Even as its members begin to enlist, NCT’s enormous universe guarantees there will be plenty of music regardless of how many performers may be on hiatus. As the brand’s youngest group, NCT Dream is still very much active, but even they have joined in on the sub-unit approach with NCT JNJM — a duo consisting of Jeno and Jaemin. When this unit was first announced, I hoped that it would give the guys a chance to explore completely new sounds and styles. Sadly, Both Sides is more predictable than thrilling.
Of all of K-pop’s big agencies, SM Entertainment has had the most trouble sourcing new music that lives up to their legacy. The core NCT sound has long since taken over the male side of their roster and Both Sides conforms to many of its tenets. The song is almost entirely rapped, spoken or chanted, including its unappealing post-chorus. Without the other voices of NCT Dream to offer sonic diversity, Both Sides is pretty one-note all the way through. The rapping is catchy enough, but the beat feels overly tinny and inconsequential.
Both Sides‘ chorus is divided into two pieces. First, we’ve got a whispy vocal that injects a touch of funk into the track. This is immediately followed by a bit of spoken word vamping. This contrast works well enough, but it isn’t long before we transition into a grating, NCT-esque chant that pulls the whole song down. I’ve never been a fan of this particular tone, as it only highlights the rather flat sound of the production. There’s nothing truly awful about this track, but I can’t find any reason to go back to it either.
Hooks
7
Production
7
Longevity
7
Bias
7
RATING
7
Grade: C-
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