I wanted to get a rotation up before I left, so I can go straight to the 50th rotation when I get back. This rotation is themed around electro-pop and synths. It's named after Owl City's song of the same name, featured below, because it seemed like a perfect fit for the dreamy, sweet quality that a lot of electro-pop has, although not all the songs here fit that description.

Nothing Better - The Postal Service
English | Electro-pop
A side project of Death Cab For Cutie singer Ben Gibbard's, Nothing Better is charming and light. The synths remind me a bit of Owl City, although the vocals aren't quite as distinctive - not that they don't have their own charm. The play between the female and male vocalists is touching, and lyrically, it's also quite strong.

Vanilla Twilight - Owl City
English | Electro-pop
I'm not a huge Owl City fan - their songs tend to blend together to me - but I do like a couple of their songs: The Saltwater Room, and Vanilla Twilight in particular. It's melodic and absolutely endearing. The lyrics are a bit sappy but sweet nonetheless. It's a cute song about missing someone, and the adept blend of synths mixed with brief touches of guitar and piano is lovely.

Cuddle Fuddle - Passion Pit
English | Electronic
This song takes a while to establish itself, but I love the unique edge to the vocals starting at around 1:10 as well as the vibrant synths added at that point. It's not a favourite of mine, but it has a delicate edge to it that I like.

Hey You - Pony Pony Run Run
English | Electronic/Power-pop
This song is so addictive. I can't get enough of it. The bassline and beat are awesome, and there's something about its laid-back guitar riffs and addictive hook that is so appealing. I love the bridge as well, where everything slows down a little and the synth backdrop becomes a little more dreamy. Definitely one of the highlights of this rotation.

Beat In Love - Clazziquai Project
English | Electronica
Although Clazziquai is a Korean group, the lyrics of this song are in English. It's charming, upbeat, and their English sounds great. I especially love Alex's verses, there's something about the warmth of his voice paired with the synths that is just perfect.

S.P.X - Humming Urban Stereo
Korean | Electronica
The more mature atmosphere of this song separates it from some of the others in this rotation. I always found this song to be one that required a certain mood, or else it comes across as a bit repetitive and directionless. It might not be the most accessible track, but come on, it's Humming Urban Stereo.

Pool Party (feat. 사파이어 & 윤지아) - House Rulez
Korean | Electronica
I don't really like the chipmunk-y intro of this song, but all is forgiven when the splashes of brass enter. Like the title suggests, it's a great summer track with a lot of energy.

47 - Casker
Korean | Electronic
I love this duo, and songs like 47 are why. From the rich, lush intro of synths, I was captured. They definitely set a more serious tone than what you've heard in the songs above, but it's a welcome change of pace. The slight dissonance in the rising line of synths only adds to the hauntingly beautiful atmosphere of this song. YoongJin's smooth, elegant vocals are far different from what you'd expect in an electronica song, but it fits the song perfectly. Highly recommended.

Twist In My Love - Instant Romantic Floor
Korean | Electro-pop
It's hard to classify Instant Romantic Floor - their music has touches of electronica, pop, house, and bossa nova. Twist In My Love has a couple surprises in store, particularly the very light use of synths and the more prominent use of strings - though not in a ballad-type setting, but rather something sweet and airy, words that could be used to describe the song as a whole.

Snowdrop - Fanny Fink
Korean | Soft Rock
This Pastel Music group is a real gem. A soft, feathery song with surprising depth. I love the rich percussion and the barely-there vocals. Okay, on second listen I don't think there's actually any synths in this song except for a few deft ones blended in with the piano.

Giant - Yozoh
Korean | Electro-pop
Although Yozoh plays with a lot of genres, mostly acoustic, Giant is a foray into electro-pop. Her feathery, light voice is a good match. A soothing, atmospheric track with an understated beauty.

I was Wrong - capsule
English | Electronica
How could we have an electronica rotation of any sort without Japanese electronica duo capsule? The percussive intro of this song is fantastic, paired with a few lush, full-bodied piano chords. The vocals are achingly clear - and the English flawless. There's even touches of strings. It's sophisticated and textured. I love it.

