With the massive amount of music I have, I don't get a chance to listen to every song very carefully, or sometimes even at all. But occasionally, on shuffle or after reading a review or something, I'll realize songs in my library I didn't even know I had, often with no idea of how they got there. Sometimes my reaction is, Oh, god, this is awful, why did I ever download this? but sometimes, it's How did I miss this? This rotation is dedicated to songs that fit with the latter - songs that I had but never really listened to, and only discovered later on.

- Haruhi

PS. Sorry for the gradual decline in the quality of my comments. I'm not used to doing rotations this large anymore!

알고 있나요 (Duet Ver.) feat.제아 (of 브라운아이드걸스/Brown Eyed Girls) - Someday
Korean | Ballad
I have this whole self-titled album by Someday and never listened to it. I'm not sure why, because after skimming through the album, I really like their soothing style of music although it does get a big bland. This is a lovely duet which was used in Boys Over Flowers, probably why it sounds so familiar ... although I heard something about different versions, and I'm not sure if this is the one used in the drama. Okay, despite the fact that it was used in BoF (if you can't tell, I'm not a fan) it's such a sweet ballad, and not being a BEG fan I never knew JeA had such a nice, airy voice. The chorus-style harmonies are a nice touch as well. Something about it just stands out.

눈 내리는 소리 - Donawhale
Korean | Alt Rock
This is such a soothing, ethereally peaceful song. Soft, rich piano and light, delicate vocals. It does build a little, breaking up what would otherwise be monotony. Recommended.

All My Stars Aligned - St. Vincent
English | Indie Pop
I downloaded this as part of a mixtape or something, and never really paid much attention to it. However, the gorgeously layered piano intro which stays on as a motif throughout the song alone is worth listening to. St. Vincent, moniker for Annie Clark, has a rich voice that's not overpowering.

No.1 (남아공 월드컵 공식 주제가) - 2AM
Korean | Pop
I usually skip past songs for CFs and the like, so I nearly skipped on this song for the FIFA World Cup as well (despite being a huge soccer fan I'm not so much a fan of songs dedicated to it) but after hearing it on TV No.1 got stuck in my head. It's a light, catchy, sweet pop song that doesn't have too much of a cheerlead-y, "Go, team!" vibe that a lot of the other World Cup songs I heard had.

Eternal Mourning - Eternal Morning
Instrumental/English | Trip-hop
A collaboration between Tablo of Epik High and Pe2ny, this song comes from the album Soundtrack to a Lost Film which I love despite not always being in the mood for it. Eternal Mourning sets the mostly instrumental and slightly experimental tone of the album quite well and the unique beat and instrumentation makes it an interesting individual track as well. More proof that Tablo can do no wrong. This wasn't so much of a hidden treasure for me, personally, but I know a lot of people didn't notice this collaboration album despite being Epik High fans, or maybe deigned to skip it because the style is quite different.

One Night Stay / In My Room - Jinbo
Instrumental/English | Trip-hop
Following in the vein of the track above, this album was labeled as hip-hop and thinking it was mostly rap and attempts to copy the success of American hip-hop, I never listened to it. I heard a recommendation for it somewhere and decided to give it a listen, which proved my initial assumptions to be quite wrong. While the album as a whole (Afterwork) is a bit hit or miss with me, I really liked the beat of the song and the way the soft synths almost merge with it.

I Saw It On Your Keyboard - Hellogoodbye
English | Pop
Apart from Here In Your Arms, I'd never really listened to Hellogoodbye's music. However, this simple, bright pop-rock number caught my attention. It's cute and energetic.

나쁜 여자 (Boom Boom) - Super Junior
Korean | Pop
After hearing the title track, Bonamama which I really disliked, I really only gave this album a skim and didn't see anything that sparked my interest until this song came up on shuffle one day. I love the beat and slightly dark atmosphere, as well as the catchiness, although I'm not sure what the Twinkle twinkle little star line is all about.

Ordinary - Tim Be Told
English | Indie Pop
If you like David Choi, give this a try. It has the same sweet, acoustic feel and interesting lyrics as well.

