As their name suggests, NCT Dream have always been about going up and looking forward, never stagnating. Throughout their discography, they crafted an offbeat yet highly melodious sound, which helped set them apart as NCT’s most vivid sub-group, and one of SM Entertainment’s most successful acts. While they are known for optimistic, bright vibes, growing up under the spotlight leaves scars, and the septet has chosen to lean into these vulnerabilities for their latest mini-album, ‘Dream( )scape’.

Poignant film teasers revealed the cracks beneath the surface of a polished boyband: loneliness, bruising routines, muddled identities. For a group who will soon celebrate their eighth anniversary (despite ranging from 22 to 24 years old), shedding the truth is a necessity to fly further. In the nostalgic hip-hop of ‘BOX’, NCT Dream ask for freedom: “Don’t put me in a box / I’m banging on the roof / Don’t put me in a box / I’m a lion on thе move.” The LDN Noise-arranged and Mark co-penned track is a thrilling highlight – and the one that best encapsulates this concept.

Following suit is the opener ‘icantfeelanything’, which translates anxiety and distress into a chaotic soundscape, where NCT Dream open up about feeling “afraid to be brave” and “lost and confused”. Chenle and Haechan’s haunting croons in the chorus contrast with stabbing beats, as if despair is inevitable. Even Jisung’s final line, “escape from reality and dream beyond”, feels menacing.

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‘Unknown’ and ‘숨 (Breathing)’, the two closing mid-tempos of the record, encourage diving into those doubts, instead of desperately seeking for answers. In the former, the septet’s sublime vocals inspire listeners – and themselves – to “Go, fail forward / Go get your voice heard, don’t fold / Find yourself again into the unknown”, while the latter relies on support from loved ones to get through the storm: “Like a lost star / Every day I wander around / Your friendly hand / Following you, I am dreaming once again”.

Even the peculiar ‘Carat Cake’ and its quirky, videogame-y synths fit seamlessly into the collection. It’s a track for kicks and giggles and addictive singalongs, boasting about holding “ whole jewelry store in my hand for you”. Were it dubbed ‘Carrot Cake’, it would have made a much better food-themed single than ‘Smoothie’.

Why, oh, why is ‘Smoothie’ the lead single? Instead of getting out of the box, NCT Dream enclose themselves in a predictable, borderline-exasperating track with grating “smoothie, smoothie, smoothie” repetitions. Yes, the food title connects it with previous releases (‘Hot Sauce’, ‘Yogurt Shake’, ‘Candy’), but that isn’t enough to make it the focal point of the record, the track that will receive the most attention out of all.

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There’s also the lyrics. While a press release states that they urge listeners “to dismiss negativity” and, instead, “turn it into a smoothie and drink it away”, that’s not what comes through on a casual listen. “Sip it, sip it down like smoothie”, they sing, PG-13 be damned. Coupled with “dirty taste” and “hot and spicy, mix it up”, it’s not like the writers were trying to be subtle.

If you thought this might have been a case of poor translation, the Korean lyrics are even more explicit: “feels sticky on me”, “to the bottom, swallow it all chewy”, and on it goes. NCT Dream are no strangers to suggestive songs (see 2018’s ‘Drippin’ or 2019’s ‘119’, for example), but those weren’t wrapped in an innocent glaze, and were significantly smoother to hear.

After stunning teasers and contributions from the members to the concept and songs, ‘Dream( )scape’ should be cementing NCT Dream’s maturity and uniqueness – which it does to a certain extent. However, having ‘Smoothie’ as its lead single keeps them on a beaten, undermining path. When the rest of the album is much more creative, cohesive and enjoyable, what is ‘Smoothie’ providing? Any K-pop group could do ‘Smoothie’. No one else could pull off the rest of ‘Dream( )scape’.

Details

• Record label: SM Entertainment
• Release date: March 25