S. Acierda
The music industry can sleep well at night knowing that BTS has now spared them from a year of mediocrity.
On February 21, BTS made their highly-anticipated return to the music scene with the release of their seventh studio album, Map of the Soul: 7, along with a dance-focused music video for “ON”.
The Kinetic Manifesto Film: Come Prima takes place in an urban concrete landscape that seems endless and is vibrant colours. In dynamic camera movement and shots, BTS show off their unrivalled dance moves that the group are acclaimed for.
The music video also features renown U.S. marching band Blue Devils and 30 dancers from The Lab. A familiar name to fans, The Lab is known for with crafting the intense choreography for “Dionysus”, having performed with the septet during last year’s Rose Bowl show for the Love Yourself: Speak Yourself tour.
In line with the Map of the Soul thematic concept, “ON” references the Jungian archetype of the shadow in its opening verses, as previously explored in “Interlude: Shadow”. As the title track for the group’s most introspective album in regards to their careers as artists, “ON” champions a persistence that has seen the group stand firm through the trials encountered since their debut seven years ago.
Significantly, “ON” is a declaration that this same endurance will continue to carry the pop superstars to new heights as artists.
Along with “ON”, Map of the Soul: 7 features previous releases “Interlude: Shadow”, “Black Swan” and “Outro: Ego” as well as tracks from Map of the Soul: Persona in addition to sub-unit songs and member solos tailored to their own personal style.
Ultimately, the latest album sees the Korean pop powerhouse reflect on their seven-year journey as BTS with new tracks like “Friends” and “Moon” seeing the members reminisce over their bond with each other and their fans, ARMYs, respectively. Fundamentally, through its songs, Map of the Soul: 7 offers its audiences to look through different lenses and perspectives to consider when it comes to the group’s lengthy career.
Accordingly, this eventually cumulates to one of the album’s final tracks, “We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal”. The song has been described as a conclusion to the “We Are Bulletproof” series that had started prior to the group’s official debut, even before BTS’ current line-up had formed.
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