우리의 밤은 당신의 낮보다 아름답다 - 알렉스(Alex),호란 (Horan),이승열 (Lee Seung Yeol),박기영 (Park KiYoung),웨일(Whale),혜원 (HyeWon),나무(Namu),어반 자카파(Urban Zakapa)
Korean | Acoustic Pop
This V.A. collaboration from the label Fluxus Voices didn't really catch my attention until I spotted a couple names I recognized - namely Alex and Horan, but also W&Whale and Urban Zakapa. I romanized the rest of the names myself so if there's any inaccuracies, please let me know and I'll correct them. This song is apparently a cover, but I don't think I've ever heard the original song. It's sweet, light, and summery. Alex's voice in particular stands out, probably just because it's most familiar to me. I was expecting something along the lines of SM Town's collabs which feature so many artists it's really almost incoherent, but this is very different - in a good way.

My Everything - Nia
Korean | Pop-Rock
After hearing Nia hailed as a female F.T. Island, I had mixed feelings: it would be nice to see a female group playing their own instruments and with a more rock-based sound, but then again: can you really call F.T. Island rock? For some reason I never really listened to this, their debut single, but I'm glad I finally did. While admittedly My Everything can only be considered soft rock, this rock ballad is lovely. The vocals are strong and clear and I love the guitars and light use of strings. Not your average girl group, that's for sure.

WoNdeR WomaN × the telephones - MiChi
Japanese | Pop-Rock
I can't say I've ever heard anything of the telephones', and MiChi's spelling just really irritates me - not to mention the overall mediocrity of her music. However, this song is much more alt-rock than MiChi's music, I'm guessing that's the telephones' influence. It's energetic and catchy, but MiChi sounds a bit strained.

コインランドリー - OGRE YOU ASSHOLE
Japanese | Alt Rock
I downloaded this on a compilation album and never really noticed it as an individual track until this band's intriguing name caught my attention. I love the high, clean guitar lines alternating with darker, grungier chords. It creates some interesting transitions.

가지마 - Wednesday
Korean | Ballad
This is actually a solo song by Chi Yeol, a member of the duo Wednesday. Chi Yeol released a solo album a couple years ago about when I was starting to get into k-pop and basically downloaded everything because I had no idea what I would like and what I wouldn't. The album was filled with gorgeous, unique ballads and sophisticated pop tracks - I would be uploading songs from it, but unfortunately it's not on the computer I usually work from. After his debut album, he completely disappeared. I nearly skipped past Wednesday, assuming they were another male duo trying to copy Fly to the Sky's success, but went back once realizing Chi Yeol was a member. 가지마 is a ballad that showcases his strong, rich vocals (and what a gorgeous vibrato) - if you're a fan of Tei, Eru, Park Hyo Shin, and other such ballad vocalists, you'll like him. Compositionally, it is a bit cookie-cutter, but I'm so glad to see him releasing music again that I'm willing to forgive that. And much like other ballad kings, his voice elevates the song to new levels.

Hey Elevator - Apples in Stereo
English | Indie pop
So I kind of skimmed through this album (Travellers in Space and Time) and didn't really think much of it, but this track - probably amongst their more popular - stood out to me on a second listen. The chorus is so catchy, paired with disco influences and feel-good piano chords.

Circus - Royal Pirates
English | Rock
I didn't think anyone could cover this song and make it sound good. Korean group Royal Pirates however, manages to do just that. I love the rock twist to this song, and their confident sound.

서시 (Seo Shi/Prologue) - Shin Sung Woo
Korean | Rock Ballad
I know nothing about this singer, but I recently found this rock ballad in my iTunes library. It starts out with just acoustic guitar and you think that's what the whole song will be, but suddenly a full rock ensemble gets swept in.

Bluepeo - Mister Symbol
Instrumental
Another song that mysteriously appeared in my iTunes. It came up on shuffle and the pretty piano intro and soft, ambient beat caught my attention. It reminds me a bit of Nujabes, Epik High/Eternal Morning, etc.

Romeo N Juliet (알렉스, 신애 듀엣 원곡) (우리결혼했어요 삽입곡) - Clazziquai
Korean | Electronica/Acid Jazz
Although I'm a big Clazziquai fan, I never really noticed this song in particular. It's charming and soothing, and Alex and Horan sound fantastic together. I love their unique harmonies as well as the bright rap portion and jazzy instrumental solos.

Labels: 2AM, Apples in Stereo, Chi Yeol, Clazziquai, Donawhale, Eternal Morning, Jinbo, MiChi, Mister Symbol, Royal Pirates, Shin Sung Woo, Someday, St. Vincent, Super Junior, Tim Be Told, Wednesday

Ok, so I know there are only four songs, but trust me they don't disappoint!

