overview. songs for the nights you lie in bed, unable to sleep. waiting for the darkness to subside and the dawn to break, because you know you'll be wide awake until then. english, mandarin, korean, japanese, instrumental. ballad, alt rock, indie.
♪ set the fire to the third bar _snow patrol ft. martha wainwright
their words, mostly noises
ghosts with just voices
your words in my memory
are like music to me
♪ down _jason walker
so why do i try,
i know i'm gonna fall down
♪ seeing you off the edges _eluvium
♪ we are mice _azure ray
it's all in the eyes
the reckless way we dream to die
our past is our future
the present lies
somewhere between our hearts and minds
♪ infection _chihiro onitsuka
in the night
i realize this infection
♪ space between _katie noonan & the captains
space between us blue as oceans
gold as sunshine, red as my blood
♪ nicest thing _kate nash
i wish that without me you'd be spending the rest of your nights awake
i wish that without me you couldn't eat
i wish i was the last thing on your mind before you went to sleep
♪ lonely lonely _feist
distance makes the heart grow weak
so that the mouth can barely speak
except to those who hide their needs
♪ still alright _pg. lost
♪ rocks _ben jelen
but now i'm doubting me, i know i shouldn't be but
i've been down, i've been down
♪ diary _kelly chen
loved until it hurt
hurt until i cried
cried until i was tired
the dilemmas in my heart
keep repeating
♪ winter song _sara bareilles ft. ingrid michaelson
is love alive?
♪ cry _kelly clarkson
i'm talking in circles
i'm lying, they know it
why won't this just all go away
♪ apres moi _regina spektor
i must go on standing
you can't break that which isn't yours
i must go on standing
i'm not my own, it's not my choice
♪ 카페인 _mot
♪ 愛我吧 _khalil fong
don't answer me,
don't answer me
♪ breaking my heart again _aqualung
need to know
i don't wanna know
already know
-
you're making me doubt
i thought i knew you
i don't even know myself
♪ teenage dream _the rescues
i can't sleep
let's run away and don't ever look back,
don't ever look back
♪ when my time comes _dawes
and now the only piece of advice that continues to help
is anyone making anything new only breaks something else
♪ moonlight punch romance _nell
i fell in love
with the silence of the night
bonus (not in zip).
♪ why _susie suh
why do i ask myself these questions?
comments. this mix is a bit of an amalgam. i wanted to include songs that provided some sense of comfort, but that doesn't mean they're calming - sometimes, they're only comforting because you've found something that perfectly reflects your mood. at the same time, i didn't want this to be a mix to help you get to sleep. it's more of a mix for understanding that you won't, if that makes sense. near the end of the mix, there's a few brighter, more hopeful songs - perhaps better suited for when the light is beginning to filter in. standouts include the rescues' harmonic, yearning cover of katy perry's teenage dream, regina spektor's dramatic apres moi, katie noonan's silky, rich voice in space between, and chihiro onitsuka's haunting infection. whatever keeps you up at night - i hope this helps.
Labels: Chihiro Onitsuka, Dawes, eluvium, Feist, Jason Walker, Kelly Chen, Kelly Clarkson, Khalil Fong, mixtape, Mot, Nell, pg.lost, Regina Spektor, Sara Bareilles, Snow Patrol, Susie Suh, The Rescues
Just a few recent releases and random songs I uploaded, enjoy. =)
- Haruhi
Thank You - Nell
Korean | Alternative Rock
You can't go wrong with these guys. At times, this song can be quite downtempo - not exactly in a "relaxing" way, I would describe it as being more melancholy. But at other moments, it builds and becomes a lot more expressive. I love the acoustic guitar as well; the accompaniment is light yet colourful and rich.
Sweet Dream (Andante) - Alex
Korean | Pop
A sugar-sweet pop song by Clazziquai's Alex. I absolutely love his warm, smooth voice. The bell-like synths remind me of winter, which is kind of out-of-season I suppose, but other than that slight oddity, Sweet Dream is just that: a sweet, light, and extremely likeable pop tune.
