''Spinning Top'' is the ninth
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. by the South Korean boy band
Got7. It was released by
JYP Entertainment
JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
and
Dreamus
Dreamus is an electronics and entertainment company founded in 1999 originally as ReignCom. Currently headquartered in South Korea (and formerly in the United States), it is the parent company of South Korean-based iRiver, Astell & Kern and FLO ...
on May 20, 2019,. It peaked at No. 1 on the
Gaon Album chart,
and No. 5 on the US World Albums chart.
It sold 314,948 units in South Korea at the end of 2019, becoming the 18th best selling album of the year,
and was certified platinum by
KMCA on July 11, 2019.
The group followed it up with a world tour from June 15, 2019, visiting 16 cities in Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America and Oceania.
Background and release
On April 26, 2019, JYP Entertainment announced through a teaser video that Got7 would release an album on May 20. On May 6, two group teaser photos were revealed. From May 9 to May 12, individual teaser photos were released with four different concepts: the first is colorful, the second is black and red, the third is blurry and in black and white and the last one consists of portraits. The album's online cover was revealed on May 13 and the track list was released the following day, "Eclipse" being the album's title track. The first teaser for the music video was released on May 15, the second teaser which offers a glimpse at the choreography was posted the following day. On May 17, an album spoiler was released and the lyrics of each song were revealed on May 18.
Composition
Evaluating ideas to use as the theme of the new album, the word "anxiety" was chosen and, collecting other people's stories, Got7 decided to make an album to help them overcome it.
Reflecting on a way to reach the goal, and re-reading his old diaries, JB had the idea of using the symbol of a
top
A spinning top, or simply a top, is a toy with a squat body and a sharp point at the bottom, designed to be spun on its vertical axis, balancing on the tip due to the gyroscopic effect.
Once set in motion, a top will usually wobble for a few ...
, discovering that, even with the passage of time, he had cyclically worried about the same things and had repeatedly gone through periods of anxiety, staying still in the same spot like a top that can't get out of captivity.
The toy that rotates in balance was then associated to security and light, while the moment when it tilts and falls was associated to insecurity and darkness.
In addition to memories and experiences taken from JB's diaries, another source of inspiration was the opposition between the darkness backstage before a concert and the light of fans' lightsticks during the performance on stage.
The group took part in composing and writing the lyrics of all the tracks, reflecting on previous releases and expressing both "the universal theme of both security and insecurity within oneself",
communicating the message to overcome anxiety and move forward heading towards the light,
and the pressure experienced over its career in relation to the results of its musical production, and the anxiety towards an uncertain future and of losing what had been achieved up to that moment: on Got7's personal level, it is an invite to overcome the regret and anxiety felt when expectations towards an album are not met.
Overall, ''Spinning Top'' follows the process of a mind starting to get anxious, reaching the peak and finally finding a sense of stability.
The disc consists of six tracks, which become seven in the physical edition with the instrumental rendition of "Eclipse", and is divided into two halves. The first three tracks represent the moment when darkness falls and anxiety sets in: "1°", whose lyrics were partly written by
Yugyeom
Kim Yu-gyeom ( ko, 김유겸; born November 17, 1997), known mononymously as Yugyeom ( ko, 유겸), is a South Korean singer, songwriter and dancer who debuted as a member of Got7 in 2014 and one half of its duo subunit Jus2.
Early life
Despi ...
, compares the inclination of even one degree of the top, which leads it to an extreme destabilization, to how getting caught up in a minimum of insecurity does nothing but make it bigger and bigger.
The
future bass
Future bass is a style of electronic dance music which developed in the 2010s that mixes elements of dubstep and trap with warmer, less abrasive rhythms. The genre was pioneered by producers such as Rustie, Hudson Mohawke, Lido, San Holo and Ca ...
track "Eclipse" sees the participation of JB both in the lyrics and in the composition, and expresses the anxiety of not potentially being able to protect loved ones, and at the same time the fear of making them feel oppressed and end up alienating them. On a personal level, it raises questions about the group's future, capturing the anxiety felt "in the brightest moment" thinking of when popularity and love will disappear.
To make the first version of the song, JB took two to three months; "Eclipse" was initially "harsher and full of catchy melodies", but the score underwent numerous revisions following producer
J.Y. Park
Park Jin-young (Hangul: 박진영; born December 13, 1971), also known by his stage names J. Y. Park and The Asiansoul or the initials JYP, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer, record executive, and reality television show ju ...
's instructions, given his demand for more melodic and lyrical parts.
On Park's advice, part of the lyrics were also modified to change the way the feelings were expressed.
The
eclipse
An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ce ...
was chosen for the title as a metaphor, because the process by which insecurity comes and fills a person is gradual, similar to the sun covering the moon.
The third song is "The End", written and co-composed by Jinyoung thinking about what could have made him feel more insecure, namely the end of the group, and talks about the anxiety and sadness one experiences at the end of a relationship.
As the end of something represents, at the same time, a new beginning, "The End" marks the turning point on the record, introducing the next three tracks, which narrate the return of the light.
"Time Out" asks the listener to take a break and get rid of negative thoughts, focusing on overcoming insecurity, and was co-written and co-composed by
Youngjae.
On the other hand,
BamBam
Kunpimook Bhuwakul ( th, กันต์พิมุกต์ ภูวกุล; ; ; born May 2, 1997), nicknamed BamBam (; ), is a Thai rapper and singer based in South Korea, and a member of the boy band Got7.
