One song. Every day. Alphabetical order.

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Machine (from Mama – 2012)

They don’t make ‘em like Machine anymore. But even though this song is the product of a bygone era, it feels like the direct fore-bearer to much of NCT’s experimental material. The difference is that Machine fully commits to its mechanical groove, pulsing with staccato hooks and whirring electronic flourishes. It exists outside of trends, more concerned with its musical conceit than throwing in a cool trap verse for the kids. But, Machine kicks up a powerful funk with its layered, ultra-rhythmic chorus. This is the benefit of spotlighting your vocalists during what could have easily been a rap-oriented affair. Machine’s brilliant bursts of harmony add a compelling humanity to the track’s lockstep grind.

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