Flying solo from the nest of a mega successful band is difficult, but BTS member Jimin did it with last year’s “FACE,” his first studio album under his own name. Finding that magic with a sophomore outing is always a much harder proposition. And doing so while serving South Korea’s mandatory military service for men of a certain age? That’s nigh impossible.
While most likely recorded and produced before Jimin’s December 2023 enlistment, the K-pop superstar’s second album, titled “MUSE,” feels a bit subdued and almost melancholy in its beats.
It’s not a record in search of an audience — that’s built in, always waiting for a new release. “Muse” functions like a palace bard (Jimin’s label, BIG HIT) in search of something to say to keep fans’ spirits up while the prince (Jimin) is away on duty. Will his subjects remember him fondly? Will they keep him in their hearts until his return? Although an official press release describes “Muse” as a work portraying Jimin’s “journey of finding inspiration from his surroundings,” it feels more like a sometimes-fruitless search for an elusive muse.
Across the seven songs — which feels more like six, because “Interlude: Showtime” is an instrumental that leads into the third track, the single “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco)” — Jimin finds his footing with songs that don’t aim to be innovative but are charming nonetheless. Clearly a fan of the sad trombone, which was also used on “FACE,” Jimin employs the instrument on the lively tune, mixing hip-hop with an orchestra and unsyncopated beats. Visually, the song’s music video was loosely inspired by The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” It’s a wholesome bop that feels fast and slow at the same time.
Elsewhere, “Who” is an enchanting R&B tune that slays the dance floor and the hearts of its patrons with a little recorder-like accent on the beat. The other one that grabs with its rhythm is “Be Mine,” a bombastic afrobeat song.
“Slow Dance” is the second collaboration on “MUSE,” with American singer and actress Sofia Carson — a medium tempo R&B song that leans on guitar and would work as a soundtrack for a cute rom-com.
The album closes with “Closer Than This,” a love letter to fans that was previously released in December, a stripped back, easy listening coda.
While “Muse” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it will keep Jimin’s fans entertained.
