Full Moon (Live) – Namie Amuro
Japanese | Pop
The instruments remind me of the old school horror movies with the strings creating a dark and sinister atmosphere. The overall sound of the song reminds me of what it would sound like if you were visiting a haunted house on Halloween – a little creepy but still a lot of fun.

Still Doll – Kanon Wakeshima
Japanese | Pop
Dolls have always creeped me out and this song is creepy in its own way. I mean, the song has Kanon talking to a doll named Alice. The cello and other stringed instruments give this song a dark kind of feeling, kind of like if you were stuck in an abandoned house at night. And it contrasts nicely with Kanon’s voice.

Sakasama No Chou – Snow
Japanese | Pop
This is the opening to “Hell Girl” (Jigoku Shoujo). If you’re into creepy anime with interesting stories, then this might be something to check out tonight. The song has a nice mid-tempo beat and I like the addition of the record scratches (gives it a more contemporary feel) and how it contrasts with the more acoustic feel of the guitar.

Electric Heart – SHINee
Korean | Pop
We’ve now reached the treat side of the mix. The guitar kind of reminds me of Justin Timberlake’s Seniorita but updated for 2010 and with less of an R&B feel. The song isn’t overly memorable (I like “Your Name” and “Lucifer” better) but still a good song to listen to.

Wizard of Oz – Clazziquai Project
Korean | Pop
Okay. So I was trying to go with a bit of a theme… The electric heart of the Tin Man. Oddly enough, when I think of Halloween, it reminds me of the Wizard of Oz. The idea of being swept away to a weird place with weird people always seemed like something that could happen on Halloween. For some odd reason, this song got stuck in my head – especially the chorus.

Labels: Amuro Namie, Clazziquai, Contributor; Carmi, Kanon Wakeshima, Shinee, SNoW

I've done a couple of posts like this in the past, just five songs that I've been listening to a lot recently. I avoided songs that I've already uploaded, or else zia's 웃음만.. and BoA's 한별 (Implode) would definitely have made this list. I'll be posting again in the next couple days with some uploads/reviews I did for other sites that I thought I'd share here, too.

I also changed the layout, I thought something with a bit more colour would be nice. =) Hope you like it.

Also, since the site's updates have become kind of sporadic - eg. I'm planning to update quite often in the next couple days but once school starts I might not have time to post as much, I decided to take Musical Chair's lead and start a mailing list. If you would like to be e-mailed when the blog is updated, send an e-mail to mzk.haruhi@gmail.com and you will be added to the list.

- Haruhi

#5. Electric Heart - SHINee
Korean | Pop
I'm a fan of SHINee's, but for some reason I never really listened to their Lucifer album very carefully. I basically only skimmed through it when I first got it, and now that I'm taking a more careful listen, I'm finding a couple of songs I really like. Electric Heart is one of them. The infectious beat and stylized vocals remind me of Se7en's Crazy or Passion, both songs I love. While it's not quite as energetic and passionate (thought to be fair I'm quite biased towards Se7en), its atmosphere comes as a breath of fresh air. I especially love the guitar, which ranges from crisp chords to rich, full-bodied riffs.

#4. The Other Side - Bruno Mars ft. B.O.B. & Cee-lo
English | Pop
To be honest, songs #1-4 are kind of ranked randomly, I reconsidered the order a lot so it probably doesn't really mean much in the end considering these four songs were all, at some point, #1. Anyways, The Other Side is from Bruno Mars' EP It's Better If You Don't Understand whose title is taken from the lyrics of this song. It's nice to see Bruno Mars not being the featured artist this time, although he does get some help from B.O.B. (who was also his collaborator for the hit "Nothin' On You") and Cee-lo (I have no idea who this is). Honestly, I love this whole EP, and it was hard for me to just choose two songs on it to upload. You will probably see the others soon despite the fact that I try not to upload too much English music. The Other Side is an energetic, rock-influenced track with a bit of a dark atmosphere. Cee-lo's thick, velvety voice is a wonderful contrast with Bruno Mars' lighter, higher sound, and B.O.B. contributes a nice rap verse. He mentions Narnia, okay? I love Narnia.

#3. Shark In The Water - VV Brown
English | Indie Pop
I first heard this song on MTV with this accompanying video, which features the Degrassi cast. At first I thought it was just the music video and was just confused as to why everyone in the video looked so young, and wait, that guy looks like he's in Degrassi. I really don't like Degrassi (although admittedly I haven't bothered to watch much of it) but I love this carnival-themed video and I'm sure Degrassi fans could find tons of references to the plot, etc. in it. After seeing the video I found out what the song was. It's so catchy, and I love how powerful VV Brown's voice is, especially on the strong chorus. I'm really spending more time explaining background info rather than describing the songs themselves today, aren't I?

#2. 라라라 (La La La) - Supernova
Korean | Pop
I like Supernova, but I've never loved any of their songs until this (btw, I have them tagged by their Korean name "Cho Shin Sung" since that's what I tagged them as in the past). It's so energetic and infectious. I love the synth-y beat and confident atmosphere, not to mention the catchy hook and amazing falsetto lines. It's not particularly innovative, but something about it just caught my attention.

