BTS has officially released “KEEP SWIMMING,” a nine-track remix album that reimagines the group’s hit single “SWIM” through the individual musical styles of all seven members, RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook.
The album was released at 1pm KST on Friday, March 27, as announced by the group’s label, BIGHIT MUSIC, via fan platform Weverse. “KEEP SWIMMING” follows the release of “SWIM,” the lead single from BTS’s fifth studio album “ARIRANG,” which was released on March 20.
The remix album contains the original version of “SWIM”, an instrumental version, and seven remixes that each reflect a member’s musical taste. According to BIGHIT MUSIC, the remixes “bring different charm by expanding the structure of the original song,” according to Soompi.
RM opens the collection with a Chill Hip Hop Remix which gives the song a softer and more relaxed vibe. Jin follows with an Alternative Rock Remix that fuses Brit rock and punk rock for a high-energy version. SUGA’s Melodic Techno Remix adds depth with three-dimensional and layered club sounds.
j-hope brings an afrobeat remix built around guitar and piano melodies with a latin-inspired groove. Jimin delivers an R&B Slow Jam remix, using soulful guitar, smooth keyboard sounds and bouncing drums to highlight emotion and sensuality.
V takes the electronic route, contributing a remix with heavy bass and altered vocal textures. Jung Kook closes out the members’ remixes with an Acoustic Lofi Remix, featuring delicate guitar work and warm vocals that build on the comforting tone of the original, MK reported.
Full track list
- SWIM
- SWIM with RM (Chill Hip Hop Remix)
- SWIM with Jin (Alternative Rock Remix)
- SWIM with SUGA (Melodic Techno Remix)
- SWIM with j-hope (Afrobeat Remix)
- SWIM with Jimin (Slow Jam R&B Remix)
- SWIMMING with V (Electronic Remix)
- SWIM with Jung Kook (Acoustic Lofi Remix)
- SWIMMING (instrumental)
The remix album arrives on the same day as “BTS: THE RETURN,” a Netflix documentary directed by Bao Nguyen that follows the group’s journey in creating the “ARIRANG” album. The documentary is scheduled to premiere at 4 PM KST on March 27.
BTS is also preparing for the ARIRANG World Tour, which will cover 34 regions with 82 shows around the world, marking one of the group’s largest touring efforts to date, according to Netflix.
