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

Happy New Year everyone! You may have read in Carmi's post that she was only going to be updating once a month from now on. From now on, I will be updating weekly instead of biweekly/randomly like I usually do. I will still probably only post full rotations/mixtapes once every two weeks, but in the weeks in between I'll be making smaller updates. Posts will probably be made on weekends. :) All the best in 2011!

- Haruhi



overview: The theme of this mix is a bit difficult to explain. It's for those points in your life when you feel like you've changed; like you're no longer as naive and you are in a way proud of how you've grown, yet sad for the things you've lost along the way. These songs are about the moments that changed you and the things you learnt from them - about past, present, and future.

tracklist:
01. mercedes - joseph arthur
oh i know you will rise
when you watch yourself burn to the ground
oh i hope that you will rise
when you talk about what they've done

02. dancing at her funeral - the limousines
the only words she can say are can you take me home
before her spirit escapes her as a soft blue glow

03. the truth is in the dirt - karen elson
the truth is in the dirt on the ground,
not in your poison tongue or your acid tears

04. give us a little love - fallulah
leave it by its pain, leave it all alone
if i never turn, i will never grow

05. lights go on again (full version) - beast
i kept wandering in the long darkness
to reach that place touched by the single ray of light

06. the end where i begin - the script
sometimes your first scars don't ever fade away

07. the ice is getting thinner - death cab for cutie
and the ice kept getting thinner with every word that we'd speak

08. i was wrong - capsule
the best of times
through coloured glass

09. skeleton key - margot & the nuclear so and so's
and it's clear to see
you're nothing special
you're a skeleton key

10. change - monkey majik
i need a change
cause it's all gone wrong for me
i need somebody else to lead me now

11. fisheye lens - nell
you were meant to be my reality
but it's over now, it's over now

12. white gold - metric
hush don't explain,
when you water down my name
i'll be up too late
call me when you get
better at your game
you haven't beat me yet

13. 별 빛이 내린다 (starlight is shining down) - bye bye sea
between the starlight that poured down
above the people that poured out
my hearth that poured out
i've grown like that

14. you and i both - jason mraz
oh taking your advice i'm looking on the bright side
and balancing the whole thing
but often times those words get tangled up in lines
and the bright lights turn to night

15. history sticks to your feet - modest mouse
and you realize that the floor sticks to your feet like history

16. 남자 때문에 (because of a man) - joo
i want to learn to live alone
so that i can smile a bright smile
without holding someone else's hand

17. cross bone style - cat power
oh come child
come and rescue me
because you have seen some unbelievable things

18. sorry that i loved you - anthony neely
but sorry doesn't turn back time

19. don't you mourn the sun - mimi
and i said, don't you mourn the sun
cause darling, the nightmare has just begun

20. army men - charlotte sometimes
cause tears are selfish and you aren't anymore

21. anything at all - cara salimando
but i can feel it between my fists as i close my hands around this
i don't know why i ever fooled myself into believing anything that i heard

22. blood, tears & gold - hurts
love grows cold
blood, tears, and gold
won't make it any better

[download]

This mixtape features a number of female vocalists I recently discovered, including Karen Elson and, a favourite of mine, Charlotte Sometimes. Metric's downtempo White Gold is gorgeous, I especially love the lyrics quoted. Another standout is the last song by Hurts, I love the echoing vocals.

Labels: Anthony Neely, Beast, Bye Bye Sea, Cat Power, Charlotte Sometimes, Death Cab for Cutie, Fallulah, Hurts, Jason Mraz, Joo, Karen Elson, Metric, mixtape, Modest Mouse, Monkey Majik, The Script

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

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

Happy New Year everyone! You may have read in Carmi's post that she was only going to be updating once a month from now on. From now on, I will be updating weekly instead of biweekly/randomly like I usually do. I will still probably only post full rotations/mixtapes once every two weeks, but in the weeks in between I'll be making smaller updates. Posts will probably be made on weekends. :) All the best in 2011!

- Haruhi



overview: The theme of this mix is a bit difficult to explain. It's for those points in your life when you feel like you've changed; like you're no longer as naive and you are in a way proud of how you've grown, yet sad for the things you've lost along the way. These songs are about the moments that changed you and the things you learnt from them - about past, present, and future.

tracklist:
01. mercedes - joseph arthur
oh i know you will rise
when you watch yourself burn to the ground
oh i hope that you will rise
when you talk about what they've done

02. dancing at her funeral - the limousines
the only words she can say are can you take me home
before her spirit escapes her as a soft blue glow

03. the truth is in the dirt - karen elson
the truth is in the dirt on the ground,
not in your poison tongue or your acid tears

04. give us a little love - fallulah
leave it by its pain, leave it all alone
if i never turn, i will never grow

05. lights go on again (full version) - beast
i kept wandering in the long darkness
to reach that place touched by the single ray of light

06. the end where i begin - the script
sometimes your first scars don't ever fade away

07. the ice is getting thinner - death cab for cutie
and the ice kept getting thinner with every word that we'd speak

08. i was wrong - capsule
the best of times
through coloured glass

09. skeleton key - margot & the nuclear so and so's
and it's clear to see
you're nothing special
you're a skeleton key

10. change - monkey majik
i need a change
cause it's all gone wrong for me
i need somebody else to lead me now

11. fisheye lens - nell
you were meant to be my reality
but it's over now, it's over now

12. white gold - metric
hush don't explain,
when you water down my name
i'll be up too late
call me when you get
better at your game
you haven't beat me yet

13. 별 빛이 내린다 (starlight is shining down) - bye bye sea
between the starlight that poured down
above the people that poured out
my hearth that poured out
i've grown like that

14. you and i both - jason mraz
oh taking your advice i'm looking on the bright side
and balancing the whole thing
but often times those words get tangled up in lines
and the bright lights turn to night

15. history sticks to your feet - modest mouse
and you realize that the floor sticks to your feet like history

16. 남자 때문에 (because of a man) - joo
i want to learn to live alone
so that i can smile a bright smile
without holding someone else's hand

17. cross bone style - cat power
oh come child
come and rescue me
because you have seen some unbelievable things

18. sorry that i loved you - anthony neely
but sorry doesn't turn back time

19. don't you mourn the sun - mimi
and i said, don't you mourn the sun
cause darling, the nightmare has just begun

20. army men - charlotte sometimes
cause tears are selfish and you aren't anymore

21. anything at all - cara salimando
but i can feel it between my fists as i close my hands around this
i don't know why i ever fooled myself into believing anything that i heard

22. blood, tears & gold - hurts
love grows cold
blood, tears, and gold
won't make it any better

[download]

This mixtape features a number of female vocalists I recently discovered, including Karen Elson and, a favourite of mine, Charlotte Sometimes. Metric's downtempo White Gold is gorgeous, I especially love the lyrics quoted. Another standout is the last song by Hurts, I love the echoing vocals.

Labels: Anthony Neely, Beast, Bye Bye Sea, Cat Power, Charlotte Sometimes, Death Cab for Cutie, Fallulah, Hurts, Jason Mraz, Joo, Karen Elson, Metric, mixtape, Modest Mouse, Monkey Majik, The Script

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

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

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