As their title suggests, NCT Dream have at all times been about going up and searching ahead, by no means stagnating. All through their discography, they crafted an offbeat but extremely melodious sound, which helped set them aside as NCT’s most vivid sub-group, and one in every of SM Leisure’s most profitable acts. Whereas they’re identified for optimistic, shiny vibes, rising up beneath the highlight leaves scars, and the septet has chosen to lean into these vulnerabilities for his or her newest mini-album, ‘Dream( )scape’.
Poignant movie teasers revealed the cracks beneath the floor of a cultured boyband: loneliness, bruising routines, muddled identities. For a gaggle who will quickly have a good time their eighth anniversary (regardless of starting from 22 to 24 years previous), shedding the reality is a necessity to fly additional. Within the nostalgic hip-hop of ‘BOX’, NCT Dream ask for freedom: “Don’t put me in a field / I’m banging on the roof / Don’t put me in a field / I’m a lion on thе transfer.” The LDN Noise-arranged and Mark co-penned observe is an exciting spotlight – and the one which finest encapsulates this idea.
Following swimsuit is the opener ‘icantfeelanything’, which interprets anxiousness and misery right into a chaotic soundscape, the place NCT Dream open up about feeling “afraid to be courageous” and “misplaced and confused”. Chenle and Haechan’s haunting croons within the refrain distinction with stabbing beats, as if despair is inevitable. Even Jisung’s last line, “escape from actuality and dream past”, feels menacing.
‘Unknown’ and ‘숨 (Respiration)’, the 2 closing mid-tempos of the file, encourage diving into these doubts, as a substitute of desperately looking for for solutions. Within the former, the septet’s chic vocals encourage listeners – and themselves – to “Go, fail ahead / Go get your voice heard, don’t fold / End up once more into the unknown”, whereas the latter depends on assist from family members to get by means of the storm: “Like a misplaced star / On daily basis I wander round / Your pleasant hand / Following you, I’m dreaming as soon as once more”.
Even the peculiar ‘Carat Cake’ and its quirky, videogame-y synths match seamlessly into the gathering. It’s a observe for kicks and giggles and addictive singalongs, boasting about holding “ complete jewellery retailer in my hand for you”. Had been it dubbed ‘Carrot Cake’, it might have made a a lot better food-themed single than ‘Smoothie’.
Why, oh, why is ‘Smoothie’ the lead single? As a substitute of getting out of the field, NCT Dream enclose themselves in a predictable, borderline-exasperating observe with grating “smoothie, smoothie, smoothie” repetitions. Sure, the meals title connects it with earlier releases (‘Sizzling Sauce’, ‘Yogurt Shake’, ‘Sweet’), however that isn’t sufficient to make it the focus of the file, the observe that can obtain probably the most consideration out of all.
There’s additionally the lyrics. Whereas a press launch states that they urge listeners “to dismiss negativity” and, as a substitute, “flip it right into a smoothie and drink it away”, that’s not what comes by means of on an off-the-cuff hear. “Sip it, sip it down like smoothie”, they sing, PG-13 be damned. Coupled with “soiled style” and “scorching and spicy, combine it up”, it’s not just like the writers had been attempting to be delicate.
In the event you thought this may need been a case of poor translation, the Korean lyrics are much more specific: “feels sticky on me”, “to the underside, swallow all of it chewy”, and on it goes. NCT Dream aren’t any strangers to suggestive songs (see 2018’s ‘Drippin’ or 2019’s ‘119’, for instance), however these weren’t wrapped in an harmless glaze, and had been considerably smoother to listen to.
After beautiful teasers and contributions from the members to the idea and songs, ‘Dream( )scape’ ought to be cementing NCT Dream’s maturity and uniqueness – which it does to a sure extent. Nevertheless, having ‘Smoothie’ as its lead single retains them on a overwhelmed, undermining path. When the remainder of the album is rather more artistic, cohesive and pleasing, what’s ‘Smoothie’ offering? Any Ok-pop group might do ‘Smoothie’. Nobody else might pull off the remainder of ‘Dream( )scape’.
Particulars
- Document label: SM Leisure
- Launch date: March 25