Preservative Woman - Aural Vampire
Japanese | Electronica/Industrial Rock
An upbeat, light-hearted track with synthesized vocals that surprisingly, I like. Unfortunately, the rest of the song isn't that appealing to me although it's worth a listen.

QUESTIONS - MEG
English | Electro-pop
I've never been a big fan of Japanese singer MEG and never really understood her popularity, but her journey mini-album did have a few gems, one of which is QUESTIONS. It's polished and charismatic. The light, simple vocal execution really works with the catchy beat and bass. On a side note, there's an awful lot of Korean/Japanese artists with all-English lyrics in this rotation.

Kids - MGMT
English | Electronic
The line of synths in this song is just so instantly recognizable. It puts a smile on my face whenever I hear it. Addictive and surprisingly delicate, I really like the slightly echoed, distant feel of the vocals contrasted with the clarity of the synths and beat.

Daylight - Matt & Kim
English | Electronica, Power-pop
A cute track from Brooklyn-based duo Matt & Kim. It's bubbly and multi-layered, although the vocals are a bit of an acquired taste.

Labels: Aural Vampire, capsule, Clazziquai, Fanny Fink, House Rulez, Humming Urban Stereo, Instant Romantic Floor, Matt + Kim, MEG, MGMT, Owl City, Passion Pit, Pony Pony Run Run, The Postal Service, Yozoh

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

I am planning to return to my regular rotation schedule in September. Here's a quick update for you guys in the meantime, a couple songs that I've been listening to a lot lately. Excluding songs I've already posted before - Khalil Fong's Wonderful Tonight and the rest of the Timeless album as well as A-Chord's Little Shepherd's Fantasy Journey & the SM Town Compilation - namely SHINee & DBSK's songs - have all been favourites of mine too.

Also, I've uploaded a new mini-album by The Brave Brothers.

Please leave a comment or rating if taking!

#5. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight - U2
English | Rock
Some of you might recognize this song, it was recently featured on a Blackberry commercial, (which I personally found to be very ineffective - Blackberry loves U2, so I should buy their phones?) and I decided to look it up. It's a mid-tempo rock song with a great arrangement - I love the dreamy synth-y keyboard chords between verses - but what I really love about this song is its lyrics - Every generation gets a chance to change the world/Divination that will listen to your boys and girls/Is the sweetest melody the one we haven't heard?/Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?

#4. Feelin' You - BRIGHT
Japanese | R&B/Pop
BRIGHT is one of the few girl groups that I really love, and Feelin' You is no exception. It's an enthusiastic, bright mid-tempo track. Vocally, they sound great, and their trademark harmonies really bring the song up a notch. An active percussion and airy synths provide the base of the accompaniment. Although this song took a while to grow on me, it definitely has.

#3. We've All Grown Up (我们都成了大人) - A-Chord
Mandarin | Pop/Rock Ballad
The two songs of A-Chord's that I've shared before were all relatively upbeat, but We've All Grown Up takes a more serious tone. In other words, it's a ballad. It's piano-based and caught my interest because it sounds slightly muted, even when you turn the volume up. It adds to the sincere atmosphere of the song, and A-Chord's warm, yearning voice is filled with emotion. At first I thought it was a bit generic, but after a few listens, it's really convinced me of A-Chord's maturity and talent.

#2. Red Bean (红豆) (Original Singer: 王菲 - Faye Wang) - Khalil Fong
Mandarin | Ballad
The first time I heard this song, it was an extremely low-quality rip, and because it's a fairly soft song in the first place, I thought it was another bland ballad and discarded it. After re-listening to it (in much better quality) on the full album, I immediately changed my mind. I've actually heard the original of this song quite a few times, a lot of my friends like to sing it at karaoke - I realized this as soon as I heard the chorus. Although personally I find the rest of the song a bit bland - mid-tempo piano/strings ballad with a minimal percussion accompaniment in the case of Khalil's version, I don't remember much of the original version - I love the chorus, and it always stays with me. Although I hadn't heard this song for about an year until stumbling upon Khalil's remake, I recognized it as soon as I heard it (in good enough quality to actually discern the melody). A warm and genuine ballad that Khalil's careful remake does justice to.

