Korean-Australian singer-songwriter Christian Yu, known as DPR +IAN, released his debut EP, “Moodswings in This Order” (MITO), on March 12. +IAN was the former leader of K-pop boy group C-CLOWN, who debuted in 2012 and disbanded in 2015. “MITO” marks his first venture as a solo artist since founding Dream Perfect Regime (DPR), a multi-genre music and video group whose focus is to “engage all audiences by actualizing a distinct audiovisual experience.”
“MITO” is an eight-song EP with two pre-released singles — “So Beautiful” and “No Blueberries” — and six new songs. Mito, the eponymous namesake of the album and the Italian word for “myth,” is a fictional character through which +IAN expresses a darker side to his psyche.
“For the longest time, I felt like I had someone else inside me,” +IAN said in “Memories in Disorder,” a documentary chronicling the making of his EP. “My whole life, I battled with this other individual until I finally decided to make him come to life.”
“MITO” may end in “this order” in the EP’s official acronym, but +IAN confirmed that the play on words in its phonetic similarity to “disorder,” as in mental disorder, was intentional. Mito as a character is largely based on +IAN’s personal experience in struggling with the emotional extremes of bipolar disorder.
“I couldn’t figure out what middle ground was. To me, [the] middle ground was as high as it got and as low as it got,” +IAN said in an Instagram live. “I had to live alongside these two opposite worlds I was constantly battling.”
Through the depiction of the various highs and lows in a manic-depressive cycle, the EP unveils the different facets of Mito and his extreme range of emotions.
“MITO” is the title track and opening song that introduces the birth of Mito as a character. A haunting and somber anthem, the eerie sound draws the listener into Mito’s realm. Whispered chants in between layered vocals create a glorious, otherworldly battle cry: “I’m just tryin’ to stay alive / Keep the fire down / Don’t want to be alone.”
“So Beautiful” depicts Mito in his darkest form as a misconceived monster much like Frankenstein, inspired by the idea that something so “dark and sinister is actually something that’s … the most misunderstood.” It’s about inviting one to find beauty in the imperfect human condition and embrace their inner demons: “Let’s take a trip down a dark place, baby / Look for me now I’m not that (crazy).”
Orchestral components in the introduction develop an elegant ambiance, while a jazzy trumpet solo in the break lightens the mood of the song. Upbeat whistling acts as the backbone of the chorus alongside disjointed lyrics such as “I love it when the skiеs can’t sleep / I left a message еncased in me.” The music video for the single reveals Mito’s origin, featuring a one-eyed +IAN writhing on the ground while drenched in a downpour. Cinematic film grain and grayscale production give rise to an ominous atmosphere, as the viewer can’t help feeling as if something evil has been born.
“Dope Lovers” is a song that touches on the themes of both romantic and self-love. Dope, meaning “sensational” but also associated with an illicit drug, is a double entendre that refers to an addictive love that becomes obsessive, evident in the lyrics: “When I live, you’re dying / When I’m falling, you fall in.”
“No Blueberries,” featuring labelmate DPR LIVE and former K-pop group 2NE1 leader CL, draws upon the analogy of having something seemingly trivial manifest as a deep-rooted fear. In the music video, Mito perches on a diner table with a gun in hand and battles a physical representation of his fears. However, from the outside perspective, the diner has no monster. The lyrics touch on anxiety, with there being “No air to breathe with that masking tape.” In the chorus, +IAN sings “I fall from you” interspersed with CL’s lines, “I’m just kind of lost / I’ve been looking down a lot,” narrating a layered internal monologue within Mito.
“Scaredy Cat” is a lyrical and visual rendition of the saying “curiosity killed the cat.” The song depicts a character inside of Mito, one that is curious but deeply afraid of the world. Terrified, he sings lyrics such as “Don’t ever leave me alone at night” and “I find everything a nightmare.” The accompanying music video features Mito with smudged pink lipstick dancing alone in an extravagant hotel, a scene reminiscent of Joaquin Phoenix manically dancing down the steps in 2019’s “Joker.” Other visuals include +IAN in a straitjacket escaping from a closet to desperately flounder down a hallway.
“Welcome To The Show” symbolizes +IAN’s acceptance of Mito, representative of his life’s downs. It’s a deeply personal track where +IAN, an artist returning to the stage after six years, welcomes the listener to his “show,” or rather, his life.
He still holds onto his doubts: “I just want you to close all the doors / Just leave me alone.” But, despite his fears, he has embraced his flaws and imperfections — embraced the Mito in him. The opening lines, “Just stay for the show / No candle lights to take you home,” conjure the image of a modest production; it’s not a polished affair by any means, but he is finally being his authentic self.
“No Silhouette” concludes the EP with a dark tone, completing Mito’s episodic journey up a manic high and back down to reality. His lyrics “I lost myself under the sun / I got too close / And now I’m burning (burning down)” draw a parallel to Greek mythology. Like Icarus, he flew too close to the sun, representing his highs, and as a result, is burning to the ground.
+IAN’s release of “MITO” marks his new beginning as an independent act, and the EP is imbued with his artistry. Notably, +IAN’s struggle with the existence of Mito is represented through sound in the record. Mito’s voice, evident in +IAN’s pitched-down vocals, resonates throughout the songs in a back and forth battle between +IAN and Mito. It’s equal parts disturbing and fascinating, and it alludes to his own experiences coming to terms with the polarizing emotions of his bipolar disorder.
Through “MITO,” +IAN has proven his nuance as both an artist and a storyteller. His multifaceted approach of combining auditory, lyrical and visual components to paint a reality showcases his talents in producing, songwriting and directing. For years, +IAN was known for his filmmaking under DPR, where he was most often behind the camera, but he has finally made a return to the front stage — and he’s only just getting started.
Chelsea Pan is the 2020-2021 Managing Editor. She can be reached at manager@newuniversity.org.