Although there was no way around the relative silence that’s taken place since BTS entered the army, they’ve managed to avoid an altogether drought by continuously releasing not just a stream of singles but also albums, EPs, and videos. We’re so used to seeing their albums come out despite being in the military that it almost feels like a commonplace practice now, but there’s a reason it still remains a relatively rare practice in the biz: When an artist puts out new music, they usually promote it through in-person appearances, like on TV and in concert. j-hope’s EP HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1 is more than just an album—it’s also a six-part documentary following the idol as he retraces his steps to rediscover how dance forms the very core of who he is. RM’s album Right Place, Wrong Person takes his experience from personal side projects, including his mixtapes, adds in the creative power of a whole team of collaborators, and condenses it all into songs and their music videos. If you were to draw a line between the BTS we knew before they went into the army and the BTS after, those two releases are both a reminder of where the group’s been and, simultaneously, blueprints for where they’re headed.

So what about Jimin’s album MUSE? Let’s start by first pointing out how, true to its title, his release FACE from a year ago was about facing himself candidly and head-on. In interviews he gave at the time, Jimin made clear the context in which he created the album. He revealed that he felt lost during the BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE tour, and when he confessed that to the other members of the group, they encouraged him to channel those emotions into his music. The fruit of that exploration was “Like Crazy,” a song that completely lifted him out of those feelings of emptiness and futility. While the word “face” might also signify the artist’s multifaceted persona, the dominant meaning was more likely about Jimin facing himself at the time. As the idol himself emphasized the fact that he didn’t beat around the bush with his lyrics and instead wrote his thoughts unfiltered, there’s no need for us to read too much into them.

A muse, meanwhile, is an artist’s source of inspiration. The new album includes the single “Closer Than This,” released right before Christmas as 2023 came to a close, as well as the more recently released track “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” featuring Loco, whose title notably references smeraldos, a well-established part of the BTS universe. Not only do smeraldos appear in the music video, but even the teaser images highlight the fictional blue flower. It’s no stretch of the imagination to assume that for Jimin, who has found some solace and self-confidence, his fans and the other members of his group make up a substantial source of his inspiration. “Closer Than This” reflects on the journey they’ve all been on ever since they first came together, and looks forward to when this little lull will come to an end and they’ll be basking in the purple spotlight together once again. And as if one song wasn’t enough, “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” brings the point home: “All the things we couldn't say before / And your hidden feelings too / I’ll tell you everything now.” It wouldn’t be fair to label the visual style of the video as merely being retro as there’s something more to it. With its emphasis on vivid colors, theatrical style, and ensemble-heavy choreography, the video looks more like an early color film along the lines of The Wizard of Oz. “Smeraldo,” meanwhile, is Italian for “emerald,” and the yellow brick road in the movie leads the protagonists to the titular Wizard in the Emerald City. So it’s not surprising, either, that the song’s three producers also make cameos in the music video.

“Smeraldo Garden Marching Band,” with its friendly, circus-like theme, is the third track on the album, but what about the first song—and therefore, the first one after Jimin last faced himself—“Rebirth (Intro)”? The bright, uplifting soundscape of the gospel-like choir and strings seamlessly transitions into the short marching tune “Interlude: Showtime”—one that may sound reminiscent of “Face-off” at the beginning, but with none of the dramatic shift—to get the real show started. With the album’s painstakingly crafted opening now through, Jimin announces he’s ready to go.

What follows is a pair of love songs of different flavors and tempos. The R&B duet “Slow Dance” shows what you get when you combine a catchy melody with unbeatable vocals. As one of the stars of Disney’s Descendants franchise, Sofia Carson proved she has some of the best vocals of any of her peers. She also appeared as a musician in the Netflix movie Purple Hearts, with her song essentially transforming the trailer into a full-blown music video that immediately transports you into the world of the full film. The next of Jimin’s tracks, “Be Mine,” is a more immediately seductive Afrobeats song, with the folk-like element often heard in the genre slightly toned down for a more pop-y feel. Instead of focusing on things like complicated rhythms or a call-and-response format, the track weaves Jimin’s signature pop vocals full of exhilarating high notes into a Latin texture. Towards the end, the song incorporates synths like those heard in late 1990s to early 2000s R&B, subtly reaching out to the sounds of Anthony Hamilton or Omarion. When Jimin makes love songs, that’s what you get.

As the album presses on, it makes its way to “Who,” the natural evolution of what the idol has proven time and time again he’s capable of. A faster song, the rhythm—its complexity hidden within a deceptively simple, and decidedly funky beat—consciously draws on characteristics of rock and dance rather than sticking strictly to R&B. Although perfected long ago by the Neptunes and done numerous times before, we’ve never heard Jimin take a crack at it till now, and his vocals are all it’ll take to convince you he’s struck upon something entirely fresh. The fact that he has a guitar accompany him on the track shows Jimin knows exactly what he’s doing. All in all, it’s a shorter album, but the singer devotes just enough time to demonstrate how he’s changed and what he’s aiming for. There’s enough variety in the selection of styles that come together to form a consistent, deliberate core vision. It’s neither a department store stocked with dance hits, ballads, and hip hop tracks, nor an album that goes out of its way to chase current trends. Jimin’s been ready to go this whole time. We are about to have a pop star with a genre all his own on our hands.