Paper Tongues- Ride to California
First off, the louder this song is played, the better. Paper Tongues are a band from Australia, and to me are a mix of Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine with a dash of Bono like vocals. It's so in your face that you can't help but rub your face back into it. O_o If that makes any sense...it's a song you can get lost in the beat as well as the lyrics. It's grinding and gritty but catchy and inspiring all in the same package.

MiChi- Fuck You And Your Money
Don't let the title scare you. The lyrics are angsty and accusative, but MiChi's voice and appearance are so cute I almost can't take the song seriously, almost. She gives it a certain edge that's perfect for the "I'm going to get back at you" attitude of this song without making it too angry. It's also a very addicting song, and I prefer this version WAY over the original.

Brokenhearted- Yi
It's killing me that I can't remember where I got this song, but I really wish I did. I can't find out anything about the artist, and perhaps I may have gotten it from this rotation, and if I had, it deserves to be put up again. The artist's voice is so smooth and sexy, he matches the driving beat of the bass and draws out notes that makes me think he's saying, "You know you want me, come get me". I put this song on endless repeat, there's something about it's mysteriousness that intrigues me so much.

Royal Pirates- 2PM Again I Hate You Remake
I don't know much about the Royal Pirates other than they are a group out of California known for their rock remixes of popular Korean songs. I'm quite addicted to this though. It begins with a pulsing bass line that had my head bobbing right away. The vocalist doesn't have a strong voice, but it's gorgeous nonetheless. He can transcend through notes like it's nobodies business. The background tends to overpower him sometimes, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to listen to this song.

Labels: contributor; cate, MiChi, paper tongues, Royal Pirates, Yi

Sorry that this rotation was a little late - the jazz band that I play in had a concert on Saturday, so I didn't have much time to update this weekend.

Fashion Scans was started roughly October of 2007. It’s November 2008 now, so the site recently passed its one year birthday! ^_^ Rotation 20 is themed then and now, featuring songs that topped the charts in 2007 and ones that are topping the charts now.

Korean;

2007:

둘이라서 - Eru (Because it’s the two of us)
Ballad | Vol 3 - Eru Returns
The ever-popular ballad seems to dominate k-pop charts, although I’ve noticed recently that with the new electronica trend, more upbeat songs are taking the top spots, especially with artists like Big Bang, Wonder Girls, and DBSK. 둘이라서 is a typical Korean ballad - to my ears, it was a bit too generic. IMO, Eru’s second album was better than his third, although his voice is still lovely. Worth a listen if you’re a fan of ballads.

사랑한다 - Lee Seung Chul (Sa Rang Han Da)
Ballad | The Secret of Color 2
Another ballad. As opposed to Eru’s deeper, thicker voice, Lee Seung Chul’s vocals are light and melodic. The warm, uplifting arrangement is really what made this song worth listening to.

2008:

어제보다 오늘 더 - Kim Jong Kook (Today More Than Yesterday)
Pop/Ballad | Vol. 5 - Here I Am
2008 saw the return of Kim Jong Kook, one of the top male singers in Korea, from his mandatory military service. He’s always been one of my favourite artists. His voice, while high in range, is still thick with emotion. Recommended.

라디오를 켜봐요 - Shin Seung Hoon (Turn on the Radio)
Pop/Rock | Radio Wave
A veteran k-pop singer known to be the “king of ballads”, has also returned with a mini-album that differs from traditional ballads, featuring an acoustic rock sound. Turn on the Radio starts out as a relaxing, laid-back track featuring a simple piano accompaniment, building suddenly and without much warning into the chorus. I love the contrast in dynamics in this song, but the softer parts were a bit dragged out.

Gossip Boy - Younha
Pop-Rock | Someday
Last year, Younha topped the charts with the song “Comet”. She seems to be enjoying a relative amount of success this year, too, with the release of her album Someday. I love her voice and the style of her music. Gossip Boy is an upbeat rock-influenced track, catchy and fun.

Japanese;
Songs chosen from the top 100 Oricon Singles of 2007 & from the most recent Top Singles chart of November 2008.

2007:

Tabidachi no Uta - Mr.Children
Soft Rock | Tabidachi no Uta
A laid-back, slow rock ballad. It’s not one of my absolute favourites by them, but worth a listen.

Eien ni - KinKi Kids
Pop/Ballad | Phi~Universal Love
A gorgeous ballad by KinKi Kids. Their vocals are rich and thick with emotion. The accompaniment is kept light throughout the song, even in the chorus, allowing their voices to shine through. Recommended.

