The ultra-sweet Hockee is back! This time on Soundberry with an album called Hockee World. It's been more than four years since her first when her second is released on February 11. Slow 6 and Sabo (might that be 재주소년's 유상봉, I wonder?) are featured on a couple of songs, and from the samples at Hyang it seems her whispering voice is still intact. New listeners, please be aware that too much consumption of Hockee at once might just prove too sweet.

It's been about a year since Vol.5, so now its time for Hyang Music's sampler Vol. 6. It's a mix of Korean and non-Korean music released in Korea since last time and from the tracklist it'd seem they've done a job just as good as last time: there's Broccoli, you too?, Haeo, Guckkasten, zitten, Orgeltanz, Lee Jang Hyuk, The Black Skirts, Starry-Eyed and Achtung.

Taking a break from the stuff I should be focusing on this weekend, I did a bit of blog reading. Through The Grand Narrative I found my way to KPop blog Seoulfull that offered a piece of news some of you might take interest in: Jisun Comeback After Leaving Loveholic, Duet With Alex. In addition to a few words on the duet with Clazziquai's Alex, the post also mentions that former Loveholic member Jisun will release her first solo album on February 3.

Visit Mint Paper for a tracklist and a teaser vid - turns out the title of the album is 인어... 집으로 돌아오다, and the name of the duet with Alex is Windflower.

One would think that in a game loving country such as Korea - where there are TV channels dedicated to Starcraft and it was possible to purchase real life-size WoW items already during the beta - such a thing as bitpop would be widely popular. Perhaps it is, but the only Korean chiptune artist I know of is Bubblyfish - and she only begun making music after leaving Korea for the US. And so I find that a one man band called Matilda's Rabbit released an album called Viva! Game Boy January 19.

However, just as with Synth Boys the name sorta deceives. At least it is not the kind of gameboy pop I had expected - because, you know, to the initiated there are such things as bitpop lounge music and other cool genres which the music of Matilda's Rabbit might very well belong to (any initiated reader is more than welcome to set it straight!). My best suggestion is somewhat experimental, lo-fi, electronic music - reminiscent of select pieces from ZzzAaM and Rainy Sun. Have a listen yourself at MySpace, where four songs from the album can be sampled in full (make sure not to miss ambulance!).

When window-shopping Korean music I usually turn to Oi or Hyang. Every now and then I like to try a couple of stores more, but I can never remember the address to Purple Record (I know it's simple, but there's still enough confusing elements in it for me to consider myself lucky every time I manage to get there - from now on I'll just follow the link from here). Though by some lucky coincidence I did end up there yesterday, and not only did I learn about the upcoming Rainy Sun release I posted on below (that one would've probably showed up at any of my regular places in a few days anyway) but I learned that on January 9 "Korea's Avril Lavigne" released her debut EP! (I know I'm too old, but I still get a kick out of such music...)

Turns out that the name of the Korean Avril Lavigne is Rika, and the title of the EP is Evelution (as in Eve and Revolution - "to signify the revolution of women"). Google brought me to LaLa Melodies where there was more info to find than that quote: The six track EP features Crash guitarist Ha Yae Jong, Funky Brown vocalist&guitarist Uhm Joo Hyuk and Dr.Core 911 drummer Juny. Also on the EP isd Mary Story vocalist&guitarist Park Gun Joon.

Browsing Purple Record I found something that surprised me a great deal: Rainy Sun will release their fourth album, Origin, on January 30! It's been almost six years since they last released an album so I have no idea what they'll sound like this time around, but they do tend to experiment a bit whether it's rock or triphop or something else they're basing their sound on. Very exciting!

The band with the intriguing name of bulnabangstarsausage club released an EP called 악어떼 on boonga Boonga Record January 8. I haven't been able to dig up any samples from the actual CD, but I did find a couple of clips that were interesting enough on YouTube. Seems like a fun band.

Should you be on the lookout for ballads with a touch of rock you may very well be interested in Cobalt Blue. The trio released its first album on January 14, and though I have yet to hear that totally brilliant track they sorta remind me of The Breeze and other such bands. Hyang Music offers three short samples.

