Review: NCT 127 X Amoeba Culture - Save
Traditionally, NCT 127 has been the best unit of NCT. They could easily switch between melodic power-pop (Highway to Heaven), glitchy complextro EDM (Superhuman), traditional hip-hop (Firetruck), edgy ambient-pop (Limitless), and... Bruce Lee (Kick It)? Despite that, recently their output has been stuck exclusively to trendy swagger-driven hip-hop. This sound is spreading throughout the K-Pop scene, no doubt due to NCT, and they rightfully have been dubbed trendsetters. Unfortunately, the result is the more successful their output has become, the less diverse it is. This is an issue for all NCT units and SM as a whole.
Save is a collaboration, sung by NCT 127 and produced by Amoeba Culture producers. Surprisingly, the R&B and hip-hop-heavy agency gave NCT a club track. Save does not have those major peaks or downturned segments famous in NCT, and SM as a whole, tracks. The result is that Save is a lot... 'safer' than most of NCT 127's more experimental material, but is much more consistent.
The verses bob around pleasantly with an excellent electronic groove. The bass is certainly trendy, but it adds that contrast with the much higher range of 127's vocalists. The synths slowly build but stagnate a bit too much. Thankfully there are some great moments, even if it plays out like a weaker version of similar songs (Itzy's Wannabe?) at times. The pre-chorus is especially build-heavy. Which can change your perception of the chorus.
The chorus does not culminate the build, but instead provides a classic club sound, from much before the early-2010s EDM boom internationally. The groove is bouncy and fun, while still very strong. It is soon joined by vocal chants, adding some necessary grit to the song, even if it is an NCT cheese fashion. The flute sample adds just the right amount of change, without seeming out of place, to make a solid chorus.
The bridge, however, is as underwhelming as could be. The club sound built so well is abandoned for an unworthy and jarring trap segment. The flute sample's return in the second half is welcomed, but enough harm had been done in that brief moment. Thankfully, this leads to a solid final chorus.
Not many would call Save a masterpiece, but it is more than just a groovy mess. And while certainly flawed, the chorus makes up for most of the mistakes.
Couldn't agree more about the bridge. Eh. But it would be nice to have 127 doing something similar to this, except done smoother, for their comeback.
ReplyDeleteExactly! But I wish they would actually go for a more rebellious version of this sound for their comeback.
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