epik High) so I thought I'd share a few . =) Please comment or leave a rating if taking!



❖ 어떻게 니가 - ShinJae (신재)
Korean | Ballad
I wasn't too sure about him at first - seeing the cover image I was expecting upbeat, dance-style songs, but the genre said ballad. Overall, I'm glad I gave him a try - his voice is warm and rich, and has depth without being too husky. Arrangement-wise, it's a classic, uplifting strings-and-piano ballad that makes good use of dynamics, starting out softly and building up to a stronger chorus although it's slightly predictable. Not an exceptional song, but a promising one.

❖ 사랑병 - ShinJae (신재)
Korean | Ballad
사랑병 has stronger pop routes. I really love how the piano arrangement echoes the melody - it ties in with his voice very nicely, although I found it a bit overpowering in some places. A sweet, bright song - my only complaint is, as with the first track, that it was a bit bland. I think he has a lot of potential, but compositionally his songs are a bit lacklustre.



❖ 말해줘 - TaeGoon
Korean | Pop/Dance
TaeGoon is a fairly new artist, but so far I've been quite impressed with his releases. 말해줘 is from his third mini-album, and following in the style of his older releases, it's strongly electronica-influenced. It's very catchy and the rap portions remind me a bit of Big Bang (in fact, I've seen him compared to Big Bang quite a lot), but I think it'll take a few more listens to really grow on me. It just seems a bit flat and two-dimensional, I feel like it isn't as powerful as some of his previous releases.

❖ Finally - TaeGoon
Korean | Pop/Dance
A fast-paced and energetic song. At first I found the synths in this song way too overpowering, but they really suit the atmosphere of the song. The chorus is catchy and overall the song has the power that I felt was missing in 말해줘. This is also one of the few songs where I actually didn't mind/liked the use of autotune.



❖ 愛されたい (Aisaretai) - Hiromi
Japanese | R&B/Pop/Ballad
I first heard Hiromi in a song with Nao'ymt (called Recover), and I really loved her voice. It's smooth, clear, strong, and perfectly suited for R&B. Aisaretai is a pretty R&B ballad. Hiromi's seasoned vocals and powerful harmonies really add a lot of colour to the song. I love the repetitive keyboard melody in the background.



❖ 사랑이 맴돈다 - Lee Seung Gi
Korean | Ballad
I love his voice so much. <3 It's light, clear, and melodic. 사랑이 맴돈다 is a mid-tempo ballad. It seems like a blend of modern elements (as seen in percussion, synths) and the "classic" ballad with the occasional appearance of strings. I'll admit I'm probably more than a little biased towards him, but I really enjoyed this song.

❖ 사랑이란 - Lee Seung Gi (Sa Rang Ee Ran)
Korean | Ballad
Something a little brighter and more sugary from Seung Gi. 사랑이란 is cheery and poppy. Although I still prefer his ballads, it's definitely nice to see a few more upbeat songs in an album dominated by ballads. I really like the ending where he's just singing "La la la" to the melody.



❖ 선물 (ft. 박지윤/Park Ji Yoon) - Epik High
Korean | Hip-Hop
Epik High and Park Ji Yoon? Definitely an exciting collaboration. 선물 is simply lovely arrangement-wise. I love the light, rich piano and Latin-influenced bass/percussion. Ji Yoon's airy, feminine voice contrasts perfectly with the rapping.

Labels: Epik High, Hiromi, Lee Seung Gi, ShinJae, Tae Goon

Epik High Vol 6 - 魂:Map the Soul



Tracklist:
01 Believe
02 Cipher (feat. Beatbox DG)
03 Map the Soul (feat. MYK)
04 Customer Service (Skit)
05 Top Gun
06 Scenario (피해망상 Pt. 2) (feat. MYK)
07 London
08 Free Music (Tablo And MYK)
09 Map the Soul (Worldwide Version) (feat. Tablo, MYK & Kero One)
10 8 By 8, Pt. 2 (feat. MYK, Minos, Paloalto, The Quiett, Verbal Jint, Kebee, E-Sens & Simon Dominic)

SUPPORT EPIK HIGH & BUY THE ALBUM.
[ iTunes US ] [ Map the Soul ]

So here's my little promotional post for Epik High. It's actually a "book album" - the music portion is available on iTunes (worldwide), but the hard copy (book + CD) is only available at their website, which I have provided a link to.

