Having never listened to Younha the J-pop singer, I initially wasn't all that interested in Younha the K-pop singer, and was ready to let this album go by. Fortunately, I had the chance to see her perform live last month, and I was immediately won over by her strong, clear voice and earthy stage charisma. Given that the recent wave of female pop idols has largely displayed more flash (or flesh) than substance, it's certainly refreshing to hear a young singer who can actually sing. Though the album itself could still use some tweaking, the sound Younha offers comes at just the right time. Her up-tempo rock pop and piano ballads fit squarely into mainstream sensibilities, while providing a welcome antidote to the increasingly homogeneous dance pop and ballads the Korean music scene has been serving up lately.
The album opens strong with the moody guitar chords and pulsing beat of Delete (Track 1), a dramatic rock pop number that showcases the singer at her best. Younha's voice rings loud and clear here, flying up to long high notes while maintaining a slight roughness to go with the dark lyrics. Similar in style to Delete, Fly (Track 8) also starts out edgy and atmospheric, and breaks out into an energetic and catchy pop rock chorus. Younha shifts comfortably between high and low, slow and fast, making the song's sudden changes seem smooth.
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