돌아와줘 (Come Back) - Quaint Flow
Korean | R&B
I really don't know much about these guys at all, but Come Back is a really nice, smooth R&B track with deep, velvety vocals and a relaxed, at-ease feel.
선물 (Present)- K.will
Korean | Pop/Ballad
Another great singer, K.will delivers a sweet pop ballad with a cute piano-and-strings arrangement, modernized with rapping and a rock backbeat on the drums. While I like its bright tone, it doesn't have a lot of emotional value for me.
아파 - Queens
Korean | Pop/R&B
I don't know much about Queens either, but they're a new girl group on the k-pop scene. Now, that alone very nearly kept me from trying them out, but they are nothing like the auto-tuned, sugary pop group I was expecting. 아파 is an absolute treat. It's a refreshing pop track with an R&B interface - but their synths are intertwined with acoustic guitar and piano, as well as a rapper actually sounds half-decent! But the big question is: can they sing? While their style is very different from other vocally powerful girl groups, who tend to walk the ballad route, their voices are powerful, rich and soulful. Definitely a group that I'll be looking out for in the future, and a rare find amongst all the cookie-cutter girl groups that have been emerging lately.
Another Boy - Dia
Korean | Pop
Another female singer who I was very surprised with, Dia delivers a vocally powerful pop track with R&B influences. I really love her strong, rich voice and the song itself is catchy. I actually first heard this song when watching the MV [here it is w/ English subs] and found the mp3 later. It saddens me that she isn't really popular, because this as well as her other songs are really good.
하루종일 (Original ver.) - ZE:A
Korean | Pop
While there was a lot of hype around ZE:A, I have to say I was quite disappointed by their debut ... honestly, I couldn't even stand listening to their songs all the way through. They've made some improvement in their second single, though. I really like the piano in this song, although for some reason it reminds me vaguely of Big Bang but not as catchy.
Super Soul - Gil Hak Mi
Korean | Pop/R&B
If I recall correctly, she was the winner of a singing competition in Korea? I think it's called Super Star or something, I'm assuming it's similar to American Idol and the like. Either way, Super Soul ... kind of reminds me of Dia's Another Boy (see above), haha. However, it's got a more rock-ish beat. Hak Mi's voice is full and strong, and the song itself has a really unique sound and feel that I'm not really sure how to describe ... another newcomer to the music scene that's definitely worth a listen.
decay (English version) - Rie fu
Japanese | Acoustic
I love this song. <3 Rie fu's English is flawless (and I love the lyrics), and the backing of acoustic guitar and piano is so pretty. Although I've had this song for a while, I only started listening to it more recently.
Labels: Alex, Dia, Gil Hak Mi, K.will, Nell, Quaint Flow, Queens, Rie Fu, ZE:A
I think I changed the theme of this rotation 3 times in total. Cate suggested a rock theme, which I was going to do for the next rotation and do a J-pop themed rotation this week. I started uploading songs for it, but just felt really uninterested in completing the rotation, so I thought I would do a "surf & turf" theme - half pop, half heavy rock, to incorporate the rock theme. Then I realized I really didn't feel like doing that rotation right now, since I planned it to be fairly large (I will likely save it for the next rotation) ... and so ended up doing a totally unrelated theme.
Anyways. After seeing the songs titled Boyfriend and Girlfriend on SNSD's Genie mini album, even though I don't really like SNSD, I got the idea for a rotation with songs with the word "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" in the title. There will probably be less recommended (
) tracks, since songs were chosen based on title rather than whether I liked them or not. Excuse my crappy comments this week, I promise the next rotation will be better. Please comment/leave a rating if taking.My Girlfriend - Micky Yoochun
Korean | Pop
A sugary R&B-influenced pop song by DBSK's Micky Yoochun. I've always admired DBSK for their vocals, and while Yoochun's voice is very sweet and warm, the song itself is just so. boring. It doesn't build or lead anywhere, and just sound somewhat lifeless. I guess it's an okay song to just relax to, but I didn't find it engaging at all.
Girlfriend ~piano mix version~ - Lee Min Woo
Korean | Pop Ballad
I love the original version of this song, but since I figured most of you would already have heard it, I chose this piano mix instead. Minwoo is by far my favourite Shinhwa member, and songs like this are why. This song is even more heartfelt and sorrowful with just a simple, rich piano accompaniment. Minwoo sounds fantastic - his powerful and unique voice adds colour and depth to the song.