Although I personally will not be uploading this album, I think it's a little hypocritical that a lot of people are upset that it's been uploaded at various other sites, especially LJ communities. I can see where they're coming from, since Epik High is no longer under a major label and they've been working really hard on this album. But if you're a member of these music sharing communities, then that means you very likely download music from other artists. Does this mean they don't work as hard, and don't deserve as much support? There are plenty of other indie/underground artists and I'm willing to bet some of the people angry that "Map the Soul" is up for download have downloaded albums from other independent artists. Fans of Epik High will buy the album regardless of whether or not they are able to download the album. Yes, if you can, you should buy this album and support Epik High. But it's hypocritical like you're so disappointed with the people who uploaded this album when you download other music from them all the time. -end rant-

Anyways, on another note, the next rotation will be up either later today or sometime tomorrow.

Labels: Epik High

Wait a minute, wasn’t this top 10’s? Since I decided to merge all the languages together, I also decided to extend the list to 20 songs. I made an original list to choose from, which had 35 songs (which itself started out at 29 and kept growing as I thought of more songs that deserved to be added, haha), and I simply couldn’t pick just ten. Well, more songs for you guys, right? Since it was pointed out to me that my top 10 ballads rotation was all-male, I’ve done my best to encorporate some female artists as well - although, admittedly, it is still male-dominated - I’m picky about female artists, okay?

Also, the runners-up for this rotation will be posted at a later time. It's been too long since I did such a big rotation.

This rotation really took a long time to prepare, so please comment or at least leave a rating! Thanks to all those who do.

#20. Paparazzi - AJOO ft. Younha & C-LUV
A catchy, extremely danceable song by AJOO. I have to admit, I really like AJOO except for his latest song. Although his image keeps changing, from sweet, innocent boy to a more mature, sexy look, then to his latest eyeliner-obsessed image which, as you can tell, I’m not a big fan of. Anyways. Paparazzi is a fun, poppy listen. It’s not particularly innovative or original, but it’s a good song.

#19. 痴妹與王兩 - Xiao Yu
Gritty, tough, and aggressive. Xiao Yu’s voice is dripping with an easy, slick confidence. It does get repetitive and a little generic, but it makes for a nice occasional listen.

#18. D.D.D. - Koda Kumi ft. SOULHEAD
I’m not really a fan of any of the big female j-pop stars - Ayumi Hamasaki, Koda Kumi, Amuro Namie, Utada Hikaru, etc. but out of them, Koda Kumi is probably my favourite. D.D.D. is energetic, confident, and fun.

#17. Scream - JUNE
An upbeat club number, Scream just begs for another listen. Addictive, catchy, and complete with smooth, slick melodies that JUNE brings to their best. It almost has a bit of a disco feel to it at times, yet is undoubtedly modern.

#16. 넌 나의 노래 (You're My Song) - Dong Bang Shin Ki
Wrong Number originally held this position, because I guess you could kind of consider this song a ballad, but I just love this song too much. This is definitely, by far, my most listened to track off of MIROTIC. I was expecting one of their more upbeat songs (eg. Mirotic, Wrong Number) would be the most memorable, but it ended up being You’re My Song - an absolutely gorgeous slow pop track. The melody is beautiful by itself, but the boy’s vocals and harmonizing really bring it to another level - at times vulnerable and at others strong and hopeful. I love the piano accompaniment too.

#15. In My Bed - Rain
Being one of the first k-pop artists I listened to, Rain had to show up somewhere on this rotation. Anyways I’m not sure what he’s up to now, but I think he really needs to return to music. His latest album Rainism didn’t really leave much of an impact on me. This song is from his fourth album, Rain’s World - a smooth, slightly downtempo, R&B influenced number. His unique voice is perfectly accented against the relatively minimal but steady arrangement. A memorable song that has a lot of replay value.

