Imagine sitting in the corner of a colorful coffee shop, sipping a matcha latte as the sun slowly warms your face. That is what “Layover” by V, feels like.
V is the stage name of Kim Tae-hyung, who is one of the seven members of BTS. The group recently decided to go on a hiatus in order to fulfill their mandatory military service in South Korea.
Each member has released solo work within the past year, with Tae-hyung being the last of the bunch to do so. I am a fan of his soulful and husky voice, which is why I was looking forward to this EP.
Tae-hyung definitely did not disappoint.
“Layover” was released on Sep. 7 consisting of five tracks and an overarching breakup theme incorporated throughout. The EP is a true reflection of Tae-hyung and allows fans to peer into the complications of his life.
The EP is not simply one genre, displaying V’s ambitious attempt to tackle a style he has not utilized before in his music. I appreciate the fact that while “Layover” utilizes a jazz style that he previously shared a liking for with fans, he also explored aspects of R&B.
Before falling into K-pop and BTS, I had never considered myself a fan of jazz at all. If it was playing I wouldn’t necessarily shut it off, but I couldn’t see myself getting up and dancing to it.
However, because of V, my opinions have started to change. I now constantly find myself drawn towards his music taste.
After numerous teasers on the social media platform “Weverse,” Tae-hyung shared the song “Love Me Again,” one of the two pre-release singles. I instantly fell in love with the electric guitar that strums four dreamy chords before V’s voice enters and blends into the beat.
My favorite part of the song is when he sings “Lost without you baby,” using a higher tone of his voice that he does not typically rely on. It was a refreshing segment and introduced a unique style I had not heard from him before.
I had to rewind that portion of the song as my jaw dropped. It was such a beautiful run and I fell in love with it instantly.
In the music video of “Love Me Again,” V shines in sparkly red and gold sequined outfits as he sings into a microphone. While it’s simple, I loved his rockstar-like persona and his alluring facial expressions.
The second pre-release track, “Rainy Days,” is easily my favorite of the EP. The song starts with a soft piano melody, with natural sounds of texts being sent and people speaking in the background.
The lo-fi-style post-breakup song uses a simple melody for the chorus, yet Tae-hyung weaves both lower and higher notes of his vocal register during later segments. The video shares a softer side of Tae-hyung, as he lounges around in a hoodie and jeans with a dog similar to his own.
The cover of “Layover” is his actual dog, Yeontan. Tae-hyung was sure to share his love for the Pomeranian on the front of the album, which I found incredibly sweet.
“Blue” is the next track and is definitely on the simpler side. Despite this, it showcases a gentle beat and Tae-hyung’s higher vocal range as his voice echoes in the background before and after the chorus.
“For You” kicks off with a higher female voice singing, which was unexpected. However, Tae-hyung dives into the chorus and sings “I wish I could stay with you” in a beautiful falsetto that I absolutely adore.
I love when the song shifts entirely into a higher key near the middle, giving a new sense of character to the song. The broken lyricism clearly stemmed from personal experience for V, backed up with a stunning piano piece.
The music video for the last track, “Slow Dancing,” was released the same day as the EP. The video shared a playful Tae-hyung, as he was seen laughing with friends on the coast of Majorca, Spain.
The song reminded me of tracks from the 1970s, encompassing a calming, romantic and soulful style.
I think that if Tae-hyung was a song, it would be “Slow Dancing.” The beat, instrumentals and melody all encompass everything he loves and the song is executed beautifully.
Within the music video, I noticed that as Tae-hyung takes a polaroid of him and his friends, the result is simply multiple versions of himself.
It makes it seem as though he is dreaming of being with others, yet is stuck in his own mind, which made me consider what complications he may be experiencing.
The next time you’re studying or sitting in your favorite coffee shop sipping a matcha latte, take a few minutes to listen to “Layover.” I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