Boyfriend/Girlfriend - Tanaka Roma ft. Melody
Japanese | Pop
A sweet pop duet. Melody's soft, delicate voice fits well with Tanaka Roma's warm, strong vocals. Like the title suggests, it's a feel-good song with bright synths and lovely harmonies.
Girlfriend - SNSD
Korean | Pop
While SNSD's previous releases have all failed to catch my attention, I think their Genie mini-album was a slight improvement. Girlfriend is a fairly typical sugary pop song, but I really like the chorus. It's an upbeat song touched with bright synths and sweet vocals.
Boyfriend - SNSD
Korean | Pop
An R&B/hip-hop influenced song. I found it repetitive and quite bland. The girls sound incredibly unconvincing and bored at the beginning of the song - So many boys wanna give it to me, but I want you, boy, give it to me, cause I'm so ready boy, give it to me. The starting lyrics and beat seem to suggest a more mature, sexy feel to the song - yet the vocals throughout the song are cute and childish. The repetitive beat and weak melody, coupled with the annoying siren sounds in the background, just completely ruined the song for me.
To Your X-Boyfriend - Lim Chang Jung
Korean | Pop
Lim Chang Jung is most famous for his ballads, but his powerful, rich voice suits more uptempo songs equally well. An aggressive, strong track with Latin-influenced guitar work.
Boyfriend Part II - Crystal Kay
Japanese | Pop/R&B
I love Crystal Kay. While I really liked the semi-a cappella opening of this song, the rest of the song didn't do much for me. Crystal Kay's voice disappears beneath the heavy beat and electronica-based accompaniment, only coming out in the chorus. The song lacks any real direction and the arrangement comes off as a little jarring and uncoordinated.
Dao Shu Di Er Ge Nan Peng You (Count To The No.2 Boyfriend) - Milk Yeh
Mandarin | Pop
A really interesting mid-tempo track - there's just something about the percussion that catches your attention, as well as Milk Yeh's light, feathery voice. I thought the song was a little bland upon first listen, but it's starting to grow on me.
After Love -First Boyfriend- - Crystal Kay ft. KANAME (Chemistry)
Japanese | Pop/R&B
Crystal Kay's latest release also sparked this rotation's theme - this song and the "Girlfriend" ft. BoA are all from her newest single. Like many of Crystal Kay's songs, After Love has strong R&B routes. A mid-tempo song, Crystal Kay's strong voice leads the melody with Chemistry's KANAME mostly providing soft harmonies and backing vocals. Personally, I would have liked to hear more of him. While this song was quite good, I didn't find any aspect of it particularly outstanding.
Girlfriend - Crystal Kay ft. BoA
Japanese | Pop/R&B
BoA and Crystal Kay sound fantastic together. BoA's softer, creamier voice suits Crystal Kay's powerful vocals perfectly. However, BoA sounds slightly nasal in this song, something that I never really noticed in other songs. A strong, memorable song.
& some of my favourite Nell songs, as requested by Ayumi. I didn't individually comment on each song, but all are highly recommended, especially Moonlight Punch Romance. And 기억을 걷는 시간. And Fisheye Lens. I always forget how much I love these songs until I hear them again.
기억을 걷는 시간 - Nell
Fisheye Lens - Nell
Moonlight Punch Romance - Nell
1분만 닥쳐줄래요 - Nell
Labels: Crystal Kay, Lee Min Woo, Lim Chang Jung, Micky Yoochun, Milk Yeh, Nell, So Nyeo Shi Dae, Tanaka Roma
We finally have a totally new layout, featuring DBSK with scans from their latest single, Stand By U. Let me know what you think of it! =)
The next rotation won't be up for another couple days, but here's a few requests I uploaded for other sites:
Separation Anxiety - Nell
Korean | Soft Rock
I love this song so much. <3
Shinin' Star - Shinin' Star
Korean | Pop
A relaxing, slow pop song. Don't know much about these guys.
