A few weeks ago, I relented to Youtube’s algorithm and listed to GOT7’s new song, “Python.” Well geez, it was pretty much a perfect song from the first listen, so naturally, I started to dig into more of who these guys were.
If I’m thinking back to the era of Monsta X, these guys actually came first. They debuted at the very beginning of 2014 and have been putting out music since then. Now, more recently, say, the last five years or so, the members have been focusing more on solo projects, fashion ventures, and their mandatory military service. But, they’ve sporadically come together to make music for their fans, known as I GOT7 or Ahgase, and I can say that I’m now a part of the “nest.” It was also very interesting to learn that the group was under JYP, the same label as Stray Kids, up until 2021. From there, they all got on their own individual label, but for this new album, Winter Heptagon, they signed under the relatively new Kakao Entertainment. It seems they have quite a bit of freedom under this label, but it also probably helps that they are well known and well respected.
Even though “Python” was amazing, I decided to wait for their physical record to come to me before listening to it all the way through. And like I’ve done with all the other K-Pop groups that have come into my life, I decided to watch goofy ass videos of them and turn to Reddit for song suggestions. I’m delighted to say that these guys are chaos queens and are hilarious. Also, their bond is really tight, playful, and sincere. Reddit gave me at least 60 different songs to filter through, and while not all of them landed for me, a good deal did!
If I had to recommend some of the top ones, “Just Right” is goofy and upbeat with a neat sound, but also some hella inspiring lyrics – especially coming from some good looking K-Pop idols! Then there is “Poison,” perhaps on the total opposite end of the sound spectrum, but it’s catchy and sexy and a total ear worm. “Nanana” off their last release is really fun and also insanely catchy. I dare you to listen to it and not sing the chorus. I was surprised to learn that “Page” was not the lead single off of their mini album Spinning Top because it is amazing and it seems like the guys have a really fun time performing it. There are so many videos and versions of these songs on the internet that I know I haven’t even made a dent in what’s available. If you’re trying to get your feet wet with GOT7, those are the songs I recommend you flock to first.
But with that being said, Winter Heptagon finally came to my house, so I gave it at least a dozen spins before sitting down to review it. Consensus: it’s a top-tier album. “Python” was chosen as the lead single, which in my opinion, it is the strongest track off the album. A few others come close, but from a sound perspective, it’s unlike anything else I’ve checked out from these guys. There’s a maturity to it that really makes them seem suave and sexy, so it was funny to go back and listen to and watch performances from their early days with songs like “Just Right” or “I Like You.” For this album, the group only came together to do everything within three months. That’s kind of crazy! And from the sounds of it, the promotions and few shows that they did for it might be it. I’m used to bands not putting out new stuff for years, but I’m not used to them not promoting stuff for almost that whole time. But I think these guys can afford to do so and the fans will still flock to whatever they’ve got going on, whether that be solo activities or GOT7 all together.
Though they aren’t all together at the moment, they do keep dropping a lot of content in relation to the album, and one of those things was an hour-long behind the scenes making of Winter Heptagon. How cool! We got to see each member direct the others in the song that they wrote for the album. It was nice to see how collaborative, respectful, and hype they all were with each other in making these songs happen. I particularly liked Jinyoung’s excitement at one part in Mark’s song, “Out the Door.” Likewise, seeing Jay B and Jackson interact made my cheeks hurt with how much I was smiling. If I took away anything from the video, is that BamBam is super collaborative and Yugyeom is a sweetheart with a great vocal range.
All of the tracks off Winter Heptagon are solid and in a neat twist, almost all totally different genres! It’s interesting to me that this is considered a mini album given that there are nine wholly original songs. “Python” and “Tidal Wave” were crafted by BamBam, and the latter is also a hypnotic club banger. “Our Youth” and “Remeber” written and composed by Youngjae and Yugyeom are perhaps the most similar to previous GOT7 sounds, but they are both very different from each other and the rest of the tracks off the album. “Darling” by Jay B and “Her” by Jinyoung add a softness to the record that really rounds it out. Both are talking about love but in totally different perspectives. “Smooth,” a song by Jackson that sounds like it could have come straight from Bruno Mars’ brain is an uplifting and really fun time, while Mark’s “Out the Door” speaks to my pop punk/One Direction heart. The first part of Mark’s song is so crisp and I love his particular lyrics in the second verse. The final track on the album is really special in that it’s a song for their fans that Jay B crafted from letters that each member wrote to Ahgases. It’s not my favorite song, but there’s no denying how special it truly is.
Overall, if this post didn’t make it clear, I’m obsessed with these guys. And now that I know a lot more about them, you bet your ass I will be fighting to see them in person as a group someday. Plenty to love from these guys’ extensive discography, so please go listen to them!