If you are in tune with what is popular in music or know anything about what is big in pop culture today, then I would assume you have heard of BTS. Along with BlackPink, they are responsible for making K-Pop a global phenomenon, breaking boundaries in music that did not seem possible even ten years ago. Although they are technically on a hiatus, BTS is still one of(if not literally the) most popular artists on the planet. They are a global force that is on the level of musicians like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Bad Bunny. Over the last several months, as the members all get ready to serve their mandatory time in the Korean Military, quite a few of the group’s members have been releasing solo projects. This started with RM’s album Indigo, which came out at the end of 2022. In 2023, quite a few more of BTS’s members have released solo music, with rappers Suga(under the name Agust D) and J-Hope releasing full-length projects earlier this year called D-DAY and Jack in the Box(Agust D’s D-DAY is one of my favorite albums of 2023, so read that review after finishing this one if you like him). In addition, Jungkook and V both released singles this summer, and they have each announced that they are dropping albums by the end of the year. There is one project by a member of BTS released this year that I have not mentioned yet, and that is Jimin’s EP FACE. This record actually came out back in March, and somehow I missed it at the time of its release. Jimin’s FACE is an EP that is lauded by fans and critics alike, so I knew I had to come back to this project before the year ended and see what the hype was about. Jimin has always been known as an exquisite and unique vocalist, and it is exciting to see what he can do on his own EP. With that being said, here is how I feel about Jimin’s EP FACE. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from this project, and also comment on how you feel about FACE as a whole.
Jimin gets this FACE started with the track ‘Face-off.’ This is a hard-hitting R&B Trap song that gets this project going with a bang. ‘Face-off’ has a gloomy, melancholy melody that is driven by distorted synths that have a bit of a dystopian feeling. These synths are complemented by shimmering sound effects that add to the otherworldly feeling of the song; there is also a tough guitar riff that comes in and out, giving the song moments of intensity that give it so much texture. This melody is put over a glitchy, in-your-face Trap beat that matches the cold and looming energy of the song. Jimin’s vocal performance on this ‘Face-off’ is excellent. His tone is so clear and sounds so nice on this instrumental, and the range that he sings with gives the song an emotional element that makes it so enthralling. On ‘Face-off,’ Jimin is singing about getting drunk to get over a relationship with a significant other that he knows he screwed up. This song has such a relatable sentiment, and the emotion that Jimin sings with portrays the meaning of the song so well. ‘Interlude : Dive’ is an instrumental bit that has an ethereal and hopeful sound. The song is driven by a pretty and delicate keyboard melody that is complemented by various synths(some being high-pitched and some being deep) that sound atmospheric and breathtaking. There is a brief vocal bit in this track where it sounds like Jimin is introducing himself to the crowd at a concert. At the end of the track, there is a sound effect of someone pouring a drink into a glass. This fits the theme of the first track, where Jimin is getting drunk to not think about what is dragging him down. ‘Like Crazy’ has a lot more of a bright and positive tone than the first two tracks. This is an upbeat Synth-Pop track that has a bit more of an 80s New Wave feeling to it. This song is driven by warm synths that sound so heavy and bold. When paired with the fast and punchy beat of this track, these synths give the song such an all-encompassing feeling. ‘Like Crazy’ has a large and sweeping sound that reminds me a lot of the music from The Weeknd’s Dawn FM album(this is an album that I hold in high regard, so anything I compare to it is something that I am really into). Jimin’s vocal performance on this track is light and sweet, contrasting the hefty feeling of the instrumental. I really like how his high-pitched and pleasant tone sits on this bulky melody and beat, as they bring the hulking feeling of the instrumental down and make the song sound so nice. In ‘Like Crazy,’ Jimin is singing about being hopelessly infatuated with his significant other; he is singing about how they help him forget all of his problems and live in the moment whenever they are together.
Apart from the interlude, ‘Alone’ is the most calm and low-key song of the project so far. Like ‘Interlude : Dive,’ this track has a very ethereal and heavenly feeling to it. The melody on this track is so soft and lovely, and it literally makes me feel like I am floating when I hear it. This melody is provided by a weightless piano riff that is complemented by deep, almost abrasive synths. The way that the synths contrast with the piano riff gives the song profundity. Somehow, this melody feels warm and cold at the same time; there is something welcoming yet off-putting about it, and this juxtaposition makes it so interesting. The beat for this song is very understated and faded, putting all of the focus on the melody and the vocals. The melody and vocals on this track are so powerful that this beat is perfect for ‘Alone.’ Speaking of Jimin’s vocals, they are phenomenal on this track. The range in which he sings portrays the emotion of the track so well, and all of the effects added to his vocals help drive this emotional tone as well. On ‘Alone,’ Jimin is singing about the pain he is feeling after a breakup. This pain is visceral through his vocals and the disdain in his lyrics. ‘Set Me Free Pt. 2’ has the biggest and boldest sound out of anything on this project. This song has a large and triumphant melody that reminds me a lot of the Southern Hip Hop music that was big in the early 2010s. I could see artists like Rick Ross or T.I. hopping on this instrumental back in the day. In the second verse, the sound gets a lot darker and dystopian sounding, taking on a neo-Hip Hop sound that reminds me a lot of Playboi Carti. I love how foreboding and bold the melody on this track is; it has this looming quality that provides me with so much energy; this is a song that I will probably be adding to my workout playlist because it just pumps me up when I hear it. The beat on ‘Set Me Free Pt. 2’ feels like a cross between 2000s Rock music and Trap music. The way that the snares and hi-hats are played makes me think of modern Trap, but the way the bass drum hits is reminiscent of 2000s Garage Rock music. Jimin’s vocal performance on this song is nuts in the best way; it fits the chaotic energy of the instrumental so well. Interestingly, I mentioned Playboi Carti when talking about the instrumental because the effects on his voice and the way it is arranged at some points of this track are similar to him as well. Jimin’s vocal performance on ‘Set Me Free Pt. 2’ is awesome, and it takes this already great song to another level. On ‘Set Me Free Pt. 2,’ Jimin is singing about letting go of the mental hurdles that weigh him down. He is trying to be free of his intrusive thoughts and finally see true happiness. Jimin closes out FACE with an English version of the aforementioned ‘Like Crazy.’ Sonically, this song is almost the same as the original version. The way the vocals sit on the instrumental are a little dissimilar because of the language change, but overall there is not much else that differs between these two tracks. To be honest, I like the Korean version a bit more because it feels more natural. This version is very good too, don’t get me wrong, but I would probably just prefer to listen to the original. Regardless, the English version of ‘Like Crazy’ is a solid way to end this record as it helps pull in the international fan base that it is meant for.
Going into this project, I assumed that it would be very good. Jimin has always been known as a phenomenal vocalist, and it was exciting to see what he would do when given the chance to make multiple songs on his own. Unsurprisingly, this project does not disappoint at all. Jimin absolutely shows why he is held in such high regard as a vocalist and artist on FACE. On FACE, Jimin shows off the versatility of his musicality. This project is very diverse in its sound, and it proves how vast Jimin can be with his artistry. We get to see sides of Jimin that we have not seen before, and he does not sacrifice quality at all to achieve this level of vulnerability and variance. FACE is a great example of why Jimin is thought of in such high regard. I am glad I decided to come back to this EP and review it because it is definitely a top EP of 2023.
EAST SIDE VIBES 