JJ Lin went out on a limb with 2015’s From M.E. to Myself, painstakingly pursuing a complex recording process to create a new kind of aural experience. But that necessitated focusing on one particular facet of his sound—spare, mostly acoustic-based ballads. On Lin’s 2017 follow-up, Message In a Bottle, the Mandopop superstar moved back to more conventional means of recording, but at the same time, he opened up the door to an even wider array of styles than he had explored in the past. And even a cursory listen finds Lin reveling in the multiplicity of moods. That’s not to say that the kind of romantic, keyboard-led ballads that helped make Lin one of Singapore’s most beloved artists aren’t front and centre on Message In a Bottle. When you’ve got a heart-melting, achingly pure voice like Lin’s, eschewing balladry would be unthinkable to your fans. So, gently flowing tunes like the title track (which is also the theme for the 2017 Chinese rom-com The Dreaming Man) and closing cut “Until the Day” are duly a part of the package. But there’s more to the story. Opening track “Sanctuary”, for instance, is a sexy, syncopated tune situated somewhere between the dance club and the bedroom. “Eagle’s Eye” works its way up to a moody rock vibe before moving in multiple directions. The sweeping, cinematic “Little Big Us” is a big, orchestrated tune overflowing with the kind of drama that seems to scream out “movie soundtrack”. “Shadows” incorporates rock and hip-hop influences for a dark, edgy vibe that climaxes with Lin getting into some serious lyrical leaps. “Own the Day” is probably the biggest left turn on the album, a raging pop-punk tune powered by raw, dirty-sounding guitars and sledgehammer drums, with MOE lending Lin a little help. Before long, he would be taking bigger chances, like venturing into English-language lyrics for the first time ever on his Like You Do EP. But for a guy who could easily have continued successfully ploughing the same field, the mixed bag of styles JJ Lin unfurls on Message In a Bottle reveals an artist who’s after more than just fame.