Sunday 14 May 2017

[Music Selection] April '17

Music is in the air, and Spring is slowly but surely coming to its end! With the warmer weather and longer days approaching, Summer is well on its way! For now, though, let's cherish the sweet sounds of Spring in Idol Music! What will our Idols deliver to us in sound today?


April 2017's Music Selection is here, and as per the usual, all music listed, whether it past, present or from the future, is placed her because I enjoy it! I want to share with everyone the music and PV's I am enjoying from the months gone by, so that you can find something new to enjoy, as well!

Of course, as my tastes are 100% my own, I do not expect everything everyone else likes to be on here, nor do I think you will like everything I enjoy! It's a matter of preference, and truth be told, my musical tastes are kind of bad in comparison to everyone else's! So, apologies if my terrible music doesn't appeal to any of you dear readers!

Now, shall we get into the music, and enjoy some sweet Idol tracks? Ready... Set...

GO!!!

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April was a month of... well, it was a month of essays and happiness. Essays, because University. Happiness, because C-ute concert in Paris! I was travelling a lot, procrastinating a bunch, and finally going to see an Idol group for the first time in my life! It was an exhilerating experience, and I was able to do so much!

Well, aside from listen to music... I really didn't do a lot of that. Whoops~

For April, my list is honestly a little limited, at least in the April '17 releases that came out. I really didn't care much for following them, what with everything that went on. So, there are only three songs on there from the past month, and then a handful of others from March, and previous months / years that I have enjoyed! It's a decent list, though, with some fun sounds that are different to one another, and appealing in their own right! Hopefully, something here will appeal to you, and you will find a new song to love, or an oldie that you can joyfully return to!

And with that all said and done... Let's listen to some music! Press START!

April '17

Just be yourself by The World Standard (2017.04.19)

Wa-Suta are already making a name for themselves with their damn catchy songs and weird visuals, so when Just be yourself came out, it felt like a bit of a step back from their image. I mean, for them, it's tame. It's generic and safe, and it's definitely not their style of music. It has a constant sound and pace, never changing or deviating from the generic to the weird. I was surprised.

But Just be yourself is also great. It's a catchy, cute song with personality and charm, and it really does suit wa-suta. It's actually refreshing to see them take a change in pace, and give their vocals to the PriPara universe. They sound wonderful, and though I have a slight gripe that only two members have solos, they definitely work well in this kind of sound and style.

If you want something to get lost in, I think that Just be yourself is a good choice. It's a super easy song to get into, but it's memorable and fun to sing along and dance to. Both kids and adults will enjoy it, in all of its charming wonder!

EASTER BUNNY by The Idol Formerly Known As LADYBABY (2017.04.12)

And on the other side of the Idol realm, there is TIFKA-LADYBABY. marching to the beat of angry-cute in the awesome, catchy, entertaining sound that is EASTER BUNNY. It's freakin' fun to listen to, and it makes me want to headbang and slam my feet on the ground. If there's a song that I ever want to smash words to in crazy-short time, this is gonna be it.

In fact, this songs been damn helpful in my procrastination quest to write out fanfiction. I've been able to gain inspiration from it, because it's so fun and easy to get lost in. It's a damn good song, yo, and I farkin' LOVE IT!

The videos pretty damn awesome, too.

Surprisingly, I've not yet given Pelo the chance it deserves, however if it's half as good as the rockin' EASTER BUNNY that I love and adore, then heyll, I'm probs gonna obsess over it like I do this one.

In terms of how much I've listened to it this month... Well, it's on par with Just be yourself, and was one of three songs I adored from this months batch of releases. And, of the three, two were my obsession. It's probably had more repeats than Just be yourself, though, cause damn, LADYBABY!

Tomodachi Gokko by Ueno Yuuka (2017.04.26)

Though I haven't listened to Tomodach Gokko as much as EASTER BUNNY or Just be yourself this month, I have to say, this plays as the happy medium for the two songs prior to this one. Yet again, Yuuka delivers a gorgeous ballad filled with emotion and promise, balancing out my music list perfectly with her sweet voice. Good grief, she truly is perfect.

