As “a group without limits”, NCT have gone from original single-digit NCT U teams back in 2016 with debut songs The 7th Sense and Without You, to today’s outfit with almost two dozen members.

Rather than overwhelm with the sheer scale of NCT, Pt. 2 shows what each individual NCT unit and member has to offer, while bringing them together for a complete performance-based album.

Resonance Pt. 2, perhaps more than any other NCT album to date, puts the group’s dedication to always doing more front and centre. With eight additional tracks along with the original 13 featured on Pt. 1 for a 21-song album, Pt. 2 gives each member time to shine, in a musical style that suits them.

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K-pop has a long history of expanding the idea of what pop music can and should sound like, and while they aren’t necessarily reinventing the wheel on Resonance Pt. 2, NCT are standing out in the overcrowded K-pop scene by honing in on the individuality of each member and their personal artistry, and presenting 21 very different tracks.

The essence of Resonance Pt. 2 can be felt in the singles alone: every member takes the lead at a given point, showcasing how the fluid nature of NCT is able to enhance the outfit’s musical innovation.

Pt. 1 was fronted by the smooth, whistling vibes of the groovy, danceable hip-hop styling of Make a Wish (Birthday Song) (sung by Taeyong, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Lucas, Xiaojun, Jaemin and Shotaro) and countered by the heart-stirring, multilingual nostalgic ballad From Home (by Taeil, Yuta, Kun, Doyoung, Renjun, Haechan and Chenle). Both were released in Korean and English (Make a Wish) and a multilingual variant (From Home).

Pt. 2, in comparison, introduces other members who did not take the lead on singles from Pt. 1, although all members were featured across various Resonance B-sides.

Up first was the throwback 90s Love (by Ten, Winwin, Mark, Jeno, Haechan, Yangyang and Sungchan), which arrived on Monday and recalls old school hip-hop/R&B tracks, while today saw the arrival of the high-energy, bass-booming EDM track Work It (by Johnny, Yuta, Ten, Jungwoo, Hendery, Jaemin, and Jisung).

Each of the initial singles from both albums served as introductions to the new members, with Make a Wish showcasing Shotaro and Sungchan making his debut with 90s Love, each given time to shine among the smaller NCT grouping rather than being overwhelmed by the 21 already-well-known stars if they had done a joint 23-member single.

The Resonance series’s dedication to NCT’s fluid nature is a noted improvement over their previous full-team effort, 2018’s Empathy album. Back then, several members were highlighted on multiple singles and B-side tracks, but others only appeared on the then 21-member act’s single Black on Black or their home unit’s songs.

In comparison, this series has multitudes of NCT combinations, and is actually missing a tune by all 23 members – which would have been a nice bonus but isn’t necessary, as all members’ voices shine through during the one-hour and 10 minutes running time.

NCT’s latest takes its time, but improves with each listen as the 23 men’s voices and their varied combos unfold – stand-outs include the airy funk-pop of Jaehyun, Jungwoo, Mark, Hendery, Shotaro, Sungchan, and Chenle’s All About You, while My Everything brings together 127’s Taeil, Dream’s Renjun and WayV’s Xiaojun, both previously unheard artistic combinations from the expansive boy band.

In the permanently harried state of the K-pop world and the dark timeline Covid-19 has imposed on 2020, Resonance Pt. 2 is like a tea box of variation, offering subtle and deeper flavours the more time you allow it to steep, and rewarding those willing to take the time to enjoy its medley of offerings.

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