Map of the Soul: Persona

I was worried I wouldn’t like this one because everyone who heard it before me said it was so different from the previous era (which I loved excessively).

 

It *is* very different, but so good! There are elements in here that harken back to their earlier albums, but regardless the album as a whole has its own vibe and flavor. Two of the songs are collaborations with Western artists (Halsey and Ed Sheeran). You can definitely feel the influence of the other artists, but they are both well-crafted tracks that still feel very “BTS”.

 

“Boy with Luv” has this upbeat, summer-BBQ-and-lemonade feel to it, and “Make It Right” is a smooth and chill complement that pivots the album into its second half. I’m torn between “Mikrokosmos” and “Jemais Vu” being my favorites and the title track is such an anthem for the group’s leader, Kim Namjoon, that it’s hard not to burst out in rally cry every time it plays.

 

I honestly wasn’t sure I could like an album more than Answer, but despite being so different, this installment is a definitive rival in both quality and overall enjoyment.