It’s about time for some new NCT earworms. In two years, nine became seven, and South Korea’s mandatory military service system yanked a couple of the main players out of the game. Instead of pushing out a money grab with the members who remained, NCT 127 waited until the big ’26 to return with seventh album BLINGY. While Doyoung and Jungwoo are still fulfilling their responsibilities, “father neo” Taeyong (an adoring term coined by fans) had finally back, and the beats could no longer be contained.
Title track “Blingy” possesses the same earwormable strength as their previous hits “Walk” and “Fact Check”, featuring a chant-chorus and a tasteful use of guitars like in their super hit “Kick It”. The mixing is masterful; while the guitars blare, they neither hurt the ear nor the song’s replayable quality. Indeed, it gets stuck in the head, and you itch to hear it once more as soon as it finishes. NCT 127 have been doing this long enough to know exactly what makes the whole club shimmy.
The song also came with a helping of viral moments, such as Jaehyun’s cheeky opening verse POV cam in the music video, and an appropriate use of the scuba dance move in the choreography without seeming corny or forced. For those of us that saw the rise and fall of many a dab and renegade, it’s always nice to see a justified use of these trending dances.
Track two “Legacy” might be what goes through your head when you’ve had one too many drinks. Old timey woodwinds, soul samples, and a confusion-inducing beat all culminate into a song that signals to those of us above the age of 20 that it might just be time to go to bed. Things become more comprehensible in “Piñata”: undoubtedly the second place contender for title track. It’s got a similar vibe to “BLINGY”, only shoutier and blarier. Its pre-release track video has the boys on the run, involved in utter mischief. An appropriate visual for the song.
“Step Up” is just an extension of “Piñata”, and if “Legacy” didn’t mesh well with you, it’s probably best you give “IKR” a skip. Things get much better on the final four track run though, rewarding the most patient listeners with the best of the album. “Getaway” is as fabulously groovy as other S-tier NCT 127 B-sides, like “0 Mile” and “Space”. It’s typical and expected for a K-Pop group to have a strong identity in their title tracks across comebacks, but not all groups can keep things cohesive with their B-sides. NCT 127, however, have a really strong musical language in this regard. Want city groove? NCT 127 are right there, as if the skyline of Johnny’s hometown, Chicago, is etched into the waveforms.
Things get a little drum and bassy in “Day After Day”. The echoey flutes in the chorus and bright electronic elements give it a sweet optimism distinct from acoustic instruments typically used to create the same effect, such as guitar and ukulele. After a very melodic bridge by the vocalists, things ramp up in a well-earned energetic finish.
“127 Million Miles” is where things get expectedly cheesy. The tune is timeless, but very tame next to the other songs on the album. The chorus tells you everything you need to know:
Doesn’t matter how far, doesn’t matter where you are
No matter when or where, we’re always togеther
Even Venus to Mars, I’ll comе running to you, promise
One-two-seven million miles away
Closer “I mean, It’s about time” is pretty unorthodox for a K-Pop album, where if there’s a ballad, it’s almost always got to go at the end. The two-minute track opens with some spoken-word musings from the boys however, and unveils a one-time chorus that is as majestic as it is warranted. As though the past two years’ worth of waiting for a comeback was sewn into the fabric of this song, it’s a beautifully contemplative number.
Oh, NCT 127, for the greater good of music, please don’t make us wait another two years.
NCT 127 are on Instagram and all major streaming platforms. You can listen to BLINGY here.
