K-pop boy group NCT DREAM released their fourth full-length album, “DREAMSCAPE.” The 11 tracks include several themes of escaping from the past and yearning for freedom.
Right from the first song, titled “INTRO: DREAMSCAPE”, the song has experimental elements to it that make the song sound like it’s glitching at times. The seven-member group is constantly trying new sounds and it’s very refreshing to see what they can do as they put out something that doesn’t compare to their past releases.
The title track, “When I’m With You” is a refreshing pop song in its entirety with lyrics that speak about young love.
After listening to it, it feels nostalgic in a way. As a fan of NCT DREAM, I find that a lot of their songs are very bright and fun, but this song is just the cherry on top. I already know I will play this song on repeat for the rest of the year.
“Flying Kiss” has a hint of Afrobeats and it’s a much slower song in comparison to the experimental and pop songs they have shown us on this album so far. The beginning starts slow and moves into a chorus that moves very fast, it’s exhilarating to listen to.
One of the tracks off of the album that had me intrigued while listening is “i hate fruits” because how could you possibly hate fruits? However, the song, written entirely by group leader Mark Lee, offers cute and endearing lyrics.
“You know I hate fruits/ But your smile is too sweet” which sounds like the members are talking about how they could never hate someone they love, the love is overpowering and it seems like they weave into the complexity of love as the main theme for this unique song.
For NCT DREAM, having songs with food in the titles isn’t unlikely as they’ve had songs such as “Smoothie,” “Pretzel,” “Hot Sauce” and “Yogurt Shake”. It seems like food is a major recurring theme for them.
Moving deeper into the album, songs like “Best of Me” and “YOU” offer a futuristic/hyper-pop feel that NCT DREAM delivers flawlessly with their vocals on top of the beat.
“Heavenly” and “Off the Wall” offer disco-pop tracks to fans that offer a fresh new vibe. They are a breath of fresh air to listen to and both songs are upbeat and feel uplifting,
The second half of the album has mostly ballads or slower songs, such as “Night Poem” which I think would be best listened to on a late-night car drive with friends.
Similarly, “Rains in Heaven” is a song that had me tearing up when I first listened to it, with lyrics such as “I’m always by your side” and “I won’t let you fall unless you’re in my arms.” are such comforting lyrics. The members essentially sing to fans claiming to never forget that every one of us is beautiful, even when we feel down and are having hardships.
My personal favorite from the album is “No Escape” because the group loves to mention escapes, their entire concept has been about being trapped, and the lyrics “there’s no escape” that repeat through the chorus of the song, send a chill down my spine because why are these boys trapped? It gives the listeners an in-depth experience as they listen to see if they will find an escape or not. We will never know.
This album was such a fun experience to listen to as each song is unique in its own way, with themes from love to feeling trapped, experiencing childlike wonder, and going through hardships. It seems like they have a song for every emotion in this new experimental album.
