Jimin – ‘FACE’ Album Review

FACE – EP

Jimin

• Genre: K-Pop
• Date: 25 Mar, 2023
• Content: explicit
• Region: NGA
• Track(s): 6
• ℗ 2023 BIGHIT MUSIC

Jimin has debuted his first-ever solo album, named “FACE,” following prior releases from bandmates RM and j-hope, which one by one welcome listeners into the depths of their psyches. The full-fledged project reveals his hidden talents and potential outside of the BTS label over the course of 20 minutes.

The six-track album, which includes the lead single “Like Crazy” and its pre-release song “Set Me Free Pt.2,” was produced beginning in early 2022. The multi-hyphenate leans in both lyrically and sonically as he also has songwriting and production credits on virtually all of the songs, with assistance from a roster of producers and musicians.

FACE’s length is its only drawback. It’s absurdly enjoyable to see Jimin emphasis rougher edges, beat drops, and R&B elements with this project because many of his solo tunes in BTS’s vast repertoire are sweet, sensitive, or more in the ballad zone. Even though it was made clear that Jimin doesn’t view this as a full-length project, its six tracks end all too fast, leaving the listener yearning for more music in this style in the future.

Album Cover Art

Jimin chooses a rather calm album cover that simply shows the album title, in all caps, slowly getting pulled into the three circles of different sizes surrounding it. That’s as simple as simple goes.

Tracks and Features

Somewhat unexpectedly, “Face-off” opens the album with a circus-like sound. The entertainment industry is a crazy one, and it can sometimes feel like you’re putting on a play for the benefit of everyone around you when you spend so much time in the spotlight. Yet, Jimin makes it clear in the notes that came with the album that this first song is about discovering resiliency in the face of uncertainty and disappointment. The trap-soul song doesn’t hold back from displaying his darkest inner thoughts, and it seduces you into following it down the rabbit hole of his head right away.

A mixture of happy and sorrowful sounds and recollections, “Interlude: Dive” follows “Face-off.” The vignettes give us a close-up view of Jimin’s daily life, especially since it’s clear that he picked and, in some cases, recorded the audio clips himself. For example, there is a knock on the door followed by the sound of someone catching their breath; later, we hear a flashback of Jimin introducing himself onstage at a BTS concert.

The album’s centerpiece is the throbbing, fashionable, and sparkling main track, “Like Crazy,” which commands attention. Jimin samples whispers from troubled lovers throughout the synth-heavy track, which pays homage to his favorite 2011 movie of the same name. Using that recording as a springboard, Jimin launches into lyrics about the heartbreaking realization that he has lost someone he loves and his refusal to wake up from that dream. In contrast, the English version of “Like Crazy” discusses the burden of fame and the concern that he would once again lose himself.

Then Jimin takes a step back with “Alone,” a delicate, vulnerable look into his experience with the epidemic that is full of uncertainties, annoyances, and anxiety. The vocalist, who frequently ends up with different tasks on BTS songs, exhilaratingly spends time in his lower register here. The powerful pre-release song “Set Me Free Pt.2,” which showed listeners exactly how daring and dramatic this era might be, comes next.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	TIME
1	Face-off	3:49
2	Interlude : Dive	2:10
3	Like Crazy	3:32
4	Alone	3:31
5	Set Me Free, Pt. 2	3:20
6	Like Crazy (English Version)	3:32

Album Theme

The concept of freedom seems to apply to each song on the album, and by the time “FACE” is over, it may even rise to the top as the main lesson. Jimin conveys a sense of maturity and assurance throughout, unafraid to tackle subjects or lyrics that his fans may not have previously associated with him. Additionally, Jimin faces the darker sides of himself that he would prefer to forget and provides a rare and unvarnished glimpse into his hidden scars.

Production Credits

Evan, GHSTLOOP & Pdogg produced the album.

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