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.
NCT Dream’s Beat It Up grew on me almost instantly, which is always frustrating because now I have a published review that doesn’t quite match my feelings about a song. I guess that’s what tomorrow’s “risers and fallers” post is for, though. The new mini album also boasts a few highlights, including the Kenzie-penned Cold Coffee.
Kenzie is SM Entertainment’s greatest asset at the moment. She’s a rare holdover from earlier eras, keeping SM’s sonic continuity intact even as she explores new musical avenues. Cold Coffee‘s title had me imagining a cozy winter ballad, but the song is more sprawling than that. Yes, it opens with a slow (beautiful) build, but this quickly segues into a more explosive refrain. Melodies collide in satsifying ways here and the song continues to grow as it goes on. There are some lovely harmonies sprinkled throughout, making me wish Cold Coffee would lean even further in this direction. This is definitely for those fans who loved Dream’s 2023 standout Broken Melodies.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