#1. The Saltwater Room - Owl City
English | Electronica/Pop
I've heard a lot of good things about Owl City, but only recently began listening to them - the first song I heard was this, The Saltwater Room, and I definitely wasn't disappointed. It's a lovely song - soft and warm, with an acoustic guitar base and tentative, unique vocals. It's calm but engaging, and definitely prompted me to try and find more material from them.



Brave Brothers - Attitude
Korean | Hip-Hop/Pop
Release date: August 18 2009

o1. Interview (인터뷰)
o2. Brave Sound (브레이브사운드)
o3 Invisible (인비져블) (feat. Son Dam Bi, Star Wars)
o4 Bittersweet (비터스윗) (feat. M, HyunA, Mabus, Red Roc, Basick)
o5 Invisible (인비져블) (Inst.)

If I recall correctly, these guys were featured on a Son Dam Bi song before. Interview is a short, spoken/sung intro. Brave Sound is a short and straight-forward hip-hop song that didn't really catch my attention. Invisible, however, did. It's a fast-paced song based in hip-hop/electronica, but the gritty guitar work that pops up throughout the song also gives it some rock routes. It's a little too busy and overdone for my liking, but very catchy and addictive. Bittersweet was a track that I was looking forward to, seeing as it features M (Lee Min Woo). It's an R&B ballad. Upon hearing the opening verse I thought it was lovely, but it slowly lost my attention. I'm guessing it's HyunA rapping at around ~1:10, I have to say I'm not a fan. The sung portions by M are great (especially the hook - And love is sweet sweet/Bittersweet love), and on a whole Bittersweet is well-executed and carefully plotted. However, the rap portions were a bit too numerous and monotonous for my liking.

Labels: A-Chord, Brave Brothers, BRIGHT, Khalil Fong, Owl City, U2

I wanted to get a rotation up before I left, so I can go straight to the 50th rotation when I get back. This rotation is themed around electro-pop and synths. It's named after Owl City's song of the same name, featured below, because it seemed like a perfect fit for the dreamy, sweet quality that a lot of electro-pop has, although not all the songs here fit that description.

Nothing Better - The Postal Service
English | Electro-pop
A side project of Death Cab For Cutie singer Ben Gibbard's, Nothing Better is charming and light. The synths remind me a bit of Owl City, although the vocals aren't quite as distinctive - not that they don't have their own charm. The play between the female and male vocalists is touching, and lyrically, it's also quite strong.

Vanilla Twilight - Owl City
English | Electro-pop
I'm not a huge Owl City fan - their songs tend to blend together to me - but I do like a couple of their songs: The Saltwater Room, and Vanilla Twilight in particular. It's melodic and absolutely endearing. The lyrics are a bit sappy but sweet nonetheless. It's a cute song about missing someone, and the adept blend of synths mixed with brief touches of guitar and piano is lovely.

Cuddle Fuddle - Passion Pit
English | Electronic
This song takes a while to establish itself, but I love the unique edge to the vocals starting at around 1:10 as well as the vibrant synths added at that point. It's not a favourite of mine, but it has a delicate edge to it that I like.

Hey You - Pony Pony Run Run
English | Electronic/Power-pop
This song is so addictive. I can't get enough of it. The bassline and beat are awesome, and there's something about its laid-back guitar riffs and addictive hook that is so appealing. I love the bridge as well, where everything slows down a little and the synth backdrop becomes a little more dreamy. Definitely one of the highlights of this rotation.

Beat In Love - Clazziquai Project
English | Electronica
Although Clazziquai is a Korean group, the lyrics of this song are in English. It's charming, upbeat, and their English sounds great. I especially love Alex's verses, there's something about the warmth of his voice paired with the synths that is just perfect.

S.P.X - Humming Urban Stereo
Korean | Electronica
The more mature atmosphere of this song separates it from some of the others in this rotation. I always found this song to be one that required a certain mood, or else it comes across as a bit repetitive and directionless. It might not be the most accessible track, but come on, it's Humming Urban Stereo.

