Track Evaluate: Mark (NCT) – 1999

For the long-awaited launch of Mark’s first solo album, he’s selling with a title monitor named after his beginning 12 months. Birthdays apart, 1999 was an superior 12 months for music. Everybody was in occasion mode because of the impending flip of the millennium. Pop music was numerous and dominant, with MTV and TRL serving as hubs for youth tradition. Whether or not Mark’s 1999 is searching for to attract upon that vitality or not, its playful sound belies expectations.

The music sees Mark swap from rap verses to a delicate croon for the catchy, melodic refrain. This works fairly nicely throughout 1999‘s first half however will get a bit muddled as we transfer on. There’s a lot taking place inside this monitor because the music makes an attempt to distill its many influences. On this approach, the music is fairly “1999” in spirit. Mark does a pleasant job skirting between these varied efficiency kinds. I really desire him as a singer on this monitor, because the rapped moments typically really feel extra gimmicky.

Spikes of operatic vocals pepper 1999 for no different purpose than to be zany. I admire the sudden injection of texture, however  I want these moments have been in service to a greater set of melodies. 1999‘s hook is a breezy sing-song that echoes parts of late-90’s alt-pop. However moderately than forge an thrilling centerpiece, this refrain retreats right into a restrained — virtually anti-drop — construction that neuters 1999‘s cartoonish vitality. I a lot desire the music’s rousing finale, when all these varied parts fuse collectively to ship the monitor off on a excessive.

Grade: C+