Song Review: NMIXX – See That?

I vastly underrated NMIXX’s January title track Dash, which quickly grew on me and just kept growing over the course of the year. When given great material, this group has unlimited potential. However, JYP Entertainment seems intent on throwing the musical encyclopedia at them, trying every angle they can to see what sticks. Pre-release SICKUHH dabbled in hard-hitting hip-hop with special guest Kid Milli while title track See That? (별별별) mixes several genres into its overstuffed frame.

More than anything, See That? takes influence from 90’s hip-hop. Its familiar bass recalls H.O.T’s Warrior’s Descendent, which in turn reflected the general vibe of its era. But apart from that retro influence, See That‘s structure and execution is mired in more modern K-pop tropes. Mainly, it struggles to find hooks that break free from its domineering production. Despite being a vocally-gifted group, NMIXX yet again spend the bulk of the track sing-talking. Very little of the songwriting feels committal or even memorable. The buoyant bridge is an exception, but carves out too little space within the track to amount to much.

On the plus side, there are many interesting things happening within the production. The beat is dense and exciting, especially during verse two where guitar and synth battle it out for supremacy, even introducing a bit of country flair to the mix. But without an effective top line, See You‘s strengths get drowned out and we’re left with yet another K-pop track that flexes attitude over killer melodies and focused arrangements.

Grade: C