Neither a Thom Yorke nor Darren Aronofsky cover…
[Video]
[6.67]
Michael Hong: It would have made perfect sense for BTS to rehash the same sparklingly bright polished pop of “Boy with Luv” or even succumb to the trendy dark-pop of other boybands. It then comes as a surprise when BTS released “Black Swan,” perhaps their boldest piece of experimentation, to laments of it being an otherwise “normal R&B influenced K-pop track.” As if any boyband, Korean or Western, is performing over beats that sound like the work of early Clams Casino mixtapes. “Black Swan” incorporates elements of the darker, moodier sounds of Western pop, like how the blurred line between rapping and singing is reminiscent of the likes of Post Malone. They also manage to make a statement on their unity through the heavy-handed use of Auto-Tune and blending of voices that managed to confuse even the most esteemed lyric video makers. And if that weren’t enough, BTS then released an accompanying “art film,” which borders on c-levels of pretension, altering the track by burying it under a flurry of strings. Both the video and updated track are completely worth the title of “art film” and under that layers of strings, “Black Swan” sounds terrifyingly claustrophobic, amplifying the intensity of each member’s desire, their longing to continue producing music. The streaming version of “Black Swan” can be seen as a great example of BTS’ bold experimentation and unity, but it’s the absolutely bonkers “art film” mix, cramped and confessional, that has me all-in on their imminent comeback.
[8]
Brad Shoup: I have to admit, I really like the idea of an idol on the wrong side of 30 running up to people and wailing “what’s my thang — tell me now.” Still, they get credit for taking on artistic mortality over nylon strings that land as delicately as ballerinos.
[6]
Alfred Soto: Is this a Weeknd track? The first fifteen seconds sported the same click ‘n’ moan. Then the suppleness of the chorus ceding ground to the “yeah yeah yeah”s got me — yup, BTS have entered the craftsmanship chapter of their remarkable careers.
[7]
Ryo Miyauchi: The Boys’ once-animated hip-hop is now brooding and sapped of color and understandably so: this is the sound of music when it no longer evokes that precious spark like it used to when you first fell in love with it. Everything from the beat, the hook to rhyme sounds like the ghost of its former self, and witnessing BTS go through the motions is excruciating.
[6]
Leonel Manzanares de la Rosa: The vocal layering and the traditional instrument emulations themselves work wonders and would definitely enhance a more atmospheric setting, but the trap beat and the somewhat static movement of the track completely limit its potential. Still, it does serve its ambitious music video, and together make a much better result, but as a song it still falls short, even compared to BTS’ other adventurous singles.
[5]
Alex Clifton: “Boy with Luv” specifically helped me reconnect with my love of music after fearing I’d lost it for so long. To hear BTS release a song that goes through those same fears is quite reassuring. Becoming disconnected with my ability to create has been at the forefront of my mind over the past few years. I have days where I forget how to write, where every sentence that comes out feels wrong and sounds like it was written by a three-year-old. I have whole stories and universes in my head, but if I try to do anything related to those projects on paper, I lose. Everything becomes wooden and staid and not worth saying. But writing is also the one thing I’ve known I’ve wanted to do for my whole life — what happens if (and when) I lose that connection? I want to make it clear that when I discuss writing this way, it’s not just that I want to make art but merely don’t put in the work for it. What I mean is the deep, unsettling fear that the one skill I’ve been certain about since I was a kid is something that could slip away at any time and I’d never learn how to get it back. What if I use up all my words? If I can’t come up with anything worth saying again? It’s a haunting thought that keeps me up at night with worry. The message of “Black Swan” is that, despite existential despair and horror, you’ve got to keep pursuing that spark, the urge to create stuff because art brings meaning into a dark world. It’s a terror whenever you face the void of your own depression and art, but something that you need to push through in order to get to the other side. I can’t say that this song has made it any easier for me to put pen to paper on the novel I’ve written on-and-off for six years in order to do much needed revisions, but it does remind me to keep at it. The words haven’t dried up yet. I’ve still got things to say.
[8]