I've just been listening to Systema Solar... I suppose you'd call them Columbian electronic hip hop or something, I've really got no idea. But the few songs with lyrics are in Spanish and, to quote Ron Burgundy, I don't speak Spanish. Some other bands that I listen to in foreign languages; Orphaned Land: Hebrew (I think) Rammstein: German Ensiferum: English mostly, but some in a scandinavian language Finntroll: Swedish Rhapsody: Misc... Italian I think. In the past I've also listened to a bit of Danish hip-hop, and Spanish gangster-rap, but the artists names I can't remember. Do you listen to music sung in other languages? Why do you think they are still appealing? Aside from Systema Solar, none of the bands I've listed have a sound that is exclusive to their culture... In other words, I can get similar music but in English, and yet, still listen to these.
I think Ensiferum has lyrics in English and Finnish. Not sure if there are some Scandinavian languages like Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic in the mix... My hubbie used to proof-read some of their lyrics. We listen to a lot of Russian music in our household. Arkona, Louna, t.A.T.u... I don't understand the lyrics at all. When Sepultura/Max Cavalera does something in Portuguese, I don't understand it. I suck at German, so for the most part I have no idea what's going on in Einstürzende Neubauten's or Rammstein's songs. Abruptum has some lyrics and song names in Latin. Residents' lyrics are in English, but some of them make no sense. Maximum the Hormone's lyrics are a mixture of Japanese / broken English. I have no clue what the songs are about. It does sound like they're singing about licking balls in one song...
I'm ashamed to admit this, because when I was a kid I could get by in French (I lived in Montreal from the age of 8 to 13). But I often don't understand French singing. One of my absolute favorite bands was a French-Canadian folk-rock-jazz-prog group called Harmonium. I love their music, but I can only understand about a third of the lyrics. Aargh. I almost want to get one of those Rosetta Stone courses they sell on TV to improve my French.
Isn't Finland a Scandinavian country? I would have said you were. I've listened to a bit of French Canadian and regular ol' French hip hop and didn't particularly like it. Just sounds a bit poxy to me, there are some French pop singers from the forties and fifties I really liked. My ex listened to them, but I can't remember their names.
What the hell, I know I replied to this thread yesterday D: the message has gone poof. I wonder if it was offensive... Oh well. I just said that Finland is not a Scandinavian country, it's Nordic, but it's not really that big a deal to mix 'em up, I do that too sometimes when convenient. It's probably because of the language thing; Swedish, Norwegian, Faroese, Danish, Icelandic etc are one big family, but Finnish isn't related. Just found a new Russian band, Alkonost, to listen to. No idea what they're singing...
I listen to Arkona every once in a blue moon, even though I don't speak a word of Russian. Yarilo is my favorite song by them - it's one of those songs that just makes you wanna dance and scream and pillage small seaside villages, you know? (Also I may or may not be kind of in love with Masha Scream)
I am first-generation Slovak American and a hopeless slavophile, so I have a passion for Eastern European hip-hop. While I do understand Slovak and Czech artists (for the most part), my comprehension slowly fades as I move to Russian and Polish artists, and finally dissipates when I make my way into the Balkans. Here are some of the good hip-hop artists that I've discovered along the way, since you mentioned the genre: Slovakia: Stanica Projekt, Nulovic, Delik, H16 Czech Republic: Oliver Lowe, Hugo Toxxx, Prago Union Poland: Fisz Russia: Kacta Bosnia: Edo Maajka, Frenkie Croatia: General Woo France: Hocus Pocus Happy listening, I say. If the intonation and music speaks to you, you don't necessarily have to understand the lyrics.
I forgot Peste Noire. Their lyrics are in French, but there's some Old French in the mix as well. I suck at French so most of what they growl is a mystery. The same goes with Anorexia Nervosa. They have some songs in their native tongue as well. We listen to Peste Noire whenever we write sword-and-sorcery fantasy with T. French black metal is pretty awesome. It's like you wouldn't think such a pretty language can sound so broooootal.
Eluveitie has a song in Gaulish I love to listen to Finnish lyrics since I really like the sound of the language... and perhaps because I'm a Finland fan De Heidenroosje is a Dutch band and they sing in Dutch!
I often listen to Japanese music. Lately though, I've stopped supporting music that I cannot understand. Meaning, I force myself to look up the meanings or translate them myself. The bands I often listen to are: Dir en grey Thee Michelle Gun Elephant Hyde Suga Shikao I'd have to the say it's the passion in the voices and the melody that attracts me the most. If I feel like I can feel their soul when they sing, then no matter what language it's in, it's worth listening to I think.
I love Sigur Ros, and can't understand a word they say. I also like a lot of music in spanish, but if I tried, I could figure out what they were saying so that doesn't really count I guess. I also like Louisiana Creole music, even though its in Creole.
I love that song too, it's just...epic some how ha. Long time since I've watched Ghost in the Shell~ Back in my earlier teenage years, my music library was pretty much Japanese music. xD But I've expanded my English music collection a lot since then. For me...anything by SNSD (A Korean pop girl group) I don't know, every song by them either makes me feel happy or makes me feel like dancing lol don't know a word of what they're saying though...
Random Japanese things. I love Japanese - I have this irrational love for the language, the people, the culture, everything. I actually revel in the fact that I have Japanese friends. One of them gave me origami paper and Japanese snacks today as a gift teehee I also listen to Mandarin and Cantonese songs - but then I speak Cantonese. If I read the lyrics, then I understand, but I don't normally understand just by listening. My Chinese isn't really good enough. I don't speak Mandarin but the writing is basically mutually intelligible. Not sure if this counts. I listen to anything that I find attractive - I have a bunch of Czech songs, some random languages I don't even know about, one Afrikaans song, 2 Mongolian songs, a couple of French songs, some German songs I no longer listen to. However, I don't follow any bands or singers - I just find them randomly on youtube, or via friends' recommendations. So unless I can post links, I'm not sure how I'd recommend them
Japanese? We're all turning Japanese! I'm not actually sure what your joke means btw but yes, I have a sneaking suspicion I might be turning Japanese. I'm learning it, at least - it's such a melodic language! Thank God for my Chinese background though - seriously, the kanji would be a nightmare otherwise.
Scar Symmetry- the singer has a heavy Swedish accent when he sings. The Hives- the singer also has a heavy Swedish accent when he sings. I can sing along, albeit phonetically.
^I actually heard that for some Americans it's difficult to understand English if it's "over-pronounced" like some foreigners tend to do. Is that the case here? I know just a couple of Americans, and I think it's 'cause they've traveled so much, they don't seem to have this "problem." Like when my sister-in-law was somewhere in the backwoods of Vermont, visiting some tiny shop, she asked if they had toothpaste, but it took a while before the clerk realized what she meant. She has a rather heavy Finnish accent and tooth is bound to sound like toot. And in the US vs UK season of The Ultimate Fighter, they subtitled some of the Brits. That was kinda cute. I have the opposite problem with some English lyrics. Of course I understand the content when I read the lyrics, but it's easy to mishear stuff.
