Song Review: NEXZ – Nallina

New JYP Entertainment boy group NEXZ have split their attention between Korea and Japan. They’re technically a J-pop act (at least… I think?) but have been promoting actively in Korea with Korean-language music. New single Nallina certainly takes cues from the K-pop side of things, offering a dance-heavy showcase that skimps on the hooks and hinges on a gruff centerpiece that’s more off-putting than addicting.

NEXZ… don’t go teasing me with a “Nallina.” This will only bring back memories of Block B’s heyday and the musical mischief they’d get into. JYP Entertainment would clearly like this Nallina to be mischievous and fun, but it’s simply too predictable to work. The guys vamp over a percolating bed of percussion. The instrumental has potential, choosing a wide variety of tones that give it addictive groove. However, Nallina has no interest in developing its assets. Instead, it reverts to boy group tropes at every turn.

Following a robust pre-chorus, Nallina stumbles into a dull hook that sees the guys shouting nonsense with the same exact texture as every boy group you’ve heard over the past few years. I don’t know how every act manages to adopt a similar tone when shouting, but this could just as easily be any NCT unit. Despite Nallina being a personality-fueled single, I don’t glean any unique personality from the performance — and I’m one of those fans who watched NEXZ be formed through the Nizi Project. I should be especially predisposed to this!

Grade: C-