Album Review: Yuna – Nocturnal
3 min read
Success is an understatement for Yuna. Being both a musician as well as a businesswoman, it can be pretty much assumed that it would be hard to juggle both roles. Her recent release of Nocturnal has proven that success does not come easy and it’s evident that Yuna has put both her heart and soul into this album. She has described her musical style being a mixture between Mary Poppins and Coldplay and what she brings into the music world is something so unique and different that no one can really copy it since it’s far from all the mainstream Indie Pop/Alternative songs you hear on the radio.
Falling opens up with a funky start. The track itself gives off a Daft Punk feel of Get Lucky, introducing Yuna’s calm and soothing vocals. The music is complementary of Yuna’s vocals as it has an 80s kind of vibe, and a track worth groovin’ to on the dancefloor. There’s something hypnotic about the drums used in Mountains, then the track blossoms once the chorus starts as the music picks up, introducing the violin as well as Yuna once again, showing off her lovely vocals while singing to (‘waiting for the mountains to fall, waiting for the mountains to fall’). Hearing Rescue sounds like a song used in a travel commercial, with the calm echoes of Yuna’s voice, serenading the listener to feel cheerful and happy as well as romanticising the idea of traveling to some exotic place where escaping sounds like a haven in which people can leave their worries away.
Subtly introducing a love song, Colors, is reminiscent of a failed relationship, a significant person in life has walked away and the desire of wanting them back to fill that void of emptiness. The chorus is self-explanatory, having a desperate yet inviting tone by the musician in the lyrics (‘you need to listen when I say / I just want you’). Hanging On has a definitive theme of unrequited love and Yuna comes off strong in this track, noting down that her vocals amplify the emotions intended, serving its ultimate purpose by sounding a little desperate. It’s a cry for help, wondering and hoping that this person notices before it’s too late (‘I’m still hanging on to you / can you see me try?’).
The album concludes with a sad ballad track, Call Everyone and one thing’s for sure that heartbreak is contained in this track, encompassing sad emotions and feelings with the piano accompaniment as well as the violin, adding a dramatic effect to the mood of the song. The lyrics are quite melancholy, telling a story about a relationship failing because one person just stopped trying (‘People say it’s hard for a heart / But you didn’t play the part’).
There are musicians that make a mark around the world because of the uniqueness of their musical style and to be honest, Yuna has made this mark. She’s full of sophistication, confidence and independence and it can be said that she clearly has strong goals on what she wants out of her music career. Considering that she’s a businesswoman as well, it’s comforting to know that artists like Yuna still have the capacity to release music that is not only unique but can hold off a large audience without it being too mainstream.
::: Renowned For Sound Music Reviews ::: Jana is a 21-year old student currently based in Sydney, Australia. Writing for Renowned For Sound has given her the opportunity to take a break from her university degree and job by being able to write what she is most passionate about – music.
Since the day she got her first iPod and a broadband Internet connection, these two things have shaped her music taste till this present day.
With her love for pop punk, indie and alternative rock music, it’s no wonder she’s known to be that ‘go-to’ person when it came to finding incredible bands with amazing talent.
She believes that one of the best feelings in the world is to find a song that just clicks with you and from this day, she has never stopped believing in that.
