WARNING : Extremely long post ahead as I really want to verbalize how much I adore NMIXX's music I've never considered myself an NMIXX fan. I checked them out at debut and didn't really vibe with it so I forgot about them for a while. I did occasionally listen to some of their songs over the years and liked some of them (Love Me Like This in particular I liked a lot) but at that point I had pretty much fallen out of being a kpop stan and didn't really listen to kpop much anymore other than the occasional song here and there. Then I randomly decided to listen to DASH, and I was floored. The funky bass guitar riff, the spectacular vocals from the members (especially Bae), the epic build-up to the anti-drop chorus with the almost robotic backing vocals going "run it", the change up and how it transitioned back into the original soundscape of the song, the immaculate production of the song - it was all jaw-dropping for me. It had been AGES since a mere title track was so interesting, so good to the point where I felt the need to listen to an entire album. I can't even remember I was this interested in a Kpop group purely on a sonic/music level (last was probably OnlyOneOf's debut). So I went to listen to the rest of Fe304 : Break and holy shit was I mind blown. I found every single song SO dynamic, something I wanted to listen to over and over just to pick up on every interesting musical decision, both in the production but also the member's vocal delivery. Soñar was appropriately epic and grandiose, BOOM is a banger and that switch up is permanently etched into my brain, Passionfruit is so good especially love the contrast between the bubbly vibe of the song and the "spit it out spit it out part", same with XOXO with the contrast between the bright light-hearted vibe of the song but the dirty ass bass being used throughout, Break The Wall's title is extremely fitting with how it makes me feel like I've broken free and reached the end of a whole ass journey, and this was the ending credits song to celebrate the victory. But my highlight of the album had to be Run For Roses. On what planet would I ever expect to hear a kpop girl group doing some sort of country/folk/pop fusion song with banjos, violins and electric guitar while absolutely ripping the vocals apart? Absolutely amazing. I need to stress that Fe304 : Break alone was enough to make me consider myself a full blown NMIXX stan. I listened to that album on loop for weeks as I dug deeper into the group, watching their content, learning more about the members, watching their live performances (which they are STELLAR at btw) etc. all because of this album. At this point I found myself excited waiting for what they would release next. Then they dropped Fe304 : Stick Out, and again, I found myself in awe. When listening to See That? I realized how much NMIXX know what they're doing. When I first listened to the title track, I was worried it would be overly repetitive and flat/straightforward (how foolish of me) but then the country ass switch up came in right after the first chorus to remind me who tf I'm listening to, only further solidified by the bridge doubling down on shutting up my doubts (I ADORE Sullyoon's "deeper, deeper" line it scratches my brain). SICKUHH was sick af and solidified Jiwoo as my favourite member (something about the way she raps and enunciates her words is so satisfying to listen to), and just when I thought the song was over (when will I learn NMIXX never do the expected smh) they switch up the beat at the end to end on an absolute banging note. The synths in Red light sign, but we go are so unique, they sound almost alien-esque and spacey with how wobbly/distorted they are and they absolutely make the song for me with how they compliment the post-chorus. Beat Beat's only crime is that it's too SHORT, the Drum & Bass production, the slap bass going ham post-bridge, the random whistle notes in the background (?) at the end, I wish I had MORE of it. I was always going to love Moving On, as I am a huge rock fan outside of kpop and this sounds like a Day6 track. They saved the best for last imo because Love Is Lonely is absolutely beautiful and moving powerhouse of a pop song, the way its produced really makes it feel like you're falling through the sky before landing in a field of flowers through the soft lilting prechorus swelling and building up to absolutely bursting chorus. It kind of reminds me of Run Away With Me by Carly Rae Jepsen which is one of the highest praises I can give it. At this point I became a full blown NMIXX stan. I need to highlight how shocking this was to me personally because before NMIXX, I haven't even kept up with music releases of groups I was ALREADY a fan of for longer than NMIXX, I was on a sort of hiatus from kpop as a whole, but they dragged me back in and I have never been more glad. While I still don't really keep up with groups in terms of content, my love for kpop as a music genre was fully revitalized and I've discovered a lot of new groups musically that I might have not otherwise. So when I say I was fully SAT for their next release, its a bit of an understatement for just how hyped I was. Then we come to 2025 and they drop Fe304 : Forward and since you've read the title, do I even need to say that I loved this album as well? Forward is my absolute favourite of the trilogy, it shows NMIXX at their peak, where they have their signature musical identity and quirkiness nailed down, and an album that has me realizing there is no other Kpop group that would offer me what NMIXX has to offer sonically (the last time I truly felt this way was with f(x)). When Know About Me came on, I did find myself thinking that for an NMIXX song it was quite subdued and "chill" (I will