One of the many reasons why GOT7 is such a beloved and renowned international act is that each of its seven members is a unique and special piece. The members all have completely different personalities and musical styles. That’s also why GOT7’s new album “Breath of Love : Last Piece” is so fascinating and deserves to be praised.
Someone would think that with such different personalities and musical styles the group would never be able to succeed and achieve greatness. Over the past almost 7 years of activity, GOT7 has proven multiple times that those differences are what makes them and their music unique and interesting.
“Breath of Love : Last Piece” is a 10-pieces jigsaw puzzle, where each individual song has its own shape and portion of the picture. Only after listening to the album in its entirety the puzzle is assembled and reveals the final picture.
The album, released on November 30, is the group’s fourth full-length album and comes after two years since the release of their third, “Present: YOU” (September 2018). BOL : LP features the pre-release title track “Breath” – written and composed by Youngjae (as Ars), 6 other “solo” tracks written, composed, and arranged by every other member of the group, and 3 additional songs. All of the 7 “solo” tracks could have been a standalone release as they all are unique and charming but this is not what makes the album so special. It’s the whole picture.
While most K-pop idols these days credit themselves on albums as songwriters and producers or don’t step outside their comfort zone, GOT7 goes above and beyond that. The album showcases the powerhouse group’s musical genius and their personas shine through in the songs.
GOT7 showcases their musical talent through all ten tracks. BOL : LP includes two title tracks, “Breath” and “LAST PIECE”. The second title track is written and composed by the group’s leader JB (as DEFSOUL). This track is like a romantic confession. The melody has an explosive element to it, which is extremely thrilling to listen to. The hazy synth mesh with a mid-tempo and a kick towards the entire song as the members’ voices are perfectly flowing over the melody. The explosion is triggered by Youngjae’s powerful vocals on “You Know What” causing a post-chorus hook with rock energy and intensity that feels just right for the song. The song just keeps getting better and bolder. “LAST PIECE” is another excellent title track from JB and GOT7’s discography.
The music video accompanying the second title track features the same setting seen in “Breath” but this time the members show a different vibe (and luscious outfits). Worth notice that there is a gallery sequence for each of the members and when the group finally appears together and so GOT7 is completed, all the spaces on the wall behind them are filled with paintings. A nice way to show that it’s 7 or never.
The album continues with Mark’s ambitious “Born Ready”. The track is catchy and has a dynamic beat that backs the engaging lyricism. “SPECIAL” is composed, written, and arranged by Jackson. By listening to the track Ahgase can immediately recognize Jackson’s signature, it’s flirty and has a relaxed R&B style that matches the lyrics. “WAVE” just perfectly flows with its soft synth and bass beat complementing the group’s crystalline and flawless voices. Listeners will float into “Waiting For You” and its tranquil sound with the members softly singing, giving a melancholic vibe. “이젠 내가 할게” (translated “Thank You, Sorry”) melody is a combination of subtle synth, lilting guitar riff, and the member’s rich vocals.
“WAVE” is written and composed by Jinyoung, “Waiting For You” written and composed by BamBam, and “이젠 내가 할게” written and composed by Yugyeom.
The closing tracks are the refreshing and playful “1+1”, the straightforward and next to be your earworm “I Mean It” and “We Are Young” being that last piece of the jigsaw puzzle that you thought was not in the box or lost while it was always under your eyes.
In only over 48 hours since its release, BOL : LP and the title track “LAST PIECE” have entered the charts in over 97 countries. In the US, the album reached #1 in the iTunes Album Chart and the single #1 in the iTunes Song chart, becoming GOT7’s first song to achieve this. Meanwhile “Breath” debuts at #8 on this week’s World Digital Song Sales chart (the group’s 17th Top 10). Recently the group’s previous release “Not By The Moon” won a Daesang for Performance of the Year.
With BOL : LP all the GOT7 members have proved their worth as musicians and that, over the years, they’ve expanded their palettes, making them the one and only truly able to express their unique colours.
