Yozoh‘s voice may seem familiar to many of you, even if you may not have known her by name. If you have ever watched Coffee Prince, you have probably heard her voice in the background music. A Hongdae-based indie artist, Yozoh first started to gain national popularity by contributing guest vocals for different artists like Humming Urban Stereo. Her music has even been used in various advertisements for LG phones and Olympus cameras. To this day, she is a multi-faceted person, dabbling in movies, photography, and music. Recently, she took part in Clef Music’s Tiny Bits of Life project with “Day Dream.”
“Day Dream” marks the first part of Clef Music’s latest project. 17Holic, who has produced other ‘Clef Project’ pieces in conjunction with vocalists from Noel and Brown Eyed Soul, also produced and wrote “Day Dream.” The song is a light and airy affair, and Yozoh’s voice is soft and melodic. The lyrics express a longing to take a break and daydream. There is a yearning for taking time off and simply relaxing. The main instrument is the guitar which is played by Hong Jun-ho. There are some accompanying vocals at the climax which add to the sparse layers in this relatively subdued track. The song slowly drifts away at a protracted ending like how someone would leisurely get lost in their own thoughts.
The video is equally as simplistic but also quite charming. There is a bright white flare utilized at the beginning of the MV to signify waking up in the morning. This fits nicely with the lyrical verses. The desire for taking a break from the constant work life is nicely expressed through the morning defiant actress. She is shown getting out of bed still half asleep and lingering in this state. The usage of light helps to portray the penetrating force of the morning sun. It adds a nice little touch to this MV.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QGGHDNLsH0]The camera is also effective in inducing a hypnotic, hazy atmosphere. By having the focus fade in and out, the sensation of reality is a bit distorted. This especially comes into effect during moments after the main character closes her eyes. Her mind starts to wander and the camera carries off with her thoughts and hopeful compulsions. Namely she pines to be free as the scene shifts to a grainy filtered outdoors field where the actress is seen jovially walking along. She jots around with red balloons embellished with the letter ‘Y’ — which seems to stand for Yozoh.
The balloons that she carries around with her are significant because they seem to be a symbol of her gallivanting mind. It floats around a mellow field embracing the blue skies and open serenity of nature. As she lets go of the balloons, they eventually float and hit the ceiling of the original room where the girl wakes up from. Little details such as the torn ceiling add a sense of reality that is detached from the scenes of her walking through the field. These bits contribute to the overall hope of embracing a lethargic day. The end of the MV fades away as the actress releases the balloons again.
This song and accompanying video were extremely simple yet successful in conveying this sense of longing. The minimalistic instrumentals add to the coffee-house indie sound of the song. Yozoh’s voice is sweet and honest. The MV is successful because of the many little details. I forgot to mention the explorative and curious cat. This minor character helps to emphasize the nature of the protagonist. The cat is always exploring different parts of the room which is something the girl earnestly wishes for. The MV and song work because it is short in length coming in at two and half minutes total. Just as your interest may start to waver, the song and MV come to a contemplative end.
Overall Rating: 3.8/5
(Clef Music, Magic Strawberry Sound, Naver, YouTube)
