Through the Lens of Def.
Following the release of his H1GHR MUSIC solo debut as JAY B with SOMO:FUME, the GOT7 member brought a revival to his alias Def. with his first physical EP LOVE. released on January 26, 2022.
The R&B/Soul album consists of six tracks:
1. “AGAIN (feat. LEON)”
2. “왜그래? (WHY?)”
3. “I JUST WANNA KNOW”
4. “바보같이 (LIKE A FOOL) (feat. JUNNY)”
5. “WANT U”
6. “SUNSET WITH YOU”
With the productions of Royal Dive, Mirror Boy, Saimon, LEON and JUNNY, as well as Def. himself, LOVE. shows a series of different love stories, whether they’re one-sided, simply unrequited, or ones that you dive right into.
The music video for the EP’s final song “SUNSET WITH YOU” dropped the same time as the EP, providing a visual to better tell the story of LOVE. The guitar in the bridge doesn’t feel overpowering, but rather feels restrained to keep the mellow feeling that matches the lyrics. The music video follows Def. around various locations: on the beach, taking a bus ride, and also in a forest. Altogether, the beige tones of the visuals combined with the song create a state of tranquility, allowing listeners to truly indulge in the vision and artistry of Def.
The sound of an electric guitar starting in “AGAIN” will take you on a journey throughout the entirety of LOVE. Meanwhile, the descending notes paired with the synths in the pre-chorus of “왜그래?” construct a certain playful-yet-sexy melody. “I JUST WANNA KNOW” serves as the perfect follow-up song for “왜그래?” as the repeating lyrics in the outro create a sense of desperation.
This same tone can be found in “바보같이” in the form of a bossa nova beat where faux-maracas take control of the melody line and where both Def. and JUNNY’s voices stand out the most. “WANT U” gives vibes of an artist like Tom Misch, whom JAY B has mentioned being a fan of for years, even attending Misch’s Geography Tour Seoul concert back in 2018.
In the wait for GOT7 group promotions, all members decided to explore each of their own sounds, however, the group’s leader independently decided upon releasing music under both of his aliases, JAY B and Def. As explained by himself, the music released as ‘Jay B’ is curated with the idea of being more mainstream music the general public will enjoy, released under H1GHR MUSIC. Def., on the other hand, chooses not to consider how he will be perceived by a general audience, and makes music which he truly wants to do whilst releasing it under Warner Music Korea.
JAY B created these identities for himself to be able to be free in whatever type of music he chooses to release, whether it's as H1GHR MUSIC soloist JAY B, independent artist Def., or GOT7 member Lim Jaebeom. He plays around with this idea through his radio show on STATION Z where he conducted an 'interview' with Def., which later led to Lim Jaebeom deciding to 'join' in the fun. The radio station even jokingly texted those who listened live, "JAY B's double life is starting now.”
Physical album sales for LOVE. were limited for purchase through the pre-order link within specific dates, with many fans speculating this choice was made to reduce album waste to help the environment. This is much like how JAY B’s SOMO:FUME albums were made up of entirely recyclable materials.
The EP cover follows the same design as its Soundcloud versions: outlined black and white figures. The prevalent difference between them is that LOVE. is filled with color. This could be a way of getting the word out that varicolored concepts are waiting to be shown with this EP.
As the final track “SUNSET WITH YOU” ends, listeners understand that through the lens of Def., a sunset can be seen and that by sharing this moment of peace, this EP will be one fans think about often.
LOVE. is available now on all streaming platforms.