Apologies again for the lack of reviews this week. They will be posted over the weekend and into next week.

NCT WISH made their comeback earlier this week with their 1st studio album, Ode to Love, since their debut in 2023. The lead single also shares the same name as the album. It is their first release since last year’s COLOR (the lead single from their 3rd Korean mini-album of the same name) and Hello Mellow (the lead single from their 1st Japanese mini-album, WISHLIST). NCT WISH also pre-released the single Sticky, which I have yet to review (but will do so in the future).

To me, Ode to Love is another pleasant track. Nothing more, nothing less. The UK garage instrumental was nice and gave off a bubbly vibe, whilst also leaning towards a softer, more muted tone. However, there were parts of Ode to Love, particularly the verses, where the softer, more muted tone made it feel empty. In addition, the Ode to the Family sample felt familiar but also basic. This was a problem, as Ode to Love didn’t have another hook to depend on or remember the song by. That being said, the vocals/rapping were all very enjoyable and geared towards their youthful charms. I did enjoy the slight burst of energy that came as part of the choruses. The stripped-down instrumental and breathy whispers during the bridge were interesting and added a nice texture to the otherwise relatively soft sound that Ode to Love was going for. Despite all the above, the likes and dislikes balance themselves out, leaving just a pleasant track to enjoy. But given what NCT WISH released last year, I think my preference is for them to release more youthful, energetic tracks.

The song itself is about spreading some warmth, and the music video does this through a dreamy motif. After all, what screams warmth more than a nice dream in your cosy bed? The members themselves have described the music video as beautiful, and I totally see why. But it is also not my personal style. The video has a very beige, pale colour palette throughout. Even the forest scenes on the outside adopted this tone, which was interesting. The dreamy motif continues into the starry night backdrop, and we also see sheep (that you would count to help fall asleep) chase the members. The members also don pyjama-esque outfits throughout the video to match the comeback’s overall concept.

The choreography for the comeback was light and fitting for the pleasant-sounding song. I quite enjoyed the stage, despite nothing necessarily standing out. But it was a good stage performance to watch, overall.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10