BTS’ The Map of Soul: 7 is an artistic expression of the K-pop boy band’s capabilities. The project is formed around the concept of struggles, and facing them all, accepting their fate.
Almost all of the tracks are a certified bop, and it’s up to you to pick what experience you’re looking for. The Map of Soul: 7 starts with the intro song “Persona.” Right off the bat, Rap Monster (RM) delivers an exciting performance. The lyrics stand out the most, incorporated with an effective instrumental that drives the song further.
In “Persona,” RM questions about his true self, and instead of a bit philosophical, the piece still kept its cohesiveness as a song.
“Boy With Luv” is the second track of the project, and as early as this, BTS pulled out their trump card, which is by getting Halsey as a feature. Besides being a highly energetic and catchy track, “Boy With Luv” still delivers a strong message, and that is to find joy in small details in life.
Ed Sheeran gave BTS an advantage by co-writing the third track on the album, “Make It Right.” The song encapsulates the group’s endearment towards their fans. It also shows how much they have been a significant impact to ARMYs, their fan base.
“Jamais Vu” and “Dionysus” are good contrasts because of their parting meaning. The first one is more like an emotional ode, and the latter is a wild track that can be played on parties.
We then proceed to the album’s Interlude, named “Shadow.” Again, we’re introduced to the members’ psyche, a closer look at their thoughts, wrapped up by the rapper Suga.
“Black Swan” is perhaps a different approach by BTS to self-expression, but it’s effective nonetheless. The next track, “Filter,” switches up the mood and talks about the looks and appearances.
Jungkook is widely known not just be the ARMYs but also by other people because of his visuals and raw talent. In “My Time,” JK digs to his past and remembers everything with wishful thinking. “Louder Than Bombs” comes next, which is an overwhelming rollercoaster ride of emotions. The members entirely made their message clear, which is the most important thing about this whole project.
“On” dropped as a single for the album, and it was something deserving to that honor with it’s quality and great attention to detail. BTS furthers the tempo of the project with “Ugh!”.
The group tones down with “00:00 (Zero O’Clock)”. It is an emotional and full pop track that is perfect for anyone longing for affection. “Inner Child” and “Friends” might tackle different topics, but both succeed to resonate with the sentiments of all the members.
Jin serenades the listeners with “Moon,” which is more than just a love song, but a statement of the eldest member’s endearment towards the ARMYs.
Suga and RM are the perfect combinations to do a track like this. It is a callback to the intro, which introduces philosophical thinking using its lyrics and a well-produced beat.
“We are Bulletproof: The Eternal” touches on the group’s camaraderie and reliance on their supporters. It’s a soulful track that matters because of its meaningful message.
J-Hope wraps up the album with the outro song called Ego. It serves more than its purpose and is the perfect piece to wrap up a long but satisfying project.
BTS isn’t just yet finished on growing, and with The Map of Soul: 7, they were able to cement themselves as one of Korea’s best boy band groups ever to exist.
