Going to university in a city like Toronto exposes you to a wide range of music. With China Town a block a way, Korea Town a half mile a way, and Little India a thirty minute subway ride away cross cultural music exposure is bound to happen. These are songs I have been introduced to by friends, heard while walking around the city, and found on my own.
Epik High - One, and Love Love Love
I love the woman's airy voice mingling with the more aggressive Korean rap.
Jujin - Hey Ya (Feat Son Dambi, Bigtone)
Look, the English lyrics make absolutely no sense, and they try too hard to add Americanized rap beats to the song, but at the same time it all seems to work for me. Sometimes the lyrics feel a bit forced, but they also feature one of my favorite Korean songstresses on the track (Son Dambi). However, this tune really should be located in my guilty pleasures list...
The Black Skirts - 좋아해줘
I don't know the English name of this song, but its indie Korean rock, I found it through orienkorea, the indie Korean rock YouTube channel I featured in a previous blog post.
Asian Kung Fu Generation - Rewrite
You cannot tell me you don't love this song, its been featured on the widely popular Naruto anime series, and you just got to love to the catchy hooks. Plus, the band is composed of wiry nerdy looking guys who look like they would be more comfortable reformatting your PC than wielding guitars...but at the same time that's what makes them strangely appealing (although I am a science nerd).
Sorry for the fan video...I couldn't find it anywhere.
Utada Hiraku - Tokyo Nights
Featured this woman in a blog post about two days ago, but she really is the best Japanese mainstream has to offer. (Hey Shelly I'm using the song you suggested in my Utada blog post--"Tokyo Nights"!!!)
Nami Tamaki - Heroine
Another song that should be on my guilty pleasures list, but whatever. She's so cute and this song is so addictive!
Sonu Nigam - Aaj Ki Raat
Featured in the Bollywood movie, The Don as well as Slumdog Millionaire, its sexy, and catchy. (A.R. Rahman's soundtrack for Slumdog is not bad either.)
Mohammed Rafi - Chunari Chunari
Featured in Monsoon Wedding (a very good movie by the way) just a great party song. However the video is questionable...VERY QUESTIONABLE
Bally Sagoo - Aaja Nachle
Another song featured in Monsoon Wedding, its Indian dance music.
Hans Raj Hans - Punjabiyan Di Shaan
Featured in Bend it Like Beckham (another awesome movie) and featuring Bally Sagoo, just really really good dance music.
b21 - Darshan
Another Bend it Like Beckham soundtrack song, I honestly am reminded of the Indian N'Sync every time I listen to this tune, but its sooo good I feel no shame in tuning in.
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I really like the feel of the synth instrumentals in that Epik High song - really gives it a summer cruising-down-the-open-roads feel. Or maybe it's just me haha.
ReplyDeleteTokyo Nights is an excellent song :). By the way, you might like DJ Rekha's sound - she mixes Bhangra with rap/hip-hop and is slowly getting more popular.
Yeah you told me about her before, actually Timbaland is also know for mixing Hindi songs on his tracks like on Bombay.
ReplyDeleteYou guys know more Korean stars than I do lol
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big fan of either K-Pop or Indian music, but I do listen to J-Pop as much as I could. So I'll advice you to stay away from Arashi or Hey! Say! Jump! please. :D Haha~
ReplyDeleteAKG is cool, Rewrite is from Fullmetal Alchemist. They did Haruka Kanata for Naruto. :)
Thanks! I don't watch these things...I thought both Haruka Kanata and rewrite were from Naruto...oh well.
ReplyDelete