Biography
His name is derive ...
participated in the composition and the lyrics of "Believe", in which he invites someone to trust him again and support him, so that he can find the light, similar to how a top, once it has fallen, needs someone who throws it again to resume spinning.
The sixth and final song, "Page", was co-composed and written by JB after reading a diary entry from a few years earlier in which he talked about the people he cared about. The song expresses his desire to get in touch with many people
and continue to write beautiful stories in the diary, and contains the theme of trusting each other and going together hand in hand towards the future.
The album cover is divided into two halves: the upper one represents security and is white, with a standing spinning top; the toy is reflected in the lower half, where it is instead tilted and on a black background, representing the insecurity and darkness that comes when the top is tilted by one degree.
Promotions
Got7 held a "Comeback Live Talk" on
Naver
Naver (Hangul: 네이버) is a South Korean online platform operated by the Naver Corporation. It was launched in 1999 as the first web portal in South Korea to develop and use its own search engine. It was also the world's first operator to in ...
's
V Live
V Live (stylized as VLIVE), sometimes referred to as V App, is a South Korean live video streaming service that allows celebrities based in the country to broadcast live videos such as live chat sessions with fans, performances, reality shows ...
broadcasting site on May 20, 2019, at 21:00
KST, one hour following the release of the album, to introduce each track. Actor
Kim Sang-joong
Kim Sang-joong (born August 6, 1965) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for starring in the television dramas ''My Husband's Woman'' (2007), ''City Hunter'' (2011), and ''The Chaser'' (2012). He won the Grand Prize at the MBC Drama Award ...
featured as a guest. They also promoted the album on May 21 on
JTBC
JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTBC ...
's ''
Idol Room
''Idol Room'' () was a South Korean television program which aired on JTBC every Tuesday at 18:30 (KST) and was hosted by Jeong Hyeong-don and Defconn. The program is inspired by JTBC Newsroom, and it is produced in order to be the idol-specialis ...
''.
Got7 held their comeback stage on
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
's ''
M Countdown
''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet. The show features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. It is broadcast from CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul.
Bro ...
'' on May 23 and promoted "Eclipse" on several
music programs in South Korea, including ''
Music Bank
Music Bank may refer to:
* ''Music Bank'' (TV program), a South Korean music program by KBS
**''Music Bank World Tour
The ''Music Bank'' World Tour is a worldwide live concert tour of South Korean music show '' Music Bank'' by the Korean Broa ...
'', ''
Show! Music Core
''Show! Music Core'' (), or simply ''Music Core'' is a South Korean music television program broadcast by MBC. It airs live every Saturday at 15:30 (KST). The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform live on stage. ...
'' and ''
Inkigayo
''Inkigayo'' ( ko, 인기가요; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who p ...
''.
Critical reception
''Soundigest'' called the album "an emotional roller-coaster as the septet open up more than ever about their vulnerabilities and confidence within themselves," and an "EP
hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
definitely didn't disappoint" "when it came to the universal theme of both security and insecurity within oneself" retaining "that signature Got7 production and sound."
''Vulture Hounds Amber Denwood wrote that the group is "a powerful machine" and has "all angles covered," and that "this level of talent and work-ethic has never been as evident as it is in the 6 tracks of their latest release, ''Spinning Top''."
She indicated "1°" as the song that showcases the vocal line's talent and "Eclipse" as the one that gives the rappers their time to shine, and called "Time Out" "a track that proves that Got7 are more than just their lyrics."
Commercial performance
''Spinning Top'' peaked at No. 1 on the
Gaon Album chart,
and No. 5 on the US World Albums chart.
It sold more than 210,000 copies in the first week, and was certified platinum by
KMCA on July 11, 2019.
The music video for "Eclipse" surpassed 20 million views on YouTube around 79 hours after release.
The record was nominated Best Album of the 2nd Quarter of 2019 at the
Gaon Chart Music Awards
The Circle Chart Music Awards (), formerly known as the Gaon Chart Music Awards, are a major music awards ceremony that is presented annually in South Korea by the Korea Music Content Association primarily based on the commercial performance of t ...
and Album Daesang at the
34th Golden Disc Awards
The 34th Golden Disc Awards ceremony was held from January 4–5, 2020. The JTBC network broadcast the show from the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Lee Da-hee and Sung Si-kyung served as hosts on the first day, with Lee Seung-gi and Park So-dam on t ...
, where it won the Album Bonsang award. At the end of 2019, it sold 314,948 units in South Korea, becoming the 18th best selling album of the year.
Track listing
Adapted from the group's official website.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Awards and nominations
Release history
See also
*
List of K-pop songs on the Billboard charts
List of K-pop songs on the ''Billboard'' charts is a compilation of weekly chart information for K-pop music published by the ''Billboard'' charts, and reported on by ''Billboard K-Town'', an online ''Billboard'' column. This is a list of K-p ...
*
List of K-pop albums on the Billboard charts
List of K-pop albums on the ''Billboard'' charts is a compilation of weekly chart information for K-pop music published by the ''Billboard'' charts, and reported on by ''Billboard K-Town'', an online ''Billboard'' column. This is a list of ...
*
List of Gaon Album Chart number ones of 2019
The Gaon Album Chart is a South Korean record chart that ranks the best-selling albums and EPs in South Korea. It is part of the Gaon Music Chart, which launched in February 2010. The data is compiled by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ...
References
{{Authority control
2019 EPs
Got7 EPs
Korean-language EPs
JYP Entertainment EPs
IRiver EPs