Review: NMIXX provide a divisive yet intriguing debut with 'O.O'

Sometimes, a song comes around, and the entirety of the internet reacts with utter confusion, frustration, disappointment. Sometimes, you can see this coming miles before the release actually drops. This was the case for K-Pop royalty JYP Entertainment's latest girl group NMIXX. First, the teaser for b-side Tank became a large meme for its instantly iconic lyrics; "I'm so freaky fishy fishy I'm so freaky fishy fishy like a tank". Then, lead single O.O got leaked, instantly getting panned by those not patient enough to wait for the release. The MV also got attached to plagiarism accusations moments after release, while the song was utterly panned. K-Pop Twitter, the comments sections, blog sites, new stories, O.O has been panned like few other K-Pop releases in recent memory. In fact, world news articles have covered the negative reaction, with the Daily Mail even calling it 'the worst song ever'.

So how does the song hold up? Clearly, JYP was inspired by the recent success of SM's most experimental releases by aespa. Experimental turns have recently gained both fame and infamy in K-Pop, especially those that take different songs and mash them together. While it does not literally do so, O.O's various segments feel entirely different, and likely were composed by different individuals, hence the massive army of songwriters. The track was likely stitched together by the arranging team, leading to the disjointed sound.

The song's introduction instantly sets the stage for the upcoming chaos. After some muted brass beats, we get some aggressive refrains. The members of NMIXX prove compelling performers. The internet has particularly focused on vocalist Lily M. While she is undoubtedly the main highlight, all the members perform admirably through the song. Nonetheless, these refrains are chaotic and lack any hook one can latch on to. The tempo fluctuates, but unlike other songs that have done this, such as Barbara Pravi's Voila, there seems to be no reason conceptually for this, except that it can be done.

We then are thrown into a brief verse, lasting only 15 seconds, roughly the length of a Dimash Kudaibergen high-note. There is a nifty Latin groove, assisted by the brass sample from early. However, it should have remained muted, as the brass sample is infuriatingly gratin and irritating.

Now would be as good of a time as any to note the lyrics. While the inspirations for this song, such as aespa and NCT, have been noted for terrible lyrics, O.O takes this to the next level. From the ridiculously contrived, obvious, and forced coke promotion (the worst advertisement in a K-Pop MV since Bigflo's Bad Mama Jama) to the random, nonsensical words (shOOg, as it is capitalized), the song clearly was written with no lyrical concept in mind. Hence, is it surprising to see the lack of lyrical artistry in lines such as "Cuz everything is fake, but I ain't fake"?

Musically, the pre-chorus is fine but generic. The chorus, however, is a mixed bag of a different color. For starters, the grating brass samples return, bleeding the listeners' ears once again. Ignoring this, the percussion is generic, while the members provide a strong performance. The "Watch it baila baila" hook is frustrating, lacking any intent or melody. Thankfully, Lily's segment between the two 'baila' segments is surprisingly anthemic, and the first hint of potential.

Then, we are dropped into the second verse. This segment of the track has generally been praised as the track's utter peak, and I am inclined to agree. However, notably, it is actually two separate segments. After a rock-tinged intro, we are thrown into a floating, Oh My Girl-esque pop sound. This is the song's true summit. The instrumental is pristine and fresh, while the sung hook (once again performed by Lily) is the song's best.

We have then been introduced to a pop-rock segment. Over here, the transition is surprisingly smooth, with it even being teased at the start of the verse. I have no idea why this transition works, and the rest of the transitions throughout the song don't, but the pop and pop-rock segments flow together naturally, as two parts of a genre-blending track.

However, the song soon reminds us of its errors, with an utterly forced and awkward transition into the chorus. Once again, my comments previously dedicated to the chorus hold true, though the slight extension does benefit the track, with an almost YG-esque hype segment. The final instrumental segment could have been cut, but that is a limited gripe.

So, is O.O the worst song of all time? No, it very much is not. I have covered, many, many, many tracks that are worse than it on this site already. I suspect that some of its hate might be due to its scattershot nature, the group's rookie status, and the controversial status of aespa-esque K-Pop songs So, is O.O a good song? No, not at all. It suffers several fatal flaws, holding it back from success. In fact, it does deserve some of its negative reception. The members of NMIXX seem talented, and the MV is strong. We can only hope JYP Entertainment gives them a stronger track next time. Either way, O.O is a strange song, scattershot. As I stated before for another track, O.O throws spaghetti strands at the wall, seeing what sticks and what does not. The song misses something holding the track together, some sauce, but at least some strands stuck. Overall, the song leaves much room for improvement.

Rating: 6.5/10

Image Source: Kpop Wiki