Pool Party (feat. 사파이어 & 윤지아) - House Rulez
Korean | Electronica
I don't really like the chipmunk-y intro of this song, but all is forgiven when the splashes of brass enter. Like the title suggests, it's a great summer track with a lot of energy.

47 - Casker
Korean | Electronic
I love this duo, and songs like 47 are why. From the rich, lush intro of synths, I was captured. They definitely set a more serious tone than what you've heard in the songs above, but it's a welcome change of pace. The slight dissonance in the rising line of synths only adds to the hauntingly beautiful atmosphere of this song. YoongJin's smooth, elegant vocals are far different from what you'd expect in an electronica song, but it fits the song perfectly. Highly recommended.

Twist In My Love - Instant Romantic Floor
Korean | Electro-pop
It's hard to classify Instant Romantic Floor - their music has touches of electronica, pop, house, and bossa nova. Twist In My Love has a couple surprises in store, particularly the very light use of synths and the more prominent use of strings - though not in a ballad-type setting, but rather something sweet and airy, words that could be used to describe the song as a whole.

Snowdrop - Fanny Fink
Korean | Soft Rock
This Pastel Music group is a real gem. A soft, feathery song with surprising depth. I love the rich percussion and the barely-there vocals. Okay, on second listen I don't think there's actually any synths in this song except for a few deft ones blended in with the piano.

Giant - Yozoh
Korean | Electro-pop
Although Yozoh plays with a lot of genres, mostly acoustic, Giant is a foray into electro-pop. Her feathery, light voice is a good match. A soothing, atmospheric track with an understated beauty.

I was Wrong - capsule
English | Electronica
How could we have an electronica rotation of any sort without Japanese electronica duo capsule? The percussive intro of this song is fantastic, paired with a few lush, full-bodied piano chords. The vocals are achingly clear - and the English flawless. There's even touches of strings. It's sophisticated and textured. I love it.

Preservative Woman - Aural Vampire
Japanese | Electronica/Industrial Rock
An upbeat, light-hearted track with synthesized vocals that surprisingly, I like. Unfortunately, the rest of the song isn't that appealing to me although it's worth a listen.

QUESTIONS - MEG
English | Electro-pop
I've never been a big fan of Japanese singer MEG and never really understood her popularity, but her journey mini-album did have a few gems, one of which is QUESTIONS. It's polished and charismatic. The light, simple vocal execution really works with the catchy beat and bass. On a side note, there's an awful lot of Korean/Japanese artists with all-English lyrics in this rotation.

Kids - MGMT
English | Electronic
The line of synths in this song is just so instantly recognizable. It puts a smile on my face whenever I hear it. Addictive and surprisingly delicate, I really like the slightly echoed, distant feel of the vocals contrasted with the clarity of the synths and beat.

Daylight - Matt & Kim
English | Electronica, Power-pop
A cute track from Brooklyn-based duo Matt & Kim. It's bubbly and multi-layered, although the vocals are a bit of an acquired taste.

Labels: Aural Vampire, capsule, Clazziquai, Fanny Fink, House Rulez, Humming Urban Stereo, Instant Romantic Floor, Matt + Kim, MEG, MGMT, Owl City, Passion Pit, Pony Pony Run Run, The Postal Service, Yozoh

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

I am planning to return to my regular rotation schedule in September. Here's a quick update for you guys in the meantime, a couple songs that I've been listening to a lot lately. Excluding songs I've already posted before - Khalil Fong's Wonderful Tonight and the rest of the Timeless album as well as A-Chord's Little Shepherd's Fantasy Journey & the SM Town Compilation - namely SHINee & DBSK's songs - have all been favourites of mine too.

Also, I've uploaded a new mini-album by The Brave Brothers.

Please leave a comment or rating if taking!

#5. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight - U2
English | Rock
Some of you might recognize this song, it was recently featured on a Blackberry commercial, (which I personally found to be very ineffective - Blackberry loves U2, so I should buy their phones?) and I decided to look it up. It's a mid-tempo rock song with a great arrangement - I love the dreamy synth-y keyboard chords between verses - but what I really love about this song is its lyrics - Every generation gets a chance to change the world/Divination that will listen to your boys and girls/Is the sweetest melody the one we haven't heard?/Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?

