A Shoebox from Epik High

Beautifully written of pain and anger. That's all I can say about Epik High's latest album Shoebox. After two year hiatus since their previous album, 99, Epik High is finally back with their brilliant lyrics and addictive beats with several featuring artists in addition  to the already awesome tracks. 

As a long time fans, you may be relieved that this album s finally back to the old sound of Epik High you fell in love with (some, if not most, their fans were quite anxious when 99 was released saying that they were making YG's music not Epik High's). As for new listeners, you will definitely fall in love with their beautiful and witty lyrics (you can't help it when both rapper in the group are poets) and really cannot ignore the wicked addictive beats created by DJ Tukutz. At the end of the day, you'd probably ended up purchasing their old albums on online portals :)

Most of lyrics are written by Tablo with additional rap written by Mithra Jin. Seeing from his previous works (both music and book), I always knew that he is really dark person, as in he rarely write about happy things. Knowing that this is the third project (second for Epik High) after the Tanjinyo incident, I kind of expected some anger and/or pain. To my surprise, all tracks are either sad or angry. Not as depressing as Fever's End, but still :)

The first track to open the album is Encore. With beautiful sound of violin to open the track but it then rises up with the sound of from turntable, the song tells you story about struggling through the pain and finally got the strength to rise back up and come back again. This track to show the world that with what ever hardship the group has been trough, they are back stronger than ever. Lyrics 'Fuck and thank you' in the song got me smiling. It was as if they are saying 'I hate you for hurting me but I am thanking you for making me stronger.' I also love how they put the sampling of The Miracles's I Didn't Realize The Show Was Over to state the fact that Epik High are still here, they're not done yet.

Born Hater and Amor Fati have similar anger with stronger approach. Living by the tittle, Born Hater is about haters in general. No further explanation needed LOL. With the line up Beenzino, Verbal Jint, Winner's Mino, iKON's Bobby and B.I make this track full of rappers with, apparently, experiences of dealing with haters. When I first watched the MV, the opening beat had already caught my attention. The awesome beats continued until the end of the song and it is something you cannot get off you ears and mind for quite sometime. My one of favorite lines are Tablo's 'Tanjinyo, go ahead and crawl up too. I'm trying to love you.' And yes, ladies and gentlemen, that young boy called Bobby really can rap thus he won the rap survival show. Not to mention the already-developed rap flow of Kim Han Bin aka B.I. 

When Born Hater makes you want to stomp you feet to the ground and scream (or curse, maybe? I know I do), Amor Fati gives you different vibe of anger (I don't know if anger is the right term. It's the combination of feeling helpless and disappointed). Featuring Nell's Kim Jong Wan, the track gives you melancholy feeling making you ask yourself questions about life itself. It is an emotional song with deep lyrics.

In Burj Khalifa, they are basically bragging about how their music is so addictive it can make you high 'My High is Epic.' With the addictive tunes and additional strong lyrics from Yankie and Dynamic Duo's Gaeko make this track an anthem that you cannot move on from easily. It is one of my favorite tracks it bring up your mood. Really good to listen early in the morning when you barely able to open your eyes :)

Happen Ending and Spoiler are the tittle tracks for the album and, somehow, both songs share similar theme. The sadness of ending a relationship. The tempo are not that slow to get you depressed but once you listen to the lyrics and the way they rap/sing, you will get the vibe. Lyrics 'You gamble with love, but that same love is someone’s life savings. Then you get someone else to buy your lies, having that next person pay your debts' and 'Do we come together to love or do we come together in order to break apart?' in Happen Ending really got me.  

Fight Ourselves is another featuring track with Younha, and yes it really meets my expectation of sorrowful, painful and heart-clenching song. The track is so painful it makes you want to curl on your bed doing nothing or drinking in a cafe while watching rain through the window and just cry. This is not the first time Epik High collaborate with the singer (or the other way around) and their combination is always able to break the sentimental side of me. It is another sad sing about love and relationship. About the never ending fight between a couple that they got so tired of it 'This is me and you. Stop.'.

I dare to say Life is Good is the only song with positive vibe in this album. 'Even if you pray for my misfortune, and want me to bite the dust, I’m gonna be fine. My life is good.' The chirp voice of Jay Park featured in the song added happy feeling to it. Even though some of the lyrics are about how people want to see you fail and destroy you but the happy tunes make you don't give a damn and just keep smiling. It give you strength to face the mean world. 

Over all, the album is excellent. I really have nothing to say. Call me subjective but I really do love every single song in the album. Tablo once mentioned that this album is for those who feel hurt and wronged. I really can feel their intention, moreover knowing the incidents happened to them in the past, makes me understand the darkness, emotion and struggle in this album. Epik High is back. Epically. 


Album image is taken from google
Lyrics translation by Tablo

I wanna hold you back with these hands

I can't let you go

8 Years : To the infinity and beyond

Eight years, we've been listening to good music from you. We've been watching mind-blowing performances. We've been witnessing amazing teamwork between the five of you. We've been inspired to push ourselves beyond our limit to chase our dreams just watching you guys do it. We've been able to become stronger no matter what hardships we've been through, because you've been done so. Eight years and still counting.

We will still expect more good music, amazing performances and awesome teamwork from you because we know you will always be growing and moving forward to the better direction. No matter how many solo works each member had done and will be done, we know you guys are always the strongest when you are together. It's been eight years and it will be to the infinity and beyond. 

Thank you and we love you.

The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team

 Photos are taken from yg-life and BIGBANG official facebook

Daesung is showing D'SLOVE

I've been waiting for his solo album since 2008. He's been talking about making solo album since 2008. His company been talking about releasing his solo album since 2008. And now, six years later, he finally released his solo album. A Japanese solo album, but still. To be fair, last year he did release a solo album consisting his cover over already-popular Japanese songs. But this time, he actually released a solo album with new composed songs.

Among the other five members of BIGBANG, Daesung's music is probably the kind of music I listen to the least. Not necessarily hate, I just don't really listen to kind of music Daesung does for his solo album (I can say this because I know what kind of music he loves and he makes music based of what he loves and listen). Nevertheless, his amazing husky powerful voice makes me listen to every single solo he does aside from my music preferences and loving every single of it. After releasing his first Japanese solo cover album, he's greeting his fans again with another Japanese solo album, which is FINALLY consist of new written songs. The album consists of nine original songs, including the Japanese version of his previous singles Look at Me, Gwisoon and Try Smiling, and one cover song I Love You. 

As I expected from Daesung, his album is consisting of slow tempo songs. And the other thing that I realized was, this is a sad album. Six out of nine, his songs are about being brokenhearted. Makes me wondering just how many heartbreaks he's been through or whether he just got out from a relationship LOL.

Rainy Rainy and Awake Asleep are slow tempo songs about bad break up and the pain of being left by the people that we love. About the feeling when we encounter the memories about that person. Learning about the lyrics and listening to the music got me into sentimental feeling. Still with the similar theme, Feelings Deepened, Shut Up, Two people? Alone! and Dress gives you a medium tempo heartbreaking songs with the touch of Rock music. The composition of melody guitar, drum and piano build the rock ballad feeling for the songs which compliment Daesung's husky voice. Shut Up is another contribution from the leader, G-Dragon, for his fellow member.

Even When The World Ends is a song about expressing huge love towards another person that he can do anything for that person, give everything he has as long as they are together. The lyrics 'Everything is for you. Just stay with me, this is my happiness' and the chorus 'Even if everybody leaves and even if I lose everything. As long as you’re here I don’t need anything. I can die for you. Even when the world ends as long as you’re here, it’s all good' really got me deep. My friend speculated that this song is actually talking about his fans and how his fans are very precious to him. But the song has deep lyrics.

The other three songs in the album are the Japanese version of his previous Korean solo; Look at Me, Gwisoon and Try Smiling and also another cover of an already famous Japanese song, I Love You, which kind of disappointing because, obviously, we need more of new songs of his instead of putting the Japanese version songs or the cover song (which, may I add, they already released an album just to promote the one song). But, oh well.

This album is also another proud moment for Daesung's fans (and of course for Daesung himself) because he actually wrote lyrics for some songs. He wrote six songs out of seven new songs. He even entitled as one of the producers for this album. It's impressive. Okay, I need a moment to collect my proud tears again, excuse me :') I know he wrote one or two songs years ago and I expected him to write one or two songs for his solo album but I never thought that 85% songs for his album are written by him. Moreover as the producer. It just shows us how well prepared he is with the solo project. Six years. Damn you, YG!

D'slove is an album to show more sides of him, to explore his musicality ability and as gratitude towards his fans for showing amazing support toward him. D'slove is a prove that Daesung is an amazing singer and also amazing musician. D'slove is Daesung's love for his passion and fans.

lyrics translation from here

The Rise of Taeyang

'FINALLY' was the the first word I said shouted when I heard the news about the release date of Taeyang's second solo full-length album. After waiting for four good years, and worrying over him because he is showing some kind depression over his not-yet-released album (joking), fans are finally able to breathe and be relieved. It is seriously a long time to prepare an album yet it got paid off. It's really worth the wait. Fans or not, I am confident to say that a lot of people will cherish the album simply because of good music and awesome voice.This album has been on my playlist since day one the album was released and I play it over and over and over and over without showing the sign of boredom. I don't think I listened to another album other than this just until recently. 

Taeyang is known for his sweet voice and R&B music genre, and this album also gives you the similar genre. You can feel the modern R&B feeling on its intro 'RISE' where he bragged with lyrics 'Everytime that people say it's the end, i will show I'm forever'. You can tell that intro plays an important part in the whole album, it's like the mood setter, to welcome you to the album. 'Eyes, Nose, Lips' and 'This Ain't It' are two adult-R&B-semi-ballad songs in this album which will give you sorrow, lonely feeling yet very beautiful whenever you hear them. The songs are dominated by simple piano tunes allowing you to focus on his beautiful voice and the emotions it holds. 

'1AM', 'Stay With Me', 'Let Go' and 'Love You To Death' give you more beat, more sounds, just like Taeyang's signature contemporary R&B. 'Stay With Me' is another GDYB (G-Dragon and Young Bae) combo, which I anticipated a lot after both of them hinted another featuring track months before the release's date, and it doesn't fail me. Okay, it might be my emotional feeling towards their friendship, but I love the lyrics 'for worse or for better stay with me forever' on the song, as if they are saying it to each other (okay.. delusional. But maybe not lol).

'Body' is an electronic Daft Punk-ish track. Listening to the lyrics, I think it was supposed to be a some kind of sexy song for it talks about female's figure without objectifying them. 'Ringga Lingga' is, I have to be honest, was the least favorite track in this album. I wasn't really fond about it, but it starting to grow in me. Like I said, I've been listening to the album over and over and over and over. It is a hip-hop-dubstep-contemporary-R&B kind of song. Whenever I listen to it, I feel like a gangster and without realizing, I start to walk like one hahahahahaha.... 

Over all, the album is an almost ten. I don't really listen to sad-slow songs because I'm easily swayed by the emotions but not listening to this album would be a crime. I just need to deal with the overwhelming feeling I got afterwards. Four years sure are a very long time to prepare an album, to think about the concept, the flow and the mood. It's emotional. It's beautiful. It's TAEYANG.

Long time no write

I didn't realized it's been a while since my last post. I didn't even get to write on my birthday (okay... it's not that necessary). A lot of things had happened on these past several months that I meant to share here, but the the laziness (If I say business, it'd be just sounded so lame) kept catching up on me like bitter reality. So, on this fine day, with a so-so mood I meant to review everything I meant to write these past month. It might gonna be a long post. Or maybe not LOL

 1. Akdong Musician's PLAY

Akdong Musician is the winner from talent survival program KPOP STAR season 2 consists of a brother and sister, Lee Chanhyuk and Lee Soohyun. Since the day one the program begun, I've been rooting for them because they have this original raw element in their music. They made their own music to be shown on the program and their songs immediately topped all the music charts in South Korea. Even when they covered the already famous songs, they made it like they were theirs. After waiting for almost a year since their winning, they finally released their debut album PLAY under YG Entertainment. The album has a really thick folk element and it's quite refreshing among the hip-hop electronic culture among the Korean singers. Their music are simple yet fresh, their lyrics are honest just like reading a diary of teenagers who are searching for their identities through falling in love, playing around and experiencing life. Their debut Music Video '200%' was really cute and really expressing their youth

2. 6th International Kampoeng Jazz

Awesome performance by The Groove

International Kampoeng Jazz is an annual Jazz event held by the law faculty of Padjadjaran University. It's really actually like Java Jazz Festival in in smaller scale. Although smaller, but the event is already considered as an important stage for Indonesia's jazz musicians. 2014 is their 6th year, and this was my first experience attending it (I know, shame on me :( ). The guest stars for that night event almost reached to a hundred, divided into two stages. The show started from 1 PM - 1 AM, and yes, I stood for good twelve hours. No regret at all.  There are times when my feet gave up on me and I feel like resting and grab some food, but the awesome line up is too good to be missed. The only times I left the venue were during prayer times. To me, the highlight of the event were probably the performance by Maliq & D'essentials, The Groove, Krakatau (I don't know any of their songs but their stage performance blew my mind) and of course Tompi. That night I went home tired but happy :)

3.  Michael Jacksons' Xcape
He was the King of Pop. Well, he is still. Even after his death in 2009, the posthumous albums of his unreleased tracks keep coming. It shows the world what a great genius musician he was. Xcape consists eight of his unreleased songs (seventeen if you buy the deluxe version with so many versions). Many have said that those songs mostly made during the 80's-90's era, but with Timbaland as one of the producers, the songs give you the up-to-date beat without leaving the original feels Michael meant to bring into the songs. I can't pick my favorites because all songs in this album are amazing. But I find myself keep repeating on it's first track Love Never Felt So Good which was co-written by Paul Anka (they are an epic combination). This song gives me some kind of urge to sing along, snapping my finger and dance. And it, somehow, brings happy vibe, brighten my day. In the deluxe version, it has the remix version featured with Justin Timberlake (Heaveeeeennnnn!!!)

4. Elie Saab Haute Couture Fall Winter  2014
Ellie Saab is one of my favorite designers out there and her Haute Couture collections are impeccable. Her collections awe me every single time. I'm no fans of fancy dresses nor gowns. But her collections somehow make me want to wear dresses and or gown. Makes me feel like a little girl watching ball dance on Disney movies. Feel like Cinderella or whatever princesses they have and dancing with the prince charming. For this year's Fall Winter  Haute Couture's theme was Palais Des Lumieres, which is literally translated as Palace of lights. As you may assume you'd be expecting glowing dresses as if a box of diamonds are being thrown to the dresses. And once again, she awes me with the collection. It makes me curling up in the corner of my room wishing I were rich so I could buy all the collection lol. They are so beautiful you cannot pick one dress that you won't be liking. It's perfect. It's magical. It's Elie Saab.

There are also another two albums I would like to write about but I want to talk about them thoroughly, therefore another full posts are coming. I just don't know when lol.

Fashion Inspiration : Zooey Deschanel

Among lots of celebrities whose fashion sense I enjoy seeing, Zooey Deschanel is probably always be my #1. When most people started to know her since her role as Summer Finn in (500) Days of Summer along with *cough* His Sexiness *cough* Joseph Gordon-Levitt, I've known her since she was being an department store worker dressed in elf costume along with Will Ferrel in Elf back in 2003. Zooey Deschanel is quirky and yes we love this particular quality of her. Her choice of fashion is unique, elegant and represents her personality.

Zooey loves vintage stuffs, in fact, I remember she once mentioned that she is inspired a lot from the 60s. She loves skirts a lot, therefore she almost always wear them whenever wherever. She also loves pastel colors and he made sure she wears lots of those colors. The basic stuffs you need to have to pull Zooey's style are dresses (favorably sundresses), skirts, black tights, something with pastel colors, something with ruffles and also cardigans. Summer Finn's and Jessica Day's outfits explain how Zooey's dress the best. more or less.

Aside from her fashion, I also love her eyes, her bang, her brown hair color, how she style her hair (bun, ponytail, laces, headband, etc), her make up (she mostly use bright red lipstick, which I find very attractive) and of course, her voice (she's in a folk duo She and Him along with M. Ward). Seriously, She's like my girl crush LOL

Just a treat to myself. Don't you love this couple :)

 Pictures are taken from google and shopyourtv.com

Discovered By Accident : The Nuts (더 넛츠)

So, few days ago I was sitting on my couch eating baked potato wedges while watching Yoo Hui Yeol's Sketchbook on KBS World. One of the guests for that night was The Nuts. The MC introduced the band as 'a rock ballad band'. Naturally, I don't really listen to the genre, so I just changed the channel (I'm sorry DX). When I changed it back, they were saying farewell before singing their second song. I was waiting for the next show on KBS so, I didn't change the channel again. And thankfully I didn't because once they played their song called Love Note, I was definitely in love with it. It's not like the ordinary rock ballad I've listened (or thought). It's more like britpop, something like Coldplay or Keane would do (although not exactly the same). And I think I love the song because of the husky voice of the vocalists. I immediately regretted that I missed their first performance (le sigh). 

Picture is taken from Google

So I did my research and It surprised me that Google failed me because I don't really get much about the band.  The Nuts debuted in 2004 with five members, but two of their members, Kang Il and Kim Hyun-joong, departed and leaving the group with only three members. Although reduced in number, the music force of The Nuts seemed to have grown, as their vocal talent and emotional expression have matured greatly over the years. One of the members was actor Ji Hyun Woo who might be known best as his role for drama Queen In-Hyun's Man, movie Mr. Idol or plainly Yoo In Na's girlfriend XD

After Ji Hyun Woo left for the army, the remaining members, Jung Yi Han and Kim Sung Gyeol reinvented themselves as a duo and continue the name. Since 2004, they've released five albums; The Nuts (2004), Whispers of Love (2006), Could've Been (2008), Crazy Love (2008) and Truth J (2009). They also released several singles during the years. 

After being hiatus after their latest album in 2009, they finally came back as a duo and released a single digital album Rebirth with their tittle song Love Note (the one that got me into them XD) in the early of 2013. In the same year, around December 2013, they came back as a four-members band and reinvented the members again. Aside from the original member Jung Yi Han (lead vocalist), also joined the members Na Jun Ha (vocal, guitarist), Noh Seung Hwan (base) and Kim Sang Don (drum) (he's adorable kekekeke). They released another digital single album Return To Love with tittle song Ddoreureu (translated as rolling).

 Love Note MV

Ddoreureu MV

 I know I'm late for they've been around for like ten years and they've already released a new song like months ago. But, for good music, better be late than never, right. I just wish they will do really well with this new formation and please no more restructuring kekekekeke. As I researching I found that they are underrated, I don't know why. They have amazing tunes and lyrics and voices. I'm having hard times looking for their background and songs. I rummaged around iTunes and I could only find one song. You can check youtube or last.fm to listen to their other songs, though. I'm just saying that they deserve to be  known more, imo.

I'm looking forward to their new project soon. Like VERY SOON. Hopefully a full album or EP *crossing fingers* Meanwhile, below is the performance that blew my mind and heart, made me feeling suddenly romantic and stop everything that I did kekekekekeke

Love Note performance on Yoo Hui Yeol's Sketchbook

The Nuts on Twitter

The Nuts on Youtube

The Nuts' Return To Love on iTunes  

Jung Yi Ha on Twitter

Na Jun Ha on Twitter

Noh Seung Hwan on Twitter

Source : korea-fans.com and akp

Swing a little swing of me

I always love Swing music (which I used to refer as 'old movies tunes') since long time ago. I may be listen to various kind of musics but I always go back to swing. And lately, I've been listening to Swing music a lot. Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Tape Five are some of many Swing singers/group I've been listening to. Tape Five is a multinational German music project that was founded by Martin Strathausen in 2003. They don't have fix members in  the group because Martin would collaborated with many singers and instrumentalists. Their music style is popular musics in the 20's, mostly Swing and Jazz. Their two previous albums focused of on Swing and Lounge and on 2010 they started to focus on Electro Swing. If you ever watched cartoon 'Tom and Jerry', you'll hear electro swing a lot. 

I'm very much fond of old musical movies, hence my musical choice. Listening to Swing music makes me feel like I'm living the musical movies life where you express all your emotions with singing. Yes, I'm into Bollywood too. The good classic ones, not the ones where the actors have too many muscles and the actresses wear... I don't know. 

Listening to Swing music calms me down, makes me happy, makes me smile unconsciously, makes me feel romantic, makes me feel like slow dancing by my self and grab the nearest object to make it as my mic. It makes me appreciate the music, the notes, the sound every instruments make. And isn't it lovely how the sound of trumpet in it makes you smile, lighten your mood?

I really love Louis Armstrong's 'La Vie En Rose' lyrics :

Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose
When you kiss me heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose
When you press me to your heart
I'm in a world apart
A world where roses bloom
And when you speak
Angels sing from above
Everyday words seems
To turn into love song
Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be la vie en rose  

and of course 'What A Wonderful World's. They are simple, as in you don't have to read between the lines to understand the meaning of the songs. And the music gives you romantic vibe. I've been such a romantic hopeless lately, forgive me for that :) 

As for Tape Five, their Electro Swing really lighten up my mood with their fast-tempo songs. Makes me unconsciously clapping during the song and, if God allows, do the fast tempo swing dance. One of my favorite songs from them is 'Cool cat in Town'

And performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lady Gaga singing 'Baby It's Cold Outside' is a must-watch one. Why? Because it's Joseph Gordon-Levitt

So, why don't us turn up the volume, grab your mic and let's Swing!!!!

Burberry Prorsum Menswear A/W14

Hand painted fabric with abstract patterns inspired by Britain's scenery and arts. Classy and preppy. These collections are just beautiful...

"The Return" by Karl Lagerfeld

I know I'm late. The video has been added to my playlist like weeks ago and I finally watched it today.

And I think... you might wanna watch it too...

Happy New Year

Let's face the new beginning with positive attitude, more hopes, more smiles and especially more strength. Maybe it's an opportunity for you to make new goals, new dreams and new lessons to be learned. Whatever lies ahead, you need to know that you should try your best and the best only.

Happy New Year. Happy New Beginning. Cheers