I'm back at school 2day. I am seeking this music degree exclusively so I can make fun of NCT Dream.
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| I see Jaemin in my nightmares. |
I would say I am probably more a fan of NCT 127's sound than NCT Dream's, but I do enjoy the latter. I still need to take a closer listen to their "DREAMSCAPE" full album, not to be confused with the "DREAM()SCAPE" mini album, which I do not like nearly as much. (Okay, I just really dislike "Smoothie". The rest are fine - especially "Carat Cake", which is a hit.)
NCT Dream have a very distinct sound owing to their very distinct members. Their rappers tend toward a harsh, high, and raspy sound; Chenle and Renjun have exceedingly gentle and clear voices; Haechan is rough and agile; and Jisung is Kermit the frog. Dream's songs also tend to change up a lot, even when changing up isn't the main attraction. With songs like "Glitch Mode" and "ISTJ" the change-ups are obvious and infrequent, but with "BTTF" and "Chiller" they are not.
I actually love "Chiller". I think it does some really cool things musically and it gets me grooving. I have some critiques of it that I may post about later, but right now I want to report my opinion on "BTTF" (or Back to the Future), the prerelease for the "Go Back To The Future" album to which I listened on the way back to school.
On first listen I got the impression that "BTTF" is to Dream what "Punch" is to 127: a song with an overall strong instrumental, but with elements that prevent it from staying with you. "BTTF" is more complete than "Punch" in that it doesn't awkwardly hesitate, but it also is characterized by the same strange busyness that jumbles it up in your mind.
Listen. I can get with NCT Dream's brand. My problem is that this is just a little too NCT Dream of a song for me. The group yelling - the sudden changes - the dwindling pockets of time in which the members who can sing are actually allowed to sing - God, especially the latter. I can get with an NCT Dream rap, but they are woven inescapably into every verse and chorus, and they are taking up more and more of each successive title track.
Songs that are mostly or entirely rap are perfectly fine. Hell, I'm not saying you cannot have a song that alternates between rapping and singing; both art forms are equally as pleasing. But my patience for Jeno's endless toneless raspy yelling wanes by the hour, and so does even my patience for Jaemin, who I tolerate because I think he sounds silly; I am sick of being thrown back and forth between Chenle and Mark, Renjun and Jisung. At one point in the second verse the song dips unexpectedly into a dreamy little interlude and then goes straight back into the same beat with Jisung rapping. It's like a sick joke. God forbid I come into an NCT Dream song to hear singing!
You cannot even escape the raps in the chorus. That's really where I draw the line. To start a chorus with powerful singing and then to end it with a rap makes it feel like it's fading away, not a memorable and self-sufficient whole chorus but a glorified half-verse.
Okay. My heart rate is going up. I need to relax. I liked a lot of things about this song, actually.
- That synth! Sexy as fuck with that energetic beat.
- On a related note, the melodies! Because, again, there is little time allotted for the singers to sing, some of them feel like fragments, but they still are lovely, especially delivered by such powerful voices.
- "Ye-ye-whoa" is a striking little chant. Hate the "ra-ta-ta" parts, though.
- I really, really like Mark's raps here. The whole reason I gave this song a chance was a clip of his "That's a big decision" rap, which frankly gagged me.
Please don't cancel me. I like NCT Dream. They are just not making me very happy lately. I accept criticism on my observations.