#4. Feelin' You - BRIGHT
Japanese | R&B/Pop
BRIGHT is one of the few girl groups that I really love, and Feelin' You is no exception. It's an enthusiastic, bright mid-tempo track. Vocally, they sound great, and their trademark harmonies really bring the song up a notch. An active percussion and airy synths provide the base of the accompaniment. Although this song took a while to grow on me, it definitely has.

#3. We've All Grown Up (我们都成了大人) - A-Chord
Mandarin | Pop/Rock Ballad
The two songs of A-Chord's that I've shared before were all relatively upbeat, but We've All Grown Up takes a more serious tone. In other words, it's a ballad. It's piano-based and caught my interest because it sounds slightly muted, even when you turn the volume up. It adds to the sincere atmosphere of the song, and A-Chord's warm, yearning voice is filled with emotion. At first I thought it was a bit generic, but after a few listens, it's really convinced me of A-Chord's maturity and talent.

#2. Red Bean (红豆) (Original Singer: 王菲 - Faye Wang) - Khalil Fong
Mandarin | Ballad
The first time I heard this song, it was an extremely low-quality rip, and because it's a fairly soft song in the first place, I thought it was another bland ballad and discarded it. After re-listening to it (in much better quality) on the full album, I immediately changed my mind. I've actually heard the original of this song quite a few times, a lot of my friends like to sing it at karaoke - I realized this as soon as I heard the chorus. Although personally I find the rest of the song a bit bland - mid-tempo piano/strings ballad with a minimal percussion accompaniment in the case of Khalil's version, I don't remember much of the original version - I love the chorus, and it always stays with me. Although I hadn't heard this song for about an year until stumbling upon Khalil's remake, I recognized it as soon as I heard it (in good enough quality to actually discern the melody). A warm and genuine ballad that Khalil's careful remake does justice to.

#1. The Saltwater Room - Owl City
English | Electronica/Pop
I've heard a lot of good things about Owl City, but only recently began listening to them - the first song I heard was this, The Saltwater Room, and I definitely wasn't disappointed. It's a lovely song - soft and warm, with an acoustic guitar base and tentative, unique vocals. It's calm but engaging, and definitely prompted me to try and find more material from them.



Brave Brothers - Attitude
Korean | Hip-Hop/Pop
Release date: August 18 2009

o1. Interview (인터뷰)
o2. Brave Sound (브레이브사운드)
o3 Invisible (인비져블) (feat. Son Dam Bi, Star Wars)
o4 Bittersweet (비터스윗) (feat. M, HyunA, Mabus, Red Roc, Basick)
o5 Invisible (인비져블) (Inst.)

If I recall correctly, these guys were featured on a Son Dam Bi song before. Interview is a short, spoken/sung intro. Brave Sound is a short and straight-forward hip-hop song that didn't really catch my attention. Invisible, however, did. It's a fast-paced song based in hip-hop/electronica, but the gritty guitar work that pops up throughout the song also gives it some rock routes. It's a little too busy and overdone for my liking, but very catchy and addictive. Bittersweet was a track that I was looking forward to, seeing as it features M (Lee Min Woo). It's an R&B ballad. Upon hearing the opening verse I thought it was lovely, but it slowly lost my attention. I'm guessing it's HyunA rapping at around ~1:10, I have to say I'm not a fan. The sung portions by M are great (especially the hook - And love is sweet sweet/Bittersweet love), and on a whole Bittersweet is well-executed and carefully plotted. However, the rap portions were a bit too numerous and monotonous for my liking.

Labels: A-Chord, Brave Brothers, BRIGHT, Khalil Fong, Owl City, U2

Welcome to Fashion Scans, an mp3 rotation that features Korean, Japanese, and Chinese music as well as the occasional English song. Fashion Scans was created in October 2007 and is run by Haruhi with contributions from Carmi.

Please send all affiliate requests to Haruhi. Carmi is currently open to requests.

Files are for sampling purposes only, I am not responsible if you keep them for longer than the 24-48 hours permitted. Please support the artists by purchasing their CDs.

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


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

link in: