thoughts on NMIXX's FORWARD EP - introspective and metaphorically robust

TLDR; I think this EP is a great metaphor for self-acceptance and has (subtle?) themes that might resonate with queer audiences. Because the themes of the series are really important for this release, I focus mostly on the lyrical meaning of the songs, rather than the sound! REVIEW: Fe3O4, also known as black iron oxide, is a magnetic compound. For the group, the compound is broadly meant to present their musical charms. Before this EP, the series already had two other releases. BREAK is about attraction. The group draws in an audience that wants to flee from norms. The lead single, "Soñar", is them reassuring their fans that there's "no need to worry" about other people's opinions. STICK OUT is about embracing differences within oneself. Black iron oxide is ferrimagnetic, meaning not all of the charges within the compound face the same way. This weakens its magnetic force, compared to ferromagnetic compounds, but is ultimately what allows Fe3O4 to generate a magnetic field in the first place. As they ask on the title track, who cares about being seen as weak or different? They're not going to compromise on the basis of societal norms. They are "not your stereotype." With this in mind, what does FORWARD ask of its listeners? This latest installment is in a first-person perspective, following an individual follower, rather than having NMIXX beckoning their fans (as in the first installment). It boasts a less hard-hitting, aquatic feel that contrasts the earth and fire of the previous two releases. In this softness comes "High Horse", a piano-led track that feels like the internal conflict it's depicting. This opener leads you to think it's a traditional ballad, but the heartbeat of the song, its breakbeat percussion, turns the track into an angstier man-vs-self battle. FORWARD is also, perhaps, the most honest with listeners. "High Horse" invites the reader to consider just how hard it is to break free from social norms. It's not a battle that is fought and won in a single instance. Rather, the rebel must continue to wrestle with the world and themself. Despite this, the song opens pockets of light, that precede each chorus. In these brightlines, the main character's irregular heartbeat are removed for levity and peace. Haewon, Lily, and Kyujin take turns representing this encouraging voice, pushing the listener and the main character to go without ceasing, despite the difficulty. On "KNOW ABOUT ME", we get the externally confident image once again. Everyone knows that this person is different, but, more importantly, the main character has made peace with being Known and Seen by everyone as such. They are self-assured and know who they are now, outside of simply knowing they're "different". And, at each moment of doubt, there's a internal voice (Jiwoo and Kyujin) reminding them to get rid of insecurity. They are breaking from convention for themself, not for anyone else. The momentum of this self-confidence propels them FORWARD, finally, in "Slingshot" and "Golden Recipe". The lyrics of these songs are braggadocious. The singers taunt a "Golden Recipe" which has the right instructions for generating self-acceptance so intense that it invites jealousy from others. Other people wish they could break from convention with the "Slingshot"-like fierceness they display. This metaphor about breaking free is most beautiful on "Papillon". Indeed, NMIXX is so different that even their government-mandated "Butterfly" song (iykyk) is in French, rather than English or Korean. Some might view the thematic consistency of this series as redundant. If we're so bent on going FORWARD, why the butterfly metaphor? Is that not usually associated with metamorphosis? Are we not already past the stage of BREAKing free? To me, "Papillon" feels new because of how it foils "High Horse". If the first track was a gentler representation of the insecurity that comes with being known, then "Papillon" shows that same insecurity in a new, determined light. Where "High Horse" was that initial realization of unease, "Papillon" is the brave decision to coexist with anxiety, knowing that they will win the battle everytime it rears its face. The song is just as sonically mixed up as "High Horse" (if not more), but with an intense momentum. The album had no lyrical reference to water until "Ocean". Yet, FORWARD was still able to sonically submerge NMIXX's listeners in its warm, salty waters. As we floated on these waves, sometimes rough, sometimes gentle, we progressed, overall, towards newness and free experession. As they close this episode of the Fe3O4 series, NMIXX draws listeners back outward to consider how overwhelming it feels to be *totally* loved by someone else. Now that you are fully yourself, what does it feel like to have someone still love *all* of you? Our main character's heart skips a beat in this romantic track, represented in the waltz's 3/4 time signature. They begin to see what it's like to float in calm waters and be guided by the sea. Even if I dislike the 2nd verse, the song's sentiments are an exciting indication of what's to come in the next chapter. submitted by /u/bananasnalmonds [link] [comments]