懂爱的孤独 (快版) - HIT-5 (Say You Love Me Again - Fast Version)
懂爱的孤独 (慢版) - HIT-5 (Say You Love Me Again - Slow Version)
SAY YOU LOVE ME AGAIN - HIT-5
I WANT U TO KNOW - HIT-5
Mandarin | Pop
Debut single from boyband HIT-5. There are two versions of the title song and two b-sides.
Part 2 - Nell
Korean | Soft Rock
Some older stuff from Nell.
우울한 너에게 - Mate
Korean | Soft Rock
I heard a lot of good things about these guys, but personally thought they were mediocre for the most part. This is one song that I did really enjoy from their debut album.
Labels: HIT-5, Mate, Nell, Shinin' Star, site
Hey,
First off, I'm sorry that the upcoming rotation is late. I have final exams this week, so the rotation probably won't be up for a few more days. But, I do have a couple songs for you guys as well as some songs that I uploaded for requests or at other sites, and thought I'd share with you guys too. I know I don't really have an up-to-date, organized song list, simply because I have such a huge amount of music, but please feel free to request any songs, if I have them or am able to find them I'll be happy to share them with you.
But on another note, please remember to comment or even just leave a rating. I've said this sooo many times and even been forced to shut the site down for periods of time because of a lack of feedback, and it's just frustrating. Honestly, typing "thanks" will not take that long. Clicking a star in the rating scale will take even less - far less than the time it takes to prepare and upload rotations. I really don't want to have to put the site on hiatus simply because I'm so discouraged by lack of commenting, but the last rotation received zero comments and only one rating, and quite a large number of downloads.
Anyways, onto the music:
Heartbreaker - Dynamic Duo ft. JW of Nell
Korean | Hip-Hop
This was a song that I was greatly looking forward to listening to, considering that it's by two of my favourite artists, and two very different artists. I was interested in seeing how their sounds blended together. While the song is predominantly hip-hop with its heavy beats and dark atmosphere and dominated by Dynamic Duo's rapping, the sung verses by JW of Nell definitely have their own flavour and feel while also adapting to the style of the song. It adds a certain freshness to the otherwise quite predictable rap song; I find myself listening on if only to hear the melodic verses.
Pure - EXILE
Japanese | Pop/Ballad
A pretty, melodic piano-based ballad from EXILE. It's mid-tempo and incredibly sweet and genuine. Despite being a fairly cookie-cutter song, it's well done, with warm harmonies, heartfelt vocals, and an overall familiar atmosphere.
Miracle Poppop - Vistee
Korean | Pop/Jazz/Easy-Listening
I'm not really sure what to call this, she certainly has a unique and somewhat eccentric style. A soft, sugary song with a strong Latin drive. Vistee's sweet, poppy voice certainly suits the song well, allthough in my opinion it could have been a bit stronger and fuller. A breath of fresh air.
Hey, Mr. - Dream Girls ft. Taesabiae, Venus, Han Ji-Eun
Korean | Pop/Electronica
I'm always hesitant to try out girl groups, generally not being a fan of them, but Dream Girls may be an exception. While this song was far from blowing me away, I did think it was quite impressive. It's a mid-tempo, R&B influenced track with a wonderful piano base and rich, powerful, yet decidedly feminine vocals. The hook is just wonderful, everything comes together perfectly. It's not particularly innovative, but has its twists that make it unique.
바나나 파티 - Yozoh (Banana Party)
Korean | Indie Pop
Yozoh has a certain child-like quality of her voice, which is especially prevalent in this song. It's a cute, sugary number that's quite relaxing yet amusing at the same time. It's fairly simple, with only light percussion and an acoustic guitar. Although the lyrics in the chorus (Give me your banana, let me taste your banana) could possibly have a somewhat disturbing double meaning. O_o
Uploaded requests:
CRAZY ABOUT YOU - Mini Moni
Japanese | Pop
Not really a fan of this song or group, but who knows, you might like them.