#14. 통화 연결음 (Ring Back Tone) - Sunnyhill
I never get sick of this song. This group is made up of 3 vocalists - two female, one male. Their male vocalist was supposed to be a member of Battle. I absolutely love their female vocalists. Both have airy, light voices that sound absolutely wonderful. A peaceful, calm, sweet song.

#13. Letter - BRIGHT ft. K
I’m not a fan of girl groups as a general rule, but I absolutely love BRIGHT. Just the opening lines, in absolutely stunning harmony, should tell you that these girls are something different. A light, breezy, relaxing song. K’s sweet voice fits in perfectly with BRIGHT’s vocalists. Like I mentioned, the harmonizing in this song is just beautiful.

#12. Funky N Roll Tonight - A’ST1
There had to be one cheesy, boyband, bubble-gum pop song on this rotation. Complete with a nonsense English title, A’ST1 delivers a sugary, fun track. Bright, upbeat horns, paired with feel-good guitar chords that are then taken over by a keyboard. Twangy, thick bass, sweet poppy vocals, easy-to-follow melodies. Nothing particularly original, but well-executed.

#11. Get Chu! - AAA
A summer-y, upbeat song. Cute, playful, and light-hearted. It’s a feel-good song, plain and simple.

#10. Always Online - JJ Lin
I just bought the album this was from, Sixology. <3 A really good song to wind down to - it’s relaxing but not too slow, with faint R&B influences in the beat and bass. JJ Lin’s voice is smooth and melodic.

#9. truth - Arashi
A dramatic, memorable song with a pushing string accompaniment competing with the rich piano arrangement. I really think this is one of Arashi’s best songs. It has a bit of a darker feel than most of their material but is uptempo and energetic, and at times hopeful. Complete with a gritty electric guitar solo about halfway through, truth definitely shows another dimension of Arashi.

#8. One - Epik High ft. JiSun
An electronica-infused song that is just beautiful. Ji Sun’s light, airy vocals fit the slightly haunting air of the song perfectly. Although this song is a lot more mainstream from Epik High’s older releases, I still liked it. It has a dark edge to it, but at the same time is hopeful and energetic.

#7. 거짓말 (Lies) - Big Bang
I loved this song when it first came out. I think I listened to it so much that I got kind of sick of it, and it’s been a while since I revisited it. IMO, this song really defined their electronica-infused style. The sweet piano melody, although repetitive, lends colour and contrast to the verses, really bringing the song to another level. The chorus is wonderful.

#6. 어쩌다 (How) - Brown Eyed Girls
I really hate how every song from every artist of whatever this company is starts off with this weird robotic voice saying “play this sound” or “brand new sound” or something like that. Anyways. Brown Eyed Girls is one of the few female artists to make this rotation, and pretty far up on the rankings too! How is infectiously catchy and fairly quick in tempo, but the vocal work maintains its depth and emotion. the girl’s voices are sweet but not annoyingly so. Although there is some faint synthesizing, especially in the harmonies, it’s not overdone. The rap verses give a playful, light touch to the song.

#5. 星空下的吻 - JJ Lin
Kicking off energetically with a heavy beat and quick verses, the song then transitions beautifully into an airy, melodic chorus where JJ Lin’s voice simply soars over the arrangement. I love the contrast between the two moods - the angst of the supporting verses, and the beauty of the chorus.

#4. Bump - Lee Min Woo
A straightforward uptempo track, active and aggressive. Min Woo’s latest solo album disappointed me because it lacked the fire of his older songs - such as Bump, from his 2nd solo album. It cools down for one verse, with melting melodies and smooth vocal work, but other than that, never loses its energy and intensity. Min Woo’s strong, slightly rough voice is a perfect fit for this song.

#3. Passion - Se7en
Ah I remember being so obsessed with this song. This song really got me into Se7en. His voice is rough and powerful, bordering on a bold aggressiveness. Slick, sensual melodies paired with harsh accenting gives the song a sharp edge. The beat and arrangement definitely takes its influences from American music, but it’s so catchy and driven. Definitely a song you could dance to.