#1. Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars
English | Pop
For once, we get Bruno Mars all by himself. Not a featuring artist; no featured artists. And the results are spectacular. The concept is basically a guy talking to the moon imagining that his girlfriend who has left is somewhere "on the other side" listening. Yes, it's cheesy, and to be honest, lyrically the song doesn't appeal to me much. But this song is a heartfelt, powerful pop ballad, and Bruno Mars' voice really shines. It's so sincere and warm. I don't really know what's in the accompaniment instrumentally but it sounds fantastic. Pair that with a chorus that will work its way into your head and refuse to get out (but not in an annoying, I-don't-actually-like-this-song way), and you have a hit.

Labels: Bruno Mars, Cho Shin Sung, Shinee, VV Brown

Let me just start off by saying that I really apologize this rotation took so long, and for not really updating in between other than to change the layout. I guess I've just been having a bit of rough time with school/"friends", and for a period of time I just couldn't find the energy to update the site and finish off this rotation (it's been sitting around nearly-done for a while).

Hope you guys enjoy the songs, and sorry again about the wait! I promise to try and update more often in the future, although for now I think they'll mostly be smaller posts rather than full-scale rotations.

Thanks to the other contributors for keeping the site alive during my absence. =)

- Haruhi

This week’s rotation is themed around songs that changed my opinion of a singer or band - whether for better or worse. Most of the songs are fairly well-known, so those of you looking to try out new artists might be a little disappointed, but hopefully you'll find something that you haven't heard before.

No. 5 - J.ae
Korean | Pop
You may know her simply as J, although she has recently changed her stage name to J.ae. While I have long disliked her soft, whispery vocals, this started to change when she released Say I Love You, a duet with Alex of Clazziquai that really impressed me. I decided it would be worthwhile to at least give her new mini-album (Sentimental) a try, and so far I’m quite impressed. In this opening track, titled No.5, which features Eun Ji Won. It’s a sophisticated, velveteen pop song with a base of muted, harp-like synths, and a light percussion backbeat. My only problem with the drums is that they sound a bit tinny and thin. J’s vocals are still very light and delicate, but they no longer sound weak as they sometimes did to me in her previous releases. Really, it was the elegant arrangement of this song that caught my attention - it’s still engaging and catchy, but has a level of maturity that you won’t hear in less-seasoned artists.

사르르 (I Wanna Be Your Love) (feat. 정엽) - J.ae
Korean | Pop/Ballad
While No. 5 caught my attention, 사르르 was really the highlight of Sentimental. It’s a mid-tempo song with a great jazz/lounge feel. I have no idea who the male singer featured on this is, but his warm, chocolaty voice is a perfect fit with J’s feathery, high vocals.

차라리 때려 (Hit Me) - SHINee
Korean | R&B/Pop
I was kind of on-the-fence about SHINee. I had mixed feelings (but for the most part disliked) their debut song (누난 너무 예뻐(Replay)), but a few other songs on their first mini-album were decent. It was a similar story with Romeo - there were some songs I didn’t like, some I did, and overall my opinions changed from my initial impressions after a few more listens. However, one song that I was really taken with on the first listen - and continued to like - is 차라리 때려. It’s melting smoothness and modern R&B interface really appealed to me. The softness and blend of their voices is lovely paired with the lush synths in the accompaniment. To me, it feels like it’s at another level of refinement compared to their other songs.

Love Story - Jewelry
Korean | Pop/Ballad
After giving Jewelry’s songs a cursory listen, I generally just deleted them. One day I saw their final performance on TV, and it was of this song. Seeing how emotional they were really struck me, and since then Love Story has really grown on me. It’s a powerful mid-tempo pop ballad that showcases their strong voices.

친구의 고백 (Friend’s Confession) - 2AM
Korean | Ballad
While their first “Single album” (이노래/This Song) was quite good, it lacked the power and conviction that is so apparent in Friend’s Confession. Although I probably prefer 죽어도 못 보내 to this song, this was the song that really made me start to look forward to their releases. Friend’s Confession is a heartfelt mid-tempo ballad with gorgeous, warm harmonies. It’s very powerful and emotional without being melodramatic. Their voices, while distinctive and individual, come together perfectly. It’s hopeful and strong. Although their first release left me apprehensive about them, their following songs have all been very impressive and they've become one of my favourite groups.

마비 - Nadia ft. Jace
Korean | Pop/Electronica
I started trying out Nadia’s singles after hearing recommendations and good reviews of them, but many of her songs I found to be average. However, 마비 is one song that I did enjoy. I really like the bubbly bass line paired with echo-y synths, and surprisingly, I think the rap segments really suit this song, setting a more aggressive tone compared with the softer sung verses.

向日葵盛開的夏天 - F.I.R.
Mandarin | Pop
I never had much interest in F.I.R., although they’re a fairly popular group. I thought I would give their latest album, Let’s Smile! a cursory listen. While on a whole the album didn’t really impress me, this is one song that did stand out to me. It’s a simple, acoustic-style ballad with only light guitar, piano, and the occasional bout of strings accompanying Faye’s high-ranged, airy voice. The hope and soothing tone of this song, as well as its graceful simplicity, really stood out to me.

