Flash and Core: Yerin Baek's new era
by Vy Le | October 8th, 2025
Yerin Baek has always felt like a diarist first, vocalist second. I fell for her 2019–2020 run with every letter i sent you and tellusaboutyourself because those records breathed like late-night texts set to jazzy synths. Flash and Core keeps the confessional heart but pushes the frame wider. It leans into bolder electronics, house grooves, and left turns that challenge what a “Yerin Baek song” sounds like. It’s the same honesty, just dressed for a different stage.
“DUST ON YOUR MIND” and “No man’s land (feat. Qim Isle)” surprised me. They don’t sound like the usual Yerin. “DUST ON YOUR MIND” is more electric and twitchy than what I expected, while “No man’s land” steps into hip hop, which I don’t think she’s really done like this before. If I’m being honest, those first two tracks disappointed me at first. I’m a big fan of the chill, dreamy, jazzy sounds on every letter i sent you and tellusaboutyourself, so this opening felt like a sudden change. But the more I listened, the more it grew on me. It’s also exciting to see a favorite artist try on new genres and still sound like herself.
“save me” is closer to what I had in mind when the album was announced. It reminds me of tellusaboutyourself, leaning into a funky electronic lane. The song feels like two parts stitched together. The first half is sleek and relaxed, then the second half thickens the texture and nudges the tempo. While its sister, “Another season with you” on the other hand, keeps the pace and texture more consistent. It lives in that same funky electronic space but feels brighter and happier.
“MIRROR” had me hooked from the teaser because Kwon Hae-hyo (Korean actor) stars in the video, dancing and sipping liquor. Musically, it sits near “save me,” with rubbery synths and a bounce that reads house, with touches of jazz and even a hint of reggae. It’s not my personal favorite, but it’s a smart title track for this era because it signals the shift right away.
“Put it back on” had my heart from the first listen. I love a heartbreak ballad that stays calm and lets the lyrics sting. This style fits her voice so well. The lyrics are sad and vulnerable, about waiting for a love you know isn’t coming back. “I put my lipstick back on / Just in case you come back home.” I’m going to cry. Then it transitions into “TO.” At first, I thought “TO” would stay soft, but it gradually blooms into more of an indie-rock feel. It’s like “Put it back on”’s dreamy soloist lane and her rock band persona had a middle child.
“Take pills” isn’t my favorite song, but it has the most interesting sound design with the pill-bottle shake. I had high expectations for “Karma calls,” “Lovers of Artists,” and “You broke my heart but…,” but they didn’t stand out for me. Especially “You broke my heart but…,” which uses a repeating sound effect that I personally find a little distracting.
“Television star” is another electronic funk cut. It isn’t a love song. Like the title says, it’s about fame, how the same people who make you a star can take it away. The bridge made me think about Yerin’s own story, from early attention to later gossip and fallouts. “Beware, out here, they’re hunting for new sparks to frame.” That line hits.
I thought “save me” and “Put it back on” were going to be my top two, then “in the middle” arrived and took the crown. It still sits in the synth-heavy lane, but the writing is what kills me. She admits she loves deeply and shows how that love can be used against her. The parallel lines do the heavy lifting: If I keep loving you, I keep getting hurt. If I keep holding you, nothing will change. That quiet repetition mirrors the cycle she’s trying to break, and it lands.
“Your Yerin” breaks from the album’s funk-heavy core and reads more pop. The applause at the beginning feels like the end of a show. Then she opens with, “If you wonder why I’ve changed so much / What you saw was the highlight / What I lived was all outtakes,” which made me laugh because I’ve been thinking the same thing about this era. Rejjie Snow’s verse is sticky and playful, with those rhymes: “bestie,” “zesty,” “messy,” “Pepsi,” “sexy,” “daddy,” “helly.” I’m not familiar with him, but his tone is deep, clean, and really complementary here. Now I want to check out more of his work.
With “Teary lover,” she closes the album and doubles down on the overall sound: funky electronics, breakups both romantic and platonic, and a sense of growth. You can feel the throughline even when the colors shift.
Flash and Core shows real growth. It shares DNA with tellusaboutyourself, but it’s bolder and less safe. Some experiments land harder than others, but overall, it’s worth a listen. I’m excited to see where she takes this next.
My Picks:
save me
Put it back on
in the middle
✮ Flash and Core is OUT https://orcd.co/yerinbaekflashandcore ✮
