NCT Dream is back and more powerful than ever. The Dreamies just dropped their first full length album since the announcement last year of OT7 line-up coming back as a fixed unit in the NCT-verse.
This release is titled ‘Hot Sauce‘ and just with the sneak peeks we can say that we are expecting some powerful ballads and some bops. Let’s dive into this album.
Hot Sauce
‘Hot Sauce‘ begins this album and NCTzens already get a hype song with a very catchy hook. The electronic arrangement in this track is guaranteed to stay in the listener’s head on repeat, this song was an amazing choice as the title track.
The music video for this track as expected goes off with fantastic shots, amazing dancing and the Dreamies’ well-known powerful visuals. Watch it below.
EDM and deep bass take over in ‘Diggity‘, I was very impressed by the harmonizations for the chorus in this track and the killer delivery of the rap line in this song. Jisung definitely stood out with his verses and his rapping in the bridge.
‘Dive Into You‘ comes next with sweet harmonies and a very lighthearted vibe to it. This R&B/Pop song brought out a more mature sound in the Dreamies but with the youthful feel that we all love. The concept they went for with this track and its sound is just immaculate.
Perfect harmonizations are present in ‘My Youth‘. Mark, Renjun and Chenle stood out for me in this track. We get to listen to Mark’s low pitched singing voice, Chenle went off with some very sweet and heartwarming vocalization, and Renjun as always had me blown away by his soulful singing.
Funky synth and groovy beats tag along with ‘Rocket‘, this song has a very playful feel to it with a childlike charm that I found super adorable. It is like an energy shot for listeners.
Second half
EDM and Hip-Hop beats introduce us to ‘Countdown (3, 2, 1)‘, this song has the very characteristic NCT sound, and it is the first time the Dreamies go for this concept, it feels like a transition song where they are showing that they have grown. Jaemin killed it with his verse and Haechan really went for that high note in the bridge.
‘ANL‘ is next with a synth-pop sound, Jeno really stood out for me in this song with his rapping. This track is the perfect easy listen, its harmonies and layering are flawless.
We get a happy tune with ‘Irreplaceable‘, there is something in this song that just had me wanting to sing along. This track would be perfect for the end of a concert, it just has the right vibe for it.
Piano acoustics come next in ‘Be There For You‘, and the vocal line takes over this ballad entirely. Chenle, Renjun and Haechan really went for it this track and showed off their powerful singing and incredible range. The feels in this song are real.
Last in this album is ‘Rainbow‘, co-written by Jisung, Mark, Jeno and Jaemin, this tracks exudes wholesomeness in every second of it. I really liked its instrumentation and layering. It is the perfect ending for this very impressive and diverse release.
Final thoughts
The Dreamies are back as an OT7 and they are stronger than ever. ‘Hot Sauce‘ is a release that included different genres and sounds, hence, all the members had their chance to shine with their talent.
You can listen to this release here.