나쁜 여자야 - F.T. Island
Korean | Pop-rock
This is the first song in this rotation where it goes the other way - where a song changed my opinion of an artist negatively, rather than positively. While I was never a real F.T. Island fan and definitely never considered them a “rock” band, I did admire them for taking a different route than most boybands - and being quite successful in doing so. While a few songs on the Jump Up EP had a glimmer of hope, the title track, 나쁜 여자야, was the beginning of their decline in my opinion. Whether this had anything to do with Oh Won Bin being replaced with Song Seung Hyun, I can’t say. 나쁜 여자야 is just incredibly redundant. It’s repetitive, overly-dramatic, and overall just far too heavy. Hong Ki’s voice, which I actually quite like, just sounds incredibly dull and flat-lined in this song. But let me emphasize repetitive, because that’s really what kills this song. There’s absolutely no direction to it, it simply establishes a melody/pattern and follows it over. And over. And over. It doesn’t help that their Japanese releases after this were also completely disposable.

牛仔很忙 - Jay Chou
Mandarin | Pop/Country
Oh god ... it all went downhill from here. While there are some decent songs on this album, this song still completely baffles me. A “country-themed” album is one thing, a country-themed album with only one song that ties into that theme at all is another. I really don’t get how Jay Chou even made such a cheesy, ridiculously stereotypical (yee-haw!) song - if he really had to go country, why not do it with a nice acoustic-guitar ballad or something of the sort? To be fair, I can see why some people would find this song cute or catchy, but after this my opinion of him really started going down. His follow-up album, Capricorn, wasn’t wildly impressive either, although in both albums, there’s always a few gems - oddly enough, they just aren’t the title tracks.

Diamond - alan
Japanese | Pop
A more recent song, and another that left me kind of disappointed in the artist. When Tibetan singer alan debuted, I had mixed feelings about her, although I really liked her distinct style and powerful vocals. I kind of prefer her Mandarin songs to her Japanese ones, but despite seeing some good reviews of Diamond, I didn’t really like it. Her voice sounds uncharacteristically strained and slightly nasal. The dull backdrop of synths sounds very anime-ending-esque, which I suppose is fitting since it’s the theme song for an Inuyasha PSP game or something like that. The song just seemed out of character for her, and overall bland and forgettable.

남자는 그래요 - SeeYa
Korean | Pop
Those of you who’ve been here for a while probably know that I’m quite discerning about girl groups, but I loved SeeYa. After seeing the blindingly colorful retro-inspired photoshoot/album cover accompanying their third album, Brilliant Change, I was already suspecting that I wouldn’t find this change all too brilliant. Now, things get a little strange here, because I don’t actually dislike this song. In fact, there are times where I appreciate it’s soft tone and their still-impressive vocals. However, like every other song on this album (I supposed you could say the whole album changed my opinion of them), this song completely failed to move me. While I always found their ballads to be very powerful emotionally - from their singing as well as the arrangement - this is the first that struck me as simply a very pretty song rather than one that was very touching and heartfelt. There was just something missing in this song that was echoed throughout the whole album, and since then I’ve never really kept up with their releases.

Labels: 2AM, Alan, F.I.R., F.T. Island, J.ae, Jay Chou, Jewelry, Nadia, SeeYa, Shinee

Doushite (Royal Mirrorball Remix) – Tohoshinki
Japanese| Pop
My favorite techno remix thus far, although the change from a heartfelt slow song to a techno-pop sound kills any emotions you might feel from listening to the original. The song is so upbeat and perky that if you don’t know the meaning behind the words, you’d just think it was a nice, cheery song. Still my favorite remix though.

Wild and Violet Sauce vs. Apologize – Namie Amuro & One Republic / Timbaland
Japanese | Pop
This is an interesting twist to the usual remixes out there – meaning the penchant is to speed songs up rather than slow them down – so this is a nice change of pace. It isn’t one of the best mash ups out there as sometimes the overlaying of both of Namie’s songs can sound a bit off but otherwise pretty decent.

Deal With Juliette – SHINee vs. Corbin Bleu
Korean/English | Pop
Technically this is a mash up instead of a true remix but I still like it. I didn’t really listen to the full SHINee version but the mash up is seamless. The beat stays in tact and it’s a good a pop song overall.

Around the World (DJ Mitsu Mix) – Monkey Majik
English | Pop
This remix has more of a jazz/house-ish sound to it. More of the emphasis is on the synths, base and drums than the original, that and this one is the full-out English one rather than the Japanese/English version. A decent mix but nothing overly special.

Hikari (PlanitB Remix) – Hikaru Utada
Japanese | Pop
I thought I’d end of this mix with more of a techno-ish sound. I actually like this version better than the slower, original one. The drums and faster tempo seem to give the song more life.

Labels: Amuro Namie, Contributor; Carmi, Monkey Majik, Shinee, Tohoshinki, Utada Hikaru

These were released as a series of digital singles. I thought there was going to be a full album, but apparently it's only four songs? Either way, they're good. <3 I think the idea of using basically the same cover image but with different colours, all very bright and summery, is fantastic, which is why I've uploaded all the different cover images, haha.

Please comment or leave a rating if taking!

