Yunsae (윤새)’s music caught my attention in part due to its crispness and clarity. Her particular brand of indie pop is exceptionally polished and often evokes a bright, fresh atmosphere. Although she brought on a co-producer, Hushey, for the first time, her influence can still be felt strongly throughout all four songs.
flowerain is an EP perfect for spring and summer, exploring all the dreamy, glittering prospects of love – falling into it and being surrounded by it. The description of the music video contains brief statements from Yunsae on each song, offering her own perspective as the singer-songwriter, which certainly helps to get to the root inspiration. However, even without those summaries or a full understanding of the lyrics, Yunsae manages to create soundscapes which evoke just the emotions she was going for – quite a feat, especially for a young and emerging artist on their first EP release!
“flowerain (사랑비)” is bubbly, similar to 2020’s “Feeling of You,” both of which are cute and light-hearted love songs with Yunsae’s signature crisp production, exuding freshness from the opening notes. The synthesizer and keyboard feature heavily across Yunsae’s discography, and certainly set the mood here, while the additional drums and bass add some weight and depth to the track. The lyrics explore the sweetness of a new love, complemented by Yunsae’s bright and smooth vocals.
“For the first time
따뜻한 봄기운에 깜빡 (It’s warm in the spring)
흔들리는가 봐 (I think he’s shaking)
아무리 숨기려 해도 (No matter how hard I try to hide it)
웃음이 나와 (I’m laughing)”
“as always (이 마음 이대로)” has more of a summer house vibe, however it’s still undeniably bright like most of Yunsae’s music. It ups the energy of the EP as a whole, feeling like a transition from spring to summer as well as the maturation of the relationship which started in “flowerain.” From the butterflies and giggliness of an early crush to the stronger feelings which take root over time, so that that person becomes your sole focus – that’s what Yunsae is describing here. And although the feelings have intensified, they’re still sugary sweet.
The third track, “too good to deny it,” is a slight change of pace. Yunsae switches to a slightly lower register, simplifies the instrumentals, and plays around with vocal harmonizations in their stead. I find it difficult to compare this to anything else in her discography, however it’s still very much her – I think if you played this for me without my prior knowledge, I’d still be able to guess who it was. The lyrics hint at a bit more turbulence, although it seems to stem from uncertainty on the part of the other party. Nonetheless, the love continues to grow,
“내 맘이 장난이래도 (Even if it’s a joke)
사랑한다 해줘 (Say I love you)
You can’t deny it
You, you can’t deny it”
“let it shine” is the only song on the EP with a co-writer, namely YEWON, and in terms of production it also leans into house music like “as always.” However, it shifts between the more house-inspired sound and Yunsae’s usual sparkling pop, overall bringing the EP together very well by integrating elements from all the previous songs. It truly brings flowerain full circle, both in terms of sound and in lyrics, showing a maturation both of Yunsae’s music and of the blossoming love:
“구름이 걷힌 하늘 아래 (Under the clouded sky)
깨어날 내일이 궁금한데 (I’m curious about tomorrow when I wake up)
코끝에 번진 봄을 느낄 때 (When I feel the spring on the tip of my nose)
시작될 거야 우리의 날이 (Our day will begin)”
If you’ve liked anything by Yunsae before, then I can confidently say that you’ll enjoy her first EP – and if you’ve never heard her music, then this is a great place to start. Yunsae has an extremely good grasp on what sound works well for her and her voice, and her production skills are no joke.
Everything she makes sounds fresh and crisp, but her signature sweet vocals keep it all from sounding too sharp. If you’re looking for music to brighten up your summer playlists, flowerain (and Yunsae’s discography in general) is a great place to start.
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