It’s a sluggish day (week? 12 months??) in Okay-pop, so I’m going to sidestep over to the Chinese language marketplace for a second with the debut solo single from NCT Dream’s Chenle. The track is a part of a “particular EP,” and given the best way Chinese language music is normally promoted I assume this album will likely be launched in items.

The rapid high quality that at all times stands out to me concerning the Chinese language pop market is how a lot it loves ballads. At any given second, it appears as if the overwhelming majority of charts are filled with slower materials — typically OSTs. Granted, that is coming from an outsider’s perspective. It isn’t significantly straightforward for an English-speaker to see what’s actually occurring in Chinese language popular culture, however from what little I do know Lucid (灿) ought to match proper into the sonic panorama. It’s a stately, considerably theatrical belter. Chenle isn’t typically given the chance to showcase his voice like this and it’s good to listen to him in a special sonic realm.

With that stated, it takes quite a bit for a ballad to strike me. I normally favor these songs as half of a bigger (extra energetic) venture, and even then the melodies should be hermetic. Whereas Lucid is suitably sentimental and anthemic, it doesn’t do a lot to set itself other than the pack. The identical might say about Chenle’s vocals. He performs in a elegant, expressive means — focusing on proper down the center. Just like the track itself, his efficiency by no means catches me off-guard or forces me to pay attention extra intently. The track could be very fairly, although.

Grade: C