tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189141292012-02-14T15:08:59.346-06:00The title says it all ^_^ Here are random recommendations of my favorite Asian artists. Most are of course, Chinese alternatives/indies, but I will try to recommend some Japanese/Korean goodies too.漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.comBlogger861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-19603613159226792642007-06-30T18:39:00.000-05:002007-06-30T19:46:06.772-05:00

photo credit: kid ampersandPiana recently released a new album after 1 & 1/2 years called "Eternal Castle." Although I would've liked to hear more on the album (there are only really 8 songs), I love it nonetheless. As many of you probably already knew, Piana is an internationally known Japanese electronic/acoustic pop artist. I went to see her concert last summer in Hong Kong, and it was one of

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-59328828483847070232007-06-16T23:47:00.000-05:002007-06-17T12:31:27.215-05:00

I'm a huge fan of soundtracks. For some reason, I'm drawn to how instrumentals not only create the mood & (most of the times) make films even more of an enjoyable experience, they're (the good ones I mean :P) also great to listen to even if one hasn't seen the movie yet. It's also interesting that soundtrack instrumentals usually aren't classified as say, classical, or new age, they're a genre of

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-37461832546530029812007-05-19T13:59:00.000-05:002007-06-17T12:31:57.977-05:00

Hi everyone - sorry I haven't updated this blog for awhile *_^ A lot happened second semester of school - I procrastinated, went to interviews, ran for board positions, procrastinated some more, and finally took & finished my finals! Sadly, I haven't been keeping up with new music for the past few months :( However, summer is here again, and the best gift that summer brings is Cheer's newly

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-36745124253478547762007-01-12T00:42:00.001-06:002007-01-12T01:20:01.629-06:00

Happy (belated) New Year everyone! Time is passing too fast *_^ Yay - 2007 is the year of the pig - my grandmother's zodiac year. There's a belief in China that when the year is your zodiac animal year, a big change (usually good) will happen in your life. When I was 12 (Chinese age) I came to the US - pretty big change haha. I hope my grandmother will continue to be healthy and happy in China ^_

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-25936588547895122862006-12-01T14:13:00.000-06:002006-12-01T15:49:42.684-06:00

Two awesome albums came out today: Summer Lei's "the light of darkness" and Faith Yang's "Dame." Since I just started my cramming fest for winter finals, I've been listening to a lot of relaxing, mellow studying music lately (aka Cheer ^_^). Thus, these two new & very much anticipated albums gave me even more motivations to study :o)photo credit: Sundance = 放晴Faith Yang (Yang Nai Wen)'s new

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-49790309948326013122006-11-16T23:42:00.000-06:002006-11-17T01:06:38.849-06:00

Happy news: Cheer released another 2 singles in very cool & fun packages titled "Happy Summer" (Female version & Male version). Each package contains 1 Cheer single, Cola King's limited edition notebook, a really cute male/female doll, and some happy summer post-it note thingies.Sad news: 1. I can't buy it 2. it's sold out 3. I can't get it not only because it's sold out but it's another limited

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-87669460497975034652006-10-29T23:06:00.000-06:002006-10-29T23:41:46.762-06:00

Err, I can’t believe it. Around a week or two ago, I visited Cao Fang’s blog (haven’t gone there for months). And guess what? New song!!!! It seems like the new song has been posted on her blog for awhile now…*_* I’m glad I finally spotted the update ^_^Since I'm on the subject of (or lack of) updates, Spangle call Lilli line is releasing their best album “since,” Super VC just started recording

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-57770830143113893402006-10-28T20:31:00.000-05:002006-10-28T20:36:49.888-05:00

I got a few emails asking me to re-upload none-working sample files on my old posts this summer. So this weekend I've been replacing a lot of the none-working links with new ones. I've also decided to create an audio archive at filelodge, so in the future - when the samples expire, there's a backup system ^_^Everything should be up except 8 posts since I'm in college right now & didn't bring all

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-76100473874543282782006-10-28T19:14:00.000-05:002006-10-28T20:20:04.991-05:00

Sample Song: Wang Yi Jui - You Are Far"And then?!!" is the indepedent compilation album created by 22 Tainan National University of the Arts (Music Department) graduating students (their graduation piece). The album name, "And then?!!" refers to the students' mood while creating the album-what will life be like when they graduate? Especially during a period with high unemployment rate where

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1160621497274252562006-10-11T20:18:00.000-05:002008-02-08T15:34:48.078-06:00

Started out as a couple of Taiwan college students playing music in 2003, Cheery Boom officially debuted with their album "My Dear Prince" in 2006 after being discovered & then extensively trained by, well, professionals in the field of course. I first heard Cherry Boom's music this summer - they're a pop-rock band (although their music is also described as "E-punk" and "coolsweet" ^_^) playing

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1160615933699397392006-10-11T20:16:00.000-05:002006-10-27T00:48:36.735-05:00

Jiu Zhai GouHey everyone - sorry for the long long hiatus *_* After AP tests and finals, I went back to China & spent the whole summer with my extended family. My cousins, aunts, and I travelled to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shaoxing, Jiu Zhai Gou, etc. I even went to Hong Kong for the first time!