say the synth work on the song is IMMACULATE), but then that bridge dropped and yet again it has been hammered to my brain that I am listening to NMIXX, and they would never make anything boring (idk what's that weird sound that sounds like a weird revving car but I genuinely love it so much). Slingshot is exactly like its name, a song that really feels like a slingshot with how the production randomly pulls back, shoots forward, and changes up so often that it gives you whiplash. Golden Recipe is one of the most oddly funny songs I ever heard (Dem Jointz you mastermind) because I will admit the violin randomly showing up made me giggle the first time I heard it (sounds like I'm in a hip hop fine dining restaurant lmao), but also its such a slapper of a track with the marching beat and chant. Ocean to me really shows something I appreciate about NMIXX which is they fully commit to creating a proper soundscape based off the concept of the song. They're not just singing about the ocean, but the production, the vocal delivery, etc all invokes the ocean. The intro with the sound of crashing waves in the background sets the perfect atmosphere for the song, the lilting, waltz-like rhythm in the instrumental and vocals really do remind me of the waves going up and down a sandy beach, and the change up section after the first chorus sounds like a water level soundtrack for a video game. Now I need a separate paragraph just to yap about the two songs in NMIXX's discography that imo really solidified themselves as one of my favourite groups sonically through my decade long stint as a kpop fan. Papillon is just NMIXX being peak NMIXX, an absolute showcase of how both NMIXX and whoever is on their artistic/musical team have achieved a thorough understanding of the group's appeal and have mastered utilizing it to its fullest. If there was one song I'd use to represent what NMIXX is about, Papillon is it. The intro is already a banger in itself with the amount of sheer l a y e r s - the synths, distorted vocals, chanting, chipmunked vocals, stuttering noises, heavy bass etc. There's many interesting vocal moments in this song such as Sullyoon's descending notes leading to her "all I do is struggle" line,, the up and down vocals in the prechorus, etc. The delivery of the the chorus hits you like a round of bullets, punchy and perfectly in rhythm with the accompanying beat (the stuttering vocal riff at the end of it is a highlight) before leading into an absolutely transcendent post-chorus where the way the long "woo wee woo ah" is processed sounds haunting almost like some digital siren. The way they switch seamlessly between different speed, rhythm, beat throughout the song is masterful, really one of the most dynamic songs I've heard in a while. When High Horse first came on I was SO intrigued by the morose piano riff and melancholy intro vocals, leading into that beat drop. I cannot overstate how much of a masterpiece I think this song is, I could write a full dissertation on it and genuinely believe it deserves a Grammy (call me delulu idgaf this song is perfect). I've always been of the opinion that a truly great song can get it's message/meaning across even without knowing the lyrics, which High Horse certainly does. I want to highlight something I truly appreciate about this song and something I wish more kpop would utilize is the use of quiet and space. A lot of kpop songs are produced in a way that every second, every moment is jam packed with instrumentals, synths, adlibs, vocals etc. and I do love it, but I think this makes High Horse stand out even more. The "quiet" moments in the song (vocal verses only being accompanied by a single sparse piano riff followed by very "acoustic" peeled back sounding drums, the very soft swelling instrumental of the prechorus) are what really drive home the morose, haunting soundscape of the song. The song builds more as it goes on, adding drums and more chesty vocals as it goes on, and it all builds to an absolutely gorgeous climax with Haewon and Lily absolutely belting with sheer emotion leading into a beat drop that sounds almost slightly sinister with the distorted vocals and darker synths, hell they even throw in a horn instrument because why not. And the most amazing thing is you'd think the song would end on a "high" after a climax like that but NOPE. It peels itself back to its rawest state, with Sullyoon delivering the final line with nothing but the piano riff, just like how the song started truly proving their understanding of the importance of "quiet" in building a song. If I had to recommend only one NMIXX song, it would be this one. It's a cinematic transcendent experience to listen to this song, one that can't be expressed fully in words alone. I really want to praise NMIXX and the artistic/musical team behind them. I am in awe of how adaptable the members are each song I listen to, how the parts are perfectly distributed and given to the member that suits the part the most, how they change their vocal delivery like chameleons to suit each song's unique soundscape and concept. I am in awe of their artistic/musical team for having such a clear understanding of NMIXX's unique appeal and how it shows in every single song across the Fe304 trilogy. NMIXX is truly a masterclass of not only thoroughly understanding what makes them special and fully utilizing it in their music, but perfecting their craft the more they release. I've never once thought for ANY of their songs (insert Kpop group here) could do it better/just as good. With easy-listening and simple catchy hooks being such a commonplace in Kpop nowadays, I salute NMIXX's dedicated to being truly experimental and standing their ground. submitted by /u/MSkyDragons [link] [comments]
