rotation overview.
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the music
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.