[songs] Nujabes, December, JAY'ED, lela
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 posted at 5:22 PM
I am still not sure when the next full rotation will be. In the meantime I'll try and continue to make some smaller updates.
Lately comments have been really going down, so please remember to comment or even just leave a rating if taking.
SUNLIGHT - JAY'ED
Japanese | R&B
This guy recently released his first album, and although it doesn't have many new songs, SUNLIGHT is one of them. It's mid-tempo and features warm synths and a repetitive beat. I really like it's warm, optimistic atmosphere, but personally I wanted a little more, especially considering that there really isn't much new material on this album. It makes for a nice, occasional listen, but doesn't have the memorability and staying power that I've come to expect from JAY'ED's songs.
FREEDOM - lela
Japanese | Pop
I was intrigued by this singer after reading that she had "anthropophobia" - basically that she had trouble communicating with other people and the only real way for her to express for herself is through her music. She has a light, ethereal voice, and her songs emphasize the dreamy quality of her voice. The warm, rich accompaniment is wonderful. This song took a while to grow on me, but it definitely has.
여자는 나쁜남자를 좋아한다 - December
Korean | Ballad
I decided to try this duo out after hearing comparisons of them with one of my favourite duos, Fly to the Sky. It's not hard to see where these comparisons were drawn from - both singers are vocally very powerful, and there's a nice contrast between their voices. While I don't find it to be as clear as the difference between Hwanhee & Brian, there's definitely one singer whose voice is a bit deeper and richer and one whose sound is lighter and clearer. A very "classic" string-based ballad, in fact the only thing I really didn't like about it is how formulaic it is although their vocals definitely make up for that. I'll be keeping an eye out for these guys, I can't wait to see what they come out with next.
Don't Even Try It - Nujabes ft. Funky DL
Japanese | Urban/Hip-Hop
I love Nujabes, and songs like this are why. Don't Even Try It has a great retro-sounding beat, lots of warm piano chords, and faint synths. I'm not usually a fan of hip-hop, but I can't resist a good Nujabes song - and they're pretty much all good. If you've never heard of him, definitely try him out!
Labels: December, JAY'ED, lela, Nujabes
The next full rotation will be up either next week or the week after. =)
Some of you may have heard of JAY'ED - I uploaded his song "Superwoman" as part of rotation 40. I've only recently discovered him, but I was hooked and started looking for more of his releases. Here's a couple of his singles/songs - I hear he's also scheduled to release an album soon, too! Unfortunately what I've uploaded below is all I have by him, if anyone has any of his other singles, I'd love it if you could share them with me - I'll be happy to upload something for you in return.
Please comment/leave a rating if taking!
JAY'ED is a Japanese R&B singer, born in New Zealand to a Japanese father and a New Zealander mother. So far he's released six singles, from "Why?" in 2005 to his most recent single, "Everybody", which released on October 14, 2009. He is currently signed to the label Toy's Factory.
Single:ずっと一緒 (Zutto Issho)
Release Date: 08.27.2008
01. ずっと一緒 (Zutto Issho)
02. This Summertime
03. Missing
ずっと一緒 (Zutto Issho) is breezy and summery. The combination of light acoustic guitar and rich keyboard is lovely, and I love the sincere, optimistic nature of the song. It's the perfect mixture of catchy and relaxing. JAY'ED's smooth, textured vocals and warm harmonies are fantastic. It plays around with many different sounds, from pop, acoustic rock, R&B, and even touches of reggae. One of my favourite songs by him. This Summertime takes on stronger R&B routes. I was hooked from the electronica-laced, layered harmonies of the opening line. The subtle synths and soft, creamy keyboard might go unnoticed at first, but they form a solid base for the song, creating an airy ambience while remaining steady. It's sophisticated and ambient. Missing starts off with a full-bodied piano intro, which becomes more chordal as it fades into the background. JAY'ED's expressive voice really shines through in this song. It's another one of my favourites - although not as catchy as some of his other songs, that definitely doesn't mean that it's not memorable. I love the smooth melody of the chorus.
Single: Cry For You/Can't Let Go
Release Date: 07.22.09
01. CRY FOR YOU
02. Can't Let Go
CRY FOR YOU is a smooth, slightly downtempo track. I love its sweet but sad atmosphere. The chorus is gorgeous, filled with emotional harmonies. It's crisp and clear, yet smooth and flowing. I love 1:35-1:38 when JAY'ED sings "Hoho tsutau namida wa cry for you", the way the accompaniment drops out just at the very last note of the phrase is stunning. As in many of JAY'ED's songs, a strong piano base is evident. I love the transition at 2:52 into the bridge. Can't Let Go begins with a pretty, isolated piano melody, then quickly picks up the pace with ambient synths, a repetitive, steady beat, and light, creamy vocals. It's a good song, but I have to say I found it a bit disposable. I wanted a little more power and originality.
Single: Everybody
Release Date: 10.14.09
01. Everybody
02. Do I Do
Everybody is a song that I had some mixed feelings on. I love his reggae-influenced songs like Superwoman and Zutto Issho, and I have to say I was hoping for something similar to that in his most recent single. But Everybody is quite different - it's an upbeat, confident pop song with splashes of electronica and dance. It's catchy and fun, but I sometimes find myself wanting a little more from it. Do I Do was definitely the deciding track for me: it's a charming, mid-tempo song with lots of watered-down jazz influences and a slightly dated feel which only adds to its unique flavor. Complete with brass riffs, clean guitar melodies, warm synths, and stylized vocals, it definitely shows JAY'ED's versatility and talent.
