REVIEW: NCT127 – NCT#127 – The 1st Mini Album (The Fire Truck One)

Update: As of October 16th 2024, Taeil has been removed from SM Entertainment for Sexual Assault allegations. I feel like I need to put this disclaimer on my NCT 127 (and really any NCT related articles where he’s mentioned, I may miss some articles, but this still applies). But I do NOT support him moving forward, and any praise of him in these articles was before this news came out. I hope the victim is able to get justice and has a supportive and loving group around them to help them heal from their trauma.

Why did they title this album like that? Lmaooo. Anyway, a loooong overdue article. I stayed away from this album for a while. It wasn’t until the remix of “Fire Truck” that was released in 2018 during Regular-Irregular era, when NCT 127 was working with Apple Music and starting their US promotions.

Then I came to love the original version of “Fire Truck”. I don’t remember when I discovered “Another World”, my favorite song off NCT #127. But that was the song that convinced me there was potential for this album.

Probably the worst styling for the group, ever. But it was only up from here, tbh. It’s also just weird going back to a time when Doyoung and Johnny weren’t a part of the official lineup yet. This was definitely way before Jungwoo’s addition to the group.

I remember not being as into “Fire Truck” like I was for “The 7th Sense”. Looking back at July 2016 in Kpop, I think I was paying more attention to EXO’s EX’ACT (we’ll be talking about this album soon) and EXID’s Street (I’ve already showed this album love).

I also remember feeling like I’ll check them out next album. Which was Limitless and that was the album that sold me on the group. My first physical NCT album I bought. We’ll be talking about that album next.

Oh, duh, I forgot to mention it earlier! So last article I said I wasn’t sure which series I wanted to work on next, EXO or NCT 127. EXO is going to take a bit longer than I realized, because they have so much music I love, and they’ve been around longer.

So I decided to work on NCT 127 first. So this is a part of the fave NCT 127 songs series. So like the previous series, we’re going to go in order of album release, then we’ll have an other fave songs article at the end of it all. So let’s get into it!

소방차 (Fire Truck)

I remember the reception of this music video being mixed. Like, the concept of NCT 127 protecting this girl is cute. But compared to every other music video they’ve done after this, we really don’t get anything else like this from 127.

We pretty much only see 127 or if they are background characters, 127 is still the star of the show, not like secondary characters like in “Fire Truck”. The Dreamies have had two music videos with other people in them, “My First and Last” and “We Young”. I’d say they do take on more of a secondary role in “We Young”.

And WayV has had a music video where they’re in space and non NCT members were there. But yeah, because it’s not super common, I gotta point that out.

As I mentioned earlier in this article, it took a long time for “Fire Truck” to grow on me. I love it now. I appreciate it for being its own thing. I think it’s easy to not like a song or album because it doesn’t sound like the previous thing you liked from a group or artist. And it doesn’t get judged on its own merit.

Obviously there’s going to be comparison, but the contrast can be missed or straight up ignored. And for a while, I was like, “this song sucks, it’s not what I wanted, give me more music like “The 7th Sense””.

And I wasn’t really looking at “Fire Truck” as its own thing. Like girl, it’s not even the same subunit. Why are you mad a different subunit made a song that suits that other subunit? Make it make sense. Lmaooo. So once I got over that, I was good with “Fire Truck”. I have always loved the choreography. It’s fun.

As I’ve also talked about already, atrocious styling. Absolute garbage, lol. But I do love Taeyong’s hair here. Jaehyun’s hair… We’re not talking about it. Yuta’s either. Taeil and WinWin’s hair is fine, it’s just suuuper bright. Haechan’s being pretty normal is funny to me. Everyone else has something going on with their hair, and his is pretty much how he usually wears it. Same shade, just a bit fluffy.

So NCT #127 is EDM heavy and I love that. Love a good mix of Hip Hop and EDM. My faves LDN Noise worked on this track. I didn’t realize Jaehyun had credits on this one. I guess it was for his rap. Love that for him. I expected Mark and Taeyong to be listed, of course.

We also have Jeremy “Tay” Jasper, Ylva Dimberg (The Kennel), and Lee Seu-ran (Jam Factory) on the track.

Once Again (여름 방학)

I uh, forgot this is a thing, lol. It feels better suited for a NCT Dream album. But it’s fine. It’s not super out of place in their discography. One of my favorite things about NCT is their range. They can successfully do ballads, bright Pop and R&B concepts, Hip Hop heavy tracks, etc.

I just never listen to this track ever. Probably won’t listen to this one again for a long time. I can’t believe they performed this with “Fire Truck” on live stages. Wtf? Why not “Mad City” or “Wake Up” if they wanted a lighter song.

