BTS - Map of the Soul: 7 ALBUM REVIEW

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(Author's Note: ARMY, please forgive me if I mess up with your boys. I know your power, and I don't wanna make you guys mad, but this review isn't biased.)


If you know about the music scene, BTS honestly needs no introduction. One of the biggest boy bands, if not the biggest, in all of music, the septet that consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook have been on the music scene since about 2010. Their debut single album being called 2 Cool 4 Skool officially released in 2013, and since then, they’ve grown a powerful fanbase called the ARMY, rivaling the fanbases of megastars like Ariana Grande or Shawn Mendes. Their pretty great album WINGS and the Love Yourself albums are what set them on the map (get it, map?) for me, and I’ve always been interested in the group’s dynamic and influence in the K-Pop genre. So, their latest record, Map of the Soul: 7 is a record that I was pretty excited to listen to. So, what did I think about it? In a word, it was pretty good!

What I absolutely loved about 7 is that each track follows the same nature and measure, yet each track has their own style and influenced by different genres. Pop, rock, EDM, and rap are just a taste of the influences found throughout 7. Also, the themes of facing your demons and overcoming them is a consistent and powerful topic that holds the record together as a concept. “Black Swan” and “Louder Than Bombs” are personal standouts to me.

Now, I have to admit, I don’t know a lot about Korean culture and I’m not sure if this happens with all Korean or Japanese acts, but tracks from their previous Map of the Soul project, Persona, like “Boy With Luv” are included on this as well. The existing tracks that I had already heard and were on previous projects felt like 7 was a little bloated. The Bangtan Boys could have trimmed it down a little bit and could have included only new songs, and that would’ve been a easier listen for me. Then again, it could be a normal thing in this, so ARMY or anyone that knows anything about this, contact me and correct me.

Map of the Soul: 7 is a beast of a record, but it never feels like too much. I’m not sure if this is or Persona is considered their “comeback” project, but either way, this converted me into a fan. While WINGS and the Love Yourself series showed me their potential, 7 shows me that they’re worth sticking around for.



8/10


Stream Map of the Soul: 7 here

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube Music


BTS (방탄소년단) - MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 Lyrics and Tracklist | Genius

Okay, is there a welcoming ceremony for an ARMY member?

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