NCT Wish debuted earlier this year as NCT’s final fixed unit. Straddling the line between Japanese and Korean promotions, they appear to be following NCT Dream’s bright sound template rather than the angular experimentation of units like 127. February’s funky Wish was a decent start, but new single Songbird feels like their true arrival.
I’ve noticed a recent trend of stabbing rhythm guitar in K-pop tracks. For me, this approach has its roots in George Michael’s seminal 1987 hit Faith but songs like Songbird seem to draw more from early Neptunes’ productions like Justin Timberlake’s 2002 solo debut Like I Love You. It’s a sound I really enjoy and works especially well when paired with SM Entertainment’s bombastic arrangements. Songbird utilizes this chugging guitar most obviously in its verses, which pulse with a bounding energy that’s instantly addictive.
From here, Songbird slows things for its vocal-rich pre-chorus. I’m not sure how well this works as a set-up, but it doesn’t matter much because the track quickly volleys to a standout centerpiece that nearly makes you forget everything that came before. The stacked vocals here have enormous appeal, crafting a colossal sound that belies NCT Wish’s young age. The complex vocal outro and transition into the second verse nearly knocked me flat on first listen. An enthusiastic rap maintains this energy, backed by that blazing guitar. Songbird loses a bit of steam during an unfocused and overlong bridge, but this isn’t enough to dull its overall effect. SM Entertainment is having a fantastic year musically, and now this good fortune seems to be extending to Japan as well.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9 |
Grade: A-
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Now I know why the guitar strumming melody sounds so familiar!! But all in all, this is another good song. What a great way to start the week!!!
Nick, I would want to know if you consider NCT Wish as a K-pop group because I thought they were meant for the Japanese market? Same with WayV.
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It’s becoming tougher to distinguish now that they’re performing on Korean music shows and releasing multiple mvs for different languages. I kind of want to count Wish as J-pop since that’s their native language, but it’s so nebulous.
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BRO today’s ratings are wild: 9, 8.75, 9 (I’m still angry that you didn’t give Cosmic a 9 !!!)
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Agreed. It all comes down to taste though. I honestly liked RV’s track more by a small margin despite all three songs being really good.
So for me:
RV > TWS = NCT Wish
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Red Velvet had so much emotion in the song, it was a magical expirence🥹
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Oh damn, a 9? I was expecting around 8s, but it’s really cute! The chorus is the highlight and the transition from the first chorus to the second verse is just- *chef’s kiss*! It’s an absolute blast of joy and fluff, and I liked it. I agree the bridge was a little off (I wish the dance break fit the rest of the song, but hey, the transition wasn’t that jarring).
Well, if I have to rate it, maybe a 9? It’s perfect! Today blessed us with great music!
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I’m reminded how WayV started with a rocky start and lacking an identity from the other subunits, until they grew into themselves. Excited for the future. Loved this song on first listen.
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I’m surprised by the rating but good for them! the “songbird, songbird” in the dance break is kinda unnecessary but overall a better song than their debut
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I don’t know what he means by knocked me flat. Can someone explain?
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It’s like “knocked me down/over”. Basically, that part KO’d me 😂
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Oh🤣💀
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I thought this was cute. That chorus is the standout. Def adding to the playlist.
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I haven’t listen to their new song, but I’ll check on it soon. Looking forward to what kind of message they’re trying to spread.
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