Review: NCT 127’s ‘2Baddies’ is the Epitome of the Phrase ‘Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover’

Things have been a little rocky for SM Entertainment’s boy group NCT 127. Firstly, we had a disjointed world tour announcement with stops being revealed just a couple of weeks before the show and, that apart, there was the sudden change in the release date and time for the music video for “2Baddies.” Irrespective of the hurdles, the group plastered a smile and kept the mood around their comeback intriguing and high-spirited, so much so that Taeyong, NCT and NCT 127’s leader, declared “2Baddies” as his favorite release thus far. According to the rapper, the track surpassed his past favorites, “Cherry Bomb,” “Kick It” and “Boss.”

Keeping the 11-month gap in mind and the fact that this was their fourth album, the stakes were high with fans hyping the release. But alas, “2Baddies” falls flat, quickly branding itself as one of NCT 127’s weakest title tracks. Thankfully, the title track is not reflective of the gems this LP houses (more on this later.)

The album opens with “Faster.” Yes, the same track that was heavily used in the curation of the group’s promotional YouTube Shorts materials. This hip-hop dance track surprisingly doubles as a song that also fits Taeyong’s SoundCloud soundscape. We’d love to see the rapper release a cover of this track sometime in the future. Sonically, the powerful bass allows Mark, Taeyong and Jaehyun to work on their rap performances, with the minimal drop in the chorus presenting itself as a pleasant surprise. The track also samples audio files of racing cars, adding some texture and depth but nothing impressive. It does, however, act as a great build up to “2Baddies.”

Next, we are greeted by “2Baddies.” We are not sure whether we should even use the term ‘greeted’ since the track is the sonic equivalent of quietly (and painfully) watching the absolute annihilation of your expectations. The track’s rubbery synth and futuristic bass are something we’ve grown accustomed to, and yet, the way they are layered is plain boring, predictable and unimaginative. The repetitive chorus gets progressively irksome with the hook “2 baddies, 2 baddies, one Porsche” being the culprit. Look, NCT 127 have had some great catchy hooks in the past. For instance, “new thangs” from “Kick It” or “Punch’s” “Aye, we ballin,'” but “2 baddies, 2 baddies, one Porsche” is a gimmicky and try-hard attempt that is beyond redemption. Perhaps it’ll sound better when performed live along with a crowd singing along. Also, aside from opening the group to mockery (a door that could have been sealed shut had the songwriters put a little thought into their work), has anyone figured out what purpose the random inclusion of “Blues Clues” serves? Not that we were expecting anything introspective, but the songwriting does tend to cross the line and go from cool to cringe on certain occasions.

Barring Jaehyun and Mark, the track grossly underutilizes the vocal and rap prowess the unit possesses. Thankfully, we get to hear more of Yuta (and his fierce “rah” in the pre-chorus) and a gorgeous bridge featuring Jaehyun and Jungwoo, both of which act as a much-needed pit stop to help one get through the track. As for the rest, it seems like they were whisked away right before they could exhibit the full extent of their potential. Their performance and choreography (especially Taeyong’s expressions) are another saving grace, reinstating why NCT 127 are K-pop’s performance powerhouse. It’ll be interesting to see if the songs’ steering-inspired move will go as viral as “Kick It’s” finger movement on Tik Tok and Instagram Reels.

Sure, the track is very ‘neo’ with its speed-racer concept, visuals and transitions, but an important aspect of being a ‘neo’ release is innovation, which the single lacks by miles. In that sense, at least the sonically ambiguous “Sticker” is innovative and highlights just how irreplaceable the vocal line is (seriously, only NCT 127 can perform “Sticker.” No other group can pull it off). But with “2Baddies,” SM Entertainment chose to focus on a bunch of unnecessary elements, ultimately leading to the creation of a track that lacks focus, zest and inspiration. What was once described as “witty” by NCT 127’s A&R head sadly turned out to be a sad attempt at re-creating the magic of “Simon Says,” “Limitless” and “Cherry Bomb” – an unforgivable offence. Luckily, all’s not lost thanks to the gorgeous B-side tracks that follow. 

The mid-tempo R&B number “Time Lapse” kicks off with an eerie synth concoction and the grand arrival of producer Dem Jointz tag ‘incoming.’ The two elements, while hinting towards the arrival of a hotchpotch of noise music, have something more to offer. On the contrary, the song fixes the damages of “2Baddies” with all nine members whisking you away with an ethereal chorus. The mixing is great, weaving the maturity and smoothness of R&B with an addictive K-pop soundscape, making this a truly experimental and well-produced track. Jaehyun and Haechan further soothe your pain with their unexpected harmonization right before the group moves on to deliver an unskippable track, “Crash Landing.”

