4/5
Echo Chamber
'Echo' in the headphones. Blue steps descend the speaker, like Penrose, for the record of this album artwork that circles back to the groove. One 'Happy' go lucky E.P., released last fall, deserves another (like Andre 3000's '7 Piano Sketches' last New Music Friday) as the summer is on its way. Most of "Worldwide Handsome" Jin's BTS brethren have already released two solo sets after their hiatus. Now it's his turn up to bat for the Big Hitters of HYBE hype, matching their also temporarily disbanded BLACKPINK K-Pop legendary contemporaries. The army of BTS soldiers, after Jin was the first to enlist in his mandatory military duty, are releasing records like Marvel movies with avengeance. And they're all greeted with fanboy and girl (ARMY) enthusiasm like the M.C.U. No doomsday. There's even an 'Echo' like a titular anti-hero from 'Hawkeye' fame.
Shooting straight, Jin's 'Echo' and accompanying M.V., sees him get cinematic as the bad boy, in his punk rock fashion era. Hair, that no longer needs to be buzzed for the South Korean army, flowing free. It gets even more Hollywood on the lead single 'Don't Say You Love Me', and its movie like music video featuring acclaimed actress Shin Se Kyung ('Rookie Historian', 'Run On'). The actress and the singer who could sure star in films and K-Drama (hey, they're all doing it in 'Squid Game', collecting roles like Thanos does stones) play long-lost lovers reunited with an undeniable yearn. All as Jin sings, in English, "Faking a smile while we're breaking apart/Oh, I never, never, never meant to take it this far/Too late to save me, so don't even start/Oh, you never meant to hurt me, but you're making it hard." We feel you, bro! Jin also duets on 'Loser' with Yena, a singer (the former member of Iz*One) and actress. A track, even the king of 'Losers', Beck would be proud of.
This extended play that will be headlined in Jin's first solo world tour, RunSeokjin Ep. Tour, is highlighted by tracks that will definitely make that set-list. The bittersweet and blissful 'Nothing Without Your Love' ("I'm thinking 'bout you/I'm thinking 'bout me/끝없는 이 긴 밤 속에서/밝은 빛이 되어줘/I'm nothing without your love/You are my life/You're all of me/빛나는 추억 속에서/영원토록 남아줘"). Or the cowboy lasso of 'Rope It' that 'Boy With Luv' collaborator Halsey would have adored in her 'You Should Be Sad', 'Maniac' era. Meanwhile, 'A Journey With The Clouds" (구름과 떠나는 여행)' is a musical one. Twisting and turning as it goes all over the place like a beautiful 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. But we're not saying it's as good as the best record of all-time, you hysterical Queens. There's only room for one.
The 'Background' of these sevens seals tells us, in translation, "I still live there/In the season when your whole world was me/The words I repeat alone/If I could go back, what would I say?/Even if I call you/It echoes back and hurts me again". Referencing the E.P's name and the love that echoes in the chambers of the heart. Alas, it's the perfectly penned 'To Today's Me" (오늘의 나에게)' that gets really profound. Jin writes to himself, "떠나자 하늘 저 위로/나를 믿고/I fly, 맘 이끄는 곳에/I fly, 나를 던져/단 한 번 뿐인 이 순간/내 마음을 열어/오늘의 난 (The one), 날개를 펴 (The one)/Now I fly to where my heart beats." Or in English, "Let's leave, up above the sky/Trusting myself/I fly, to where my heart leads/I fly, throwing myself/This once-in-a-lifetime moment/Open my heart/Today's me (The one), spread my wings (The one)/Now I fly to where my heart beats." Echoing like a message passed down through generations. Or a song we'll play on repeat. And just to think, we've still been 'Happy' since his last play. This one, too, is here to stay. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Don't Say You Love Me', 'Loser (Feat. Yena)', 'A Journey With The Clouds" (구름과 떠나는 여행)'
Spin This: Jin - 'Happy' EP
No comments:
Post a Comment