Kuala Lumpur - Yuna’s 2011 Decorate EP introduced us to a Malaysian singer-songwriter whose strength were her words and on point depiction of life and romance. Stripped down acoustic was her trademark and her crispy yet sultry vocal screams sincerity at best. Often compared to the likes of Fiona Apple, Feist and some time, a folkier version of Norah Jones, Yunabared her soul open for interpretation when she began her musical career Stateside two years ago.

Now with a new label and a full-length sophomore offering entitled Nocturnal, this Los Angeles-based singer ditched her usual acoustic pop setup for something more current and trendy, and at times, fresh with a twist. Opening tracks “Falling” and “Mountains” introduce both avid followers and those unfamiliar to a more experimental and matured Yuna. “Falling” goes deep and dark into a musical jungle fully loaded with tribal beats and mysterious soulful vibe, heavy with the influence of sensual 90’s R&B courtesy of producer Robin Hannibal (of Rhye and Quadron).

“Mountains” on the other hand, could possibly be Yuna’s most sophisticated (English) song to date. In it, she intimidates, she yearns and yet her heart breaks as she sings, ‘I’m not as smart as your books, but I know how to look out for you…/…Kiss me in the corner (you’re such a heart)/so that you remember (Baby when I’m gone)’. “Mountains” set the bar high with its’ beautifully written piano-percussion combo that builds up and grows onto a soulful organic pop number with so much passion you couldn’t resist.

If these two songs could be the benchmark of the new Yuna, she’s looking at conquering a different kind of crowd, speaking of a marketing strategy done right. And yet as the next track comes into picture, you’ll feel immediately surprised by the sudden change in the tone of the album.

Tracks like “Rescue,” “Someone Who Can” and “I Want You Back” are pleasant to listen to but they scream naivety with its’ sugary style pop that have been commonly produced. I am not saying that these tracks are bad but they are not great either. And unlike earlier tracks, they lack depth and there’s nothing new to excite over.

First single “I Wanna Go” which was previously released in her Sixth Street EP and produced by Incubus’ Michael Einzinger is similarly styled with its feel good pop elements. A definite top 40 track; “I Wanna Go” is bubbly and catchy with its’ sing-along verses but as you go deep into Nocturnal, you’ll start questioning its’ consistency and the direction of this album, or if it has any direction at all.

Inconsistency and questionable direction aside, what mesmerizes me most about this album, apart from her few but excellently risky choices of venturing into darker and organic-sounded music, is how Yuna have matured as a singer and songwriter. Nocturnal witnesses Yuna’s vocal versatility as she explores her higher tones while perfecting her lowers as she sings her heart out in every number in the track list. A personal favorite would be her vocal interpretation in the song “Lights and Camera” where Yuna molds her voice as she flirts and turning convincingly sexy in a song about a person’s life behind all the attention (read: popularity). The bouncy track and her sensual vocal might just be the reason for you to start looping the track and possibly not stop.

No doubt, Yuna have grown as a singer-songwriter. Her willingness to explore is a sign of a fully-grown artist embracing sophistication while learning to be natural at it. But for a sophomore offering, Nocturnal is still an experimentation. It is everything from an attempt to achieve commercial success to an inconsistent mix of extremely brilliant and rather dull numbers. Nocturnal feels like an incomplete venture, a platform for continuous search of a true (musical) identity she has yet to find. I guess it’s best for me to echo this question for once: Who is Yuna?