- Haruhi

2009 Summer SM Town!
Korean | Pop



o1. Seaside 휴게소 (Boom Boom) - DBSK, Super Junior, SHINee

I'm generally not a fan of SM Town songs that have like 20 people in one song and each person gets like one line. I have no idea who's who in this song, but it's tropical, light-hearted, and fun - in other words, a perfect summer song. Brought to life by acoustic guitars, brassy riffs, and an upbeat percussion, it's breezy and energetic.



o2. 12시 34분 (Nothing Better) - Dong Bang Shin Ki

A gorgeous ballad from DBSK. I have to admit, when I first got into K-pop, I didn't like them much - but they've really impressed me and changed my mind, they're one of my favourite groups now. 12시 34분 (Nothing Better) is refreshing, smooth, and light, but extremely warm and sincere. I've heard people refer to "winter ballads" and "spring ballads", is there such a thing as a summer ballad? If so, 12시 34분 is a perfect fit. Vocally it's fantastic, its flowing and their cleanly layered harmonies float overtop a piano-based arrangement.



o3. 카니발 (Carnival) - Super Junior

A cheerful, sugary song - what else did you expect from Super Junior? It has some tropical elements reminiscent of Seaside 휴게소 (Boom Boom), but definitely has its own flavor. It's cute, sweet, and SuJu sounds like they're having a blast - but, not a favourite of mine.



o4. SCAR - SHINee

SCAR has a bit of a darker tone. It's heavily electronica-influenced and reminds me a bit of Big Bang for some reason. Their dense harmonies and powerful vocal work really impressed me. It doesn't really say "summer" to me, but a great song nonetheless.

Labels: Dong Bang Shin Ki, Shinee, Super Junior

Just a small update. The next rotation will most likely be summer-themed. So happy that school's almost out. <3

9mm Parabellum Bullet - Supernova/Wanderland
Japanese | Alt Rock
01. Supernova
02. Wanderland
03. Wildpitch
04. Supernova (piano)
05. Wanderland (piano)

Japan has so many awesome alt-rock bands. <3 9mm Parabellum Bullet is one of my favourites. I didn't upload the two piano versions, but I will on request. Supernova is probably my favourite track from this single, it has a really solid rhythm and nice guitar riffs. Wavering from Supernova's steady rhythm is Wanderland, which has more of an element of surprise. Love the vocals. Wildpitch is awesome; crazy drum accompaniment.

BACK-ON - Sands of time
Japanese | Alt Rock/Rapcore
01. Sands of time
02. message for kidz
03. fifty/50

Latest BACK-ON single, I think they're releasing their first full-length album soon too? Sands of time is a fun, light-hearted track. message for kidz starts out really sweetly, and leads into a rap verse. It's very summery with shouted vocals and alternating between acoustic guitar and a grungy electric sound. There's also these random sounds that I think were supposed to imitate a rooster crowing, which made me laugh. fifty/50 has a darker sound that contrasts nicely with the other two tracks. I like the chorus, though the lyrics (I wanna kill myself and my mind/I wanna break myself and my mind) are a little depressing.

Shinee - 누난 너무 예뻐 (Replay)
Korean | Pop
01. 누난 너무 예뻐 (Replay)
02. In My Room
03. Real
04. 사.계.한 (Love Should Go On)
05. 누난 너무 예뻐 (Replay Boom Track)

SM Entertainment is behind DBSK, BoA, Super Junior and SNSD - obviously, there were high expectations for their newest boyband, Shinee. Compositionally, the songs in this mini-album are mediocre, though vocally, it's quite impressive. 누난 너무 예뻐 (Replay) has a laid-back sound and shows their strong voices well. In My Room is the standard acoustic-guitar ballad, opening a softer, sweeter aspect to their vocals. The faint harmonizing in the chorus is nice. Real jazzes things up a bit, it opens with a quick piano passage and then leads into a fun, upbeat, catchy song with a nice bass accompaniment. 사.계.한 (Love Should Go On) also has a bright, happy sound, featuring more rapping than the other tracks. Overall, each track showed their powerful voices and potential. I wasn't disappointed, and I think it's at least close to what it was hyped up to be. Shinee is definitely a group to look out for in the K-pop world.

Tae Yang - Hot
Korean | Pop/R&B
01. HOT - Intro
02. 기도/gi do/A Prayer (feat. Teddy)
03. 나만 바라봐/Na man bara bwa/Only Look At Me
04. 죄인/je in/Sinner
05. Baby I'm Sorry
06. Make Love (feat. Kush)

Tae Yang, the main vocalist of Big Bang, recently released his first solo mini-album. I didn't really like the Intro, at 1:30 it was a bit too long to me considering that most intros/interludes are like, 30 seconds. Coincidentially, it was written by G-Dragon. A Prayer is an R&B-type ballad, featuring digitalized vocals. It's not bad, but not outstanding, either. The principal track, Only Look At Me, didn't catch my attention at first listen. When I watched the MV for it after (which, by the way, has some pretty nice dance sequences) and then listened to the song again, it started to grow on me. It's very similar to Big Bang's style. Sinner has an interesting string accompaniment and a darker sound. Baby I'm Sorry's lyrics ere also written by Big Bang's G-Dragon. It's a pretty generic mid-tempo ballad, but it's not bad. Make Love reminds me of A Prayer except the voices aren't digitalized. Overall, not a bad single, but not as good as I thought it would be.

monobright - あの透明感と少年
Japanese | Alt Rock
01. あの透明感と少年
02. boy
03. 夏メロマンティック
04. 旅立ちと少年
05. 幽霊
06. 雲男
Eh, I might get around to uploading the rest of this later. monobright is a pretty awesome alt-rock band I recently discovered, I like the title track to this single the best so far. I haven't gotten a chance to listen to all the songs yet, though. Try them out, they've got a unique vocalist and refreshing, bright sound.

