Layover – EP

What Makes Layover So Irresistibly Replayable?

With each listen,  it feels like unraveling an intimate conversation—warm, soulful, and always tinged with quiet melancholy. Its mood is wistful yet glowing, drawing you deeper into its emotional landscape every time.

Kim Tae-hyung, better known as “V” (뷔) from BTS, stepped boldly into his solo career with the release of his debut album Layover on September 8, 2023, just before his enlistment in South Korea’s military service. From the very first track, the album weaves together jazz, R&B, and soul in a way that feels refreshingly modern yet gently nostalgic. As someone who once held skepticism about K-pop, I didn’t expect to be so moved by these beautifully crafted melodies and introspective tones—but I couldn’t help being captivated. What an intimate vibe.

V leans into retro jazz and R&B influences, focusing on subtle vocal delivery instead of flashy production. Produced by Min Hee-jin, known for her work with NewJeans, the album is polished both sonically and visually, with minimalist music videos that match its reflective mood. Layover centers on themes of love, heartache, and self-discovery, with V’s voice balancing between vulnerability and strength. In Love Me Again, his deep baritone conveys quiet longing, while Slow Dancing has a carefree, dreamy feel. Though the album’s sound initially drew me in, it’s the emotion in V’s vocals that keeps me listening, as each playthrough reveals new layers and meaning.

In the end, what keeps me hitting repeat isn’t just the lush production or V’s velvety voice—it’s the sense of quiet intimacy that makes every listen feel like a shared secret. Layover lingers, not just in your ears but in your thoughts, leaving you with the feeling that you’ve been let in on something deeply personal, something both simple and profound. And maybe that’s why I can’t stop listening. Because Layover isn’t just music—it’s a moment of stillness, a shared breath, a mirror reflecting what it means to feel. In a world that’s often so loud, how rare and precious is that?

Image courtesy of Weverse

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