SEVENTEEN Calls Upon the God of Music in 11th EP SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN
Say the name! SEVENTEEN celebrated the universal language of music with the release of their eleventh EP SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN on October 23, 2023. With eight new tracks, including an instrumental of the title track “God of Music,” SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN truly displays the diversity of the group’s discography in the span of 26 minutes.
Tracklist:
“SOS (Prod. Marshmello)”
“God of Music”
“Diamond Days”
“Back 2 Back”
“Monster”
“Yawn”
“Headliner”
“God of Music (Inst.)”
The Title Track: “God of Music”
“God of Music” is very SEVENTEEN. It’s yet another example of SEVENTEEN’s youthful and energetic side still shining through. “God of Music” carries a similar grandiose feeling to 2020’s “HOME;RUN” with a hint of 2022’s “_WORLD.” One look at the thumbnail for the “God of Music” video tells viewers everything they need to know. Yes, that is Hoshi riding a donkey, which means two things: the video is fun, and SEVENTEEN enjoyed themselves. Even S.Coups, who remains on hiatus due to a torn ACL, manages to party along with his group members thanks to the power of cellphones and video editing.
Song-wise, “God of Music” is a pick-me-up. It does what its lyrics say: it invigorates and unites people through its sound. The song’s featured expression “Kung chi pak chi” is the next “Darumdarimda,” a phrase used in “Super” that many fans latched onto for its fun nature. “Kung chi pak chi” away, I say!*
The B-Sides: A Heavenly Selection
SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN starts with “SOS (Prod. Marshmello).” As indicated by the name, Marshmello helped compose the track with Woozi and Bumzu. It creates a great sense of urgency by mimicking clock ticking in the pre chorus before transitioning into the statements of “SOS.” The next B-side, “Diamond Days,” oozes nostalgia for many Carats (SEVENTEEN fans). “Diamond Days” feels like the successor to “Shining Diamond,” the song prominently featured in the group’s 2015 predebut show SEVENTEEN PROJECT. As I finished my first listen, the closing whispers of “slip into the diamond life,” referencing the original track, made me audibly exclaim in excitement.
The performance team of Hoshi, Jun, The8, and Dino appear on the EP’s first unit song,“Back 2 Back.” It’s definitely a great track to dance along to, which helps carry on the energy after “Diamond Days.” The combined composing efforts of Vernon and Bumzu channel the spirit of Halloween in hip-hop team’s “Monster.” In this hip-hop team track, S.Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Vernon showcase raps accompanied by all sorts of sounds—including bells and screams— to keep listeners on their toes. It’s my personal favorite from the album, due to how unique it presents itself within the EP.
Switching gears from “Monster,” vocal team’s “Yawn” goes the softer route. Woozi, Jeonghan, Joshua, DK, and Seungkwan sing a beautiful ballad for over four minutes. I love the strong strings in the latter portion of the song, which pair very nicely with the piano. “Headliner,” the final B-side, showcases another type of song SEVENTEEN performs well: calming acoustic songs that all fans will sway along to. I already can envision the heartwarming atmosphere surrounding this song at concerts.
*Note: lyrics taken from English captions in the official music video.