J-Pop Sunshine 3 – K-Pop Edition

Posted verbatim from my last.fm journal, originally posted May 11th, 2009.

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April of this year brings J-Pop 3, not only taking on the tradition of including western tracks that fit the mood (Coup Debam – Thanks), but for the first time including two tracks from Korean group Girls’ Generation (SNSD), in particular opening with the sugar-induced hyperactivity that is Gee.

Perfume’s recently released One Room Disco makes the cut, as well as some nice tracks from Yasutaka Nakata’s day-job Capsule, from the 2007 album Flash Back. I really do think Nakata has nailed this sound; energetic, phenomenally well produced, and in the case of the Capsule material, mature.

Like a lot of great music, I’m late to the Yuki train, but better late than never. Joy and Biscuit are amazing, and had Rendezvous landed in the post from Neowing earlier, it may too have made it to the playlist, though something else would have needed to be bumped to make room on the CD.

We finish with the acoustic and orchestral version of Kiseki from Radwimps. I’ve never gotten into their standard punk/nu-metal sound, but I first heard this song in a store in Kyoto late one night on one of my many wanderings two years ago. After promptly purchasing Radwimps 2 purely for this song, it’s become one of a handful of songs that make me yearn to go back, especially to the Kansai region.

Perhaps the best J-Pop Sunshine yet…

1. Girls’ Generation (SNSD) – Gee – The first mini album – Gee (3:22)
2. Capsule – Eternity – Capsule – (2007) Flash Back (4:06)
3. Perfume – One Room Disco – One Room Disco (5:06)
4. Capsule – You Are The Reason – Capsule – (2007) Flash Back (5:11)
5. Genki Rockets – Heavenly Star (Count Down Remix) – Heavenly Star / Breeze (9:39)
6. Capsule – I’m Feeling You – Capsule – (2007) Flash Back (5:02)
7. Coup Debam – Thanks Feat. Barbara Bandi – Coup Debam (4:22)
8. Chara – Boy – Union (3:14)
9. Girls’ Generation (SNSD) – Destiny – The first Mini Album – Gee (3:26)
10. YUKI – JOY – Five-star (4:23)
11. YUKI – Biscuit – Five-star (5:28)
12. Utada Hikaru – SAKURA Drops – Deep River (4:58)
13. Utada Hikaru – Passion ~After the Battle~ – Kingdom Hearts 2 (5:59)
14. Radwimps – Kiseki (in album version) – Radwimps 2 (9:03)

1 hour, 13 minutes