NCT Dream’s newest mini-album is a fun listen, with a mixture of genres, rhythms and vocal styles, but it lacks a unique new sound and personal lyrics that could set it apart from the group’s previous releases.

The K-pop group released their sixth mini-album, “Beat It Up,” which included six new tracks, Monday. Deemed a “mini-album” by Korean pop standards for having fewer than eight songs, it was marketed under a theme of “the speed of time” and is intended to display the group’s personal growth and journey over time. This builds on NCT Dream’s time-centered discography, following their previous album release, “Go Back To The Future.”

While “Go Back To the Future” was quite pop-heavy, this album shifts in genre, being far more hip-hop focused. The album kicks off with the title track, “Beat it Up,” a bass-heavy hip-hop song. The chorus highlights members’ skills, such as Jaemin’s rapping abilities, while the pre-choruses and bridge allow vocalists like Renjun to shine. It’s a catchy tune that is sonically typical of the group’s unique “Neo” style.

Lyrically, however, the title track falls short. While it’s clear from some verses that this song is about overcoming challenges and growing, the chorus is solely comprised of the uninteresting, repetitive phrase “show you how we beat it up.”

It’s hard to see how the lyrics of the title track tie in to the album’s theme of a journey of growth, until the verse “Hello, my future (Ah, bounce on it) / Time travel Tom Sawyer (Tom Sawyer).” These lines, referencing the group’s previous album “Hello Future” and the iconic protagonist of Mark Twain’s coming-of-age story, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” veer the listener back to the theme of growth.

Though there are attempts throughout the album to weave in lines about revived romance, growth and improvement, the lyrics don’t cohesively convey a message of personal growth for the band.

For example, the track “Cold Coffee” features the lines “All those painful yesterdays, now I’m patient / And right now, I’m growing stronger in this moment.” These lines about personal growth are seemingly sung in the context of a romantic relationship, and not the growth of the band, which feels generic and impersonal. “Cold Coffee” also employs elements of pop, ballads and R&B, building another synth-backed, vocally focused chorus.

The track, “Rush,” however, takes a sonic turn for the better. The first verses are rapped, reminiscent of old-school hip-hop. The song then shifts into a vocal pop-R&B chorus. The dreamy synth-backed chorus is a unique contrast to the old-school vibes of the rest of the song, and this juxtaposition of sound makes the song stand out.

“Butterflies,” an acoustic ballad that isolates members’ vocals against a minimal instrumental backing, also allows their individual talents to shine. Simple melodies coupled with generic lyrics like “Do I still give you butterflies” make it sonically pleasant but uninteresting. Unfortunately, despite the members’ clear vocal talents, the songs are hardly distinctive, making them quite forgettable.

“Tempo” brings the listener back to hip-hop. A snappy tune that weaves in a West Coast whistle throughout, this song centers around rapping members Jeno, Jaemin, Mark and Jisung, who each showcase their unique rapping styles and flows.

“Tempo” is a fun experience with different flows and a suddenly slow bridge mimicking the chorus lyrics of “Speed it up, slow it down, man, gimme that / Tempo.” Other lyrics like “we’re not the same” and “I’m moving too fast” exemplify the main message: the group’s individuality, grit and determination. Again, however, quite unlike West Coast rap, the lyrics aren’t written by the members or aren’t really illustrative of personal or lived experiences.

The final track, “TRICKY,” once again shifts back to hip-hop, mixing rap verses with a vocal pre-chorus and chorus. It’s another bass-heavy song, enhanced by some impressive falsetto notes that complement the deep voice singing “tricky” and a slightly funky quality. Like “Rush,” the combination of contrasting rap and vocals makes the track more interesting than some of the other songs, ending the album on a decent note.

“Beat It Up” is a decent mini-album overall, displaying the members’ vocal and rap talent, and showcasing an interesting mix of hip-hop, pop and R&B. However, the album doesn’t bring anything wildly new to the table, and has generic and sometimes confusing lyrics — none of which are member contributions — that make the album weak as a cohesive artistic project.