Playlists 2024 pt1
Its 2024, and while we expect this year to be a little quieter on the music release front we're still being surprised with new releases from the members of BTS; and our team is still at work creating great playlists for you!
Valentines is upon us and our playlist team wanted to look back on the solo era and share what they loved about it. There is a fantastic playlist that contains all seven solo offerings so make sure you come back to it after you’ve read what our team has to say.
Why not spread the love and tell us your thoughts?
Michayla
There was a lot to love about the solo era and perhaps I didn’t fully appreciate it entirely at the time it was happening so it was really wonderful to be able to look back. I was shocked to realise that Jack In The Box was released in July 2022! It really doesn’t feel that long ago and that was one album that surprised me.
I’ve always been affected by Hobi’s voice. If you’ve read this blog before you will probably already know that. His tone just hits me deep inside and I’ve been the one at concerts screaming my heart out a second before Hobi’s verse in Tear in pure anticipation (plus, that song! I can’t!). There was so much to love about JITB because it showed us a side to our sunshine that we hadn’t seen before. The concept was quite dark and raw but always hopeful!
Equal Sign (Outro)
‘Just a piece to give strength
In the puzzle of our hearts
It’ll all make sense one day
So I’m singing
For love in this world
Come on
Let’s come together
Equality is you and me’
And then we had live performances at Lolapalooza (aka Hobipalooza) and it was breathtaking! Our J-Hope, the man born to perform to thousands of people on stage! So, so much love for him.
One of the things that I’ve always loved about Namjoon is his ability to introduce me to things that I’ve never seen or heard before. I’ve researched artists and songs thanks to his recommendations and that’s how I originally found Younha (love, love, love, Unstable Mindset). Indigo was no different and I found Youjeen thanks to the wonderful track ‘Wild Flower’. It found its way into my heart because even though I didn’t have the same struggles as Namjoon, I could still relate it to my life.
‘When your own heart underestimates you
When your dreams devour you
When you feel you’re not yourself
All those times’
The album that seemed to happen so fast from announcement to release was the one that had my favourite song on it that grabbed my heart and refused to let go and that was LayoVer. Tae’s soulful voice, stunning concept pictures and vision really got me, it all just screamed ‘Taehyung’ and that is something I very much loved. The song that hasn’t released its hold on me is ‘For Us’. It seems to end up on repeat quite a lot and I can’t even explain why it had such an effect on me but it did and the live performance was phenomenal.
The way that Tae sings one verse in particular makes me melt:
‘Come before it's too late
I got things to say
Before I go
And there's no time to wait
We can hide away
Need to let you know that’
There really was so much to love about the solo era and this is meant to be a blog not an essay so I should stop now! I will share the love this valentines and if you haven’t been able to listen to all the solos or need to listen to them again, scroll back to the top and find the link to our playlist. Enjoy!
Charlie
BTS is one of the biggest things that I love. Their solo projects are no different. For me, there is something to love in each member's body of work.
For Hoseok, I love how he gave us something different with Jack in the Box. The rock sound, the darker aesthetic, the tracks that sound rather like interludes… he didn't just give us an album. He gave us something that felt special.
Jin gave us a ballad that I found beautiful. Usually, ballads don't get to me, but something about the line “I get heaven to myself when I'm with you” and how he belts “And I loooooove you” with such emotion, make The Astronaut such a touching song. It is the perfect ‘farewell, but not goodbye’ song in my eyes.
Namjoon’s Indigo album was an instant hit on my playlist. Tracks like All Day and Still Life are so uplifting and fun, and while his slower songs mean a lot to me, his funkier songs are so enjoyable.
As we moved from Winter to Spring, Jimin’s album surprised me with his sound. I cannot stress how often I have replayed Like Crazy; it is such a pretty and atmospheric song that makes me feel like I'm floating in a way I don't know if I'll ever be able to articulate. Face-Off has also grown on me over the past year and become one of my faves.
Yoongi’s D-Day era… ‘love’ isn't a strong enough word. Throughout his tour, he poured his heart out to us and told a story. He laughed with ARMY and cried onstage with us as he worked through his past traumas. He was as raw and vulnerable as an artist can be, and I have so much adoration and respect for him.
Taehyung’s music is the embodiment of love. Songs like ‘Slow Dancing’ and ‘Love Me Again’ are so tender, and even when romantic love is something I cannot relate to, I have love in the form of past and present friendships that his lyrics remind me of. His music breaks my heart and puts it together again.
