Photo credit by BigHit

[Review] BTS – BE

BTS is finally back with their new album ‘BE’. This album is meant to be a comfort for everyone who’s had to deal with COVID-19. The lockdown and several quarantines have been rather taxing, but we’ll get through it with BTS’ music. 

BE

We open with the title track ‘Life Goes On’. The music video was mostly shot in their dorms and I don’t know why, but seeing the boys wearing comfy pyjamas is heartwarming. Jungkook directed the MV. The song is a slowed down R&B track with a beautifully warm guitar. The layering in this one a lot, especially with the bridge and the verse just after. 

‘Fly To My Room’ is up next. This is one of the two sub-unit songs. This one is by members V, Jimin, J-Hope and Suga. Jimin has some amazing ad-libs, like WOW. I’m really digging the gospel vibe. The meaning of the song is all about being stuck in your room and playing that you’re travelling to your own bedroom. I love this.

‘Blue & Grey’ follows that and V together with the rapline is credited in the lyrics. V mentioned that some of the inspiration for this song came from the time he felt burned out. It’s sad while remaining comforting and just as the title mentions, this is the perfect song to listen to on a grey day. The vocal harmonies with the violin are beautiful but when the violin also plays with the rapline, I had actual chills. In the second half of the song the humming is simply out of this world and I could feel all of my emotions.

Up next

The ‘Skit’ comes after and the members have a chat about them being on the number 1 spot on Billboard. It’s adorable, wholesome and I love it. 

‘Telepathy’ is giving me all the retro vibes with that funky synth. This is such a happy little song that livens up the whole album. It’s also reminding me of ‘Dynamite’ a bit since the colour scheme from the MV would fit so well here. 

We’re already on track number six with ‘Dis-ease’. There were so many theories about the name of this track. The lyrics are so interesting. I’ve linked the translations below. I love the old-school hip-hop vibe with the vinyl scratches. This is going to be a favorite for a LONG time, I can just tell. Seeing this live would be such a dope moment. 

The next song is the second sub-unit song with members Jin, RM and Jungkook. ‘Stay’ was co-written by all three members. I love this synthy house moment. This is quite the unexpected but wholesome sub-unit, I have to say. 

‘Stay’ slides over to ‘Dynamite’ so well. It’s kind of crazy. ‘Dynamite’ is the last song on the album and leaves us on a happy note. We wrote about the single when it was released here

You can find all the translations of the singles here.  

Now go ahead and listen to the ‘BE’ by BTS on Spotify here

Ilse Van Den Heede
A writer with a slight coffee addiction and a tendency to find K-Indie gems in the YouTube rabbit hole.