Labels: 9mm Parabellum Bullet, BACK-ON, monobright, Shinee, Tae Yang

Full Moon (Live) – Namie Amuro
Japanese | Pop
The instruments remind me of the old school horror movies with the strings creating a dark and sinister atmosphere. The overall sound of the song reminds me of what it would sound like if you were visiting a haunted house on Halloween – a little creepy but still a lot of fun.

Still Doll – Kanon Wakeshima
Japanese | Pop
Dolls have always creeped me out and this song is creepy in its own way. I mean, the song has Kanon talking to a doll named Alice. The cello and other stringed instruments give this song a dark kind of feeling, kind of like if you were stuck in an abandoned house at night. And it contrasts nicely with Kanon’s voice.

Sakasama No Chou – Snow
Japanese | Pop
This is the opening to “Hell Girl” (Jigoku Shoujo). If you’re into creepy anime with interesting stories, then this might be something to check out tonight. The song has a nice mid-tempo beat and I like the addition of the record scratches (gives it a more contemporary feel) and how it contrasts with the more acoustic feel of the guitar.

Electric Heart – SHINee
Korean | Pop
We’ve now reached the treat side of the mix. The guitar kind of reminds me of Justin Timberlake’s Seniorita but updated for 2010 and with less of an R&B feel. The song isn’t overly memorable (I like “Your Name” and “Lucifer” better) but still a good song to listen to.

Wizard of Oz – Clazziquai Project
Korean | Pop
Okay. So I was trying to go with a bit of a theme… The electric heart of the Tin Man. Oddly enough, when I think of Halloween, it reminds me of the Wizard of Oz. The idea of being swept away to a weird place with weird people always seemed like something that could happen on Halloween. For some odd reason, this song got stuck in my head – especially the chorus.

Labels: Amuro Namie, Clazziquai, Contributor; Carmi, Kanon Wakeshima, Shinee, SNoW

I've done a couple of posts like this in the past, just five songs that I've been listening to a lot recently. I avoided songs that I've already uploaded, or else zia's 웃음만.. and BoA's 한별 (Implode) would definitely have made this list. I'll be posting again in the next couple days with some uploads/reviews I did for other sites that I thought I'd share here, too.

I also changed the layout, I thought something with a bit more colour would be nice. =) Hope you like it.

Also, since the site's updates have become kind of sporadic - eg. I'm planning to update quite often in the next couple days but once school starts I might not have time to post as much, I decided to take Musical Chair's lead and start a mailing list. If you would like to be e-mailed when the blog is updated, send an e-mail to mzk.haruhi@gmail.com and you will be added to the list.

- Haruhi

#5. Electric Heart - SHINee
Korean | Pop
I'm a fan of SHINee's, but for some reason I never really listened to their Lucifer album very carefully. I basically only skimmed through it when I first got it, and now that I'm taking a more careful listen, I'm finding a couple of songs I really like. Electric Heart is one of them. The infectious beat and stylized vocals remind me of Se7en's Crazy or Passion, both songs I love. While it's not quite as energetic and passionate (thought to be fair I'm quite biased towards Se7en), its atmosphere comes as a breath of fresh air. I especially love the guitar, which ranges from crisp chords to rich, full-bodied riffs.

#4. The Other Side - Bruno Mars ft. B.O.B. & Cee-lo
English | Pop
To be honest, songs #1-4 are kind of ranked randomly, I reconsidered the order a lot so it probably doesn't really mean much in the end considering these four songs were all, at some point, #1. Anyways, The Other Side is from Bruno Mars' EP It's Better If You Don't Understand whose title is taken from the lyrics of this song. It's nice to see Bruno Mars not being the featured artist this time, although he does get some help from B.O.B. (who was also his collaborator for the hit "Nothin' On You") and Cee-lo (I have no idea who this is). Honestly, I love this whole EP, and it was hard for me to just choose two songs on it to upload. You will probably see the others soon despite the fact that I try not to upload too much English music. The Other Side is an energetic, rock-influenced track with a bit of a dark atmosphere. Cee-lo's thick, velvety voice is a wonderful contrast with Bruno Mars' lighter, higher sound, and B.O.B. contributes a nice rap verse. He mentions Narnia, okay? I love Narnia.

#3. Shark In The Water - VV Brown
English | Indie Pop
I first heard this song on MTV with this accompanying video, which features the Degrassi cast. At first I thought it was just the music video and was just confused as to why everyone in the video looked so young, and wait, that guy looks like he's in Degrassi. I really don't like Degrassi (although admittedly I haven't bothered to watch much of it) but I love this carnival-themed video and I'm sure Degrassi fans could find tons of references to the plot, etc. in it. After seeing the video I found out what the song was. It's so catchy, and I love how powerful VV Brown's voice is, especially on the strong chorus. I'm really spending more time explaining background info rather than describing the songs themselves today, aren't I?

#2. 라라라 (La La La) - Supernova
Korean | Pop
I like Supernova, but I've never loved any of their songs until this (btw, I have them tagged by their Korean name "Cho Shin Sung" since that's what I tagged them as in the past). It's so energetic and infectious. I love the synth-y beat and confident atmosphere, not to mention the catchy hook and amazing falsetto lines. It's not particularly innovative, but something about it just caught my attention.

