Jinyoung’s debut EP corroborates GOT7’s success, and this Chapter 0 WITH review will tell you why. The EP consists only of five songs and has been highly anticipated since its announcement about a week ago. The artist took to his social media to share the poster and the release schedule for the teasers and trailers. On January 6, 2023, he confirmed that his first EP would be released on January 18, 2023.
While the singer has teased the album for quite some time, the confirmation only came less than two weeks before the album was released, and the tracklist was revealed only two days before. While generally, artists put out music before the release of an album, Jinyoung had not released a single from the EP before it came out. However, fans were nevertheless excited to see what he would bring to this album.
Chapter 0 WITH Review
Animal
This song is a love ballad that starts with slow piano notes evocative of the Korean Drama OST music. It is extremely acoustic and stripped, with only the artist and the instrument. However, how his voice layers within the song give it a more ethereal feel. Additionally, the lyrics are extremely indicative of a saddened lover writing regretfully.
He expresses his lack of vulnerability in the song. However, he uses aggressive and superficial words like ‘Animal‘ to package the song. But, it is extremely soft and heartfelt, a theme running in parallel with the song.
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Cotton Candy
If Animal is regretful, Cotton Candy is the protagonist making up for the mistake. It almost seems like all the regret from the previous song contributes to the feelings in this one. The attempt to find out more and the playful nature of the song make that clear. It is one of the only songs in the album that has synthesised instrumental elements.
Additionally, the song’s title contributes to the connotation of being something pure and innocent like a child would like. The childlike wonder and happiness are communicated in this song.
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Our Miracle
Now that the pure childlike happiness has faded, Jinyoung has taken to move the beats towards something more mature. He has made the beats more grounded in acoustic elements but still employs some elements of the synthesiser from the last song.
This song is evocative of some of Troye Sivan’s recent work, namely Take Yourself Home, which has an electric guitar riff that this song also replicates. But the lyrics make the serendipity part come alive and move towards confidence in the relationship.
Sleep Well
Once again, the electrical guitar is strong in this song, but it is slowly moving away from the synthesised elements, which has lent this EP a continuity most don’t have. Unlike the last two songs, which are about defining the relationship and being in the honeymoon phase with something new, this song indicates a comfort that invites people in.
There is an element to the lyrics that gives the relationship space. The maturity in the lyrics is on a steady incline upward. The artist exhibits his talents in shifting tones and voices, moving from innocent to grown. He has moved from disbelief to blatant worship of the song’s muse, which is a great evolution in the album.
Letter
From the title, it becomes really clear that the song is thoughtful and serious. The acoustic guitar conveys that feeling and once again invokes the Korean drama OST energy. Once again, the piano is back, and this time the violins join in to add sentimentality to the song. The slow beats in the background make this song perfect for a slow dance.
After a journey through the last few songs, this feels like a good epilogue for the moment, with a lot of promise and fear simultaneously. Jinyoung has the ability to paint a story across the five songs that are present. It is brilliant how he can do that.
Chapter 0 WITH Final Thoughts
The album is extremely coherent, with a recurring theme and element that keeps the songs connected yet explores different facets of a relationship. The instrumentals are wonderfully arranged and set the tone for the songs in the EP. Jinyoung has truly made a mark with this impressive debut project.
Considering the artist has written the song mostly by himself, it shows his talents beyond the confines of vocal range and capability. Hopefully, the positive reception will invite more albums with similar songwriting acumen.
You can listen to Chapter 0 WITH on Spotify.
What song are you most excited to play on repeat? Let us know in the comments below.
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