Anyway… We have Jo Yoon Kyung, Chris Wahle, and Andreas Öberg. Hey, we just talked about Andreas Öberg in my Fave MX songs, mans be everywhere.

Wake Up

I love love loveeee this song. I should have known LDN Noise worked on it. They have the best instrumental choruses and dance breaks in songs. Big shout out to them. This song just feels like it’s meant to be performed live, with solid choreography to go with it.

I don’t remember when I discovered this song. I think I had some mututals on Tumblr talking about this album during Limitless era, and I decided to go back and do my own deep dive on this album.

Kim In-hyung, Baek In-Kyung, Cho Jin-joo, LDN Noise, and Jeremy “Tay” Jasper also worked on this track.

I think this is my second favorite song off this album.

Another World

Oh, mannnnn. The SONG. The GIRL. One of my favorite NCT songs ever.

There’s a continuation of EDM in this track. A bit more Hip Hop with the lyrics and flow. I just can’t help to sing and dance a long to this one. I remember WinWin stans being excited because he sings “baby, turn it on”. And we were still fighting for that man to have more lines in NCT songs, lol.

Despite it not being a lot, plus, I’m pretty sure WinWin was brought on as more of a visual and dancer, I still think the line distribution isn’t too bad. They still had Jaehyun as more of a rapper than a vocalist at this point.

But I think his rap era was good. It’s still mostly the TY and Mark show out there when it comes to rap, then Haechan and Taeil duking it out vocally. Yuta got lines, but it’s really about the same as WinWin. WinWin’s feels like more because his part is in the chorus.

That’s the thing with NCT’s duality. It comes from the individual members being talented in multiple areas. So when the whole squad is versatile, it makes it, so the group as a whole can try new things, and it usually works.

We got a ton of people working on this track. Kim Min-ji, Lee Seul, Timothy “BOS” Bullock, Jeremy “Tay” Jasper, Adrian McKinnon, Jamil “Digi” Chammas, Leven Kali, and MZMC. Most of the people who have worked on this album, seem to mostly work on SM songs. They’re like in house or from Jam Factory. From what I see on Wikipedia, at least.

MZMC and the publishing team is also like a household name in Kpop. That’s the one that Yuju, formerly of GFRIEND recently joined that I talked about a few months back in the podcast. So many bangers from them.

Paradise

Man, I love “Paradise”. Once we get past “Once Again”, this album is skip free. I think that’s why I forgot about it. Usually I just go from “Fire Truck” to “Wake Up”. “Paradise” in structure, reminds me so much of “Wake Up”. It’s like a direct sister song.

Again, we have a boat load of people on this track, Jam Factory members, Realmeee, Perry van de Vrede (Henry Hill), Robert Nickson (Henry Hill), G.Bliz, Karl “KP” Powell (The Colleagues), Harrison Johnson (The Colleagues), and Otha “Vakseen” Davis III.

I can’t see The Colleagues and not hear “And we’re live, produced by The Colleagues. Take one.” Iconic.

Mad City

Helllll yeahhhhh. Rightfully praised and hyped song. I think generally this one is well received and well-loved by NCTzens. Definitely the Mark and Taeyong show again. But that’s the point this time around. Jaehyun is here too for vocals.

Song credits wise, of course Taeyong and Mark are listed, then we have Double Dragon and Donald “haZEL” Sales.

Switch

We love a Tropical House Queen. “Switch” is an old ass song. I don’t listen to it much, but you gotta show respect. This is the song that started it all. Back when they were all still trainees, “Switch” was first performed in 2015, at an SM Rookies showcase. Then they recorded and made a music video for it.

I debated on having just the audio version or the music video on here. I decided on the music video for nostalgia purposes.

Jung Joo-hee, Kang Eun-jung, Jeremy “Tay” Jasper, Trey Campbell, Rosina “Soaky Siren” Russell and LDN Noise all worked on this track.

This was such a fun album to go back and do a mini deep dive of. I’m sooo excited to talk more about old NCT 127 songs. Eventually I’ll get to WayV and NCT 2018. But starting with 127 I think is the next move, since I’ve already talked about the Dreamies in depth.

I’ve also talked randomly off and on about my love for NCT 127’s old music, so like with many other groups and soloist on here, it’s more of me playing catch up. And actually documenting all my thoughts on ATK.

So, what are y’alls fave songs from NCT #127 ? Let me know in the comments. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram. And I’ll see y’all next post. Probably Limitless. That’s gonna be a long one, I know it.

Ash 🚒