[Album Review] WINTER HEPTAGON (13th Mini Album) – GOT7

2 hours ago 4

It’s amusing that the plan was to start reviewing 2025 albums in July, and all I ended up reviewing was just a single album in July. Well, hopefully that all changes, as this particular album review is for an album released this year (and I can keep the momentum going from here on out). The album in question is GOT7’s long-awaited release of WINTER HEPATGON, their 13th mini-album, which features the lead single PYTHON and 8 side tracks.

Overall, WINTER HEPTAGON showcases a lot of the group through a variety of styles and sounds, which comes from the fact that each member penned and produced a side-track for the group to perform. SMOOTH was written by JACKSON, Our Youth by YOUNGJAE, REMEMBER by YUGYEOM, Darling by JAY B, TIDAL WAVE by BAMBAM, OUT THE DOOR by MARK, and her by JINYOUNG. BAMBAM also contributed towards the title track, while GOT7 together wrote the final track. It is a strong mini-album (though I think it could have passed off as a studio album) from a group that hasn’t come together as a group since the release of 2022’s GOT7, led by the single NANANA.

1. PYTHON (Title Track) – Click here for PYTHON’s full review. (8.5/10)

2. SMOOTH – SMOOTH brings a livelier and upbeat presence to the mini-album through its funky instrumentation. I appreciate its straightforwardness and pure sound, as well. The title sums up the vocals quite well, particularly thanks to the falsettos throughout the song. I just wished the song was a little longer, as SMOOTH wrapped up fairly quickly as soon as it started. (8/10)

3. Our Youth (춘드라마) – We remain in upbeat territory with Our Youth, this time delving into the pop genre. I liked how this track sounded quintessential GOT7. Despite being upbeat, I liked how the instrumental felt paced. To me, this made me feel like the group could have done something cool with a developmental aspect for its performance, especially in a period where KPOP songs are short and also fast-paced. I also liked the chants in the background during the chorus, which just felt like such a pleasant backing for the song. (8/10)

4. REMEMBER (기억할거야 말은) – Only going for 2:18 minutes is REMEMBER. You can bet that by pointing out its short length, I imply that I want this track to be longer. There is a lot of potential that isn’t capitalised by its short length. That being said, I enjoyed the EDM and UK-garage mix in the instrumental. This mix concurrently gave REMEMBER dynamism and depth, driving it forward. The vocals brought an R&B element, which to me made the track appealing. The chorus was neatly catchy. (9/10)

5. Darling – The EDM and R&B carry over from the previous song into Darling. And these elements come together to create a lovely and romantic number. Paired with GOT7’s amazing vocals, this is a track that should not be missed. I loved the use of the deeper tones, alongside the falsettos, by some of the members, and Darling’s overall smoothness. (9/10)

6. TIDAL WAVE – TIDAL WAVE is one of the best tracks on this mini-album. We have BAMBAM to thank for this song. I love how stunning the softer piano-driven moments during the pre-choruses are, with YOUNGJAE and YUGYEOM at the helm during these segments. But it is the club vibe that the EDM has me coming back for more. It is so good. The vocals throughout TIDAL WAVE are beautiful (amazing harmonies in this one), and this contrasts so well with the harsher aspects commonly associated with EDM. Any easy 10/10 for me. (10/10)

7. OUT THE DOOR – OUT THE DOOR is probably the mini-album’s boldest sound. It features one thing that most other songs on this mini-album just don’t have – some oomph. In addition to that, there are other elements I liked in OUT THE DOOR, including the early ‘00s vibe the upbeat instrumentation gives off, the bright vocal tones throughout the song, the elongated notes during the pre-choruses, and the touch of EDM during the second verse to give the song some added texture and an additional side. Overall, the track is refreshingly summery, perfect for a drive with the windows down. (9/10)

8. her – her features an acoustic indie folk influence that takes us into pop-rock balladry territory. I really liked how the song starts off soft and slowly develops as it progresses. It just makes the pop-rock aspects more impactful and effective. The vocals from all members are stunningly breathtaking. It is really hard to pick a highlight in her, so I am going to say the entire length of the track is the highlight. (10/10)

9. Yours, Truly (우리가 할수있는 말은) – Finally, the end of the mini-album is upon us, and it closes out with Yours, Truly. It is a touching ballad dedicated to their fans, AGAHSE, who have been patiently awaiting new music from the group for what felt like forever. Like the rest of the mini-album, Yours, Truly features some gorgeous vocals, and the melodies evoke a swaying motion from me that I like to find in ballads. The organ in the background was a nice touch, just to give Yours, Truly a little something different from other ballads. (9/10)