so here it is, the first of my end of year posts
the top10 songs of 2008
sth real quick before i get into it, the basis for these picks are basically all personal opinion. a few were chart toppers, but mostly theyre the songs i can listen to the most, make me happy, give me energy, sing the most, and all sorts of that kinda stuff. the hardest part is picking which ones to list, and keeping them within songs released during 08.
in no particular order
1.
So'Fly
OLD DAYZ
Japanese
imeem
starting us off is a group that very few have heard of or follow, so'fly. this track just flows, its got so many different interesting sounds and instruments, the beat is varied, they sing with so many styles and compliment each other amazingly well. another thing i really like is that its not incredibly repetitive, the lyrics change slightly as the song progresses and some parts are completely different. but the killer for me is at 1:55, its the only time she sings that particular verse in its entirety. that verse just seems to fit and flow so stupidly well for some reason and the piano going crazy in the background just tops off that eccentricity. if you think some of the english lyrics are random, just watch the mv and youll understand =p
2.
Big Bang
Haru Haru
Korean
imeem
one of our chart toppers. i may disagree with some avid big bang fans a lot of the time when they complain about which groups deserve awards or who is the best, but this isnt one of em, it belongs up there. unfortunately for them, i do also think this song is really hard to perform live, which saddens me because i would have really liked to see an amazing performance, but oh well. as ive said before, haru haru along with lies have the types of sounds that fit the group best. it just simply sounds good. superb track overall. oh, girl, i cry cry...
3.
Lena Park ft. Crown J
No Break
Korean
imeem
no break was actually this blogs first entry, which i chose at random and said only a few words about. i guess i just like the way she sings this song, how the lyrics are almost, but not quite the same from verse to verse; like maeiri maeiri maeiri, naeiri naeiri naeiri, waeiri waeiri waeiri. overall its really very simple, but has that happy pop touch. her voice with these playful, light-hearted and silly lyrics is heart.
4.
V.O.S.
Beautiful Life
korean
imeem
a familiar one here, this song really grew on me over the year. its got that really bright and happy feeling, but remains not too heavily ornamented that you feel overwhelmed. i think the songs name, lyrics, and that a group sings it, are all very appropriate because even though not everything is as you have it, things are still ok. the arrangement and way the group sings all very much cooperate with one another, which i find to be unusual. most groups sing with one another, not together.
5.
Utada Hikaru
Prisoner of Love
Japanese
imeem
shes the master for a reason. one of the artists who never fails to deliver, and she put on a strong showing for 08. the lyrics to her songs are always meaningful, interesting, and vary from chorus to chorus or verse to verse but still manage to keep the same rhymes. prisoner of love is no exception. i love how well thought out and put together all her tracks always seem to be, with her trademark blues/pop/rnb style. there really isnt much to comment on a lot of the time, everything is constructed with elegance.
6.
Dynamic Duo ft. Ju Hee of 8eight
Gone (New Ways Always)
Korean
imeem
still is, and always will be... amazing. from the strong opening, through the numerous developments the song goes through, they did a great job utilizing the sounds they chose for the track. if you listen carefully, there really arent that many different instruments or sounds, but the way it was put together by adding, subtracting, or changing octaves, keeps it sounding interesting without being muddy. the six note progression the violin slams out throughout the choruses and ending of the song adds to its epic and uplifting feeling.
7.
RADWIMPS
Order Made
japanese
imeem
reppin january of this year is another song that grew over time. theres creativity abound with this one, the lyrics are profound, the arrangement is simple but interesting, there are many subtle little changes therein to reflect the current mood or topic of the song, and the mv is perfection. artists like this are the ones who strive to create masterpieces, putting personal touches that only they can think of into their pieces. believe me, the extra efforts appreciated.
8.
Spontania ft. JUJU
Kimi no Subete ni
Japanese
imeem
first its just a music box, then add some piano, next violins, all playing the same melody before everything finally comes in. definitely one of the best intros of the year. with its energetic mood and beautiful orchestration the piece is just passionate. to me its no surprise that with how this track turned out, it also ended up being incredibly popular.
9.
Ayaka
Te Wo Tsunagou
Japanese
imeem
imeem live perf recording, amazing.
you probably dont know her that well, but her song okaeri was used for the 08 jdrama zettai kareshi. i really like how this tracks orchestration was done, with a pseudo-rock arrangement it really reminds me of some of utadas. soothing and melodic, the simple guitar sequence and subtle use of piano are both very nice touches. the overall sound of the song is very very clean, no overlap, just the right amount and right volume at the right times. peaceful and chill.
10.
Epik High ft. Younha
Umbrella
Korean
imeem
no surprise here! this track was just perfectly put together, everything about it is enjoyable. its one of the few that i never skip over when it comes up on a cd or playlist, no matter what mood im in, no matter how i feel, it can always seem to somehow fit. younha has one of the best sounding voices out there (dont ask me why, i dont know) and the way she sounds in this recording is nothing short of enchanting. its peaceful, exciting, meaningful, motivating, passionate, all in one. the world really is only half without you by my side.
ill be following this up with posts to include songs that i feel were the best of their class, or ones that definitely deserved mentioning. this is basically my excuse for wanting to pick more, till then..
merry christmas