“Ay-Yo” NCT 127 is Back
From world tours to modeling gigs and now a new repackaged album, the boys of NCT’s sub-unit NCT 127 are doing it all. The nine member group released their fourth repackaged album that includes three new songs and a unique sound, which isn’t new for the group.
Tracklist:
“Ay-Yo”
“Faster”
“2 Baddies”
“Time Lapse”
“DJ”
“Crash Landing”
“Designer”
“Gold Dust”
“Black Clouds”
“Playback”
“Skyscraper”
“Tasty”
“Vitamin”
“LOL (Laugh-Out-Loud)”
“1, 2, 7 (Time Stops)”
Rapping, dancing, and singing are three of the many specialties that NCT 127 holds, and they are proven in this album. With a unique sounding track, “Ay-Yo” finds ways to shock listeners, like member Jaehyun starting off the second verse with a rap. This track seems to be highly influenced by old school hip-hop with the style of melodic rapping that is pleasant to hear from a group who is used to loud and overpowering music and rap. The silky and calm vocals from members Taeil, Doyoung, and Haechan slow down the tempo of the song and perfectly accompany the raps of members Taeyong, Mark, Yuta, Jaehyun, and Johnny. One thing that’s very prominent in the song is the use of the word “Valhalla” in Taeyong’s verses. Valhalla is a place where vikings were sent after dying in a battle. The song, while invoking listeners to dance and enjoy the melody, holds a deeper meaning about continuing whatever fight they might be going through while being unafraid of what might happen. With lyrics like, “If you remain unscarred / Will your tomorrow change?” the group spreads a message of staying fearless through challenges.
The music video has calm visuals where the members can be seen sitting on a box or dancing in a room full of mirrors, but what keeps viewers entertained is the fresh choreography and outfits. Bold is not a new word in NCT or SM Entertainment’s vocabulary, and some of the styling options in this video were bold but the boys made it work. The choreography showcases the group's dancing talents and their ability to grab attention solely by dancing. The music video also allows viewers to have their own interpretations of what it really means, from Johnny walking on air to Taeyong’s bold hairstyle.
B-Sides
Along with the title track, the group released two new songs, “DJ” and “Skyscraper.” Both have very distinct sounds but still help listeners dive into the unique sound that NCT 127 holds.
“DJ” was a pre-release and teased what was about to come from the nine members. It opens with Mark paying his respect to the music genres soul and R&B, which highly inspired the track. The song has an old school hip-hop vibe to it that some think of as vintage while also having an up-tempo funk-pop sound with it. Along with the song, a music video was released that further gives the feeling of watching and listening to something that was released in the early 2000s. The video shows the nine members having a fun time together in Y2K-styled outfits with camcorders all around them.
“Skyscraper” is the third and final new release, and it perfectly shows the talents of the group. Mark and Taeyong were able to take the writing into their own hands alongside other writers like famous producer Dem Jointz. A mixture of rap and vocals that perfectly mesh together is not a new challenge for the group of nine, and they always seem to make it work.
After completing a world tour and releasing new music, NCTZENs await to see what is next for NCT 127. In the meantime, they have three new songs to enjoy!
Edited by Kelly Sipko