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1148687478983713192006-05-26T18:47:00.000-05:002006-10-27T00:48:36.673-05:00

I haven't listened to good old mainland indie music for a long time now (these days it's either relaxing study music for me or Cheer in the shower + car. I've also been listening to a lot of J-indie *_^). So today, I digged up my Raven album - and Raven is just that - a good old mellow Beijing rock/brit-pop band (hehe you guys/girls must've known by now how much I love mellow music), getting me

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1148530277658705972006-05-24T22:39:00.000-05:002006-10-27T00:48:36.609-05:00

I'm sorry for the late update again - it seems like my teachers won't give us a break even after the AP exams *_* Must...graduate...soon... :o) The semi-good news is, I went to an award ceremony tonight & got my valedictorian award! ^_^ Why is it "semi" good? I'll have to give a speech during graduation *_* Arghhhhh yuck *_*Back on topic :P I first discovered Girls Tape Store through

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1148153229285715312006-05-20T13:54:00.000-05:002006-10-27T00:48:34.589-05:00

My Japanese albums shipment finally arrived yesterday yay! ^_^ I guess you could call ACO, Nakatani Miki, and bird's music "dance" or "pop" (well, from the albums I bought anyway). But these albums contain all quality music with awesome diversity and freshness. ACO - Kittenish LoveSample Song: Kittenish LoveACO is one of Japan's most talented musicians. Her music range from catchy R&B/soul music

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1147926958561223502006-05-17T23:32:00.000-05:002006-10-27T00:48:34.519-05:00

Photo Credit: indy.liu's FlickrTizzy Bac is getting better than ever. I was already very impressed with their first album "Anything can tempt me," but now, I'm amazed. Wow. "It's my fault you turned out this way," Tizzy Bac's second album, just came out recently, and I plan to grab this album along with their single "Hot Summer" this weekend when I figure out how to buy things on a Taiwan site

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1147553064877628652006-05-13T15:37:00.000-05:002006-10-27T00:48:34.457-05:00

A couple of months ago, I downloaded a couple of songs from Plastic People's official site, and fell in love with their mellow, dreamy sound. Then, of course, Anna the Korean music expert had Plastic People's "Travelling in the Blue" 2004 EP and debut album "Songbags of the Plastic People," and they are lovely. Thanks again Anna! What will I do without you :o)Yesterday, I finally found Plastic

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1147383462105223092006-05-11T16:28:00.000-05:002006-10-27T00:48:34.392-05:00

Hi everyone - I'm back! I took the last of my AP exams yesterday woohoo!!!! ^_^ AP Lit, Comp, Calc BC, Psych, and even Bio went well. However, Physics was torture *_* Half of the time I didn't know what I was doing *_**_**_*But it's all over now! Aside from 4 major school projects and a couple of books to read (lol why do teachers still give us so much work after AP tests *_^), I'm... free! And

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1144447537693678452006-04-07T16:25:00.000-05:002006-10-27T00:48:34.265-05:00

Hi everyone - sorry for the late update. I'm also sorry to tell you guys/girls that I won't be able to do any updates here the next month, because I will be studying (and cramming) for my six AP tests coming up in May. Passing these AP tests is very important to me, because if I pass, I will get free college credits - which will save money and time. I plan to cut myself entirely from the internet

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1144033562826877342006-04-02T22:00:00.000-05:002006-10-27T00:48:34.203-05:00

photo credit: kyleme's flickrI first heard about the Taiwan indie singer Zhang Xuan while reading conjee's blog. And that's when I heard & fell in love with the song "Baobei." (it seems like conjee got the song from Mr. makzhou ^_^) Two days ago, when I was checking out Mr. makzhou's last.fm list, in which Zhang Xuan was one of the top artists, I was reminded again of Zhang Xuan & searched for

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1143844665535719822006-03-31T16:30:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:34.138-05:00

Mr. Zhou mentioned a few days ago about a new Guangzhou singer - Mongo So - who is the first mainland artist to release her debut album under Creative Commons. That is awesome! It's even more awesome that her music is super cute too ^_^ I rarely hear cute, light, and funny indie songs coming from mainland, but Mongo So reminds me of funky Taiwan/HK indie artists, and her voice reminds me of Huang

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1143582028328675892006-03-28T15:17:00.000-06:002006-10-29T23:04:08.387-06:00