#1. Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars
English | Pop
For once, we get Bruno Mars all by himself. Not a featuring artist; no featured artists. And the results are spectacular. The concept is basically a guy talking to the moon imagining that his girlfriend who has left is somewhere "on the other side" listening. Yes, it's cheesy, and to be honest, lyrically the song doesn't appeal to me much. But this song is a heartfelt, powerful pop ballad, and Bruno Mars' voice really shines. It's so sincere and warm. I don't really know what's in the accompaniment instrumentally but it sounds fantastic. Pair that with a chorus that will work its way into your head and refuse to get out (but not in an annoying, I-don't-actually-like-this-song way), and you have a hit.

Labels: Bruno Mars, Cho Shin Sung, Shinee, VV Brown

Let me just start off by saying that I really apologize this rotation took so long, and for not really updating in between other than to change the layout. I guess I've just been having a bit of rough time with school/"friends", and for a period of time I just couldn't find the energy to update the site and finish off this rotation (it's been sitting around nearly-done for a while).

Hope you guys enjoy the songs, and sorry again about the wait! I promise to try and update more often in the future, although for now I think they'll mostly be smaller posts rather than full-scale rotations.

Thanks to the other contributors for keeping the site alive during my absence. =)

- Haruhi

This week’s rotation is themed around songs that changed my opinion of a singer or band - whether for better or worse. Most of the songs are fairly well-known, so those of you looking to try out new artists might be a little disappointed, but hopefully you'll find something that you haven't heard before.

No. 5 - J.ae
Korean | Pop
You may know her simply as J, although she has recently changed her stage name to J.ae. While I have long disliked her soft, whispery vocals, this started to change when she released Say I Love You, a duet with Alex of Clazziquai that really impressed me. I decided it would be worthwhile to at least give her new mini-album (Sentimental) a try, and so far I’m quite impressed. In this opening track, titled No.5, which features Eun Ji Won. It’s a sophisticated, velveteen pop song with a base of muted, harp-like synths, and a light percussion backbeat. My only problem with the drums is that they sound a bit tinny and thin. J’s vocals are still very light and delicate, but they no longer sound weak as they sometimes did to me in her previous releases. Really, it was the elegant arrangement of this song that caught my attention - it’s still engaging and catchy, but has a level of maturity that you won’t hear in less-seasoned artists.

사르르 (I Wanna Be Your Love) (feat. 정엽) - J.ae
Korean | Pop/Ballad
While No. 5 caught my attention, 사르르 was really the highlight of Sentimental. It’s a mid-tempo song with a great jazz/lounge feel. I have no idea who the male singer featured on this is, but his warm, chocolaty voice is a perfect fit with J’s feathery, high vocals.

차라리 때려 (Hit Me) - SHINee
Korean | R&B/Pop
I was kind of on-the-fence about SHINee. I had mixed feelings (but for the most part disliked) their debut song (누난 너무 예뻐(Replay)), but a few other songs on their first mini-album were decent. It was a similar story with Romeo - there were some songs I didn’t like, some I did, and overall my opinions changed from my initial impressions after a few more listens. However, one song that I was really taken with on the first listen - and continued to like - is 차라리 때려. It’s melting smoothness and modern R&B interface really appealed to me. The softness and blend of their voices is lovely paired with the lush synths in the accompaniment. To me, it feels like it’s at another level of refinement compared to their other songs.

Love Story - Jewelry
Korean | Pop/Ballad
After giving Jewelry’s songs a cursory listen, I generally just deleted them. One day I saw their final performance on TV, and it was of this song. Seeing how emotional they were really struck me, and since then Love Story has really grown on me. It’s a powerful mid-tempo pop ballad that showcases their strong voices.

친구의 고백 (Friend’s Confession) - 2AM
Korean | Ballad
While their first “Single album” (이노래/This Song) was quite good, it lacked the power and conviction that is so apparent in Friend’s Confession. Although I probably prefer 죽어도 못 보내 to this song, this was the song that really made me start to look forward to their releases. Friend’s Confession is a heartfelt mid-tempo ballad with gorgeous, warm harmonies. It’s very powerful and emotional without being melodramatic. Their voices, while distinctive and individual, come together perfectly. It’s hopeful and strong. Although their first release left me apprehensive about them, their following songs have all been very impressive and they've become one of my favourite groups.

마비 - Nadia ft. Jace
Korean | Pop/Electronica
I started trying out Nadia’s singles after hearing recommendations and good reviews of them, but many of her songs I found to be average. However, 마비 is one song that I did enjoy. I really like the bubbly bass line paired with echo-y synths, and surprisingly, I think the rap segments really suit this song, setting a more aggressive tone compared with the softer sung verses.

向日葵盛開的夏天 - F.I.R.
Mandarin | Pop
I never had much interest in F.I.R., although they’re a fairly popular group. I thought I would give their latest album, Let’s Smile! a cursory listen. While on a whole the album didn’t really impress me, this is one song that did stand out to me. It’s a simple, acoustic-style ballad with only light guitar, piano, and the occasional bout of strings accompanying Faye’s high-ranged, airy voice. The hope and soothing tone of this song, as well as its graceful simplicity, really stood out to me.

