Recommended tracks: “Body to Body,” “Swim,” “Aliens”
Artists you might like: TWICE, SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM
After a long, 6-year wait and mandatory military service, K-pop sensation BTS finally reunites as seven for the release of their 10th studio album, ARIRANG.
Forming under BigHit Entertainment (now formally known as HYBE Entertainment), the group made their debut in 2013 with the release of their hip-hop album, 2 Cool 4 Skool. Consisting of members RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, BTS has taken the international charts by storm over the years, continuing to prove themselves with new and diverse sounds.
The title ARIRANG derives from a traditional Korean folk song telling the tale of love, separation, and the longing for reunion. The folk song not only has over 3,600 renditions, but it has also been officially registered under South (and North) Korea’s UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. As such, cultural pride is a prominent feature of this 14-track album.
The album begins with “Body to Body,” a song that embodies the group’s Korean pride, adorned with traditional Korean pansori singers and a sample of the folk tale.
The rest of the album journeys through the group’s uniquely “grown” sound as they pay homage to their roots as a band. They started off dedicated to the hip-hop sound, and tracks such as “Hooligan,” “FYA,” and “Aliens” not only embody these vibes, but they also serve as diss tracks to all who’ve underestimated their talents (“Hooligan”) and those who’ve criticized the group for their Asian identity (“Aliens”).
“NO.29” serves as a grounding interlude from the first half of the album into the second. It’s a 1.5-minute intermission consisting only of the meditative sound of a national treasure: the Bell of King Seongdeok. Listeners can use this interlude to catch a breather from the hip-hop/rap-heavy introduction as we move into the calmer, smoother R&B portion of the album.
“SWIM,” one of the three all-English tracks, received high praise not only for its beautifully alluring and calming tone, but also for its feature of actress Lili Reinhart in the music video.
With tracks such as “Merry Go Round,” “Like Animals,” “One More Night,” and “Into the Sun,” the rest of the album experiments with newer styles for the band, such as psychedelic rock and 90s house influences.
With this very well-curated album, the successful return of such a unique group has earned them high praise from a world awaiting their return. And now, we’re awaiting their longest world tour ever with 82 total stops. Tickets are available here.
BTS ARIRANG World Tour Dates (North America ONLY):
Sat Apr 25 — Tampa, FL — Raymond James Stadium
Sun Apr 26 — Tampa, FL — Raymond James Stadium
Sat May 2 — El Paso, TX — Sun Bowl Stadium
Sun May 3 — El Paso, TX — Sun Bowl Stadium
Thu May 7 — Mexico City, MX — Estadio GNP Seguros
Sat May 9 — Mexico City, MX — Estadio GNP Seguros
Sun May 10 — Mexico City, MX — Estadio GNP Seguros
Sat May 16 — Stanford, CA — Stanford Stadium
Sun May 17 — Stanford, CA — Stanford Stadium
Sat May 23 — Las Vegas, NV — Allegiant Stadium
Sun May 24 — Las Vegas, NV — Allegiant Stadium
Wed May 27 — Las Vegas, NV — Allegiant Stadium
Sat Aug 1 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium
Sun Aug 2 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium
Wed Aug 5 — Foxborough, MA — Gillette Stadium
Thu Aug 6 — Foxborough, MA — Gillette Stadium
Mon Aug 10 — Baltimore, MD — M&T Bank Stadium
Tue Aug 11 — Baltimore, MD — M&T Bank Stadium
Sat Aug 15 — Arlington, TX — AT&T Stadium
Sun Aug 16 — Arlington, TX — AT&T Stadium
Sat Aug 22 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium
Sun Aug 23 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium
Thu Aug 27 — Chicago, IL — Soldier Field
Fri Aug 28 — Chicago, IL — Soldier Field
Tue Sep 1 — Los Angeles, CA — SoFi Stadium
Wed Sep 2 — Los Angeles, CA — SoFi Stadium
Sat Sep 5 — Los Angeles, CA — SoFi Stadium
Sun Sep 6— Los Angeles, CA — SoFi Stadium
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