idkfa 0 Report post Posted February 18, 2005 Seems that there's quiet a few in this forum who's into jpop music. Thought maybe I'll make a good recommendation. Most of the jpop I've heard here are very bubblegum pop and trashy. Not even good recordings. But one I've definitely got to recommend is this Nakashima Mika "Love" album. She's got a very warm, husky deep voice which is darn soothing to listen to, not to mention the involved wet sexiness. Album's got a slow, relaxed and warm jazzy feel to it. Good tunes and very easy to listen to. Excellent recording backed with good symphonic instrumentations. Take a listen. You'll love it, even if you don't understand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blues 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 I've started listening to Nakashima Mika since 2001. Recommended to by my friend(he said she's better than utada who is one my my fav )..so I sampled her 'stars' and 'tears' and got quite hooked by her unique vocal. I think at that time, most Singaporeans don't even know there's this j-pop singer. Only after the Gundam Seed(she sang the 4th ED theme), most people start searching for her music. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helmsley 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 I would recommend the group Globe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idkfa 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 I've started listening to Nakashima Mika since 2001. Recommended to by my friend(he said she's better than utada who is one my my fav )..so I sampled her 'stars' and 'tears' and got quite hooked by her unique vocal. I think at that time, most Singaporeans don't even know there's this j-pop singer. Only after the Gundam Seed(she sang the 4th ED theme), most people start searching for her music. 2001? Was it before her debut album? I've only started after she released her second album. Then backtracked. Born in kaoshima i think, she has features different from the "normal" jap girls. That country girl look's kinda got me interested. And if you noticed, during her performances, she doesn't wear shoes... As for Utada, she's a gonner here. No doubt she has that crystal clear voice but after she ventured into the states, the ppl here felt she somewhat left the fans in search for an international audience...Now the mention of utada is somewhat passe here. Mika is in. Ayu is out. Isn't the music on the album great? I took another listen last night and boy, was I hooked again. Gonna start ripping it in high ogg again! haha. Do check out her 3rd album. Rgds, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blues 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 2001 I think when she first debuted.. with her singles stars and tears. Nowadays J-pop are pretty trashy.. most of them the lyrics don't have very deep meaning, vocals are pretty so-so and most are just pretty boy/girl. I've gone back into the earlier days with my recent acquisition of Go Hiromi's Greatest Ballad and Nakayama Miho(quite sometime already). The early 90s j-pop are much more appealing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idkfa 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 (edited) That's quiet true. Nowdays the bands/singers are just crowd appealers. Otaku(costume, manga, hentai, kogyaru black tanned girls, strange ppl) are the big money spenders. Merchandising and insane stationary junks are so all over the place. No one actually listens to good music anymore, except for the classical, jazz community where there's a huge following. Keith jarrett, steve kuhn, eg. are so happening here. I actually started listening to jpop back in 1996 when Amuro Namie just came out. Judy & Mary was so hot then. Try the r&b namie which is pretty good. btw, is that you taking pictures in the banner pic? Reminds me of a friend. Are you nick? Edited February 19, 2005 by idkfa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blues 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 that's not me.. taken from kamen rider blade.. one of the main cast.. Aikawa Hajime who coincidentally shoots with a Nikon SLR in the show pm me your msn if any .. would like to discuss more about J-pop.. finally can find someone who's alot into it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LemonT 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 Zard or Izumi Sakai is still my all time fav Jap singer, followed by chage n aska and ELT Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blues 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2005 (edited) Zard is very good.. but the songs are kinda anime-ish .Not a bad thing as I collect quite a few album of theirs and is one the first few j-pop songs that I always listen back then. Chage & Aska is my fav too.. too bad I couldn't get the greatest hits where they pack it into one long black box. I only got the normal cd version. Their music is really quite different.Personal favourite would be Sons&daughters, on your mark, say yes, yah yah yah,natural, meguriai, seiten o homerun are yugure o mate and something there(Street Fighter's OST). Sometime ago I bought Aska's album. It sounds pretty okay but I much prefer both of them chage and aska together. The combination is quite heavenly. Maybe it's chage's voice that's very very unique. Afterall he won the yamaha singing competition or something, in which aska came second hee.. To add on to the list, I am also very fond of Kazumasa Oda's music and Fumiya Fujii's ballad. Simply superb. My first encounter is the 'true love' which was played in some japanese drama in '93 or something. Had been searching high and low for the song when I finally got to hear one by chance in 2000 . 'Wara no inu' , another orion and snow crystal come close second to this greatest hit IMo Of the recent era, I like kiroro for the ballad. Edited February 20, 2005 by Blues Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
augustineRS 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2005 OT abit: Not exactly a J-pop fan, but i was quite into visual rock genre. in particular Hide, Spreadbeaver and of cos X-Japan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mackie 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2005 (edited) Anyone who's into J-pop should really explore K-pop. Sadly, most of the latest and major Korean acts could not be found on the local shelves except for the very cliche BoA, Shinwa and a very few others. Take for instance BoA, her R&B grooves/vibes in native soil is so much deeper than her Japanese releases which are really tame by comparison. Aside from direct purchases in HK, I usually get my Korean fixes on www.Yesasia.com. The Japanese acts that I still follow closely are Miki Imai, Ehihiro Onitsuka and the likes. Edited March 14, 2005 by Mackie Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idkfa 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2005 I always thought that K-pop are happening in singapore? Unless that is my memory a couple of years ago. Is it still Jpopish in singapore nowdays? I still can remember seeing kids wearing pullovers and skicaps to look cool outside Heeren. Geez. But if there's anyone who's dying to find a good piece of Japanese music or maybe Korean, let me know how I can help. Rgds Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mackie 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 K-pop rises to the fore at least 3-4 years in North East Asia before hitting the South East. Even then, artistes that hit our region were far and few and definitely fading into oblivion as we speak. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LemonT 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2005 Zard is very good.. but the songs are kinda anime-ish .Not a bad thing as I collect quite a few album of theirs and is one the first few j-pop songs that I always listen back then. Chage & Aska is my fav too.. too bad I couldn't get the greatest hits where they pack it into one long black box. I only got the normal cd version. Their music is really quite different.Personal favourite would be Sons&daughters, on your mark, say yes, yah yah yah,natural, meguriai, seiten o homerun are yugure o mate and something there(Street Fighter's OST). Sometime ago I bought Aska's album. It sounds pretty okay but I much prefer both of them chage and aska together. The combination is quite heavenly. Maybe it's chage's voice that's very very unique. Afterall he won the yamaha singing competition or something, in which aska came second hee.. To add on to the list, I am also very fond of Kazumasa Oda's music and Fumiya Fujii's ballad. Simply superb. My first encounter is the 'true love' which was played in some japanese drama in '93 or something. Had been searching high and low for the song when I finally got to hear one by chance in 2000 . 'Wara no inu' , another orion and snow crystal come close second to this greatest hit IMo Of the recent era, I like kiroro for the ballad. Zard's songs have very catchy and uptempo beats, they have slow songs also, but it's her fast pieces that i love. Can nvr grow tired of her voice..hehe I have the long black box version of their greatest hit . I also feel awkward listening to only one of them singing. like something is missing from the song leh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iriz 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2005 hi all! its my 1st post here... i agree that mika is an excellent vocalist who actually composes her own lyrics as well. juz love "love adict" on this album. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