Ruby Salon's charming Tobacco Juice released its debut album, 쓰레기는 어디로 갈까요, January 15. In addition to a fair bunch of new titles, the tracklist lists all three tracks from the 2007 EP 돗대 천개피면 투명인간 되나요 as well as the two songs from the Star Wars Project compilation album. Sample a brief piece of the album's first track, 담배를 끊어요, at Hyang or head over to MySpace to sample four tracks in full and watch the video for 좀비떼가 나타났다네!.

Always pleasant duo 재주소년 appears to have gone a bit more acoustic again with the release of their 마지막 춤은 나와 함께 mini album on January 14. Five tracks holding four brand new songs - sample one of them at Pastel Music.

Both chapters of Pastel Music and soribada's 사랑의 단상 will be available in a joint package some time in February. So those of you that while interested still haven't gotten either of With or Without You and This is not a Love Song might find it worthwhile to wait just a few weeks longer to spend those dollars of yours.

Since last time, Denmark has left and Romania has joined the Music Alliance Pact, where Indieful ROK counts as one of 21 music blogs. This is our second month representing South Korea in this intriguing project - thought out and put together by Jason of The Pop Cop. The Korean artist of the month is The Invisible Fish, whom I trust you are all familiar with by now (if not, here's the article I wrote on him for London Korean Links last year). Also note that one of The Invisible Fish's 2008 favorites, German The Notwist, can be sampled courtesy of Blogpartei this time around.

AMERICA: I Guess I’m Floating
Blind Man’s Colour – Jimmy Dove
Blind Man’s Colour came on our radar in late ‘08 with three excellent Animal Collective covers. With their debut album, Season Dreaming, coming out sometime in early ‘09 and Jimmy Dove as their first explosive single, they’ve got a good chance of becoming my favorite find of 2009 less than one month in. They’ve also got a free EP called Rainbow Faces which you can download from the band’s blog. Jimmy Dove is a MAP exclusive mp3.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Bicicletas – 11 y 20
We started the year listening non-stop to this brand new song by Bicicletas, a superb space-rock band that has been shaking the independent scene of Buenos Aires for some years now. 11 y 20 will be included in their forthcoming album Quema, which is released in March by Bingo! Records.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
The Middle East – Blood
I feel like Arcade Fire comparisons have been overused in music reviews over the past whenever, so I’m going to do my best to not compare The Middle East to Montreal’s finest. It’s tough though, because this Townsville, Queensland collective do fit the criteria, at least initially – a large collection of musicians (at least six, possibly seven) who create dramatic and climactic folk-ish anthems.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Guizado – Rinkisha
Created by Guilherme Mendonça, Guizado presents instrumental songs ranging from jazz, alternative rock and experimental electronica, always sounding avant-garde. Their first album, Punx, was acclaimed by critics (including the Brazilian Rolling Stone) as one of the best albums in 2008. As well as Mendonça, who is a well-known trumpeter in São Paulo’s underground music scene, Guizado is formed by Curumin, Ryan Batista and Régias Damasceno, musicians involved with some of the most creative artists of the Brazilian alternative scene. Rinkisha, a deep and melancholic song, sounds like John Frusciante playing with Tortoise.

CANADA: I(Heart)Music
Parachute Penguin – Your Crimes
Yes, their name is horrible. And yes, this song borrows rather liberally from The Killers. But despite both of those things, if Parachute Penguin’s forthcoming EP, due out in late February, is anywhere near as good as this (or any of the other tracks on the outstanding EP the band released back in the spring), then it won’t be long until the band is playing arenas around the world. Hopefully they’ll stay away from those feathered jackets, though.

CHILE: Super 45
Como Asesinar A Felipes – En Busca De Un Nuevo Sueño
Como Asesinar A Felipes (How To Kill Felipes) is the best way to understand what’s going on in Chilean hip hop music – cross-referenced music styles with deep and shocking lyrics. Former jazz musicians joined MC Koala Contreras and DJ Spacio to create an outstanding jazz-rap combo. Their self-titled album, released last year, has been described as the best Chilean album of the year by even mainstream media. And there is no doubt about it, no other band can take our minds, ears and bodies like Como Asesinar A Felipes have.

ENGLAND: The Daily Growl
Emmy The Great – We Almost Had A Baby
Although the wait for Emmy The Great’s debut album has been long enough to make it seem like an indie-folk-pop Chinese Democracy, the good news is that First Love is finally coming out on February 2. This track is the first single from the album, released at the end of last year.

GERMANY: Blogpartei
The Notwist – Good Lies
The Notwist is probably better known abroad than in Germany. They come from the Bavarian city of Weilheim, where other famous bands – partly with the same members – have their base, e.g. Console, Lali Puna and 13 & God. The Notwist sound is built on the characteristic voice of Markus Acher and the discreet electronic background constructed by Martin Gretschmann.

ICELAND: I Love Icelandic Music
Singapore Sling – Martian Arts
Singapore Sling is a darkly, neo-psychedelic, avant-garage band formed in Reykjavik in 2000 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Henrik Baldvin Björnsson and lead guitarist Einar Þór Kristjánsson. The band is often compared to The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Velvet Underground and My Bloody Valentine. Martian Arts is taken from their fourth album, Perversity, Desperation And Death, released last November on the new Icelandic label Microdot.

IRELAND: Nialler9
Gran Casino – One Chance
An intriguing upbeat rabble-rousing orchestral racket from a 13-piece Dublin band who have the horn for brass and blustery rock epics. Their debut Sun Music EP sounds like Arcade Fire jamming with Herbie Hancock.

ITALY: Polaroid
Arnoux – Today, A Rainy Day
Cascades, the debut album by Arnoux, blends melancholic synths and glitches with acoustic sounds and warm voices, portraying a delicate and touching liquid landscape.

NEW ZEALAND: Counting The Beat
Princess Chelsea – Monkey Eats Bananas
Every May in New Zealand is NZ Music Month. Album sales and radio airplay figures of Kiwi artists soar and there is a celebration of local musical talent. For the past two years NZ music magazine Real Groove has issued a CD in May titled The Sound of Young New Zealand. One of the standout tracks of the 2008 edition was Monkey Eats Bananas, a song so infectious I’ve driven members of my household mad with repeated plays, eventually awarding it Song of the Year in Counting The Beat. It’s silly but incredibly compelling. Xylophone, electric piano, a nonsense lyric that doesn’t kick in until two-thirds of the way through the song, all atop a great rolling bass line. Princess Chelsea is about to release her debut album and Monkey Eats Bananas will be the first single.

NORWAY: Eardrums
I Was A King – Weighing Anchor
I Was A King is one of the Norwegian bands I expect will do very well in 2009. Frontman Frode Stromstad has a unique gift of creating addictive melodies with distinctive roots to the 60s. Distorted through the sound of the 90s indie scene, the result is I Was A King. On their self-titled second album, which received a maximum score in Norway’s largest newspaper, the trio is helped by artists such as Emil Nikolaisen (Serena Maneesh), Sufjan Stevens, Daniel Smith (Danielson) and Gary Olson (The Ladybug Transistor).

PERU: SoTB
Turbopotamos – Terrorize You/Disco Flor
After a few demos had been circulated, the rumour was that a cool new sound had awoken the sleepy local scene. With the appearance of No Love, the second album from Turbopotamos in 2007, the rumour proved to be true. With their refreshing compositions, Turbopotamos have been plotting a path that took them on to the same bill as REM and Travis in Lima last November.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
The Weatherman – Chloe’s Hair
The Weatherman is Alexandre Monteiro, a resident of Oporto in the north of Portugal. Chloe’s Hair is the first single of his second album, Jamboree Park At The Milky Way, due in February, which he recorded with guest musicians. Besides being a musician, Alexandre runs his own independent record label, Poptones, and an arts collective company, Sublime. Thanks to The Weatherman, the MAP sites are the first in the world where Chloe’s Hair is downloadable for free. Obrigado.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
Les Elephants Bizarres – Have No Fear
Les Elephants Bizarres is an alternative band formed in 2007 in Bucharest. Not really like those big, apathetic creatures, these dancing, multi-coloured Elephants are a very fresh and vivid appearance in the Romanian music scene. Their concerts often stir up the audience and make them dance with their indie-pop-disco-punk motley sounds. You can download some of their other songs and watch live performances on their website.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Evan Crichton – Holiday Time
Glasgow-based Evan Crichton is a rare talent. He’s a singer whose songs have a timeless feel, perhaps because they are immaculately paced and seem to exist in a world and space all of their own. After a year-long absence, Evan has just returned to playing live with a full band set-up and the Scottish music scene is a better place for it. Holiday Time is taken from his debut record Bright Our Broken Days.

SINGAPORE: I’m Waking Up To...
I Am David Sparkle – Jaded Afghan
The curious name of Singaporean band I Am David Sparkle is a literal translation of a famous Malaysian disco singer in the 80s called M. Daud Kilau. Their music, however, shows only a hint of that nostalgia. In Jaded Afghan, taken from their second album This Is The New, a carefully woven ambience is animated by an intriguing blend of beats and bleeps that moves back and forth in time. For me, though, what most subtly drives this track forward in the end is the sound of a gently wandering guitar, lightly treading but hugely moving, with slightly darker rumblings underneath.

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
The Invisible Fish – Fallen
Once the male half of Bluedawn – Korea’s foremost folk/dream-pop duo – The Invisible Fish is now completely on his own. For those who know Bluedawn his music is still familiar, but he’s experimenting more and the songs are more personal. Not wanting to compromise with his new-found post-noise-folk sound, The Invisible Fish releases everything by himself and put out his second solo EP, Loss/Sleepless last month.

SPAIN: El Blog De La Nadadora
Saioa – Is It Possible
From our point of view, Saioa has changed the concept of the singer-songwriter. She comes from the Basque land and her debut album, Matrioska Heart, was released in 2008 on the small Spanish label Moonpalace. Her songs follow a folk pattern with influences such as Low and Leonard Cohen.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease
The Bridal Shop – The Ideal State
I can’t say enough good things about The Bridal Shop. They perfectly meld the sounds of electronic pop of the 80s with shoegaze of the 90s and indie from the 00s. In other words they’re the complete package. Their Peruvian label (I know that’s kind of a weird locale for a Swedish group) Plastilina Records deserves kudos as well for releasing some of the best indie-pop this side of Cloudberry. This song is from the band’s mini-album, In Fragments, out in February.

To download all 21 songs in one file click here.

Another well written review was posted at koreanpop.org yesterday. This time my expectations on Lee Jang Hyuk's second album (that I'm hoping will arrive before the end of the week) were lowered: Lee Janghyuk, Vol. 2.

A well written review of Whang Boryung's SmackSoft EP can be found at koreanpop.org: Whang Boryung (황보령), SmackSoft. Not merely discussing the new EP and Whang Boryung's previous achievements, the review also mentions that she's expected to release her third full length album around March.

The program for Göteborg International Filmfestival 2008 went public yesterday and so we learn that Breathless - complete with The Invisible Fish's music - will be screened on three days: January 30-31 and February 1. It's shown as part of the First Cut section: "Meet tomorrow's great film hope here!". More info here.

The Swedish version of the movie page offers a brief review by Hynek Pallas. Loosely translated it reads

Ik June Yang who wrote Breathless based the movie on his own life and also chose to direct and play the main character. A brutal dun meets a school girl that like himself comes from a violent home, whereupon their lives are interlaced. Breathless depicts the Korean macho identity from a capturing humanly perspective - a Korean version of "kitchen sink realism" that, unlike other Korean movies where violence is used in a routine manner, depicts its consecquenses, especially for children. The handheld camera and Ik Junes style of acting - constantly tense, ready to explode - gives the movie an excellent nerviness.