After reading Cao Fang's blog entry & her interview with Cheer, and after David wanted to know whose music they listen too, I decided to check out the artists Cheer & Cao Fang mentioned. First stop: (Faith) Yang Nai Wen - an awesome alt. rock singer from Taiwan. Wow, I can't believe I didn't listen to her albums earlierer, since Cheer did write a few songs for her ^_^ Yang Nai Wen was mentioned

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1143315035990168652006-03-25T13:25:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.984-05:00

Sample Song: Spangle call Lilli line And Spanova - HEAT OF THE MOMENTOh boy, I've been listening to so much Japanese music during the last month, and discovering so much new great artists. Of course, I've always been in love with Spangle call Lilli line's music, so when I found this album I was quite happy. L.A.M.N. is a collaboration album between SCLL, spanova, and speedometer. It is a

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1143089205513434622006-03-22T22:41:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.924-05:00

What happened to Sweater?! *_* It has been 2 years since they last released an album...and now, their official site doesn't even work anymore... I miss them.For those of you who don't know Sweater already, Sweater is a Korean band that makes mellow alternative rock/pop music. They remind me a little of Loveholic and Roller Coaster, but their sound is lighter & with a funk + bossa twist. I also

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1142817761856045202006-03-19T19:02:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.865-05:00

As a DJ, an actor, and a musician for more than 15 years, Taiwan's Lin Chiang is a very talented guy. I find his music interesting because of his use of many traditional Chinese instruments, adding a oriental flavor to his electronic music. I also listen to his music when I need to relax - the mellowness of most of his electronic/chill out songs puts me into a sleepy, serene mood on a Sunday

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1142642058785803862006-03-17T18:02:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.748-05:00

(thanks ori for the pictures! ^_^)Very very happy day - Humming Urban Stereo's 2nd album recently came out! HUS (DJ Jeereen) from Korea makes funky light electro-pop music. Listening to their songs makes me happy and want to dance. I love their first album, and now I'm enjoying "Purple Drop" too ^_^Ahh, I wish I could understand their lyrics... their song names sounds so fun *_^I really like KBS

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1142477005108264342006-03-15T20:33:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.631-05:00

Doing a Cheer search always brings me happiness ^_^ For some reason, today I was searching Cheer again *_^ and the 108music site came up. From what I've read so far, 108music (Taiwan) is made up of two artists - Goson and Emerson - who are college friends (they're still in college). And "108" is just an old dormitory number for them. I find it cute that Emerson does all the song arrangement/

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1142145038898358432006-03-12T00:28:00.000-06:002006-10-27T15:10:50.999-05:00

And with that wonderful interview comes two Cao Fang songs ^_^Cao Fang released her first single "Di Da" after her first album "Black Perfume." Unlike her second single "I Don't Care Anyway," this song was not featured on her second album "Meeting Me." Like all of her songs, I enjoy "Di Da" very much. The chorus is awesome.This is what Cao Fang says about the song:睡不着，听着滴滴答答的秒针Can't sleep,

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1142138946142402772006-03-11T22:31:00.003-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.506-05:00

Sorry for the late update. It took me awhile... to translate what I'm about to say :o)On March 3rd, Cao Fang and Cheer Chen was interviewed together! Crazy isn't it? ^_^ Cheer was doing some promotion for her new album "A Fabulous Adventure" (which was officially released in mainland recently) in mainland China. And Cao Fang was invited as a guest with Cheer on a interview by the Beijing Nightly

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1141783032431505322006-03-07T19:49:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.262-05:00

It has been awhile since I last wrote about a compilation album. So here's one ^_^ "Who is Cui Jian!?" is a rock compilation album with eleven mainland rock bands. Most of these bands are well-known, even internationally (1979, Hang on the Box, CMCB, Reflector, etc.), so it's a nice intro album to mainland rock music, for me at least ^_^Sample Song: Reflector - 新长征路上的摇滚 (On the new long march to

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1141606100826408862006-03-05T18:26:00.000-06:002006-10-27T14:20:12.621-05:00

Picture from Ken's Japan Live blogWe finally moved! It seems like these few days all I did was moving - moving from house to house, helping my mom move her stuff to a new office, do major cleaning/washing all the smoky glasswares... *_^But I'm back ^_^ With internet access yay!Onto Swinging Popsicle - Swinging Popsicle is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite (hehe did I make my point?) Japanese

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1141347757825942122006-03-02T18:52:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.142-05:00

It's amazing how many sites come up when I do a search for "Cold Fairyland" on Google in English. It seems like all the foreigners who visits Shanghai go to their shows and are amazed by them! ^_^ Hmm, how should I describe Cold Fairyland? I was first introduced to them by judy819 at the Chinese Indie last.fm group (come and join!). Cold Fairyland makes dark, dream pop music with a mix of mellow