나쁜 여자야 - F.T. Island
Korean | Pop-rock
This is the first song in this rotation where it goes the other way - where a song changed my opinion of an artist negatively, rather than positively. While I was never a real F.T. Island fan and definitely never considered them a “rock” band, I did admire them for taking a different route than most boybands - and being quite successful in doing so. While a few songs on the Jump Up EP had a glimmer of hope, the title track, 나쁜 여자야, was the beginning of their decline in my opinion. Whether this had anything to do with Oh Won Bin being replaced with Song Seung Hyun, I can’t say. 나쁜 여자야 is just incredibly redundant. It’s repetitive, overly-dramatic, and overall just far too heavy. Hong Ki’s voice, which I actually quite like, just sounds incredibly dull and flat-lined in this song. But let me emphasize repetitive, because that’s really what kills this song. There’s absolutely no direction to it, it simply establishes a melody/pattern and follows it over. And over. And over. It doesn’t help that their Japanese releases after this were also completely disposable.

牛仔很忙 - Jay Chou
Mandarin | Pop/Country
Oh god ... it all went downhill from here. While there are some decent songs on this album, this song still completely baffles me. A “country-themed” album is one thing, a country-themed album with only one song that ties into that theme at all is another. I really don’t get how Jay Chou even made such a cheesy, ridiculously stereotypical (yee-haw!) song - if he really had to go country, why not do it with a nice acoustic-guitar ballad or something of the sort? To be fair, I can see why some people would find this song cute or catchy, but after this my opinion of him really started going down. His follow-up album, Capricorn, wasn’t wildly impressive either, although in both albums, there’s always a few gems - oddly enough, they just aren’t the title tracks.

Diamond - alan
Japanese | Pop
A more recent song, and another that left me kind of disappointed in the artist. When Tibetan singer alan debuted, I had mixed feelings about her, although I really liked her distinct style and powerful vocals. I kind of prefer her Mandarin songs to her Japanese ones, but despite seeing some good reviews of Diamond, I didn’t really like it. Her voice sounds uncharacteristically strained and slightly nasal. The dull backdrop of synths sounds very anime-ending-esque, which I suppose is fitting since it’s the theme song for an Inuyasha PSP game or something like that. The song just seemed out of character for her, and overall bland and forgettable.

남자는 그래요 - SeeYa
Korean | Pop
Those of you who’ve been here for a while probably know that I’m quite discerning about girl groups, but I loved SeeYa. After seeing the blindingly colorful retro-inspired photoshoot/album cover accompanying their third album, Brilliant Change, I was already suspecting that I wouldn’t find this change all too brilliant. Now, things get a little strange here, because I don’t actually dislike this song. In fact, there are times where I appreciate it’s soft tone and their still-impressive vocals. However, like every other song on this album (I supposed you could say the whole album changed my opinion of them), this song completely failed to move me. While I always found their ballads to be very powerful emotionally - from their singing as well as the arrangement - this is the first that struck me as simply a very pretty song rather than one that was very touching and heartfelt. There was just something missing in this song that was echoed throughout the whole album, and since then I’ve never really kept up with their releases.

Labels: 2AM, Alan, F.I.R., F.T. Island, J.ae, Jay Chou, Jewelry, Nadia, SeeYa, Shinee

Doushite (Royal Mirrorball Remix) – Tohoshinki
Japanese| Pop
My favorite techno remix thus far, although the change from a heartfelt slow song to a techno-pop sound kills any emotions you might feel from listening to the original. The song is so upbeat and perky that if you don’t know the meaning behind the words, you’d just think it was a nice, cheery song. Still my favorite remix though.

Wild and Violet Sauce vs. Apologize – Namie Amuro & One Republic / Timbaland
Japanese | Pop
This is an interesting twist to the usual remixes out there – meaning the penchant is to speed songs up rather than slow them down – so this is a nice change of pace. It isn’t one of the best mash ups out there as sometimes the overlaying of both of Namie’s songs can sound a bit off but otherwise pretty decent.

Deal With Juliette – SHINee vs. Corbin Bleu
Korean/English | Pop
Technically this is a mash up instead of a true remix but I still like it. I didn’t really listen to the full SHINee version but the mash up is seamless. The beat stays in tact and it’s a good a pop song overall.

Around the World (DJ Mitsu Mix) – Monkey Majik
English | Pop
This remix has more of a jazz/house-ish sound to it. More of the emphasis is on the synths, base and drums than the original, that and this one is the full-out English one rather than the Japanese/English version. A decent mix but nothing overly special.

Hikari (PlanitB Remix) – Hikaru Utada
Japanese | Pop
I thought I’d end of this mix with more of a techno-ish sound. I actually like this version better than the slower, original one. The drums and faster tempo seem to give the song more life.

Labels: Amuro Namie, Contributor; Carmi, Monkey Majik, Shinee, Tohoshinki, Utada Hikaru

These were released as a series of digital singles. I thought there was going to be a full album, but apparently it's only four songs? Either way, they're good. <3 I think the idea of using basically the same cover image but with different colours, all very bright and summery, is fantastic, which is why I've uploaded all the different cover images, haha.

Please comment or leave a rating if taking!

