YOUNHA – 'UNSTABLE MINDSET'

Track List:

1. WINTER FLOWER (Feat.RM)

2. Dark Cloud*

3. See You

4. One Day Of Twenty

5. 26

Younha has just dropped her newest EP, 'Unstable Mindset.' Fronting these five tunes is "Winter Flower," featuring RM of BTS, and "Dark Cloud," her title track. "Winter Flower" has already shot to the top of the US iTunes Top Songs Chart, a first for a Korean female solo artist. This is her fifth mini-album to date.

"Winter Flower" is a collab with RM (formerly Rap Monster). The song is about mental health, which is not usually talked about much in South Korea. So for them to tackle this is a bold move. RM's haunting "hold on" and Younha's sweet verses start out the song. I love the fierce choruses, and RM does a great job with the raps later on. Appropriately, "Dark Cloud" is a slow ballad, with the chorus occasionally shattering the calm. It's definitely not a happy song. However, it is the title track, and Younha's vocals carry this one nicely.

A piano-driven ballad, "See You" is a warm way to embrace the winter. Electric guitars come in and turn this to soft rock. Her voice remains as angelic as ever during the piece. "One Day of Twenty" ups the tempo on this. She crafts some great soft pop on this one. There are fewer lyrics, but I like this one nonetheless. The use of an acoustic guitar during the main verses along with a drawling synth in the background makes this a serious bop. "26" continues that tradition of uptempo songs. It's got a pretty good beat, and she really showcases what she can do with her voice on this tune. And I like the harder-Day6 feel to the chorus. Scratch that -- I love it. Probably my favorite tune on the EP.

And this singer-songwriter has done quite a job here. While some of the subject matter is meh (the title track is about a breakup), melodically, the mini-album is quite strong. It starts out quiet, but I think the first song (and the last two) are worth the price of admission. We can also be thankful it wasn't all ballads. I'm a fan of higher-tempo offerings, and she delivers here.

MV REVIEW

In "Dark Cloud," Younha throws paper airplanes against a wall in a hallway, and memories come to her. Memories of her guy leaving mid-meal, or getting up from a couch where they both sat. She tries to stop him to no avail.

So the scene pulls back, and we see her in her bedroom, surrounded by paper airplanes. Apparently, she's been busy. Around the middle of the MV, she tries applying bandages to anything that has a crack. A racket, the wall, an open envelope. But what she eventually realizes is that you can't fix a broken heart with a Band-Aid.

As the MV progresses we find out why she wears a bandage on her finger, and why she throws paper airplanes. And no, I won't spoil it for you.

Suffice it to say that I really enjoyed watching this. It starts off a bit aimless, but eventually a mini-narrative begins to emerge. When it gets a bit of color, that's when the music and the MV pick up. The scenes of happier times juxtaposed with her tears make for an emotionally charged MV. And there are some fantastic shots of her singing on a rooftop, the lights of the city in the evening make for a stunning backdrop.

So of course, I like this MV.

Score

MV Relevance...........9

MV Production..........8

MV Concept..............8

MV SCORE: 8.3

Album Production.....8

Album Concept.........8

Tracklisting...............9

ALBUM SCORE: 8.3

OVERALL................8.3