Review of V's album Layover | Ally Block
If you’re like me, you were expecting BTS to do their typical anniversary schtick: reenacting old photoshoots, releasing archived dance practices, and getting drunk on camera. So, you also hopped onto youtube.com on June 14, 2022, and instead were hit with their solemn, tearful video announcing their indefinite hiatus to complete their enlistment duties.
If any of that resonated with you, it’s probably safe to assume you’re also still recovering from the emotional whiplash.
BTS fans are down astronomically, especially with the recent news that Suga will be enlisting as soon as next week. Please respect my privacy at this time.
However, there is one thing to keep us stable, and that’s the solo projects. Each member of BTS is releasing a solo project during their hiatus, the most recent of which is V’s Layover.
Layover, similarly to the solo releases before it, encapsulates V’s persona and is a more self-assured follow-up to his previous solo tracks "Singularity" and "Stigma."
I was surprised at how short the track list was for an album because, in my mind, anything under 10 tracks is an EP. Argue with the wall. After listening, I realized that one of Layover’s best features is its conciseness. Each track is about three minutes long, with the album wrapping up at 17 minutes and 30 seconds. This makes it the perfect album to reach for if you’re looking for something to listen to between classes or on the way to work.
Just like V, this album knows what it is. It doesn’t need extra tracks to get its point across.
The six tracks are all inspired by V’s deep-set love of 50’s jazz and crooners like Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra, but with a modern twist reminiscent of K-R&B artists like DEAN and Crush. Many of the producers on Layover have worked with artists like Jhené Aiko and NewJeans, so its catchiness and laid-back sound isn't surprising.
While I love how relaxing Layover is, I think that the tracks tend to blend if you’re not paying attention. However, if you’re looking for the perfect album to unwind to after a long day, that might be the selling point.
Layover has quickly become an emotional support album for me, not necessarily because of its lyrics, but because of its comforting sound and low stakes runtime.
Ally Block
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layover_%28V_album%29