#2. Hero - Shinhwa
What I liked about this song was that, on top of being catchy and lively, it also had emotional value. The beat is fairly straightforward, but infectious nonetheless. Random bit of trivia: at ~2:42 in the track, you can hear someone cough. This song, released in 2002, was one of the first Korean songs that I listened to (and when I listened to it, a few years had already passed since its release). It’s been a while since I listened to it, but it really doesn’t get old.

#1. Okay, so this is where it gets kind of weird. There are two #1 songs.

简单爱 - Jay Chou
Wait a minute, I don't even like Jay Chou. Why are two of his songs tied at first place? Well, as much as I’m not feeling Jay Chou’s latest albums, I really like some of his older work. This is an example of it - innocent, sweet, and genuine. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been listening to these songs for so long that I love them.

髮如雪 - Jay Chou
I love this song. Jay Chou’s voice is just perfect in it, smooth and light - there’s some classical Chinese influences in the arrangement, but they’re not overbearing. I seriously always have some verse or some melody from this song resurface in my head, even if I haven’t listened to it in a long time. Okay, admittedly, the part where it sounds like he’s gargling near the end of the song (around 4:30) is just ... weird. But still.

Labels: A'ST1, Ajoo, Arashi, Big Bang, BRIGHT, Brown Eyed Girls, Dong Bang Shin Ki, Epik High, Jay Chou, JJ Lin, JUNE, Koda Kumi, Lee Min Woo, Rain, Se7en, Shinhwa, SunnyHill, Xiao Yu

Rotation 11 is slightly smaller than my previous two rotations, but I'm spending a little more time on comments. I was intending to find some images of the artists/albums too, but I decided not to this time.

The theme this week is remixes (this also includes different versions of songs), as well as a couple other songs I wanted to upload. I haven't uploaded the originals for most songs, but if you want, I can probably find them. Just leave me an e-mail or a comment somewhere, and I'll be happy to put it up for you. =)

Enjoy.

-Haruhi

REMIXES.

La La La (DG YG Remix) - Se7en
genre: Pop/Electronica
language: Korean
rating:
comments: I'm usually not a fan of electronica-type remixes of slow songs since I usually find that it takes away from their overall sound, but I have to say that Iike this mix. It's well done and puts a lot of emphasis on the bass, without losing the original essence of it. I actually really like the little eletronic-riff bridge. Probably one of the better remixes I've seen.

Yes Forever (Piano Version) - MISIA
genre: R&B/Ballad
language: Japanese
rating:
comments: I uploaded the original of this song in my last update (not the last rotation, but the update in between). This is the piano version of it, which is just as good. She has a wonderful voice, but I do have to admit that this song can get boring after a while. If you like ballads, definitely try her out.

Ashita wa kuru kara - Tohoshinki
Ashita wa kuru kara (A capella version) - Tohoshinki
genre: Pop/Ballad
language: Japanese
rating:
comments: Probably one of my favourite Tohoshinki ballads. I always like their a capella versions, too. It has a sweet but simple piano accompaniment, the same could be said for the melody. The chorus always gets stuck in my head. Their voices are soft but not lacking strength. The a capella version is good, but the piano accompaniment is just a little too loud, in my opinion. But their voices stand out a lot more in the chorus. The harmonizing is well done, their voices blend together nicely. I think I actually like Jae Joong's voice best in these two songs.

Together (Night Falls Mix) - Monkey Majik
genre: Pop
language: Japanese
rating:
comments: I uploaded this single a while ago, but without this remix. It's got a kind of bossa-nova/trance feel to it. It's not as good as the original and although it's well executed, it just doesn't suit the style of the song very well. But if you're fan of Monkey Majik, it's worth a listen.

Hit (Remix) - Cho Shin Sung
genre: Pop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: I'm usually not a huge boyband fan, but I like these guys. The beginning of this remix is kind of annoying with the guy saying "Run it" over and over, but it's a nice, upbeat track with some pretty dang nice bass beats. Their vocals are good and the first verse of this song reminds me a LOT of Super Junior. I actually thought this was a cover of one of their songs, since they have a song called "Hit" too, but ... it's not. I love the parts where you can hear the glass breaking. Try them out, they're not bad.

