Riding the wave of success following 2015's
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2
and 2016's
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever
,
BTS
continued their global ascent with the release of their sophomore LP,
Wings
. Issued in late 2016,
pushed the creative maturation for the K-pop septet while maintaining the unique spirit that had so endeared them to fans looking for more than the typical K-pop industry product. In addition to a handful of requisite hits that deftly captured the contemporary pop zeitgeist,
allowed
to delve deeper into more serious topics (such as mental health, non-conformity, and female empowerment) and artistic expressions.
notably features seven solo tracks that showcase the personality of each
member. On
V
's soulfully jazzy "Stigma,"
Suga
's intense "First Love," and
Rap Monster
's atmospheric "Reflection," gravity and introspection collide, grounding the dance-pop gems that bookend the album.
Jungkook
's "Begin" is bright and tropically inspired (much like lead single "Blood Sweat & Tears," it sounds like something produced by
Major Lazer
), while
Jimin
's bold "Lie" is buffered by lush orchestral production and Motown cool.
Jin
contributes a gorgeous ballad with "Awake," and
J-Hope
maintains the hip-hop heartbeat of
with "MAMA." The other half of
finds
together as a unit and in full K-pop hit mode on infectious dance tracks like "Lost," "Interlude: Wings," and the booming one-two punch of "Am I Wrong" and "21st Century Girls." Diehards will rejoice at the sight of "BTS Cypher 4" (the first since 2014) which features frantic trap-rapping akin to countrymate
Keith Ape
. With such a wide range of stylistic influences and lyrical content,
continue to push the limits of what can be said or done in K-pop.
is a testament that such risks can be both substantial and successful. ~ Neil Z. Yeung