NCT 127 have gone through major changes since releasing their 2024 album ‘Walk’. Once a nine member group, the boyband now consists of only five performers. Some departures are permanent, as Taeil was removed in 2024 following a sexual assault case, while longtime member Mark Lee departed earlier this year. Doyoung and Jungwoo, meanwhile, are temporarily absent while completing military service. Even with fewer members, Taeyong, Johnny, Yuta, Jaehyun and Haechan make it clear that NCT 127 still have plenty left to offer.

While earlier projects placed more attention on R&B, ‘Blingy’ moves the group firmly into hip hop territory. ‘Piñata’ combines rock and hip hop with the restless determination of musicians eager to prove themselves. Electric guitar lines and breakbeat percussion give the song plenty of aggression and confidence. The title track mixes dubstep, distorted synthesizers, forceful drums and group chants into a frantic performance. ‘Blingy’ shows that NCT 127 understand the bold musical universe they have established and know how to push it further.

The album’s adventurous ideas work particularly well on ‘IKR’ and ‘Legacy’. ‘IKR’ reshapes bright hip hop around prominent percussion and a xylophone inspired sound that moves smoothly through the arrangement. ‘Legacy’ captures the group’s extravagant instincts at full strength. Its fearless and detailed production layers rap, rhythmic harmonies and twisted bass into one expansive composition. The track confirms that NCT 127’s familiar formula remains effective, making it a suitable addition to an album celebrating the qualities at the centre of their identity.

The two moments when the group moves closer to pop produce very different outcomes. The warm tropical house track ‘Getaway’ ranks among the album’s finest songs, largely because of producer dwilly, whose previous house pop work includes RIIZE song ‘Impossible’ and Hearts2Hearts track ‘Focus’. By comparison, the piano driven pop rock song ‘127 Million Miles’ fills the project’s expected emotional role. Hearing Doyoung and Jungwoo is a pleasant surprise given their absence from the rest of the record, but the cautious production causes ‘Blingy’ to lose momentum.

With one rapper no longer present and the usual leading vocalists unavailable, ‘Blingy’ could easily have sounded like the work of a group restricted by its circumstances. Instead, the five members rise above those limitations, with previously less prominent performers such as Yuta and Johnny taking on greater responsibility. ‘Blingy’ confirms that NCT 127 still understand their musical character and direction. No matter what arrives next or how many members participate, their journey is far from finished.