Song Review:: NCT Wish (NCT): Surf {Pre-Release}

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  • Release date: 2025 August 12

  • Album tracklist: Surf

  • Album runtime: 3 minutes

 Well, I was going to sleep after I did the VANNER review, but as it turns out, I need to emotionally recover, or at least make it so that I'm not crying as I'm trying to sleep because I don't need my eyes to be that red and puffy at work tomorrow. So instead, I'm going to focus on NCT Wish, because they got a win, so I need to write a review for this anyway and having a good distraction will help. Focusing on something happy, no matter how small, is a powerful tool. And I like NCT Wish, anyway.

Such a summery song. The instrumental does make me laugh a little bit because the instrumental track for this song reminds me a lot of a theme song for a comedy set in the 70s. Though, to be fair\, it doesn't have to be a full comedy because it also reminds me a little of Hawaii Five-O or Magnum, P.I. Though, to be fair the latter one is mostly from the 80s, but my point still stands. It's summery, it's a little tropical, and it sounds like it's got its roots in music from before I was born designed to be catchy and iconic, memorable so that people will know it when it plays and tune in to watch. It also reminds me a little bit of a TVXQ! song, so there's that too.

They have a little bit of shouting, but it's infrequent enough that it doesn't feel like the entire song is only that, so it's fine. There are some really cool bits of vocal layering that really show off their voices, punctuated by the shouting, so, again, it doesn't feel like posturing or being needlessly loud. We've got a good range of vocal textures, with a good contrast between the vocalists and the rappers.

I love how kind of weird and dorky their music videos are. Their ghost one is still my favorite, but I really love the amount of playfulness they're showing. "Okay! Let's go surfing! Does anyone know how?" "Nope!" This is a cute group, you guys. And this music video feels a lot like a vlog or a slice of life type music video, which makes it even better, and I love that I get to just listen to them because the maknae was sixteen at debut and turns eighteen this year. It's cute. I love their music videos.



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