Global K-Pop phenomenon Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS) released their comeback album “ARIRANG” on March 20. Following anticipation from their “What is Your Love Song?” promotional campaign and the announcement for a world tour across 34 cities, the album follows the band’s nearly four-year hiatus. The release features notable producers from Kevin Parker of Tame Impala to Diplo in addition to the members’ own work, heralding a new era for the band as their 13th anniversary nears.
“SWIM”
As the title track, this song skillfully delivers an intentional and all-inclusive message — a key appealing factor of BTS’s music. The build-up of energy from resonant beats to percussive instrumentals wrap the listener in a narrative about life’s ride. As vocalist V shares in Apple Music’s Track by Track playlist, the message of “SWIM” surrounds the idea of love and the resolve to “SWIM” through life at one’s personal pace. For example, lines like “Nights like these / I just wanna get lost” convey the desire to go along with life’s currents. Each additional listen familiarizes the melody, making it an universally-applicable and immersive experience that transports listeners to the ships of their own lives.
“Body to Body”
This track starts with energy, encouraging “the whole stadium to jump” — an upbeat addition that instills a universal sense of excitement for listeners, initiating the overall emotion-based, mature sound that permeates the song. The latter half of the song includes a choral rendition of the patriotic Korean folk song “Arirang,” which has long been a key aspect of the country’s solidarity and identity in the face of historical hardships. The nostalgic messages of love and longing from “Arirang” explain why the album was titled “ARIRANG” as the album intends to pay homage to Korean cultural roots — resonating with music’s emotion-driven centripetal influence worldwide.
“Merry Go Round”
This alternative rock track conveys sentiment and vulnerability through its psychedelic sound, with breathy opening vocals that engage the listener with its delicate nature. The lyrics “Spinnin’ up, down, just round and round / I’m fallin’ apart, still bound to ground / Stuck in a loop that just won’t stop” describe the whirlwind of emotions in a seemingly-endless struggle with the obstacles of life, providing listeners solace through its soft ascending and descending lines. The purposeful elongation of the melodic line at “I can’t get off of this ride” echoes the internal struggles that are present in day-to-day life. While there are more English lyrics than Korean lyrics, the vulnerability communicated through vocal tone delivers a sentimental message that transcends languages.
“Please”
As a warm-toned R&B track, “Please” beguiles listeners with imploring lyrics and ambient synthesizers. Weighty 808 bass and trap drums take center stage in the song, with lo-fi synths and indie guitar chords melding together to contrast leisurely and desperate tones, further bringing a sense of maturity to the album. The chorus “When the world divides us / Baby, oh, please / I’ll take another step closer / …Stay with me on my worst day” beseeches an anonymous lover to stick with them through thick and thin, while the lyric “All I want is you” repeats through the song, reinforcing just how emotionally attached the singers are to the listener. Rapper Suga’s husky voice makes “The world’s always getting in between us / Going in circles, where we getting started” resound with a conversational quality — and establishes a cyclical progression.
“Normal”
Propelled by pulsing drum beats and a digital synth sound, the alternative pop track “Normal” speaks to the collective experiences of BTS, symbolically documenting their journeys from passionate rookies to renowned superstars. The lyrics “Show me hate / show me love / make me bulletproof” likely reference the band name, which translates to Bulletproof Boy Scouts in English, according to People magazine. BTS’s goal to “block out stereotypes, criticisms and expectations that aim on adolescents like bullets” make these lyrics relevant to how they have dealt with the spotlight, especially since the band faced immense criticism from early days, according to the Los Angeles Times. BTS further demonstrates their emotional bandwidth with “Got me feeling things unusual, and I live them all,” hinting at a turbulent coexistence between public images and personal experiences.
Through a blend of Korean cultural references and lyrics pertaining to a variety of relatable issues, “ARIRANG” positions itself as an album that appeals to people experiencing ups and downs of life. The tracks lay out a different direction of musicality, showing the band’s willingness to explore new facets of music and building anticipation for future releases.
