Glitch Mode
Glitch Mode is the second studio album by South Korean boy band NCT Dream, released on March 28, 2022, through SM Entertainment. Following their previous album "Hot Sauce" and its repackaged version "Hello Future", "Glitch Mode" is NCT Dream's second record to feature seven members after Mark's return to the lineup and the termination of their age-based graduation system. Background. "Glitch Mode" came nine months after NCT Dream released their first studio album "Hot Sauce", which was met with commercial and critical success, and its reissue "Hello Future". In January 2022, SM Entertainment confirmed in  a statement to the South-Korean newspaper "MyDaily" that NCT Dream would release a new album in March. "Glitch Mode" is NCT Dream's second album to feature a seven-member lineup following Mark's return and the termination of the age-based graduation system. Composition and concept. "Glitch Mode" is a R&B, pop and hip hop record. On it, NCT Dream strays further away from their original "high-teen" concept and bubblegum pop music in favor of a more "mature" image and hip hop sound. While the album opens with more "experimental", "loud" and "animated" tracks, it mainly comprises  fairly lowkey songs that evoke a "comforting" atmosphere with its sincere messages expressed in the lyrics. During the "Glitch Mode" press conference, Mark stated that through the album and lead single of the same name, they wanted to express how "everyone's abnormal". He revealed that the Korean crime-comedy film "Attack the Gas Station" heavily inspired the album and music video for the lead single, saying that the concept "popped in my mind after listening to 'Glitch Mode'". Songs. The opening track, "Fire Alarm", speaks of NCT Dream's ambition to surprise the world and features an "energetic" chorus  with a clapping sample. The lead single, "Glitch Mode", is a hip hop dance song that contrasts an introductory narration with a "dynamic" 808 bass and chanting chorus. Its lyrics, with rap verses co-written by Mark, express how someone freezes "as if buffering" when they see someone they like. The accompanying choreography includes a "buffering" move that embodies the song's theme. "Arcade" is a hip hop dance song with "powerful" beat, whose lyrics follow arcade game motifs and project a message of confidence: "you must follow me to win". A mid-tempo pop song, "It's Yours" is  anchored by bass and electric guitar, as well as rap verses written by members Mark, Jeno, Jaemin and Jisung. "Teddy Bear" is an R&B pop ballad focusing on the members' "sweet" voices. "Replay" is a mid-tempo R&B pop song that combines instrumentation ranging from old-school instruments to hi-fi synths and deep bass. Mark, Jeno, and Jisung participated in writing the lyrics, which express longing for happy moments after a breakup. Performed by Mark, Jeno, Jaemin and Jisung, "Saturday Drip" is a '90s hip hop-inspired track with repeating synths and rap flow that depicts a Saturday night . "Better Than Gold" is a synth-pop song with a funky rhythm and upbeat bass line. Its lyrics express how moments spent together are "more precious than gold". With lyrics intended to comfort those who are struggling and weary, the production of "Drive" centers on acoustic piano and guitars. "Never Goodbye" is an R&B ballad that combines "restrained" percussion with a "gentle" Rhodes keyboard and chimes. It conveys the sentiment of "always waiting in the same place", much like the North Star. Mark, Jeno and Jisung each interpreted the concept differently while writing the lyrics, resulting in different ideas shining  throughout the song. The final track of the album, "Rewind", is a "lively" mid-tempo R&B pop song with a light beat. The lyrics reminisce the memories the group members have shared, conveying their desire to stay together forever as "7Dream". Release and promotion. On February 28, after SM Entertainment confirmed a March release window for NCT Dream, the album title "Glitch Mode", written in different "old-school computer-themed" fonts and colors, was revealed in a video teaser. On the same day, SM the announced the release date and opened pre-orders. Beginning on March 14, SM released five  sets of photo teasers, in which the members were depicted wearing different outfits, from black suits with futuristic bike helmets to hot pink outfits, in various locations, including an abandoned house and a gas station, to convey the "unusual charms" of the lead single "Glitch Mode", whose concept centers around "errors". The images were accompanied by a set of video teasers with a glitch effect featuring individual members. On March 25, NCT Dream teased all eleven tracks with a mashup video uploaded to the group's social media platforms. "Glitch Mode" was officially released on March 28, alongside a music  video for the lead single. The group held two live broadcasts on YouTube on March 28 and 30 to celebrate the release, where they performed "Glitch Mode" for the first time. From March 31, they performed "Glitch Mode" alongside the b-side "Arcade" on various South Korean music shows, including "M Countdown", "Music Bank", "Inkigayo", "Show Champion" and "Show! Music Core". However, member Chenle had to limit his participation in the stages due to an ankle injury. On April 14, they performed the b-side track "Never Goodbye" on "M Countdown" as a gift to fans. On March 7, SM  announced NCT Dream would hold their second online concert, "Dream Stage: Glitch Mode", in support of the album on April 5. Pop-up store. A pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul to commemorate the release of "Glitch Mode" will be open from April 1 to May 29. The arcade-themed store includes a photo zone that reproduces the music videos's shooting location and an entertainment zone with 8-bit games inspired by the album artwork. Other products and attractions include balloons with the members' signatures and handwritten letters. Commercial performance. "Glitch Mode" surpassed 2.03 million pre-orders on  the day of release, the second-highest ever for an act under SM and exceeding NCT Dream's previous career high of 1.71 million pre-orders for "Hot Sauce". The album sold 700,000 copies on its first day after release. As of April 3, "Glitch Mode" recorded sales of 2,100,339 copies within one week, breaking the group's previous personal record of two million copies sold in 16 days for "Hot Sauce". "Glitch Mode" debuted at number 50 on the US "Billboard" 200 dated April 9, 2022 having sold 15,000 album-equivalent units, becoming NCT Dream's first entry on  the chart, as well as number two on the "Billboard" World Albums chart.