Tomodachi Gokko is pretty much your standard Yuuka song, and honestly, I do love it for that reason. She does ballads so well, with sentimental suiting her voice wonderfully. She sounds rich and passionate here, having matured in sound and showing that maturity in both the track and its accompanying music video. And, heck, if you've not watched Tomodachi Gokko's MV yet, you should; it's a bit of a sad one, and Yuuka's performance in it is spot-on. Not only does she succeed in singing, but visual performance, too. Good grief, this girl is talented.

It's a pretty, sad ballad that makes the Chiima happy. What more could I ask for, and what better song to round off the greatness of Just be yourself, your typical Idol affair, and EASTER BUNNY, my headbanger for the week, than this one? Tomodachi Gokko truly is a nice way to end the playlist.

God damn, that Yuuka Ueno.

March Roll-Over

Hirari by Ohara Sakurako (2017.03.08)

Though Hirari has slowly filtered from my music list this past month, I can't deny that I still love to hear it now and again. It's a soft, pretty ballad, and it makes me feel happy when I write. It gives me a good idea for emotions that I need in my stories, and it keeps me at ease when writing essays. However, it's not a great song to have playing if I want to be quick with my words. Hence, EASTER BUNNY.

I doubt this will be the last time this song appears on here, cause, damnit, it's Hirari, guys, and it's Ohara Sakurako. She is bae, and her voice captivates me. It will continue captivating me, and I am fine with that. Hopefully, you are, too.

Hayaku Aitai by Dream Ami (2017.03.22)

Here's one I don't think I've talked about. If I have, apologies, but... yeah. Dream Ami. I usually don't care much for her, only because her songs tend to be forgettable. This one, however, is damn pretty. Hayaku Aitai is that quintessential spring song that is happy and sweet, and pink in all it sounds. It's freakin' girly, and I do like the sound of it.

If only Ami's vocals were better. Sigh.

The PV's also cute, too, and whilst I may not have the nicest of things to say about Dream Ami outside of Dream or E-girls, I do think that she did a great job here, and that you should check this single out! She captures the sound and idea of a happy spring perfectly, and creates a beautiful, entertaining atmosphere. I'll probably listen to this some more, because, yeah... pretty sounds!

Final Squall by C-ute (2017.03.29)

With the C-ute concert taking place last month, there was no way I would not be listening to at ~least~ one song by the group. Just so happens one of those songs was Final Squall, track 2 in their final single release. And yeah, why not? It's that generic-ish feel-good song that is made for the fans, that fans can easily wota-gei to. It's upbeat, fun, and the lyrics are a nice little nod to the fandom and the group itself, and how thankful they are to the fans for the years of dedication they have put in.

It's also catchy as heck, man.

I still can't get over how similar it feels to Gamusha Life for me, but honestly, that is part of why this song is so great. It's a beautiful song, no matter what, and I love how energetic and delightful it sounds. It's the type of song that, despite its happiness, will still feel sad deep down, because of all the emotion packed into the lyrics, vocals and instrumental.

Final Squall. It's good, yo.

U-Turns

Sugar Baby by GEM (2017.02.15)

Awwww, shit, boy, THIS BE MA JAM! Seriously, out of all the songs on this list, the is one of the ones in April that I freakin' slammed my head to. It is on par with EASTER BUNNY and Just be yourself for ultimate replay value throughout April, and yeah, I cannot get enough of this. It's freakin' addictive, and gives me a sugar high.

Sugar Baby, Sugar Baby~

Though I have two songs that stood out from April's releases, I actually have four songs that I was completely obsessed with throughout the past month, with Sugar Baby being a big love of mine. It's been on my mind a lot, and good grief, I'm truly delighted it was one of the four songs I happened to adore! It's super freakin' FUN!

GEM may not always have songs I adore, but when they wanna kill it with the generic Idol crap, they kiiiiiill it with fire and sugar, happiness and colour. They're awesome here, and I love how energetic and entertaining they are in this song. It's super fun, super entertaining, and super colourful in sound. SUGAR BABY, SUGAR BABY!

Elemental World by ChouCho (2017.02.15)

Yeeeeeah, Elemental World makes its grand reappearance here! And why the heck not? It's a damn good song, in my opinion, and it brings me absolute joy and happiness. Seriously, I can't leave this one alone. It's a damn gem.

