[Review] COLOR – NCT WISH

1 week ago 27

At the start of last month, NCT WISH made their second comeback of the year with the mini-album COLOR, led by the title track of the same name. In the lead-up to the release of COLOR, NCT WISH also pre-released the single SURF and released a music video for the side track BABY BLUE. I will definitely review SURF in the future, but I haven’t made up my mind regarding BABY BLUE yet. Their last comeback was poppop from earlier in the year.

Following my review of poppop, I am happy to report that it really grew on me. I hope that will be the case for COLOR. Similar to my initial comments on poppop, I find this new song to be an okay release. As such, I am not overly excited about it. But no matter how many times I have listened to the song since its release, I find it hard to see myself ever being excited about it. This is probably why this review has taken over a month to write. Some positive aspects of COLOR contribute to the song’s likeness. The clangy, synth, and percussive instrumentation give COLOR impact and help deliver some punches alongside the melodies/hooks. At the same time, the members’ delivery, layering and energy add life and an upbeat quality to the song. The “Bring out the colour” hook was also catchy. However, I feel that something holds back the dynamic potential of COLOR. Going back and forth over the song, I think the combination of the above made COLOR a little too hefty for my liking. If the producers had found a way to loosen up the song, making it feel lighter, I think this could have made COLOR more dynamic and appealing. I also wish the melodies were a little more grabbing.

The music video for COLOR is quite colourful, but it is done in a way that feels natural and tasteful. The colourful aspects aren’t in your face, but you can tell they are there. I really appreciated that. I also liked the art gallery theme in the music video; that part of the video was very fun. Energy-wise, the music video also felt youthful, ideal for NCT WISH’s appeal. It was great, overall.

As for the performance, I thought it looked good. The footwork and handwork during the chorus add complexity, and I liked the subtle intensity of the moves that accompany the song’s “Bring out the colour” hooks. Both definitely looked cool. Overall, I felt the routine matched with the hefty nature of the music, and the intensity adds some interesting dynamics to the performance.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10