[Single and MV Review] NCT U - 'The 7th Sense' and 'Without You'

AKP STAFF

NCT U � "THE 7TH SENSE" AND "WITHOUT YOU"

Neo Culture Technology is here! This is not so much of a band as it is a concept, having the S.M.ROOKIES debut as units under one name, focusing on specific areas. The very first unit to debut is known as NCT U�(Mark, Ten, Taeyong, Jaehyun, Doyoung, and Taeil) and they've dropped two brand new singles for you to enjoy -- "The 7th Sense" and "Without You."

I love that "The 7th Sense" starts off very spare. Stripped down like that, it's almost elegant in its simplicity. We've got some muted dream beats, and a sort of faux middle-eastern wind instrument. We get a sense of tension, almost as if it were building towards something. But defying expectations, it does not. Instead it relies on the boys' voices and the spare instrumentation to carry it through. It's fairly experimental, but it works quite well. The 7th sense appears to be awakened by feeling loved.

In "Without You," the boys take on a more traditional music style -- soft rock. They handle this style adroitly as well. It's a lower key, mid-tempo, fluffier tune with muted guitars and synths in the background. I thought the chord progression and the payoff in the chorus was pretty good, but could be better, like they were holding back somehow. And there was a part in the middle of the time change that just begged for some rapping. I wanted more interesting transitions in the bridge, but we can't have everything we want. Obviously the boys are talking about how they can't live without the girl.

One band, two very different tracks. I thought it interesting how they used "7th Sense" as a pre-release track, as it is quite different from most of what's being done in Kpop. I like the almost mystical overtones in the melody. If it becomes a hit, then it's a much needed kick in the pants for the genre. "Without You" isn't bad at all. There's some fine vocal work here, as well as evocative lyrics, and it's a pleasant listen. Both of them are solid pre-release tracks, worthy of any kpopper's collection.

MV REVIEW

"The 7th Sense" is as interesting as the music it was meant to accompany. The boys primarily dance around bathed in red. An odd choice, but visually arresting as the boys show off their killer dance moves. There are occasional nods to visual effects (like a time-lapsed highway scene in the silhouette of someone's head), and a couple scene changes. I've seen videos where the band's just sitting around, and that's not what they do here. This is a good job of actually taking something that is a nebulous concept and giving it visuals. Could this be what things look like when viewed through our 7th Sense?

"Without You" has a story running through it. The boys sit around, zombie-like, with blank faces, feeling morose, remembering good times with a girl. Good times until the couple run into a romantic rival. Uh-oh. You did not steal the girl from your bro did you? This one did not go the way I thought it might, but I still like how they ended it.

Only one had any dancing, so I thought I'd address "The 7th Sense." As if there was any doubt of their abilities, "Synchronization Of Your Dreams" probably dispelled any of them early on -- these boys have moves. Popping, flailing, gesturing, and some fine footwork as well, the dancing here is top-notch.� �

Overall, they did a good job catching my eye. While many might be happy with just a bunch of people sitting on their duffs, that's not what makes a good video. If I had one quibble with "The 7th Sense," it would be that it felt a bit claustrophobic at times, the individual shots taking place in very tight spaces. Other than that, though, both these MVs hit my sweet spot as far as visuals go. Nice job.

Scores

THE 7TH SENSE
MV Relevance.......8
MV Production.......8
MV Concept..........8
Songwriting..........9
Composition..........9
Impression............9

OVERALL............8.5

WITHOUT YOU
MV Relevance.......9
MV Production......8
MV Concept..........8
Songwriting..........8
Composition.........9
Impression...........8