Labels: JAY'ED
I took a break from the number lottery (there's one more batch to go) to upload a full rotation, it's been a while since I posted one! This is Fashion Scan’s 40th rotation, and this time I’m featuring songs that have the word “super” somewhere in the title. Since many of the songs had similar/the same name, I had some issues with uploading. If there's a problem with any of the links, please let me know! =)
Blogspot would only let me use 10 labels in a post, which is why not all the artists are tagged. I decided not to tag a couple artists who I haven't uploaded anything by in the past & am less likely to upload anything by in the future, so not tagging them shouldn't make a big difference.
Comment/leave a rating if taking!
Superwoman - Gary Cao
Mandarin | Pop/Ballad
A rich mid-tempo ballad with English lines/verses interspersed throughout. Gary Cao’s powerful but tender voice is ripe with emotion, and the soft, smooth harmonies throughout the song add texture. I believe this is a cover of a song in English by Karyn White. I’ve never heard the original, but I love Gary Cao’s warm, light take on the song.
Superwoman - JAY’ED
Japanese | R&B
The song that inspired this rotation. Every element of this song is just so meticulously planned and executed, and it comes together beautifully. Opening with a light, clear piano arrangement that shines throughout the song and crisp conga-style percussion which leads into the R&B-style drums that form the backdrop for the rest of the song. JAY’ED’s voice is fantastic - rich, textured, and unique. I really like the soft, electronica-laced harmonies too. The whole song has a bit of a reggae/island flavour reminiscent of Kimaguren.
Super Star - S.H.E
Mandarin | Pop/Rock
A blend of rock and classical Chinese elements. Although I really like the style and feel of the song, I felt like their voices weren’t strong enough to carry the powerful atmosphere.
Superstar - L.Stadt
English | Alternative Rock
This band is actually Polish, but from what I can tell the lyrics are all in English. It’s a mysterious, ambient song that has a gritty, dark feel. I guess they’re a bit of an acquired taste, but I really like their unique sound.
Super Special - Seira Kagami
Japanese | Pop
A bubbly song with lots of electronica influences. Seira’s vocals aren’t amazing, but they’re light and sweet. A bit of a disposable song, nothing about it really caught my attention.
Super Star - Cho Shin Sung/Supernova
Korean | Pop/Dance
Fans of Cho Shin Sung should be glad to hear they’ve recently released a series of singles in Japan, which seem to be faring pretty well. This is one of their older (Korean) songs. It’s a smooth dance track with lots of synths. Surprisingly, the thing I liked most about this song was the rap verses where the accompaniment seems to slow down a bit. I found the sung verses to be quite forgettable.
SUPER SHINE - EXILE ft. VERBAL (m-flo)
Japanese | Pop
I was excited to listen to this song as it featured m-flo’s VERBAL, and I wasn’t disappointed. SUPER SHINE is a slick R&B/pop track, and my only complaint is that the segments where VERBAL is rapping and it leads into the chorus sound a bit disjointed, almost like it’s a different song. EXILE’s light, electronica-laced vocals are complete with dense harmonies, and their smoothness provides a nice contrast against VERBAL’s rapping.
SUPER-CALIFRAGILISTIC-EXPIARI-DOCIOUS - BOOWY
Japanese | Rock
I will admit I uploaded this song mostly for it’s title. This song has a light, tropical, reggae-influenced feel, and sounds slightly dated - probably because it is. I’m not sure exactly when this song released since it was off a compilation album, but BOOWY was active/most popular in the 80’s. It’s a bit random at times, but overall an interesting track.
Super Honeymoon - Owl City
English | Electronica/Pop
I’ve uploaded a song by Owl City in the past, and although they’re a recent find of mine, I really like them. Adam Young’s voice just has this certain soft, pure, slightly dreamy quality to it. I love the light, atmospheric synths. A soothing song.
Supernova - ELLEGARDEN
Japanese | Punk-Rock
Although I’m generally not a fan of punk-rock, I love ELLEGARDEN. Supernova blends melody with active percussion/guitar easily. The harmonies add a lot of contrast, and although this isn’t one of my favourite songs by them, it’s certainly a good one.
Unplugged Superstar - SuG
Japanese | Rock
Although these guys are considered “oshare kei”, their music definitely isn’t as bubbly and bright as say, some of Antic Cafe’s stuff, which is one of the reasons I like them - they balance visual/heavy rock with an atmosphere that’s not as dark and overbearing. Unplugged Superstar’s melody didn’t really appeal to me, but I love the guitar work.
Superman’s Dead - Our Lady Peace
English | Alt Rock
I love the gritty, dark atmosphere of this song - accentuated by Raine Maida’s unique, slightly growling vocals. It’s a unique song that you won’t quickly forget, although it might not be to everyone’s taste.
Super Girl (Korean Version) - Super Junior M
Korean | Pop
I uploaded the Korean version because I thought most of you would have already heard the original Chinese version. Super Junior has always been hit-or-miss with me, and I’m still undecided on Super Girl. I’ve given the Mandarin version a quick listen, and I have to say they sound much more at ease with Korean. I really love the slick, laid-back hook (although it kind of bugs me how they say “shuper”), but the busy dance atmosphere is a bit too hectic and bland for my liking. It’s so crowded that nothing really pops out, giving the accompaniment a sort of flat, two-dimensional feel.
supernova - BUMP OF CHICKEN
Japanese | Alt Rock
I love this band (despite their odd name), and songs like supernova are why. The accompaniment is very light, and it really accentuates the clear and genuine vocals. Overall, it’s just a beautiful, warm song.
Labels: BOOWY, Cho Shin Sung, ELLEGARDEN, EXILE, Gary Cao, JAY'ED, Owl City, S.H.E, Seira Kagami
