NCT DREAM opted out of their usual bright and youthful concepts for a darker and more mature one for this comeback.
On March 25, 2024, at 6 P.M. KST, NCT DREAM released their 7th EP titled, “DREAM( )SCAPE” on all streaming platforms, along with the music video for its title track, “Smoothie”. This is their latest release since their 3rd full-length album, “ISTJ,” which was released last July 2023.
NCT DREAM held a press conference in Seoul to talk about their newest record.
“DREAM( )SCAPE,” according to NCT DREAM themselves, is an offer of escape from reality to “those without dreams and hopes.” According to member Jeno, the hole in the middle of the album’s name refers to an escape. “The parenthesis refers to the meaning of escape. It’s like a door and like an escape from a dream.”
Which, from a fan’s perspective, seems to be NCT DREAM’s concept of being hopeful. And it still is—“DREAM( )SCAPE” just gives those who are struggling some kind of solace.
Talking about the reason why NCT DREAM had switched up their concept, member Mark said that they had wanted to “widen their scope and make something that a wider range of young listeners will empathize with.” “We’ve only shown a bright side of ourselves, but we’re also people who’ve been hurt, felt pain and lost our dreams,” says Mark.
For NCT DREAM in this newest album, “it’s okay to not want anything or have a goal…take all the negative words from the world, blend it down into a ‘Smoothie’, suck it up, and move on.”
For member Renjun, it’s like this: “We’ve been singing a lot about hope, dream, and passion. But if you think about it, isn’t it OK to not have a hope or a dream? We want to give something to people without a clear goal—that’s how the whole album started.”
Along with the title track “Smoothie,” comes the 5 B-side tracks in their newest EP: “icantfeelanything,” “BOX,” “Carat Cake,” “UNKNOWN,” and “Breathing,” which were all made with the hope of comforting listeners and the ones who do not have dreams or hopes.
“Smoothie,” the lead single for “DREAM( )SCAPE,” is described as a hip-hop track with a classic 808 bass line and snare rhythm, with lyrics describing how one can just take all the negativity around them and “blend” it all into a smoothie.
NCTzens and DREAMzens were all over the album as soon as it came out, praising the group’s versatility, lyricism, and dedication to their craft as artists. From their concept images alone, DREAMzens knew this album would be a hit.
BreathingㅡNCT DREAM
Lyrics translationThe song is so beautiful, the lyrics are so emotional and deep… ㅠ
"Because you're here, now I’m Breathing
When I open my eyes, I'm at the end of a long long night
How warm, when I feel our two hands holding
And my heart starts beating" pic.twitter.com/n5t8ZFet1d— Dyva🌸 (@captainuwu) March 25, 2024
NCT DREAM have released their newest single, 'Smoothie', out now. pic.twitter.com/04iaJ5wFFG
— About Music (@AboutMusicYT) March 25, 2024
nct dream you did it again pic.twitter.com/05kNQOj2kX
— s (@stillwithmark) March 25, 2024
what 숨 (breathing) by nct dream feels like pic.twitter.com/Wt8Nyk7Ed6
— 💋 (@marksuperfan) March 25, 2024
SIP IT SIP IT DOWN LIKE SMOOTHIE pic.twitter.com/gJEC3yi0rT
— ًً (@LJNFEED) March 25, 2024
i think what's crazy about this jisung part aside from his deep voice is him whispering some of the "smoothie" LIKE pic.twitter.com/LXINwrG0os
— 붕빵 ㄹ (@eunoicjisung) March 25, 2024
SMOOTHIE JENO WE LOVE YOU pic.twitter.com/qsKarBxGQN
— ツ (@jenowley) March 25, 2024
Wait so haechan’s favorite part in Smoothie is mark’s part 🫢🫢🫢
“There’s no more good boy I’m a bad😎” pic.twitter.com/bD4nZaItoX
— lyn ♡ 🐯ྀི 🐻ྀི #200 (@markyourhaert) March 25, 2024
smoothie part is so addictive and when jisung is the one who sings it? it's over for asteroids pic.twitter.com/aluIgueuoO
— 쿠키🐹 (@7DREAMPJS) March 25, 2024
everyone loves jisung's voice in smoothie YUP pic.twitter.com/xyLQvBteqi
— (^ө^)♡ (@pxrkjisungs) March 25, 2024
jeno jaemin jisung ‘smoothie’ deep voice repeating on my mind like insane pic.twitter.com/w8D4Yi3FaL
— Triple 𝓙 (@jenjaemsung) March 25, 2024
CUZ YOURE MY SMOOTHIE
SMOOTHIE SMOOTHIE SMOOTHIE
SMOOTHIE SMOOTHIE SMOOTHIE pic.twitter.com/amulcZyq7y— chenle fan (@sanrawrxd) March 25, 2024
smoothie smoothie smoothie pic.twitter.com/ZPz4UR1b7z
— 안 (@skymakeu) March 25, 2024
Currently obssesed with Mark's deep voice in Smoothie pic.twitter.com/bnmoQveol2
— ᴄᴀʀᴏʟɪɴᴇ¹⁰⁶⁺⁹⁴ (@anythingforlmk) March 25, 2024
Congratulations on another amazing album, NCT DREAM! And, thank you for showing us that it’s definitely okay and normal to struggle with life.
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