Daybreak’s Bell - L’arc~en~Ciel
Rock | Daybreak’s Bell
I haven’t enjoyed Laruku’s newer material much, this is probably the last release by them that I really liked. Daybreak’s Bell has a darker tone and a memorable chorus, hopeful and strong.

2008:

無責任ヒーロー - Kanjani8 (Musekinin Hero)
Pop | Musekinin Hero
I have to say I don’t like these guys much. They’re fun, but a little too poppy/cheesy for me. A bright, upbeat song filled with trumpet riffs and a jazzy/ska feel.

Monochrome no Kiss - SID
Rock
I think this was done for the opening theme of an anime? While it seems very fitting as an opening theme, I prefer SID’s jazzier side. A solid rock song, but not much more.

My Heart Leaps for “C” - Antic Cafe
Oshare kei |Koakuma Usagi no Koibumi to Machine Gun
Upbeat, electronica-influenced in parts - at first I thought it was bit too overwhelmingly hyper, but it tones down a bit. Eh, it wasn’t exceptional in my opinion - most of my favourite AnCafe songs are actually their ballads - but worth a listen.

PROMiSE - MiChi
Pop/Rock | PROMiSE
She’s a relatively new artist, I think she’s only released one demo EP before this single? Signed to Sony. A simple mix of pop, rock, and electronica. If you’re looking for something experimental this probably won’t suit you, but it’s a decent song.

Mandarin;

2007:

離開地球表面 - Mayday
Rock | Jump! The World
Mayday! <3 All their releases seem to be fairly successful - their latest album, Poetry of the Day After, is also topping charts - in fact, I’ve uploaded a track from it further below. 離開地球表面 is an fast-paced, catchy track. I love the beats in this song - slightly choppy yet never jerky.

青花瓷 - Jay Chou
Pop | I’m Busy
Jay Chou is another artist who you’ll see twice in this rotation. Is it just me, or have his last two albums (this one & his latest, Capricorn) really gone downhill in quality and consistency? There’s two or three decent songs and the others are either mediocre (more like “fillers”) or just really bad. T_T Anyways, 青花瓷 is a soothing, mellow ballad. Like many of Jay’s songs it features some faint influences of classical Chinese music, but unlike in some of his other songs it’s not quite so overwhelming. I actually thought this song was quite nicely balanced out between classical influences and modern sounds.

Super Sunshine - Gary Cao
Pop | Super Sunshine
I love Gary Cao. <3 This song starts out with a sweet a cappella verse, leading into a light-hearted, feel-good pop song. Despite the cliched lyrics - You are my sunshine, my only sunshine I thought it was nice.

夠不夠 - Khalil Fong (Is it enough?)
Pop/R&B | Wonderland
Another great artist. A tasteful blend of R&B and pop, Is it enough? allows Khalil Fong’s wonderful vocals to shine through while also having a great beat. It’s not my favourite song by him, but definitely close.

我就是我 - Guang Liang (I Am Who I Am)
Pop/Ballad | 不會分離 (Never Apart)
A great singer - you might know him from his song Fairytale/Tong Hua which was a huge hit (I think I’ve uploaded it before, too). I Am Who I Am is a lovely ballad - while it lacks the instant impact of Tong Hua, it is a song that I found myself replaying.

2008:

Always Online - JJ Lin
Pop | Sixology
One of my personal favourites from JJ Lin’s latest album. Always Online is fairly slow in tempo with faint R&B influences. It’s a sad song but catchy at the same time. Recommended.

稻香 - Jay Chou
Pop | Capricorn
This was the closing track of Jay Chou’s Capricorn album, and, IMO, one of the few decent tracks. A peaceful mid-tempo track backed by acoustic guitar 稻香 is light and youthful.

如煙 - Mayday (Ru Yan/Smoke)
Rock | Poetry of the Day After
A lovely acoustic ballad from Mayday. The vocals are genuine yet laid-back and the thick, blunt bass sound contrasts nicely with the short, separated guitar chords.

Labels: Antic Cafe, Eru, Gary Cao, Guang Liang, Jay Chou, JJ Lin, Kanjani8, Khalil Fong, Kim Jong Kook, KinKi Kids, L'arc~en~Ciel, Lee Seung Chul, Mayday, MiChi, Mr.Children, Shin Seung Hoon, SID, Younha

With the massive amount of music I have, I don't get a chance to listen to every song very carefully, or sometimes even at all. But occasionally, on shuffle or after reading a review or something, I'll realize songs in my library I didn't even know I had, often with no idea of how they got there. Sometimes my reaction is, Oh, god, this is awful, why did I ever download this? but sometimes, it's How did I miss this? This rotation is dedicated to songs that fit with the latter - songs that I had but never really listened to, and only discovered later on.

- Haruhi

PS. Sorry for the gradual decline in the quality of my comments. I'm not used to doing rotations this large anymore!

알고 있나요 (Duet Ver.) feat.제아 (of 브라운아이드걸스/Brown Eyed Girls) - Someday
Korean | Ballad
I have this whole self-titled album by Someday and never listened to it. I'm not sure why, because after skimming through the album, I really like their soothing style of music although it does get a big bland. This is a lovely duet which was used in Boys Over Flowers, probably why it sounds so familiar ... although I heard something about different versions, and I'm not sure if this is the one used in the drama. Okay, despite the fact that it was used in BoF (if you can't tell, I'm not a fan) it's such a sweet ballad, and not being a BEG fan I never knew JeA had such a nice, airy voice. The chorus-style harmonies are a nice touch as well. Something about it just stands out.

눈 내리는 소리 - Donawhale
Korean | Alt Rock
This is such a soothing, ethereally peaceful song. Soft, rich piano and light, delicate vocals. It does build a little, breaking up what would otherwise be monotony. Recommended.

All My Stars Aligned - St. Vincent
English | Indie Pop
I downloaded this as part of a mixtape or something, and never really paid much attention to it. However, the gorgeously layered piano intro which stays on as a motif throughout the song alone is worth listening to. St. Vincent, moniker for Annie Clark, has a rich voice that's not overpowering.

No.1 (남아공 월드컵 공식 주제가) - 2AM
Korean | Pop
I usually skip past songs for CFs and the like, so I nearly skipped on this song for the FIFA World Cup as well (despite being a huge soccer fan I'm not so much a fan of songs dedicated to it) but after hearing it on TV No.1 got stuck in my head. It's a light, catchy, sweet pop song that doesn't have too much of a cheerlead-y, "Go, team!" vibe that a lot of the other World Cup songs I heard had.

Eternal Mourning - Eternal Morning
Instrumental/English | Trip-hop
A collaboration between Tablo of Epik High and Pe2ny, this song comes from the album Soundtrack to a Lost Film which I love despite not always being in the mood for it. Eternal Mourning sets the mostly instrumental and slightly experimental tone of the album quite well and the unique beat and instrumentation makes it an interesting individual track as well. More proof that Tablo can do no wrong. This wasn't so much of a hidden treasure for me, personally, but I know a lot of people didn't notice this collaboration album despite being Epik High fans, or maybe deigned to skip it because the style is quite different.

One Night Stay / In My Room - Jinbo
Instrumental/English | Trip-hop
Following in the vein of the track above, this album was labeled as hip-hop and thinking it was mostly rap and attempts to copy the success of American hip-hop, I never listened to it. I heard a recommendation for it somewhere and decided to give it a listen, which proved my initial assumptions to be quite wrong. While the album as a whole (Afterwork) is a bit hit or miss with me, I really liked the beat of the song and the way the soft synths almost merge with it.

I Saw It On Your Keyboard - Hellogoodbye
English | Pop
Apart from Here In Your Arms, I'd never really listened to Hellogoodbye's music. However, this simple, bright pop-rock number caught my attention. It's cute and energetic.

나쁜 여자 (Boom Boom) - Super Junior
Korean | Pop
After hearing the title track, Bonamama which I really disliked, I really only gave this album a skim and didn't see anything that sparked my interest until this song came up on shuffle one day. I love the beat and slightly dark atmosphere, as well as the catchiness, although I'm not sure what the Twinkle twinkle little star line is all about.

Ordinary - Tim Be Told
English | Indie Pop
If you like David Choi, give this a try. It has the same sweet, acoustic feel and interesting lyrics as well.

우리의 밤은 당신의 낮보다 아름답다 - 알렉스(Alex),호란 (Horan),이승열 (Lee Seung Yeol),박기영 (Park KiYoung),웨일(Whale),혜원 (HyeWon),나무(Namu),어반 자카파(Urban Zakapa)
Korean | Acoustic Pop
This V.A. collaboration from the label Fluxus Voices didn't really catch my attention until I spotted a couple names I recognized - namely Alex and Horan, but also W&Whale and Urban Zakapa. I romanized the rest of the names myself so if there's any inaccuracies, please let me know and I'll correct them. This song is apparently a cover, but I don't think I've ever heard the original song. It's sweet, light, and summery. Alex's voice in particular stands out, probably just because it's most familiar to me. I was expecting something along the lines of SM Town's collabs which feature so many artists it's really almost incoherent, but this is very different - in a good way.

My Everything - Nia
Korean | Pop-Rock
After hearing Nia hailed as a female F.T. Island, I had mixed feelings: it would be nice to see a female group playing their own instruments and with a more rock-based sound, but then again: can you really call F.T. Island rock? For some reason I never really listened to this, their debut single, but I'm glad I finally did. While admittedly My Everything can only be considered soft rock, this rock ballad is lovely. The vocals are strong and clear and I love the guitars and light use of strings. Not your average girl group, that's for sure.

WoNdeR WomaN × the telephones - MiChi
Japanese | Pop-Rock
I can't say I've ever heard anything of the telephones', and MiChi's spelling just really irritates me - not to mention the overall mediocrity of her music. However, this song is much more alt-rock than MiChi's music, I'm guessing that's the telephones' influence. It's energetic and catchy, but MiChi sounds a bit strained.

コインランドリー - OGRE YOU ASSHOLE
Japanese | Alt Rock
I downloaded this on a compilation album and never really noticed it as an individual track until this band's intriguing name caught my attention. I love the high, clean guitar lines alternating with darker, grungier chords. It creates some interesting transitions.

가지마 - Wednesday
Korean | Ballad
This is actually a solo song by Chi Yeol, a member of the duo Wednesday. Chi Yeol released a solo album a couple years ago about when I was starting to get into k-pop and basically downloaded everything because I had no idea what I would like and what I wouldn't. The album was filled with gorgeous, unique ballads and sophisticated pop tracks - I would be uploading songs from it, but unfortunately it's not on the computer I usually work from. After his debut album, he completely disappeared. I nearly skipped past Wednesday, assuming they were another male duo trying to copy Fly to the Sky's success, but went back once realizing Chi Yeol was a member. 가지마 is a ballad that showcases his strong, rich vocals (and what a gorgeous vibrato) - if you're a fan of Tei, Eru, Park Hyo Shin, and other such ballad vocalists, you'll like him. Compositionally, it is a bit cookie-cutter, but I'm so glad to see him releasing music again that I'm willing to forgive that. And much like other ballad kings, his voice elevates the song to new levels.

Hey Elevator - Apples in Stereo
English | Indie pop
So I kind of skimmed through this album (Travellers in Space and Time) and didn't really think much of it, but this track - probably amongst their more popular - stood out to me on a second listen. The chorus is so catchy, paired with disco influences and feel-good piano chords.

Circus - Royal Pirates
English | Rock
I didn't think anyone could cover this song and make it sound good. Korean group Royal Pirates however, manages to do just that. I love the rock twist to this song, and their confident sound.

서시 (Seo Shi/Prologue) - Shin Sung Woo
Korean | Rock Ballad
I know nothing about this singer, but I recently found this rock ballad in my iTunes library. It starts out with just acoustic guitar and you think that's what the whole song will be, but suddenly a full rock ensemble gets swept in.

Bluepeo - Mister Symbol
Instrumental
Another song that mysteriously appeared in my iTunes. It came up on shuffle and the pretty piano intro and soft, ambient beat caught my attention. It reminds me a bit of Nujabes, Epik High/Eternal Morning, etc.

Romeo N Juliet (알렉스, 신애 듀엣 원곡) (우리결혼했어요 삽입곡) - Clazziquai
Korean | Electronica/Acid Jazz
Although I'm a big Clazziquai fan, I never really noticed this song in particular. It's charming and soothing, and Alex and Horan sound fantastic together. I love their unique harmonies as well as the bright rap portion and jazzy instrumental solos.

Labels: 2AM, Apples in Stereo, Chi Yeol, Clazziquai, Donawhale, Eternal Morning, Jinbo, MiChi, Mister Symbol, Royal Pirates, Shin Sung Woo, Someday, St. Vincent, Super Junior, Tim Be Told, Wednesday

Ok, so I know there are only four songs, but trust me they don't disappoint!

Paper Tongues- Ride to California
First off, the louder this song is played, the better. Paper Tongues are a band from Australia, and to me are a mix of Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine with a dash of Bono like vocals. It's so in your face that you can't help but rub your face back into it. O_o If that makes any sense...it's a song you can get lost in the beat as well as the lyrics. It's grinding and gritty but catchy and inspiring all in the same package.

MiChi- Fuck You And Your Money
Don't let the title scare you. The lyrics are angsty and accusative, but MiChi's voice and appearance are so cute I almost can't take the song seriously, almost. She gives it a certain edge that's perfect for the "I'm going to get back at you" attitude of this song without making it too angry. It's also a very addicting song, and I prefer this version WAY over the original.

Brokenhearted- Yi
It's killing me that I can't remember where I got this song, but I really wish I did. I can't find out anything about the artist, and perhaps I may have gotten it from this rotation, and if I had, it deserves to be put up again. The artist's voice is so smooth and sexy, he matches the driving beat of the bass and draws out notes that makes me think he's saying, "You know you want me, come get me". I put this song on endless repeat, there's something about it's mysteriousness that intrigues me so much.

Royal Pirates- 2PM Again I Hate You Remake
I don't know much about the Royal Pirates other than they are a group out of California known for their rock remixes of popular Korean songs. I'm quite addicted to this though. It begins with a pulsing bass line that had my head bobbing right away. The vocalist doesn't have a strong voice, but it's gorgeous nonetheless. He can transcend through notes like it's nobodies business. The background tends to overpower him sometimes, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to listen to this song.

Labels: contributor; cate, MiChi, paper tongues, Royal Pirates, Yi

Sorry that this rotation was a little late - the jazz band that I play in had a concert on Saturday, so I didn't have much time to update this weekend.

Fashion Scans was started roughly October of 2007. It’s November 2008 now, so the site recently passed its one year birthday! ^_^ Rotation 20 is themed then and now, featuring songs that topped the charts in 2007 and ones that are topping the charts now.

Korean;

2007:

둘이라서 - Eru (Because it’s the two of us)
Ballad | Vol 3 - Eru Returns
The ever-popular ballad seems to dominate k-pop charts, although I’ve noticed recently that with the new electronica trend, more upbeat songs are taking the top spots, especially with artists like Big Bang, Wonder Girls, and DBSK. 둘이라서 is a typical Korean ballad - to my ears, it was a bit too generic. IMO, Eru’s second album was better than his third, although his voice is still lovely. Worth a listen if you’re a fan of ballads.

사랑한다 - Lee Seung Chul (Sa Rang Han Da)
Ballad | The Secret of Color 2
Another ballad. As opposed to Eru’s deeper, thicker voice, Lee Seung Chul’s vocals are light and melodic. The warm, uplifting arrangement is really what made this song worth listening to.

2008:

어제보다 오늘 더 - Kim Jong Kook (Today More Than Yesterday)
Pop/Ballad | Vol. 5 - Here I Am
2008 saw the return of Kim Jong Kook, one of the top male singers in Korea, from his mandatory military service. He’s always been one of my favourite artists. His voice, while high in range, is still thick with emotion. Recommended.

라디오를 켜봐요 - Shin Seung Hoon (Turn on the Radio)
Pop/Rock | Radio Wave
A veteran k-pop singer known to be the “king of ballads”, has also returned with a mini-album that differs from traditional ballads, featuring an acoustic rock sound. Turn on the Radio starts out as a relaxing, laid-back track featuring a simple piano accompaniment, building suddenly and without much warning into the chorus. I love the contrast in dynamics in this song, but the softer parts were a bit dragged out.

Gossip Boy - Younha
Pop-Rock | Someday
Last year, Younha topped the charts with the song “Comet”. She seems to be enjoying a relative amount of success this year, too, with the release of her album Someday. I love her voice and the style of her music. Gossip Boy is an upbeat rock-influenced track, catchy and fun.

Japanese;
Songs chosen from the top 100 Oricon Singles of 2007 & from the most recent Top Singles chart of November 2008.

2007:

Tabidachi no Uta - Mr.Children
Soft Rock | Tabidachi no Uta
A laid-back, slow rock ballad. It’s not one of my absolute favourites by them, but worth a listen.

Eien ni - KinKi Kids
Pop/Ballad | Phi~Universal Love
A gorgeous ballad by KinKi Kids. Their vocals are rich and thick with emotion. The accompaniment is kept light throughout the song, even in the chorus, allowing their voices to shine through. Recommended.

Daybreak’s Bell - L’arc~en~Ciel
Rock | Daybreak’s Bell
I haven’t enjoyed Laruku’s newer material much, this is probably the last release by them that I really liked. Daybreak’s Bell has a darker tone and a memorable chorus, hopeful and strong.

2008:

無責任ヒーロー - Kanjani8 (Musekinin Hero)
Pop | Musekinin Hero
I have to say I don’t like these guys much. They’re fun, but a little too poppy/cheesy for me. A bright, upbeat song filled with trumpet riffs and a jazzy/ska feel.

Monochrome no Kiss - SID
Rock
I think this was done for the opening theme of an anime? While it seems very fitting as an opening theme, I prefer SID’s jazzier side. A solid rock song, but not much more.

My Heart Leaps for “C” - Antic Cafe
Oshare kei |Koakuma Usagi no Koibumi to Machine Gun
Upbeat, electronica-influenced in parts - at first I thought it was bit too overwhelmingly hyper, but it tones down a bit. Eh, it wasn’t exceptional in my opinion - most of my favourite AnCafe songs are actually their ballads - but worth a listen.

PROMiSE - MiChi
Pop/Rock | PROMiSE
She’s a relatively new artist, I think she’s only released one demo EP before this single? Signed to Sony. A simple mix of pop, rock, and electronica. If you’re looking for something experimental this probably won’t suit you, but it’s a decent song.

Mandarin;

2007:

離開地球表面 - Mayday
Rock | Jump! The World
Mayday! <3 All their releases seem to be fairly successful - their latest album, Poetry of the Day After, is also topping charts - in fact, I’ve uploaded a track from it further below. 離開地球表面 is an fast-paced, catchy track. I love the beats in this song - slightly choppy yet never jerky.

青花瓷 - Jay Chou
Pop | I’m Busy
Jay Chou is another artist who you’ll see twice in this rotation. Is it just me, or have his last two albums (this one & his latest, Capricorn) really gone downhill in quality and consistency? There’s two or three decent songs and the others are either mediocre (more like “fillers”) or just really bad. T_T Anyways, 青花瓷 is a soothing, mellow ballad. Like many of Jay’s songs it features some faint influences of classical Chinese music, but unlike in some of his other songs it’s not quite so overwhelming. I actually thought this song was quite nicely balanced out between classical influences and modern sounds.

Super Sunshine - Gary Cao
Pop | Super Sunshine
I love Gary Cao. <3 This song starts out with a sweet a cappella verse, leading into a light-hearted, feel-good pop song. Despite the cliched lyrics - You are my sunshine, my only sunshine I thought it was nice.

夠不夠 - Khalil Fong (Is it enough?)
Pop/R&B | Wonderland
Another great artist. A tasteful blend of R&B and pop, Is it enough? allows Khalil Fong’s wonderful vocals to shine through while also having a great beat. It’s not my favourite song by him, but definitely close.

我就是我 - Guang Liang (I Am Who I Am)
Pop/Ballad | 不會分離 (Never Apart)
A great singer - you might know him from his song Fairytale/Tong Hua which was a huge hit (I think I’ve uploaded it before, too). I Am Who I Am is a lovely ballad - while it lacks the instant impact of Tong Hua, it is a song that I found myself replaying.

2008:

Always Online - JJ Lin
Pop | Sixology
One of my personal favourites from JJ Lin’s latest album. Always Online is fairly slow in tempo with faint R&B influences. It’s a sad song but catchy at the same time. Recommended.

稻香 - Jay Chou
Pop | Capricorn
This was the closing track of Jay Chou’s Capricorn album, and, IMO, one of the few decent tracks. A peaceful mid-tempo track backed by acoustic guitar 稻香 is light and youthful.

如煙 - Mayday (Ru Yan/Smoke)
Rock | Poetry of the Day After
A lovely acoustic ballad from Mayday. The vocals are genuine yet laid-back and the thick, blunt bass sound contrasts nicely with the short, separated guitar chords.

Labels: Antic Cafe, Eru, Gary Cao, Guang Liang, Jay Chou, JJ Lin, Kanjani8, Khalil Fong, Kim Jong Kook, KinKi Kids, L'arc~en~Ciel, Lee Seung Chul, Mayday, MiChi, Mr.Children, Shin Seung Hoon, SID, Younha

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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