Oasis - Navi ft. Suh Young Eun
Korean | Pop
길에서 - Navi
Korean | Pop
I Love You (Rap Version) - Navi ft. Tablo
Korean | Pop
itoshii hito - Miyavi
Japanese | Rock
First Miyavi song I ever heard (& the first Japanese song), I absolutely love it. <3
Luv U Luv U Luv U - Younha
Korean | Pop
Heart Damage - Navi ft. Crown J
Korean | Pop
Aitakute - Monkey Majik
Japanese | Pop-Rock
I totally love this song as well as this group, same with "The Letter" below - both great songs, definitely try them out if you've never heard them before.
The Letter - Monkey Majik
Japanese | Pop-Rock/Soft Rock
Good Girl - Fly to the Sky
Korean | Pop/R&B
Man I love FttS. Good Girl & Close to You (below) are my two favourite songs from their Decennium album.
Close to You - Fly to the Sky ft. Dynamic Duo
Korean | Pop/R&B
花茶 - Sodagreen
Mandarin | Soft Rock
I love these guys. <3 Try them out if you've never heard of them, their music definitely has a unique flavour although it might be a bit of an acquired taste.
左邊 - Sodagreen
Mandarin | Soft Rock
無與倫比的美麗 - Sodagreen
Labels: Dream Girls, Dynamic Duo, EXILE, misc downloads, Nell, Vistee
BLACK CHERRY - acid black cherry
A little different from the ballad by the same band that you'll find below, I just had to include this because it also shows Yasu's voice wonderfully, and I simply love this band. A very jazz-influenced song, Yasu's vocals are a wonderful blend of jazz and rock styles. Black Cherry starts out slowly and picks up the tempo, at the same time switching more to rock but there are still trumpets stuck in here and there. Highly recommended.
SHININ' ON Kimi ga Kanashii - acid black cherry
I'm not sure what genre to classify them in, they've got a lot of jazz influences too. Shinin' on Kimi ga Kanashii shows some influences of a jazz ballad and some of the rhythms and chords also echo jazz, leading into a more typical piano accompaniment. Their vocalist is Yasu of Janne da Arc. The mixture of the "traditional" ballad you'd expect and jazz is extremely balanced and smooth, and the vocals are excellent. The song picks up tempo a little in an area and showcases some nice blues scales and I think I hear an upright bass too. <3
FREE STAR - ACIDMAN
Great band that deserves more recognition. Vocals are faint but that's what draws you to them. Try them out.
街の輪郭 - ACIDMAN
Another ACIDMAN song, 街の輪郭 has a really laid back sound and is extremely addictive. Recommended.
Tail Lamp - Aobozu
I love the first verse of this song. It seems kind of generic on the first listen, but I really like this song. They've got a pretty good vocalist, and the song switches tempo and mood occasionally. The guitar and bass blend together well, creating a good if somewhat predictable sound.
DESPARATE - Black:List
One of the heavier bands in this rotation, an awesome headbanging song. I wasn't too sure about it the first time I listened to it, but it's growing on me. Growly vocals but not screaming. Recommended.
Glass no highway - doa
One of my favourite bands. This is the a-side from their most recent single. Their vocalist has a deep voice that captures so much emotion. This song is absolutely beautiful. It manages to be hopeful yet sad at the same time. Harmonizing is also well done. Highly recommended.
좋은 사람 (캐스커 Remix) - Fanny Fink
While this band's name is a bit odd, I absolutely love this song. The vocalist is female and she has a very soft voice that reminds me a little of Jisun's from Loveholic. Their style also shares some similarities to Loveholic. Highly recommended.
Surely - Iori
This is like, the only song I have from this band, but I'd love to hear more from them. They have an awesome vocalist, though the vocals are a bit unpolished. Try them out.
Sakura Tears - John-Hoon
A Korean artist who mostly sings in Japanese, this is cute song that's fun to listen to. John-Hoon's voice is pretty good. Sakura Tears is also pretty catchy. Worth a listen.
Atomic Smile - JUN (Phantasmagoria)
Oh my god, the intro of this song is just wonderfully executed. Very unexpected and beautiful transitions. It seems like it's going to be really heavy, but then switches to this cute, pop tune that makes me hesitate to call this song "rock". But, the tempo does pick up. The lack of vocals in this song suits it. Highly recommended.
Ritori - kannivalism
A lovely mid-tempo song by kannivalism. They've got a great style and a great vocalist too, definitely try them out.
春 - Kousuke Atari
Kousuke Atari's voice is wonderful. It lacks a very polished feel, but I think that's what makes it so unique. It wavers in strength, occasionally disappearing beneath the accompaniment and at other times towering over it. He does do this weird little vibrato sometimes that I don't really like, it seems more like he can't hold the note in tune than a real vibrato, but other than that, a very nice ballad. I like the bass accompaniment too, though you'll have to listen pretty hard for it.
Fuyu Tokyo - Lareine
Love how this song kicks off, and then launches into this wonderful, bright trumpet-filled sound. There's a piano in place of the usual rhythmic guitar chords, and a guitar playing little riffs that aren't as consistent. Great band too; recommended.
SCREAM - Lareine
More Lareine. =) The beginning of this song is almost disconcerting and I keep waiting for it to build but it never does. There's this sort of foreign feel to it and the vocalist whispering in Japanese. Eventually it does build a bit but overall this song was just ... really weird, but interesting. O_o Doesn't really sound like Lareine at all, yet this song defies the style of any band I know.
夏の終わりがまだここにある - The Local Art
A sweet ballad that's set apart by their vocalist's deep, thick voice. If anyone else had sung this song, it wouldn't have held my attention at all. I love this band, they deserve a lot more attention. I previously uploaded their song Shiroi Hana, look for it in the archives page if you want to hear more from them.
발자국 - Monday Kiz
발자국 is my favourite track from their latest album, Inside Story. Deep, husky vocals that are sweet and melodic at the same time, it's a mid-tempo ballad that has an extremely catchy chorus. Not the kind of ballad that you'd get bored listening to, this is probably one of my favourite Monday Kiz songs.
Together/Akari/Fall Back - Monkey Majik
01. Together
02. Akari
03. Fall Back
04. One More Chance
These guys have such a unique style, I'm not sure what genre to call them. This is their latest single, a triple a-side. The first verse of Together is what makes me love the song so much. This band has great vocalists, and two Canadian members too. There's a fifth track to this single that's a remix of Together, but I didn't upload it. Akari has a sadder sound than Together and a really nice piano accompaniment. Fall Back is more upbeat and features more English lyrics. It reminds me very slightly of "Change" (another one of their songs). One More Chance has a more aggressive sound but at the same time has a much lighter accompaniment. There's also a rap verse, which I hear occasionally in their songs but not often. I've never heard a Monkey Majik song that I didn't like, and I was very pleased by this single. Highly recommended.
기억을 걷는 시간 - Nell
Another song from Separation Anxiety, Nell's latest album, 기억을 걷는 시간 is probably my favourite tied with the title track and Fisheye Lens. If you've never heard anything by this band, try them out. They're one of my favourite bands, their vocalist has a very unique voice and their songs are just beautiful. The amount of detail in the composition and at the same time it's simplicity is amazing. Highly recommended.
In Your Hands - XING
I'm generally not a huge fan of boybands, but XING has always been pretty strong vocally and they've got at least one member who speaks fluent English, so the English versions of their songs/English verses are always good. A predictable but nice ballad from them. I think vocally they're capable of a lot more, but this song makes for a nice, light listen.
Te wo Tsunaide - Younha
Younha! One of my favourite female vocalists. An upbeat track by her that's very catchy yet shows her voice perfectly. The chorus is just beautiful. She's Korean, but most of her releases are Japanese. Highly recommended.
Unite As One - Yuna Ito
A mellow ballad from Yuna Ito's Wish album, the vocals seem very slightly R&B influenced. I thought I'd upload this since there aren't really any female artists up in this rotation, and Yuna Ito's voice builds nicely in this song. It's not my favourite from her, but it's not bad.
Labels: acid black cherry, ACIDMAN, Aobozu, Black:List, doa, Fanny Fink, Iori, John-Hoon, JUN, kannivalism, Kousuke Atari, Lareine, Monday Kiz, Monkey Majik, Nell, THE LOCAL ART, XING, Younha, Yuna Ito
