Special, by Isabelle Huang Ling

Earlier in the year I posted about Isabelle Huang Ling, a rising artist in the Chinese music industry with a talent for mixing unusual musical genres. Well, she’s back with a new album, titled Special (特殊). It contains mostly new songs (with 2 exceptions, High Song and Itch). This second album is dominated by a pop sensibility, which is probably due to her label trying to reach out to Taiwanese and other mainstream fans. Nonetheless, it’s still a great album with the stamp of individuality, and I’m sharing it here in the hope that you’ll support her in the future.

Track list:
1. 小城故事 (Tales of a Small Town)
2. 特別 (Special)
3. HIGH歌 (HIGH Song)
4. 愛壞 (Love Bad)
5. 原諒 (Forgive)
6. 騎士 (Knight)
7. 太后 (Dowager Queen)
8. 癢 (Itch)
9. 不怕痛 (Don’t Fear Pain)
10. 靈芝緣 (Spirit’s Fate) featuring Zhao Zhi-gang, a master of Chinese Yue opera

[Megaupload]

Artist Profile: Isabelle Huang Ling

Isabelle Huang Ling (Chinese name: 黄龄) came highly recommended from various people on Baidu, who use the words ‘criminally underrated’ and ‘creative’ in a music industry that often prizes looks over actual performance skills. Her musical style is indeed very unique, and she possesses a plaintive yet rich voice somewhat reminiscent of older Chinese folk traditions. Her songs are a blend of pop, R&B, folk and ballads – quite versatile.

I admit, her songs take a while to get used to, due to Huang’s highly distinctive style, but I like them, so I thought I would share.

Download: [Mediafire]

Her signature song, and the eponymous single on her first album Itchy/痒 (released in 2007):

Live guitar duet for 夜来香/Fragrance of Night:

Just a reminder: my providing the songs here are purely for sampling purposes, if you do like her music, please support the artist by purchasing the album at Yesasia. This goes double for artists that are not as famous, so please don’t ‘hit and run’!

Hua Mulan Theme Songs

01. Mulan’s Star/木兰星 – Jane Zhang
02. Mulan’s Love/木兰情 – Stephanie Sun

Download Mulan’s Star at [Mediafire]
Download Mulan’s Love at [Mediafire]

Personal Taste OST I

What’s up with all the mini-albums lately? Anyway, here’s the first part of the OST for Personal Taste, which starts airing this week, actually.

Download [Mediafire]

Track listing:
01. 말도 안돼 – Younha
02. 빗물이 내려서 – Kim Tae Woo

[Download] S.H.E. – Shero

New album from S.H.E.

Download: [Mediafire]

01. SHERO
02. 如果你是女孩 (If You Are a Girl)
03. 我愛雨夜花 (I Love Flowers on a Rainy Night)
04. 兩個人的荒島 (Deserted Island for Two), Duet with Judy Zhou
05. 少了一個人 (Missing One Person)
06. 收留我 (Take Me In)
07. 超可能 (Very Likely)
08. 愛上你 (Falling For You), theme song for Down With Love
09. 你不會 (You Won’t)
10. 愛就對了 (Love is Right)

Oh! My Lady OST

Given that there are only 3 songs, I’m guessing this is part 1 of many.

Download: [Mediafire]

Tracklist
1. 그대 인형 – 써니 [소녀시대] (Sunny/SNSD)
2. Love Is – 포맨 (4men)
3. 못났죠 – 조성욱

Down With Love Theme Songs

Down With Love is possibly the only Taiwanese idol drama I made my way through without retching, and uh, in honour of that, have the opening and closing themes!

Opening Theme: 只想赖着你 (Zhi Xiang Lai Zhe Ni/Only Want to Lean on You), Jerry Yan

Download: [Mediafire]

Closing Theme: 只为爱上你 (Zhi Wei Ai Shang Ni/Only to Love You), S.H.E.

Download: [Mediafire]

[Download] Emma BBC 2009 OST

BBC generally does an outstanding job on its soundtracks for its mini-dramas (especially the Austen ones) and this one was no different. The drama itself is beautiful and charming, and I’d recommend a watch.

Download: [Mediafire]

You can listen to a sampling of the tracks here.

[Download] Chuno OST

Oh, Chuno, where do I begin? I’m so ridiculously in love with Tae-ha it’s getting out of hand, but on the other hand Dae-gil is your perfect woobie. I actually like this love triangle.

And Un-nyun/Hye-won is fierce. Do not knock her. (Yeah, never thought I’d say those words either.)

Download: [Mediafire]

Painter of the Wind OST

Ooooh it’s finally out! I’ve been waiting forever – the music is so beautiful that I wanted this OST a lot more than the others.

Anyhoo, download it via [MegaUpload].

Track list:

1. 바람의 노래 风之歌- 조성모(曹诚模) l Song of the Wind – Jo Sung Mo [Mediafire]
2. 눈 길 雪路- 영지(Young Ji) l Line of Sight – Young Ji [Mediafire]
3. 눈물꽃 泪花- 하울(HowL) l Tears – HowL (Title) [Mediafire]
4. 그리움 想念(이루어질 수 없는…无法完成的心愿) – 조성모 曹诚模 l Yearning (Impossible Dream) – Jo Sung Mo (Title) [Mediafire]
5. 그리고 그리며 还有思念 l Still Thinking of You
6. 그리움 想念(대금 大笒Ver.) l Yearning – Kaya version (Love Theme)
7. 도화서 图畵署 l Dohwaseo
8. 바람의 화원 风之画员 l Painter of the Wind (Title Theme)
9. 먹 墨l Ink (Tension Theme)
10. 비밀의 그림 秘密绘图本(秘密之画) l The Secret Painting
11. 울다가 웃다가 又哭又笑 l Laughing and Crying
12. 동천련로 항장곡 桐千年老 恒藏曲 l Aged Pawlonia Hides its Melody
13. 저잣거리 풍경 市场街道风景 l Street Market Scenes
14. 생도청의 아침 学生青衣 早晨 l Student Wears Blue in the Morning
15. 월하정인 月下情人 l Moonlight Lover
16. 장 파 형 长波形 l Long Waves
17. 묘향산의 호랑이 妙香山之虎 l Mountain Tiger
18. 동천련로 항장곡 桐千年老 恒藏曲 (산조 散调 Ver.) l Aged Pawlonia Hides its Melody (Free Version)
19. 무동 舞童 l Dancing Child
20. 생도청의 아침 学生青衣 早晨 l Student Wears Blue in the Morning (Korean Classical Version)
21. 필선의 대결 弼善的对决 l Competition of the Workmen
22. 연소답청 年少踏靑 l Youth Enjoying Nature

Enjoy!

Sevenses

P.S. If anyone knows how to romanize/translate from Korean, please do double check for me.