- Haruhi

2009 Summer SM Town!
Korean | Pop



o1. Seaside 휴게소 (Boom Boom) - DBSK, Super Junior, SHINee

I'm generally not a fan of SM Town songs that have like 20 people in one song and each person gets like one line. I have no idea who's who in this song, but it's tropical, light-hearted, and fun - in other words, a perfect summer song. Brought to life by acoustic guitars, brassy riffs, and an upbeat percussion, it's breezy and energetic.



o2. 12시 34분 (Nothing Better) - Dong Bang Shin Ki

A gorgeous ballad from DBSK. I have to admit, when I first got into K-pop, I didn't like them much - but they've really impressed me and changed my mind, they're one of my favourite groups now. 12시 34분 (Nothing Better) is refreshing, smooth, and light, but extremely warm and sincere. I've heard people refer to "winter ballads" and "spring ballads", is there such a thing as a summer ballad? If so, 12시 34분 is a perfect fit. Vocally it's fantastic, its flowing and their cleanly layered harmonies float overtop a piano-based arrangement.



o3. 카니발 (Carnival) - Super Junior

A cheerful, sugary song - what else did you expect from Super Junior? It has some tropical elements reminiscent of Seaside 휴게소 (Boom Boom), but definitely has its own flavor. It's cute, sweet, and SuJu sounds like they're having a blast - but, not a favourite of mine.



o4. SCAR - SHINee

SCAR has a bit of a darker tone. It's heavily electronica-influenced and reminds me a bit of Big Bang for some reason. Their dense harmonies and powerful vocal work really impressed me. It doesn't really say "summer" to me, but a great song nonetheless.

Labels: Dong Bang Shin Ki, Shinee, Super Junior

Just a small update. The next rotation will most likely be summer-themed. So happy that school's almost out. <3

9mm Parabellum Bullet - Supernova/Wanderland
Japanese | Alt Rock
01. Supernova
02. Wanderland
03. Wildpitch
04. Supernova (piano)
05. Wanderland (piano)

Japan has so many awesome alt-rock bands. <3 9mm Parabellum Bullet is one of my favourites. I didn't upload the two piano versions, but I will on request. Supernova is probably my favourite track from this single, it has a really solid rhythm and nice guitar riffs. Wavering from Supernova's steady rhythm is Wanderland, which has more of an element of surprise. Love the vocals. Wildpitch is awesome; crazy drum accompaniment.

BACK-ON - Sands of time
Japanese | Alt Rock/Rapcore
01. Sands of time
02. message for kidz
03. fifty/50

Latest BACK-ON single, I think they're releasing their first full-length album soon too? Sands of time is a fun, light-hearted track. message for kidz starts out really sweetly, and leads into a rap verse. It's very summery with shouted vocals and alternating between acoustic guitar and a grungy electric sound. There's also these random sounds that I think were supposed to imitate a rooster crowing, which made me laugh. fifty/50 has a darker sound that contrasts nicely with the other two tracks. I like the chorus, though the lyrics (I wanna kill myself and my mind/I wanna break myself and my mind) are a little depressing.

Shinee - 누난 너무 예뻐 (Replay)
Korean | Pop
01. 누난 너무 예뻐 (Replay)
02. In My Room
03. Real
04. 사.계.한 (Love Should Go On)
05. 누난 너무 예뻐 (Replay Boom Track)

SM Entertainment is behind DBSK, BoA, Super Junior and SNSD - obviously, there were high expectations for their newest boyband, Shinee. Compositionally, the songs in this mini-album are mediocre, though vocally, it's quite impressive. 누난 너무 예뻐 (Replay) has a laid-back sound and shows their strong voices well. In My Room is the standard acoustic-guitar ballad, opening a softer, sweeter aspect to their vocals. The faint harmonizing in the chorus is nice. Real jazzes things up a bit, it opens with a quick piano passage and then leads into a fun, upbeat, catchy song with a nice bass accompaniment. 사.계.한 (Love Should Go On) also has a bright, happy sound, featuring more rapping than the other tracks. Overall, each track showed their powerful voices and potential. I wasn't disappointed, and I think it's at least close to what it was hyped up to be. Shinee is definitely a group to look out for in the K-pop world.

Tae Yang - Hot
Korean | Pop/R&B
01. HOT - Intro
02. 기도/gi do/A Prayer (feat. Teddy)
03. 나만 바라봐/Na man bara bwa/Only Look At Me
04. 죄인/je in/Sinner
05. Baby I'm Sorry
06. Make Love (feat. Kush)

Tae Yang, the main vocalist of Big Bang, recently released his first solo mini-album. I didn't really like the Intro, at 1:30 it was a bit too long to me considering that most intros/interludes are like, 30 seconds. Coincidentially, it was written by G-Dragon. A Prayer is an R&B-type ballad, featuring digitalized vocals. It's not bad, but not outstanding, either. The principal track, Only Look At Me, didn't catch my attention at first listen. When I watched the MV for it after (which, by the way, has some pretty nice dance sequences) and then listened to the song again, it started to grow on me. It's very similar to Big Bang's style. Sinner has an interesting string accompaniment and a darker sound. Baby I'm Sorry's lyrics ere also written by Big Bang's G-Dragon. It's a pretty generic mid-tempo ballad, but it's not bad. Make Love reminds me of A Prayer except the voices aren't digitalized. Overall, not a bad single, but not as good as I thought it would be.

monobright - あの透明感と少年
Japanese | Alt Rock
01. あの透明感と少年
02. boy
03. 夏メロマンティック
04. 旅立ちと少年
05. 幽霊
06. 雲男
Eh, I might get around to uploading the rest of this later. monobright is a pretty awesome alt-rock band I recently discovered, I like the title track to this single the best so far. I haven't gotten a chance to listen to all the songs yet, though. Try them out, they've got a unique vocalist and refreshing, bright sound.

Labels: 9mm Parabellum Bullet, BACK-ON, monobright, Shinee, Tae Yang

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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