Their fourth Korean album is fast and furious

NCT 127’s fourth Korean studio album lives up to its name—it’s high-speed hip-hop-pop, all centred around a fast and furious street-racing concept. Engine revs abound, incorporated seamlessly into the group’s high-energy tracks (“Faster,” “2 Baddies”). Elsewhere, the Seoul-based nine-member Neo Culture Technology (NCT) sub-unit (Taeil, Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Mark, Jungwoo, and Haechan) nails neo-soul/R&B with the ease of expertise (“Crash Landing,” “Vitamin,” “Playback”). With those sounds, elevated by experimental electro detours (“Tasty”), NCT 127 continues to challenge expectations—while keeping their ascendent vocal harmonies at the forefront, reminding NCTzen why they fell in love with the group in the first place.