When
BTS started their temporary hiatus in 2022, the stage was set for the individual members to spread their wings with solo efforts. Following releases by
J-Hope and
Jin, group leader
RM took his turn with his first official full-length,
Indigo. Like his previously released mixtapes
RM and
Mono,
Indigo is a genre-hopping ride that showcases
RM's skills on the mic. Atop polished, rich production, the bilingual emcee weaves English and Korean through dense verses where he grapples with life, fame, and destiny. The lush "Yun" features
Erykah Badu's distinctive vocals and light flute flutters that float above a nostalgic hip-hop beat, while another marquee guest,
Anderson .Paak, takes the role of enthusiastic hype man on the energizing "Still Life," which features some of
RM's speediest bars on
Indigo. Later,
Epik High's
Tablo drops in for the horn-backed duet "All Day" and
Colde tackles the chorus on the breezy dance-pop gem "Hectic." On the softer, more introspective side,
Kim Sawol joins
RM on the tender acoustic "Forg_tful" and longtime collaborators
Honne lay down sexy textures on "Closer" with
Paul Blanco and
Mahalia. Injecting some muscle into the mix,
RM and
Cherry Filter's
Youjeen aim for the stadium rafters with the soaring rock ballad "Wild Flower." Despite the short runtime, the buzzing, jagged synth attack "Change Pt.2" is one of the most thrilling moments here, the electro-anxiety building to unbearable levels before breaking into digital skitters and a piano comedown. Without the restrictions that come with
BTS' brand/image, there's also a refreshingly natural use of expletives -- indeed, the very first word on
Indigo is an f-bomb -- that lend a relatable, human element to these songs, marking this as
RM's territory and vision. (What better way to convey the extent of fame-wrought isolation than by admitting "I'm f*cking lonely"?) With that control of his artistry and the mature angle of these tracks, the set is elevated beyond simply a "side album" issued while fans wait for more
BTS material;
Indigo is an eye-opening taste of what
RM is truly capable of outside the bounds of the K-pop powerhouse. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
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