Whether I like it or not, context plays a huge role in how I review any new K-pop track. In a perfect world, we could imagine songs being released at different times and under different circumstances, but if you follow the industry as closely as I do it’s impossible to separate trends from a song’s innate appeal. NCT have become a great example of this. I often write about how important it is for groups to establish (and stick with) a signature sound. Though NCT’s overall sound may not be for me, there’s no doubt they’ve stuck with it to build a cohesive discography.
But, here’s where that pesky context comes in. What happens when virtually every one of your peers replicates this signature sound for their own works? (See today’s debut of 8TURN for immediate reference). Even if you’re a fan, the sheer glut of material is bound to wear you down. NCT may still be the flagship purveyors of K-pop’s “pots and pans” boy group sound, but it’s gotten to the point where it feels as if they’re recycling the same draft over and over with slight variation.
New single Ay-Yo is neither obnoxious nor compelling. It’s NCT doing NCT with all the touchstones you’d expect. That should be enough to please the group’s large fanbase, but for those of us standing on the periphery it feels like yet another iteration of a sound we’re already exhausted by. I get that this might be a “me” problem, but although Ay-Yo has its moments I just can’t find an entry point that makes me want to return for further listens. The melodies feel phoned in, the rugged beat feels super familiar and the arrangement is too fragmented to ever take flight. In short, the song is absolutely fine but completely superfluous.
Now, take me to the alternate K-pop reality where NCT is the only group dabbling in this sound and watch my opinion become instantly more favorable!
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
