A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

True to NCT form, Glitch Mode is not even close my favorite song on NCT Dream’s new album. Once they’re able to get past the expectations of a typical NCT single, the guys display much greater versatility. Knowing my taste, I imagine most would think I’d pick the funky Better Than Gold for my buried treasure. And, that song comes a very close second. But right now, it’s all about another hip-hop heavy offering: Saturday Drip.

I love that this song is just dumb fun. “Dumb fun” is underrated, and these kind of hype tracks are at their best when they embrace their ridiculousness. The guys sound like they’re having fun, and the various tones of the members are utilized to their full potential. The chorus has a droning quality (in a good way) that brings unexpected texture to the song. More importantly, the beat is incredibly addictive. It’s got real kick to it, ornamented with fun video game samples (love the Mario coin sounds!). In fact, Saturday Drip feels more suited to an arcade concept than Glitch Mode did!

When it comes down to it, I just love how playful this is. I think a lot of recent NCT title tracks have put me off because they feel like they’re trying to impress with their attitude and ‘experimental’ sounds. There’s something to be said for a bouncy party track like Saturday Drip, especially when it comes to a younger unit like Dream.