Male idol solo tracks tend to fit within a few distinct realms these days. Either they opt for a slinky funk track (usually served with a huge side of Justin Timberlake’s Like I Love You), stark piano ballad or light rocker. These archetypes have become so hardened that it’s difficult to pull much enjoyment from them anymore. SF9’s Inseong has opted for ‘archetype number three’ for his solo debut, delivering a chugging rock track.

To his credit, Inseong’s voice is well-suited to this genre. His vocal has a credible rock power that fuels Mute Is Off with a strong, confident belt we don’t often get to hear in his work with SF9. In some ways, the song reminds me of 2013’s Wild & Young by Winner’s Kang Seungyoon — still a high-water mark of this template in my mind. The melodies and guitar riffs aren’t nearly as catchy here, but I appreciate the energy. Better yet, Mute Is Off builds toward a striking climax that sends the song out on a high. It’s still way too restricted by genre tropes and ultimately quite generic, but this is a promising route for Inseong going forward.

Grade: B-