WISHLIST

<i>WISHLIST</i>, the first Japanese mini album from Tokyo-based NCT subgroup NCT Wish, is a continuation of the six-piece’s feel-good foundation. As with other fifth-generation K-pop acts, NCT Wish leans into the retro synths of yesteryear, infusing their bubblegum pop with a sweet, fun nostalgia for a time its young members (Sion, Riku, Yushi, Jaehee, Ryo, Sakuya) never experienced themselves. Lead single “Hello Mellow” is a groovy pop insistence that even clumsy youthful times will be looked back on with fondness, while “ZONE” and “SOMEDAY” incorporate chiptune-esque flourishes into their vibrant soundscapes. NCT Wish is at their most NCT-esque on “BUBBLE GUM,” which not only brings elements of hip-hop into their dance-pop formula, but also calls to mind NCT Dream’s 2016 debut, “Chewing Gum,” tying the final NCT subgroup more tightly into the broader NCT project.