너는 어디에 (Remix) - Cho Shin Sung
genre: Pop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: Another upbeat Cho Shin Sung song, this song features smooth vocals and a surprisingly melodic chorus. While "Hit" reminded me of Super Junior, this song reminds me of Shinhwa, especially some of their older songs. The transition between the more aggressive verses and then the gentler chorus is well done.

Love mode feat. PE'Z and VERBAL (m-flo) (pzq mode) - Clazziquai
genre: Jazz
language: English
rating:
comments: Clazziquai, PE'Z, AND m-flo - just looking at the artists made me pretty sure this was going to be a good remix, and I wasn't disappointed. I love the drums. And of course, PE'Z is amazing, adding a lovely touch of jazz to this song. The vocals are very relaxing and the lyrics are all in English. It does get kind of repetitive, but I'm recommending this because PE'Z is just awesome.

Breakdown (Supreme Mix) - Epik High
genre: Hip-Hop
language: Korean/English
rating:
comments: Another one of my favourites from Epik High's fifth album, this mix of Breakdown features mostly English lyrics, though some of the rap verses are in Korean. While the accompaniment is pretty repetitive, this song never really gets boring to me. It's very upbeat. Recommended.

One (Planet Shiver Remix) - Epik High
genre: Hip-Hop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: I loved Epik High's One, but I didn't really like the remix as much. It doesn't keep many of the original elements of the song ... there's not even vocals for most of it, or they're not lyrics from the original song. However, it does go into the chorus of One, kind of - it's recognizable, at least. When "You are the one" is sung it's just beautiful, though. Everything kind of stops before it, and you're just waiting for it. Worth a listen.

Color Your Soul (Pinch Remix) - Clazziquai
genre: Eletronica
language: Korean
rating:
comments: Starts out with some nice piano chords, then leads into the first verse. It's very unique to Clazziquai's style, and I absolutely love it. Very relaxing.

Fly Remix (Hidden Track) - Epik High
genre: Hip-Hop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: Loving the drums. It's been a while since I listened to this song, this remix is pretty good ... it doesn't actually sound that much different except for the drums, which make it sound even more upbeat.

거짓말 (Lies) (Remix) - Big Bang
genre: Hip-Hop
language: Korean
rating:
comments: This is a slower remix of Lies, with a very simple but lovely piano melody starting it off. It's got more of an acoustic sound than the original mix, and showcases their voices wonderfully. I think it's a live rip, but it's a very good one. The beat does pick up after and it kind of slowly transitions into the original version of the song. Recommended.

MY PICKS.

Call Me (Appelez Moi) - Blaise Plant
genre: Pop
language: English & French
rating:
comments: I'm in love with this song. In case you didn't know, this is Blaise Plant of Monkey Majik. The lyrics are very sweet and sad at the same time.

Love is all that stands between us

The arrangement just blows me away. Love the drums & piano. Really I love just about everything about this song. Highly, highly recommended.

With U - Big Bang
genre: Hip-Hop/Pop
language: English
rating:
comments: Their English is getting pretty good. For the most part, it's understandable in this song. With U has got some pretty infectious beats, though it is pretty generic. The first time I listened to it I didn't really think it was that good, but it's starting to grow on me. This is from their upcoming mini-album in Japan.

マイネイチャー - 超飛行少年 (Super Flying Boy)
genre: Alt-rock
language: Japanese
rating:
comments: I thought this was ONE OK ROCK the first time I heard this song. The intro reminds me of Et cetera. Yeah, their style is pretty similar to ONE OK ROCK's. They're pretty good, try them out.

Labels: Big Bang, Blaise Plant, Cho Shin Sung, Clazziquai, Epik High, m-flo, MISIA, Monkey Majik, PE'Z, Se7en, Super Flying Boy, Tohoshinki

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.

phase down | aqueous transmission | quietus | SnakeRoot | Dong Bang World | you start it | Ongoing Melody


If you would like to be affiliates, send me an e-mail at ungathering@hotmail.com.

link in: