NCT 127 is back and badder than ever! The subunit of the 20+ member boy group, NCT, dropped their fourth album on September 16. 2 Baddies is a 12 song compilation with an assortment of genres and themes blended together to complement the group’s boundary-pushing, experimental style. 

“Faster”

“Faster” comes out of the gate with an aggressive, cyberpunk beat and a theme of car racing that permeates everything that comes after. With such a clearly established theme, the whole album feels like it should be the soundtrack to a new addition of the Fast and Furious franchise.

“2 Baddies”

“2 Baddies'' is the title song of the album. The idea of the song is simple, with the main focus of the chorus being “2 baddies, 1 Porsche”, but it fits well with the visually stimulating, cyber dreamscape music video. The vibe fits their aesthetics and sound in a way that feels natural but not overdone.

“Time Lapse”

“Time Lapse” uses video game-esque samples to bring texture to the R&B-inspired groove. The track takes an easy-listening, jazzy approach to the group’s synth-heavy sound to create something that has a sonic profile similar to their previous hit “Favorite (Vampire),” but still lets it sit as its own song.

“Crash Landing” and “Designer”

“Crash Landing” has even more of a smooth R&B feeling to really highlight their strong vocals. It’s followed up by “Designer,” which rings out with a variety of different styles all woven together, including a hard-hitting 808 combined with bell samples used for secondary beats. 

“Gold Dust,” “Black Clouds,” and “Playback”

“Gold Dust” and “Black Clouds” are back-to-back emotional bops that are more stripped down instrumentally than the tracks that precede them. “Gold Dust” feels like true R&B, which is a refreshing moment for the typically experimental group. “Black Clouds” is the harmonic ballad that reminds listeners of NCT 127’s connection as a unit. “Playback” doesn’t take away the established sound just heard in “Black Clouds,” but instead adds back in the crispy cyber and metallic samples that were the highlight of the first few songs on the album.

“Tasty” and “Vitamin”

“Tasty” goes straight into rap heavy hip-hop. Each rapper in NCT has their own style and they all make this track their own. It feels very “Simon Says,” but with the more polished and technological feel of a new-wave veteran group. “Vitamin” is also hip-hop, but more bouncy and carefree to offset the intensity of “Tasty.” The entire vibe of the song can be summed up in the flirty repetitive chant of “Vitamin-me”.

“LOL (Laugh-Out-Loud)”

“LOL (Laugh-Out-Loud)” brings in rhythm guitar and horns to give the song a grounded, authentic feeling. It’s the kind of feel-good song that is easy to groove along with and carries well into the final song of the album, “1 2 7 (Time Stops).” 

“1, 2, 7 (Time Stops)”

This fan-dedicated track sounds like an end credits scene if we’ve ever heard one. For the most part, “1, 2, 7 (Time Stops)” keeps the synth elements and 808s that NCT is known for, but also has an openness that’s brought in by a looser approach to the beat and the rhythm guitar previously heard in “LOL.” There are angelic vocals, a catchy melody, call-and-response moments, and a wholesomeness that counters the intensity of most of the album.

Check out the music video for NCT 127’s “2 Baddies” below!

Edited by Rashelle B.