Jungkook’s music hits in such an interesting way. Songs like 3D and Seven took a moment to grow on me, but Standing Next To You became one of my favourite BTS songs from the moment I first heard it. The visuals, the tattoos on display, the references in the music… he showed us what he can do as a solo artist, and he shines so brightly.
All in all, the love I feel for each body of work in Chapter 2 differs so much, but is equal in amount.
Cheryl
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we thought we would focus on the recent BTS solo releases. With that in mind, I thought I would start with V’s Layover. The album Layover shows us the mature, sophisticated side of V; the idol that he is. Layover is a very mellow, relaxing album with a hint of jazz and r&b. I am still enjoying the songs and lyrics and feel it is a perfect accompaniment to the wet gloomy, UK days, we are currently experiencing. Unsurprisingly with the weather on my mind, my favourite song on the album is Rainy Days and my favourite lyrics are in the 2nd verse:
‘Remember how I used to make you laugh the most
I have no right to say this, but
Let me make up for all the time we lost
We can start again, open all the doors
Don't tell me it's over, we can start it over
You're my four-leaf clover
Yeah, I can feel your touch, I remember your kiss
Those hurtful words, and I miss you’
Love Me Again is a close second; this song seems more demanding with the lyrics, for example:
‘You left me
Took those memories with you
But even now, I can't let you go, let you go
Is that all you have to say?
One word, that's it?
If ever you regret this
Won't you let me know? Let me know?’
Jungkook’s first solo album Golden, I was very excited to hear and see what he had in store for us. My favourite song on the album is Standing Next to You. His dance moves were just amazing and the song has a great feel to it. My favourite part of the song is the Chorus:
‘Standing next to you
Standing in the fire next to you, oh
You know it's deeper than the rain
It's deeper than the pain
When it’s deep like DNA
Something they can't take away, ayy
Take-take-take-take-take-take off’
The standing in the fire reminds me of being by someone’s side whilst they are experiencing difficult times, as a supportive friend. Seven has been on my gym playlist since it first landed and I still enjoy working out to the song. The tempo is perfect for my cross training exercise. My favourite lyrics are:
‘You love when I jump right in
All of me I'm offerin'
Show you what devotion is
Deeper than the ocean is
Wind it back, I'll take it slow
Leave you with that afterglow
Show you what devotion is
Deeper than the ocean is’
With Jimin’s solo album FACE, this has a totally different feel. Jimin is exploring his vocal talents and giving us a side I don’t think I had seen before. My favourite song on the album is: Like Crazy and I think this is because I found the lyrics and the music video rather intriguing and thought provoking.
This song proved very popular in the UK, going straight in at No.8 and staying in the UK charts for a consecutive 5 weeks. This song appears to be about the inner turmoils of his mind, where he is getting caught in the fame “I’d rather be lost in the lights” but feeling like he is losing his identity and is wondering who he really is “Tell me, will I find myself again?”.
During the video people and Jimin are moving backwards and I wonder if this shows they wish they could go back to pre-covid times (the song was written during covid). Also, at the beginning of the video Jimin is seen sitting in an apartment on his own and it looks clean, then quick as a flash there looks to be brown, wet mess everywhere over the floor – is this also an image of how awful Covid was and how nowhere was safe from it, even in your own home it could reach you? The confusion is even expressed with the Outro lyrics:
‘This will break me
This is gonna break me (Break me)
No, don't you wake me (Wake me)
I wanna stay in this dream, don't save me
Don't you try to save me (Save me)
I need a way we (Way we)
I need a way we can dream on (On, on, on)’
It’s like he has an argument going on (inner turmoil), where he doesn’t want to be woken or saved but at the same time he wants both to be woken and to be saved. When he is sitting on the floor of a public restroom and then the floor begins to move and all the walls disappear, perhaps this could be an indication that there are no boundaries, other than what we put in place ourselves?
I wonder about the mess in the video, where it then comes over doors, on the floor of his apartment, he is also seen walking, leaving messy footsteps and then at the end of the video where one hand is messy, which he then smears on the camera - perhaps these images indicate that life can be messy (fame or relationships) and that Jimin wants to be involved in it all and isn’t afraid of the mess and getting dirty.
I also wanted to discuss my favourite concept photo of Jimin: the four photos below although they all look very similar, the thorns or spikes in two of them, just shock me for some reason, perhaps it is the two sides of Jimin - calm, soft, welcoming and then scary, dangerous, intimidating Jimin - what do you think?
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