Song Review: Doyoung (NCT) – Memory

On this busy comeback day, NCT’s Doyoung stands as the sole male performer in a flock of competing girl groups/bands. Memory (안녕, 우주) comes from his second solo album and sees him continuing the sound he established on the first. His rich voice is well suited to OST-style music, sacrificing edge for comforting emotion.

Because of this, I interface with Memory in the way I do so many OSTs, charmed by its sentiment but ultimately underwhelmed by the song on its own. Fortunately, Memory has more drive to it than expected. Rather than a straightforward ballad, the song offers a driving rock energy. There’s a sense of catharsis throughout, though this could have been capitalized upon further with a more daring, dynamic arrangement. Any hint of experimentation is smoothed over in favorite of straight-down-the-line, tried and true musical tropes. Doyoung’s voice is stirring enough to compensate for these generic approaches, but overall this musical package is pretty forgettable.

Hooks
8

 Production
8

 Longevity
7

 Bias
8

 RATING
7.75

Grade: C+

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