After releasing two internationally successful entries in the “Love Yourself” series, BTS have finally released the final compilation in a similar pattern to the “Most Beautiful Moment In Life” era of 2015 and 2016 – Love Yourself: Answer on August 24th.
The album has already garnered success within its first week of release with the title track “Idol” becoming the most watched YouTube video within the first 24 hours of being uploaded! “Answer” has also reached the Top 20 in the UK album charts at no. 14 with the promoted single reaching no. 21!
The full album presents solo tracks from all the members, vocalist and rapper tracks easily differentiated by the title:
Vocalist solos:
- Euphoria (JK)
- Serendipity (Jimin) [previously released on “LY: Her” as the shortened ver.]
- Singularity (V) [previously released on “LY: Tear”]
- Epiphany (Jin)
Rapper solos:
- Trivia: Just Dance (J-Hope)
- Trivia: Love (RM)
- Trivia: Seesaw (Suga)
Out of these solos, my favourite seems to have stuck with Serendipity from the release of “LY: Her” back in late 2017. Jimin’s soothing light vocals are amplified with an extended version of the song. Honouring mentions from these categories include “Euphoria” and “Just Dance” – the latter of which sounding like something you would hear the likes of Craig David over.
Notable inclusions include an extended remix of MIC Drop’s English version by Steve Aoki. This edit does not contain the featuring from Desiigner, as heard in the official music video. The popular rock remixes of “Fake Love”, and previously unreleased one for “DNA” make the tracklist for the second half of the album.
Another version of “Idol” is available on the digital release of the album as the very last song on the second (digital) disc. This extended variation includes a verse by prestigious rapper, Nicki Minaj. I’m conflicted, as the feature in question is a high-ranking and talented rapper, but following Minaj’s recent controversy in certain questionable collaborations and online conflicts, it may have dampened the intense vibe. Needless to say, this collaboration has almost certainly blasted BTS into new territory within the western music industry.
To summarise everything in two sentences… despite being little more than a re-issue of “Tear” and their EP “Her” bundled into one album, “Answer” may have helped BTS only progress further than any K-Pop group have ever gone before. It has all the favourites from the previous two albums combined with incredible new content for a pleasurable listening experience.
