Black swan moment

BTS have dropped their new album, and expectedly, the frenzy is not stopping

From the instant BTS dropped their new album ‘Map of the Soul: 7’, the buzz is seen to believed. This is their fourth album and the moment their single ‘On’ was released, fans began trending the album and the band names and haven’t stopped since.

This kind of adulation may surprise those who have been unaware of the immense popularity of the South Korean band but for those who have been following the seven-member group’s journey for the past few years, the latest album is exciting because it is BTS’ own story, their struggles, their journey and their triumph — all in their own words. And the lyrics, fans would agree, is torn from the very heart and soul of its members.

The songs are a roller-coaster of emotions, to put it mildly, sometimes throwing you up in the air in mindless joy and other times, plunging you deep into wallowing melancholy. They are, of course, meant to be metaphors of BTS’ extraordinary journey while also cleverly referencing Carl Jung’s theories on the psyche of the human mind. (Yeah, that’s a combination you will rarely find in pop numbers). Undoubtedly, this makes some of the numbers hard to listen to — they are complex, work on many levels and ask of you a lot — but they are nothing if not searingly honest.

The lead single ‘On’ has been getting all the accolades but we suggest you first listen to ‘Black Swan’ and go back and forth from there. ‘Black Swan’ is all about knowing oneself, one’s identity, the quest to understand the self and the realisation of what moves you.

It speaks bravely of all their fears and the pain they must have encountered on their way to such stupendous fame and success. Looks like their journey though has just begun.

Play By Ear showcases a potential earworm every week for you, the discerning listener, who is on the hunt for some musical serendipity.