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SEVENTEEN Welcomes Fans Home with YOU MADE MY DAWN

SEVENTEEN has released their newest mini-album YOU MADE MY DAWN, a follow-up to last summer’s YOU MAKE MY DAY. Fans have been eagerly awaiting this release since the group unveiled “Getting Closer” in December where they showcased a darker image, leaving fans to wonder what their next album would bring. While the much-anticipated dark concept was traded in for a softer one for title track “Home,” this release is far from disappointing, instead offering a musical sanctuary in the form of a flawless album.

Welcome “Home”

Upon hearing the teaser and previews, it was hard to imagine how “Home” would come together as a song. The pre-released snippets of rhythm and vocals seemed at odds with each other, leaving fans to wonder if the song would be an upbeat one or more of a ballad. Even listening to the full song, it’s a little jarring how much the intro, verses, bridges, and chorus differ from one another but one thing is clear: it works. And it works perfectly. Leave it to SEVENTEEN to somehow create a song so complex in its composition that it almost doesn’t make sense how great it is.

“Home” sings of finding refuge in another person, the age-old phrase that home is not always a room with four walls but rather sometimes another soul. As such, the lyrics are very intimate, particularly the simple chorus with its repetition of “Cause I’m your home, home, home, home.” The feelings evoked in this song harken back to 2018’s “THANKS,” an homage to the bond between SEVENTEEN and Carats.

Although the sentimental lyrics are a joy for any listener, the composition is where this song truly shines. Lying somewhere between EDM, R&B, and pop, “Home” offers listeners an unexpected audio experience between its unorthodox structure and surprising vocals. The entire song shifts back and forth between a light EDM-driven tone to a soft, lyrical piano without ever really dropping the beat like you’d expect. The understated chorus in particular keeps the listener on the edge of their seat, waiting for that moment when the beat finally drops, which it doesn’t until almost the end of the song. SEVENTEEN’s usual incredible vocals aside, rappers S. Coups and Wonwoo stand out, having traded in their hard-hitting verses for smooth vocals, notably Wonwoo in the second chorus. Simply put, SEVENTEEN knocked it out of the park.

Home is Where the Heart Is

The music video for “Home” is equally soft, with the opening featuring close-up shots of each member before transitioning into the song. Throughout the video, the members are shown in different settings, each of which is not the most inviting but made all the more comfortable with the presence of beds, couches, and lamps—bits of home. Various shapes and sizes of lamps, in particular, are littered throughout the video, exemplifying the warm feeling of home of which the members sing. As with the majority of SEVENTEEN’s work, the theme is only driven home by the choreography which features the members forming rooftops with their hands and opening doors, quite literally welcoming viewers home.

The Album

In a track that easily could’ve been the title, “Good to Me” opens the album with a powerful EDM sound full of strong vocals, a heavy beat, and a catchy chorus before drifting into the softer “Home.” Third on the mini-album is the first of three unit tracks, “Hug,” performed by the vocal team. This short, sweet ballad takes things even softer with the five vocalists only accompanied by a muted electric guitar. Next up is the hip-hop unit with the upbeat and extremely infectious “Chilli” that serves as the bright point amidst an album full of subdued, softer melodies. Rounding out the unit songs is “Shhh” by the performance team which is nothing short of an experience. Combining electronic pop with hints of funk and smooth vocals in a way that’s evocative of SHINee, this track is downright addictive. The explosion of the last chorus is literally breathtaking—only fitting for a track that leads into the previously released “Getting Closer.”

This is an album that has no holes; each song brings something different to the table in terms of style, genre, and content. If “Home” weren’t such a powerful title, the B-sides of this album would be more than enough to make up for it. The tracklist is immaculately crafted, with songs building from soft to strong in a way that only makes listeners want more. In their promotions for the release of this mini-album, performance leader Hoshi claimed that the group’s goal this year is to win a daesang and with a release as solid as this one, I think it’s safe to say SEVENTEEN will be a force to be reckoned with in 2019.

“Home” Title Score: 9/10
Music Video Score: 8/10

YOU MADE MY DAWN Album Score: 10/10

Overall: 9/10