This is the sort of song that helps me with essays and writing, all the fun stuff, and gives me some life as I write. It's pretty. It's inspirational. It feels like I'm flying whenever I listen to it. It's a song that takes me to another world, giving me motivation and a reason to fly. It also reminds me of clouds and the colour blue. Huh.

I love how songs can make you think of things. Luckily, I love the damn sky. It's one of my favourite things to see every day.

So, yeah. It's back, it's pretty, and my opinion on it probably hasn't changed. Good Lordeh, I love the sound of this song!

You're Welcome by Dwayne Johnson (from Disney's Moana OST) (2016.11.18)

Remember how I said I had four songs I adored in April? Well, here's the fourth, and it's not J-pop. But good lordeh, You're Welcome is an infectious tune! When I first saw Moana, I was not convinced with this song, but after hearing it more and more, I've come to realise it's charm. I mean, it's positively delightful, and it contains something I actively enjoy from characters in movies: Ego.

I freakin' love characters with giant egos. It makes everything that much more funny, and gives the character more depth in their personality. And, again, hilarity, and this song has an abundance of that. It's super entertaining, and heck, even if Dwayne Johnson isn't a great singer, who cares? He is having a blast, and you know it. He also suits this song perfectly.

And whatever is happening in that instrumental, I love. The little tapping noises and everything just complete the song. Seriously, it's wonderful. I am thoroughly enjoying this song, man. I need more. MOAR!!!

Sekaiichi HAPPY na Onna no ko by C-ute (2011.09.07)

Okay, so this song was not really on my mind that much in April, but I have some nice memories attached to it from the concert I attended that month. I listened to it a bit in the line for both the concert and the fan meet, and before the concert happened, too, and yeah, I love it. It's a song that I adore a lot, and one that I think of quite fondly.

It's not my favourite (that is reserved for Jump!), but, this is a song that I genuinely think is good. I feel like a lot of people would disagree, however. Lol.

Though it was not on my mind a lot, nor was it one of my most played throughout April, I feel it needs a little shout-out. It made my time in line fun, and it was a nice little nostalgia kick from when the song first came out. I really do love it~

Monthly JUMP!

Hajimari wa Owari no Tsugi ni by Oyamori Emiri (2017.05.02)

There is a brand new singer on the block, and though she is not perfect, I find Emiri's vocals quite sweet to listen to. Of course, she happens to have released a ballad for her first single release, and yeah, you won't ever see me complain about that. Hopefully, I'll be able to secure her single this May, because I wanna hear more of her voice! It's so cute, and a little raw, and I am into it.

There is some ways for Emiri to improve as a singer, but honestly, I think she's good right now, too. She has the drive to sing, and a little bit of passion is definitely showing through, however her confidence is lacking a bit. The bridge of this song, however, is absolutely gorgeous, and I want to hear more of that. With some lessons and more single releases, she should be good. This kid is promising.

Here's to the up-coming release, and hearing more of what Emiri can do!

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Looking back at April's list, I actually think that there is a decent amount of sounds on there! It's varied, it's fun, and it definitely fits in with the theme of 'spring', if you ask me. Some are more energetic than others, I've thrown in a ballad or two, and each song brings me joy! What more could I ask for in my Idol music?

Though the list might not contain a lot of 'newer' songs than previous Selection posts, I really have enjoyed listening to each of these songs from the month of April. The Top 4, including Sugar Baby, Just be yourself, EASTER BUNNY and You're Welcome have been my staples for the month, and each time I heard them, I sang along and felt so cheerful. They give me energy, and just make my day. I really do adore those four songs, but I can't pick a favourite! Arrrgh!

Well, April is well and truly over, now, and it's time to start getting into the May releases! I wonder what sort of songs will come out, and how the Idols we love and adore will tackle them. I really look forward to the up-coming releases, I hope you look forward to what your Idols release, too!

Until next month everyone! Please take care, enjoy life, smile and make someones day, be healthy, and of course, LOVE THE IDOLS!

Much Love and Musical Happines,
Chiima~

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