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1141080518081258412006-02-27T16:31:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.078-05:00

After two years... Roller Coaster finally has a new album out yay! Although this album is mellower than I expected, it's still nice to hear Roller Coaster's awesome & unique electronic/groove sound. Thank you Anna! Thank you noodz! It's great to know this wonderful Korean electronic/acid jazz group ^_^http://www.rollercoaster.co.kr/http://rki.kbs.co.kr/english/enter/music_artists_detail.htm?No=

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1140926051883771142006-02-25T21:35:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:33.004-05:00

During the past few days, my family is sort of moving to our new house (we weren't going to move until March, but me burning my breakfast & creating smoke clouds in our old house about a week ago sped up the process *_^). Thus, I probably won't have much internet access during the next week or two. Please bear with my infrequent updates & short posts hehe :o)Well, a couple of days ago, William

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1140743413155696402006-02-23T18:10:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.937-05:00

Hopscotch has been a personal favorite of mine for about a year now. Another gem from China's (mainland) largest indie label Modern Sky, Hopscoth makes mellow & haunting indie/trip hop music. There is something mysterious and dark about Tian Yuan's (lead singer) voice and the overall feel of every song. I love it. All of Hopscoth's songs are in English, I'm guessing it's because Tian Yuan is

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1140470976294477112006-02-20T15:20:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.873-05:00

Whee, let's take another pop break! These female artists may be mainstream & making big bucks (good for them!), but their music is original and lovely for the ears.Tanya Chua (Singapore)I love her music. Her alternative rock songs is just too good to pass.Sample Song: 再见 (Goodbye)Youtube MVs:01 02 03Sun Yanzi (Singapore)I have a feeling someone's going to kill me if I don't mention her

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1140229490022621352006-02-17T20:10:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.750-05:00

Whoa, I must be out of it lately (but then again, I'm usually slow) *_* I can't believe Deli Spice's 6th album is out!I first heard & fell in love with the Deli Spice song "고백 (Confession)" from the Korean film "The Classic" (great movie in a tearjerker but romantic kind of way hehe). And then, the awesome, awesome Anna shared all her Deli Spice albums with everyone ^_^ You rock Anna! And Deli

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1140041394011249272006-02-15T16:01:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.691-05:00

Recently, I discovered Mr. Chelonian - a mainland band formed about a year ago (from Nan Ning) that makes upbeat, catchy indie rock music. They sing all of their songs in English (although I can't understand anything :P), and their songs have an oldies rock feel to it - different & lovely.So I thought they had potential, and enjoy listening to their EP very much. However, a couple of days ago (

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1139770500833323672006-02-12T12:32:00.001-06:002008-02-12T22:16:29.017-06:00

I stumbled upon the after17 webzine link yesterday on a random web-browsing spree and clicked on it. I was a little interested because of the webzine's title "after17," as Cheer Chen had also named one of her 2005 singles "after 17." And what do you know, I'm pretty sure the title of the webzine is actually based on Cheer's song "after 17" because the editor enjoy the song very much ("Sentimental

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1139606167344232772006-02-10T14:42:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.573-05:00

There are many things we can't buy in life - love, courage, happiness... and then there are the Cheer Chen demos. Limited to 1000 copies each, Cheer released her first demo in 1997 and second demo in 2000. I'm sure with over 20000000 people in Taiwan and the limited selling locations (probably mostly at her shows), those demos were sold out pretty fast, gone like the wind. Of course, I didn't

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1139438307952137232006-02-08T16:16:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.515-05:00

Sugar Plum Ferry is an established independent post-rock band in Taiwan. Their music is also described as "lo-fi" and "slowcore," which does make sense since most of their songs are down tempo and mellow (which I enjoy). They're now recording their second official album, so I'm very excited.http://www.rockacola.com/music/artist.asp?artist_no=62Sample Song: No More Soundtrack

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1139265851460958562006-02-06T16:17:00.000-06:002006-10-27T11:12:24.681-05:00

There aren't a lot of electronic music (at least, pure electronic music) coming from mainland China these days, but Mr. Meng Qi is an exception - he started making electronic music at age 15, and signed with Muzicolor & got his own electronic label - China Vibe. Interestingly, while Meng Qi is influenced by UK artists such as The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, and Fatboy Slim, his electronic

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1139103340276561302006-02-04T19:24:00.000-06:002006-10-27T14:24:55.674-05:00

Sample Song: なに (what)I talked about Mavis a few posts back, and now I must mention her side project - Fu Lu Shou ^_^ Mavis Fan (TW) formed the group Fu Lu Shou with Kaneki Yoshinori (Japan) and now ex-bf Lawrence Chou (HK). The type of music they chose to make was "a mix of Chinese traditional music, India music, Nu -Jazz、Hip Hop、Breakbeat、Downtempo、Drum’n’Bass, Electronic, etc. etc." all thrown

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1138916907085070242006-02-02T15:40:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.330-05:00

On the top of my list of awesome, awesome Chinese/TW/HK female singers, there's Cheer Chen, and there's Cao Fang. And then, another person always lurks at the back of my mind because it is so hard to get ahold of her works - especially when I've only discovered her last year.I found out about ciacia in 2005 while randomly reading a blog. She sounded interesting, so I followed the link to one of

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1138590665809912832006-01-29T20:58:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.216-05:00

Lately, I find myself getting more and more addicted to Redrum's (Japan) dark, mellow, and murky trip-hop music. There is just something refreshingly different and calming about their sound... I can't seem to put it into words.So just let the music speak.http://www.redrum.jp/http://park8.wakwak.com/~redrum/main.htmlSample Song: Planet of Your Sixth

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1138331183980390602006-01-26T20:39:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.148-05:00

I've been wanting to write about Mavis (from Taiwan) for quite a while now but kept forgetting too *_* Today, yet again, I was listening to her albums on my Iaudio, and her awesome music finally reminded me (again) to start a post ^_^I love Mavis' beautiful transition from a children's song singer to a bittersweet and sarcastic acid jazz queen. I mean, just look at her picture when she started

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1138145040385615002006-01-24T16:47:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.081-05:00

Usually badhead compilations contain overall slow, relaxing songs. Listening to one of the compilation for the first time a month ago (thanks Anna!), I discovered the wonderful folk singer Wang Juan.I mentioned Wang Juan just a post earlier regarding her collaboration album with Huzi, so why not properly introduce her in this post? ^_^ I have only heard a couple of Wang Juan's songs through

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1137968051384997442006-01-22T15:58:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:32.012-05:00

Wang JuanHu ZiIt's Sunday again, and Hu Zi & Wang Juan's collaboration album "Two's Personal Trip's" mellow folky electronic sound perfectly fit my mood ^_^Why folk and electronic? Well, Hu Zi produces electronic music (he was actually into indie rock & played guitar in a couple of indie rock bands), and Wang Juan is a wonderful, relaxing folk singer. When you put these two together, the result

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1137723104585486542006-01-19T19:39:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:31.948-05:00

Sound Toy is probably my favorite Chinese indie post-rock band. Whenever I need to relax, I put on their calming, mellow rock music. Heck, I even listen to them while doing homework (which usually doesn't work out with other music since I can't focus). Even though Sound Toy is categorized as indie post rock, many, including me, believe that they're so much more than that. They utilize many

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1137629423171346362006-01-18T17:56:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:31.889-05:00

Every now and then, I need a dose of happy pop/electronic music (aka the wonderfulness of shibuya-kei artists). This week especially - since I am taking finals and am stressing out, dreading how bad I failed the tests that I took and am going to fail the tests I will take tomorrow *_* As a grade A procrastinator (yay go me go!), I am slacking again and listening to COPTER4016882 right now ^_^

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1137381516272052182006-01-15T20:53:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:31.831-05:00

I was yet again, looking for more Cheer Chen MVs, and so I did a search at youtube.com *_^So many goodies came up!Cheer MVs:SelfRocker girl!九份的咖啡店MellowOthers:Cheer Chen's Rock Concert Pt. IAfter the release of her recent album "A Fabulous Adventure," Cheer held a concert in Taiwan. On her second & last show, after two encores... people still kept on clapping... What will Cheer do?Cheer Chen's

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1137301166361503572006-01-14T22:39:00.000-06:002007-06-30T19:21:41.427-05:00

Well, to make things easier for navigation, I thought I should make an index for all my posts ^_^Here goes (in alphabetic order):Artists/Bands:929at17 Ming Ming OSTACOArumimihifumiAyano TsujibirdCheer Chen (陳綺貞) Cheer Lyrics + Media Blog New MVs Unreleased Tracks + MVs Cheer media @ youtube.com Demos Live CDCao Fang (曹方) MVs Single/Extra Songs New SongCherry Boom (樱桃帮)Ciacia (

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1137297848656328542006-01-14T21:41:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:31.709-05:00

I don't usually go search for personal information on an artist/band unless I'm really really crazy about him/her/them (haha *cough* Cheer Chen *cough*). After all, only the music matters for me. However, listening to the Taiwanese singer/songwriter Huang Hsiao Chen's English songs, I wondered if she studied abroad. Her English is so good (grammar + pronounciation wise). And so I googled her -

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1137190981263186252006-01-13T16:08:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:31.652-05:00

So, the other day, a guy named Sean sent me a pm through my last.fm profile asking me if I want to be the Asian indie contributor for his podcast radio show - 75 Minutes. 75 Minutes is a weekly online program playing independent music from all around the world (yay!). I listened to few of their shows, and enjoyed most of the songs/artists they recommended. I decided to join the team, since Asian

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1136942478942146222006-01-10T19:09:00.000-06:002006-10-27T14:35:55.245-05:00

Another great day! I just got Misty Blue's new album "4˚C 유리 호수" ^_^ Misty Blue (Korean band) makes mellow alternative/indie music. Their relaxing music is nice to listen on a rainy, lazy afternoon.Of course, I wouldn't have known about Misty Blue in the first place if it wasn't for the wonderful Anna ^_^ Thank you!www.mistyblue.co.krSample Track: 봄에게 미처 배우지 못한 것 PartⅡA bit irrelevant but oh my

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1136748938002942482006-01-08T13:35:00.000-06:002006-10-27T14:19:00.205-05:00

Natural Q is one of the very first Taiwan indie-pop groups that I’ve listened to. Since I love weird happy funky music, when I heard Natural Q’s upbeat, funny song “c’est la vie,” I knew I had to find out more about the Taiwan/Hong Kong indie-pop scene (I don’t think there are many cute indie-pop groups from mainland China… Is there? *_*).Natural Q’s second album just came out about week ago.

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1136591702589241982006-01-06T17:30:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:31.416-05:00

http://www.harbourrecords.com/content/mid.htmTwo concerts was organized by Harbour records during the two days before Christmas last year, featuring HK indie artists such as My Little Airport, 22 Cats, False Alarm, and Fantastic Day (to name a few). The great thing is that everyone who goes to this concert gets a free compilation cd. This reminds me of Cheer Chen, who keeps her indie spirit by

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1136416136596854902006-01-04T17:04:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:31.360-05:00

Wow, these days I've been listening to an excess amount of mellow/ballad music and feels sleepy all the time. After trying out some Veltpunch (J-indie rock) music today (thanks Anna! ^_^), I decided that I needed to wake up. So I digged up my "My Beautiful Rock Dream" album and cranked the volume up. Awesome."My Beautiful Rock Dream" is a very nice Taiwan rock compilation album. It has punk rock,

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1136236379875257572006-01-02T15:00:00.000-06:002006-10-27T11:11:25.757-05:00

Ah, might as well dedicate this blog to Cheer Chen. This is my third post about her. Nowadays, it's hard to pick my favorite Cheer song. In fact, the real question is - which isn't my favorite song. Of course, I'll answer none, because every Cheer song has its own flavor, its own life. I never get tired of any.So, since I found some unreleased tracks from her today, I am very, very happy. They're

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1135834552593300892005-12-28T23:30:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:31.246-05:00

Taking advantage of my upgraded account (thanks Anna!), I made some last.fm chart images yesterday (never again!) and wanted to post them here ^_^ Yes yes, I have no artistic skills, so close your eyes before you will be blinded by the following images! *_^My friend the photographer ^_^Love Maaya and loves "gravity" ^_^Peace.Ah, you can open your eyes again now ^_^

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1135742343116188712005-12-27T21:47:00.000-06:002006-10-27T13:08:55.793-05:00

It was love at first listen for me. I must like funky music a lot ^_^ Won Fu is a Taiwan band that makes funky punky cute pop/rock music. Whenever I listen to them, I nod my head and dance/jumps around grinning like an idiot. Oh, yeah. Won Fu's songs ranges from cute pop tunes to heavy electric guitar punk rock songs, which is delightful. Their fun lyrics mixed with a sarcastic humour also makes

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1135570885658050022005-12-25T22:21:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:31.117-05:00

More Cao Fang! (because I'm loving her new cd right now ^_^) Cao Fang only made around 2-3 MVs - unlike most mainstream Chinese singers - who makes a MV for nearly every song they sing (lol, sometimes the MVs get very repetitive). Anyway, I believe Cao Fang have one MV for her debut album "Black Perfume" and one new MV for her new album "Meeting You." Since her 2nd album just came out, I only

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1135293758449582732005-12-22T17:03:00.000-06:002006-10-27T13:06:07.228-05:00

Today... is a happy day. Cao Fang's second album "Meeting Me" came out. There is so much to say about Cao Fang - she is a very, very talented mainland singer and songwriter. She is real. She is independent. She is original. She is what "girl power" is all about. Her songs are beautiful, mellow acoustic melodies mixed with occasional folk, indie, rock, and even jazz sounds. I love it. "Meeting Me"

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1135229656487442482005-12-21T23:26:00.000-06:002006-10-27T14:30:44.450-05:00

Listening to the first few songs on Peppertones' (Korean) debut album "Colorful Express," I didn't know whether to laugh or cry - the songs resembled so much like Cymbals - a Japanese group that makes upbeat, happy, and funky indie-pop music. After a few listens to the whole album, I decided to laugh and be happy ^_^ Peppertones are awesome - they're a Korean Cymbals with a fun electronic/dance

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1134936174737034362005-12-18T13:58:00.000-06:002006-10-27T15:11:30.501-05:00

929 is a Taiwan duo that sings mellow acoustic indie music. I'm spending my Sunday soaked in their relaxing, simple melodies.http://929.agoodday.com/Sample Track: 什么都不做 (Doing nothing)

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1134789935428410182005-12-16T21:05:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:30.827-05:00

Post rock, indie rock, hard rock... Echo (Taiwan band) makes them all. When I first got their debut album and listened to the 2nd track, I thought the whole album was going to be hard-rock. However, to my delight - this album has a bit of everything - fast beats, post rock, mellow rock, etc. and I was happy. Check them out ^_^http://www.echoband.com/Sample Song: 木雕轮盘 (Wood-carved disk)

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1134610770600977662005-12-14T19:14:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:30.771-05:00

The only reason why I wasn't satisfied with Sai Ning's debut album is that it's too short. Other than that, "Pearl Hotel" is a nice & relaxing indie-pop album. Even though this album only has 5 songs, each song has its own flavor and style - ranging from light acoustic pop to mellow ambient indie. I can't wait to hear more from her.http://www.saining.com/Sample Song: Sai Ning

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1134338403333672722005-12-11T15:42:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:30.711-05:00

This was an interesting compilation album. I thought it was going to be mainly HK indie at first, but after I listened to the whole album and did a brief search on the net, only "My Little Airport" and "The Marshmallow Kisses" are from Hong Kong. The other three featured artists in this album were either from Southern CA (Majestic), UK (Language of Flowers), and Japan/France/Russia (The Konki

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1134189223408942042005-12-09T22:15:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:30.654-05:00

Sample Song: 春风吹 (Spring wind blowing)I haven't seen a quality new R&B/Pop Chinese new artist in a long time - so I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to Kahlil Fong's debut album today. His album has everything a great R&B/Soul album need - great melodies, nice beats, not to mention catchy lyrics too ^_^ Anyway, I enjoyed pretty much every song on this album. So the sample song was

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1134091619403818612005-12-08T19:18:00.000-06:002006-10-27T11:09:38.886-05:00

http://www.lpnurse.net/Le Petite Nurse is a Taiwan group that makes nice, upbeat rock music. I really enjoy their music, especially this song ^_^Sample Track: 爱情游戏 (Love Game)

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1133749626562114992005-12-04T20:05:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:30.541-05:00

Let's take a pop break! ^_^ Here are the 4 guys that are huge in China/TW/HK/etc. etc. (and who girls drool over all the time hahaha). Since they're so popular in Asia, sharing samples of their songs is pointless here :P So fun (and sometimes weird) MVs will do ^_^#1 Jay Chouhmmm, you can always get a girl with blue hair :o)MV: Mysterious Jay Chou with funny beard#2 JJ Lin*tear* I look better as

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1133670473555746312005-12-03T22:12:00.000-06:002006-10-27T15:19:17.636-05:00

http://www.newbeesmusic.com/english/main.htmAnother really good mainland c-indie compilation album. The overall feel of this album is relaxing mellowness (except the rap songs by Kungfoo *_^). Since I have quite a few favorite songs here, I've included two sample songs ^_^Sample Song: No Colour - 夜影 (Night View) This song is nice & laid-back. *goes into dreamy mood*Sample Song: Crystal Butterfly

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1133570354333934482005-12-02T18:29:00.000-06:002006-10-27T15:36:06.577-05:00

at17's new album "变变变" (change change change) is out out out!!! ^_^ When I first listened to the album (I was tired & had a cold) I was definitely a bit disappointed. However, listening to it again (no cold anymore!) and I'm starting to really like it ^_^ This 3rd album kept the electronic/acoustic charm of the first two albums, it also has a really nice English song called "I'd go back" (last

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1133304131679025392005-11-29T16:23:00.000-06:002006-10-27T15:01:21.376-05:00

I really enjoyed Ayano's song "風になる" that played in the credits of the movie "The Cat Returns." However, I couldn't find more of her music until a week ago - when her newest album "CALENDAR CALENDAR" was released. I believe Ayano (Japanese singer/songwriter) makes fun, acoustic pop music (although I'm never good at describing/categorizing songs *_^). Her speciality is of course, the super cute

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132974426420649392005-11-25T20:57:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:30.198-05:00

Sample Song: ConcessionI expected to hear the same cute, light indie sound such as "My Little Airport" and "The Marshmallow Kisss" when I first got Tizzy Bac's (Taiwan) album. I was wrong. Mixing piano with the electric guitar (and drums of course), Tizzy Bac's vocal Chen Hui Ting's semi-deep voice is perfect for an upbeat, jazzy-indie sound. Tizzy Bac's sound is indeed different, and awesome ^_^

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132809544743803902005-11-23T23:12:00.000-06:002006-10-27T15:28:11.230-05:00

http://www.i-radio.fm/profile/003_prof.php3?CD=003&KUBUN=0Sample Song: Bankrupt Black BookYukari Rotten (or Yukari Fresh) makes funky Japanese electro-pop music - she is awesome ^_^

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132708385892710962005-11-22T19:09:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:30.047-05:00

Sample Track: Night SceneLovely new Korean electronic group with a Clazziquai/Casker/Loveholic sound. What a great day ^_^

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132600752463542002005-11-21T13:10:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:29.975-05:00

I was on a MV downloading spree yesterday and found 2 new Cheer MVs ^_^ They're from her new album "A Fabulous Adventure." Different from her earlier works, this new album have a heavier emphasize on instruments (especially the violin). Some Cheer fans prefer her earlier, simpler works better, but I love this new album too - glad Cheer is branching out & trying something different.Watch:The

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132521422876247192005-11-20T15:11:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:29.901-05:00

I just found Putfile today - I decided to re-host all the sample music there. Putfile is basically a free media hosting site-the best thing is that the files won't expire given that it's active once within 6 months :)If you guys/girls like certain sample tracks and wants to keep them, just fish them out of the "temporary internet files" folder (or click "view," and then "source," and get the DL

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132440787123650792005-11-19T16:44:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:29.822-05:00

Some nice instrumental post-rock c-indie music.Get their EP at Grace Latecomer's official site:http://www.gracelatecomer.com/gracelatecomer/

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132369689790706632005-11-18T20:59:00.000-06:002006-10-27T11:08:01.444-05:00

Sample Track: ファンタジスタ★ガール (Fantasista Girl)I love the Japanese duo "the Indigo" ^_^ With their nice alternative/groove/funky sounds & Miki's awesome voice, I get a happy feeling whenever I listen to their music. "Fantasista Girl" is their newest single (from their new album Flair). It's on repeat-play for me quite often ^_^http://www.the-indigo.com/bio_e.html

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132273444786030172005-11-17T17:52:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:29.683-05:00

Words cannot describe how much I love Cheer Chen's (TW singer/songwriter) music. It was definitely not love at first listen, but after giving Cheer songs repeated listens, her's clear, soft voice and mellow acoustic guitar grew on me. Most of Cheer's songs are relaxing and very simple (minimal instruments - only the guitar and sometimes piano). However, Cheer's upbeat/rockish songs are wonderful

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132185875765599442005-11-16T17:52:00.000-06:002006-10-29T22:07:14.048-06:00

http://www.keikaku.net/profiles/39Sample Track: nanoJust got this album, and wow, SCLL's mellow electronic instrumental/vocals live is amazing. The live songs sound just like the studio recorded version, maybe even better. Thanks noodz-shi for introducing me to this great band!http://www.lilliline.com/

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1132027409524133862005-11-14T21:57:00.000-06:002006-10-27T11:06:49.904-05:00

Sample Track: Stanley Huang - 寻找 (Seeking)Usually singing rock/rap music, Stanley goes mellow/electronic in this song. This is my favorite track from the 20 something taipei ost - it's quite laid-back & relaxing, sometimes I set it on repeat and go into my mellow/sleepy/zoned out mood.

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1131910441151585782005-11-13T13:29:00.000-06:002006-10-29T21:58:02.190-06:00

http://www.modernsky.com/bands/vc/vcrecord.htmSample Track: C调哀歌 (Sad Song in C Minor)Super VC is a very very very good c-indie rock group. I love all of their songs ^_^www.supervc.com/

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1131853009258761982005-11-12T21:26:00.000-06:002006-10-27T00:48:29.407-05:00

Compilation of mainland indie artists :)http://www.modernsky.com/records/m022.htm清醒 (Sober)— 白 (White)I enjoy indie compilation albums because they constantly introduce new/unknown artists to me. Sober was one of the nice discoveries I made on this album, along with Life Journey, New Pants, and Milk@Coffee.

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18914129.post-1131851519437256802005-11-12T21:11:00.000-06:002006-10-29T21:55:33.870-06:00

Sample Track: 梦蝶 (Dream Butterfly)Yu Fei Men is a mainland electronic group with a traditional c-music twist. They're pretty cool ^_^http://www.yfm.cn/

漪漪http://www.blogger.com/profile/06679842925257047579noreply@blogger.com3