“Crash Landing” is a fitting example of why NCT 127 needs more R&B lead singles produced by Kenzie. The veteran producer, along with IMLAY, employs the members’ strengths, opening up the dreamy R&B soundscape to textured vocal and rhythmic rap performances. Perhaps the producers’ long-standing professional relationship with the group comes into play here. Irrespective, having Kenzie bring her expertise to the table has always been beneficial for the group and should translate into a title track with the two collaborating in the future. Next, we have “Designer,” which embodies a classic NCT 127 sound with hip-hop elements anchoring an overarching R&B sonic theme. The chorus is soothing, with all nine voices pitching in to sing about an exclusive romantic affair: “My five senses are shaking, only I can feel it, exclusive/ You are my emotion, I love it, my designer/ Exclusive for me that no one can have/ Even the details I love it, my designer.”

The elixir, however, comes in the form of the sixth track – “Gold Dust.” Brimming with euphonious ad-libs, the clean and minimalist R&B production fleshes out the members’ vocal tones and styles, highlighting just how diverse and strong the unit is. The lyrics are equally impressive as it draws a contrast between the arrival of love and that of a ray of sunshine, brightening up an ordinary life. R&B has proven to be a great fit for NCT 127, especially for Haechan, Doyoung and Jaehyun, making their vocals on the track an absolute treat to hear. 

Dialing up the energy a notch higher, “Black Clouds” is another loop-worthy gem. Characterized by mellow guitar chords, this R&B mid-tempo track weaves in a sense of nostalgia and melancholy, becoming a perfect fit for a Korean drama OST. Rather than mirroring a similar emotion in their delivery, the group maintains a slightly upbeat and clean performance, giving the song the right boost. The track concludes on a satisfying note with the tuneful contrast between Taeyong’s powerful delivery and Doyoung’s falsetto, before the group switches R&B for some good-old pop.

“Playback” brings in the vibrancy of pop with its trap and 808 bass production. The bridge is particularly delightful with Haechan, Doyoung and Taeil each employing different vocal styles to deepen the sonic appeal of the track. It does sound like an NCT Dream song, yet the energy and vibe the nonet brings makes this a delightful addition to NCT 127’s discography.

Every NCT 127 album houses a track that brands itself as a song that would easily pass off as the lead single, and on this LP “Tasty” (the actual witty number) takes the crown. It offers the ideal mix between hip-hop and dark synth with lyrical potency outlining the group’s competency and influence: “We’re savage, outlaws/ Rock solid, no flaws/ Gazes shining red in the dark/ Aim for it, bite of the sweet, sweet.” The production is such that it lets the members bring out their vocal and rap masteries without losing the group’s core identity. It does feature a few repetitive phrases, but manages to maintain the attention and intrigue of the listeners. A definitive banger and certified fan favorite; this is an NCT 127 song done right. 

The 10th track “Vitamin” brings back the grooviness of Nineties hip-hop with the group positioning themselves as vitamins in one’s life. It’s a source of happiness and a boost of energy, if you may. “LOL (Laugh Out Loud)” is a hymn for anyone feeling the brunt of being burnt out. The jazzy guitar riffs wrapped in a neo-pop soundscape are an instant mood booster with Jungwoo gracefully amplifying the mood with his short, yet memorable, solo. The album concludes with the fan song “1-2-7 (Time Stops),” which has the line, “With you and me/ Time stops.” The track, which sounds like a refined and pop version of SMTown’s “Hope From Kwangya,” is delightful in every aspect, right from the vocal delivery to the sentiment being conveyed.

Unlike their first studio album Regular-Irregular which neatly outlined NCT 127’s sonic styles through the insertion of the unforgettable “Interlude: Regular to Irregular“, 2Badddies lacks direction and vision. It is unclear as to what the group aimed to showcase with this release. In terms of flow and tracklisting, it does seem awfully similar to their third studio album Sticker, showing little to no work done in that department. However, the variations within the R&B genre and the vocal styles explored are the album’s biggest arsenal. While the lead single doesn’t exactly do any justice to the hype, the B-sides, NCT 127’s zealous performance and Doyoung and Taeil’s evocative performance makes every second of the 11-month gap worth the wait!