BTS – Swim – The Singles Jukebox

Closing out April with a trio of Okay-pop singles! First, the prodigal return of this group of hooligans…

Katherine St. Asaph: ARIRANG could effectively find yourself being BTS’s “New Jersey” (“a huge event album that ultimately feels a bit hollow and signals a career decline”). The record-setting gross sales are apparently not record-setting sufficient; HYBE’s already tried to enhance “Swim””s streaming numbers (no pun meant) by releasing a number of re-releases in genres they describe like Suno prompts: “melodic techno,” “chill hip-hop.” There are rumblings of defectors within the ARMY ranks, and of inter-band tensions and label drama behind the scenes. It’s unclear how a lot of that is actual and the way a lot of that is the wishful fantasies of BTS’s equally devoted following of haters, however the rumors aren’t precisely dispelled by the truth that even in BTS’s personal promotional maerials, the group is seen arguing themselves about whether or not their single “Swim” is boring. In a post-“WAP,” and extra importantly post-“Seven” world, introducing your single with Jung Kook singing “I could spend a lifetime watching you… swim” makes one wonder if they’ll request a bucket and a mop. But “Swim” isn’t attempting to be Usher’s “Dive,” it’s attempting to be Frank Ocean’s “Swim Good”: an introspective, even mournful observe overshadowed by his love songs. BTS’s more and more express ambivalence about fame can be Franklike: it’s textual content elsewhere on ARIRANG, and it’s subtext right here. They form of seduce but in addition form of brood, on and on until the street runs out.
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Claire Davidson: The opening of “Swim” is considerably deceptive: Jung Kook’s subdued supply and the observe’s mewling keys promise a extra tranquil ballad, however then the tune shifts to a midtempo pop observe, the place the BTS members commerce verses outlined extra by gregarious bragging about their companions than a way of true intimacy with the viewers. That strategy is odd for a tune with a central metaphor of affection as a gaping physique of water; one would suppose such vistas would encourage higher awe.
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Alfred Soto: As standard with these guys, I reply when the vocals match the blips and the beats. This one boasts a soggy refrain however respectable verses: they sound like a PG-rated Weeknd.
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Nortey Dowuona: Imagine making this absolute gem then completely fucking fumbling this. (As for LeClair, you’re forgiven. But I’m watching you.)
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Julian Axelrod: I’ve by no means absolutely gotten into Okay-pop as a result of the rabid fandom it evokes feels so intimidating. Keeping up with the mini albums, label drama and solo ventures at all times appeared like a full-time job, and I have already got a kind of. For higher or worse, “Swim” seems like BTS for freshmen; even the aggressive accessibility of their English crossover hits turned extra fascinating throughout the context of their profession. The easy ocean of glassy synths is just interrupted by two moments of friction: J-Hope referring to his palms as fins a la LL Cool J in Deep Blue Sea, and the road the place it seems like RM says, “I’m in the D, tell me, where the hell you at girl?”, like he spent his hiatus mainlining Drego & Beno mixtapes. But if the BTS boys transfer to Detroit or a shark man joins the group, I’ll instantly turn into Army, no questions requested.
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Alex Clifton: “Swim” is to BTS’s again catalogue as LaCroix seltzer water is to actual fruit. If you’ve by no means had a lime and style a LaCroix, you get a fairly good approximation of the flavour; you then style an actual lime and notice it was simply an approximation. There’s a lot extra complexity to BTS’s work that doesn’t translate right into a (heh) watered-down model. BTS has achieved lovely ballads up to now! This will not be considered one of them. This is the comeback single we’ve been ready 5 years for, and also you’re rhyming “girl” with “world”? Even extra confusingly, Hybe launched seven remixes with wildly completely different backing tracks (Afrobeat, alt-rock, techno). The mark of a powerful tune is the flexibility to transcend style — bluegrass covers of Radiohead songs always slap — however with “Swim,” throwing out all these disparate kinds muddies the unique model and likewise signifies the tune doesn’t have a powerful id by itself.
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Al Varela: Look, I like BTS. They have a variety of music I really like, and I’ve no difficulty with them pursuing the American pop market as long as the songs themselves are nonetheless good. I like “Dynamite,” I like “Butter.” So with love for these boys in my coronary heart, I need to say: Do fucking higher. 
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