Recently Kpop has been on top of its game, spreading through the west like wildfire, and the band NCT are set on continuing with that trend. NCT are a concept group based around different sub units. The boy-group is managed by South Korea’s biggest management company, SM Entertainment, and yesterday the unit NCT U released Boss, an explosive single packed with melodic segments and funky rap lines. The group has recently revealed three new members: Lucas, Jungwoo and Kun who have been added to their line up and have teased fans with what is to come for the next year, speaking on a livestream about a new album, aptly named NCT 2018 featuring music from all of the different units being unveiled throughout the year.
Boss in itself is different from previous concepts NCT have explored, especially distancing itself from the Dream unit concepts in terms of maturity and depth, but in true NCT style it manages to keep an addictive beat throughout. The song begins with Taeyong’s distinct rap style and is followed by Jaehyun’s dreamlike vocals throughout. The ritualistic chorus is catchy and really brings the song together.
It’s really interesting to see how Lucas and Jungwoo fit within this group – Lucas has managed to add his own flair to his rap, with his style being different to both Mark and Taeyong’s, and Jungwoo’s vocals are soft but stable. It creates an interesting dynamic and means that the rap sections contrast the soft singing parts of the song beautifully. This song is punchy and powerful but still manages to contain the conventions of a classic Kpop track.
Rating: 7/10