In the event that any of you care what I listen to I would like to tell you all that I am currently addicted to Apls two months old sixmini>sexbig EP. It took me a while to get my hands on it (I forgot to order it after asking mrkwang to offer it in his store...), but when I finally got the plastics off the case yesterday I couldn't stop listening. The whole thing is streaming in full from Apls' site so if you haven't already heard it go and have a listen if any kind of electronica stuff is your thing.

The Romantic Island OST has been out for a few weeks now, and though the movie hasn't done all that well its soundtrack should not be overlooked. In addition to composing and playing most of it, Liner also sung a little and such a song was posted on his blog today: tearliner - 내게넌(아이스크림같은 너의 맘과 손길) [로맨틱아일랜드OST].

Philip of London Korean Links bought Jaurim vocalist Kim Yuna's second solo album, 琉璃假面(유리가면), on impulse not too long ago and was very pleased with it. How pleased you can read in the review he posted a couple of days ago: Kim Yoon Ah #2: Glass Mask.

And the winner of The Invisible Fish's Loss/Sleepless EP is clumproll! His suggestion was Jang Ki Ha and The Faces, which was also suggested by another entrant. Further subjects of interest suggested were:
- donawhale
- EE
- Frenzy
- Humming Urban Stereo
- loro's
- Lucite Tokki
- Peterpan Complex
- 시인과 촌장
- Sogyumo Acacia Band
- Sorri
- Yozoh
Got a busy month ahead of me, but in due time I will try my very best to get at least some of the people above to answer a few questions for Indieful ROK. Thank you so much for your suggestions! And happy 2009 to all of you :)

mrkwang offered me some great news today: the entire first EP, Through The Glass Wall, of Indieful ROK friend The Invisible Fish is now up for streaming at last.fm. Plenty of lovely music from post-Bluedawn slowzz on there, so do have a listen!

Oh, and don't forget that you still have the possibility of winning The Invisible Fish's second EP, Loss/Sleepless! I'll be drawing a winner tomorrow.

And another reminder: Music from The Invisible Fish will soon be playing at theaters in Europe as Breathless is shown on various film festivals. Don't miss it!

While advertising Han Hee Jeong's upcoming acoustic live gigs, Acoustic Breath, Pastel Music offers a full streaming sample of 나무, the final track off her first solo album 너의 다큐멘트. Just click the Acoustic Breath "album cover" while at Pastel to hear it.

Finally the time has come for Chapter 2 of Pastel Music and soribada's joint project 사랑의 단상. It goes by the name of This is not a Love Song and follows With or Without You from September.

Three digital singles, "stories", preceding the album were released in December:
1st Story was Epitone Project's 그대는 어디에, where Han Hee Jeong is featured, released December 3.



2nd Story was Sentimental Scenery's After Love, released December 10.



3rd Story was Maximilian Hecker's Love Box, where Taru is featured, released December 24.



Also on the album are a couple of Sentimental Scenery songs more, new songs from Lucite Tokki (기다리는 하루) and Han Hee Jeong (멜로디로 남아), a song from new act Lovelybut and zitten's 달. (Truth be told I secretly disliked the Zitten album for not including 달 - which happens to be just as awesome as 곁에, the song I listened to more than any other in 2008 - but I suppose this sorta makes up for it.) All out on January 7.

Winner of the singer/songwriter category of the same Pastel audition that shot zitten into stardom, shibuya-kei style electronica act Sentimental Scenery will release his first own CD on January 7. The title of the album is Harp Song + Sentimentalism, implying that it contains the Harp Song digital single released December 4 as well as the Sentimentalism digital album released in June 2007.

Though in addition to Harp Song and eight titles familiar from Sentimentalism, there's also Miss You from Taru and Sentimental Scenery's R.A.I.N.B.O.W release, Time After Time from the digital single Falling In Love... (February 2007), an all new (?) track called Oriental Snow and the main track Re-Birth that appears to be a reworked version of Birth (from the digital single with the same name, August 2007). Re-Birth can be sampled from Pastel Music.

Though different from my own in many ways, I'd say Cloviece has a fine taste in music. A few days ago she posted a journal entry on last.fm called '08 Recent Purchases Part II where Yozoh's Traveler got a short review.