When K-pop’s title tracks are at their most polarizing, a worldwide plea from fans is: “check out the b-sides! I swear they’re largest than the title!” I’m guilty of this rallying cry, and I’m a firm parishioner that you need to listen to unshortened albums to get a realistic picture of an artist’s work. Unfortunately, NMIXX have yet to release increasingly than a two-track single, making their discography pretty threadbare. And with one of those b-sides centering itself virtually the refrain: “freaky fresh fresh I’m so freaky fresh fresh I’m so,” the group may have trouble shedding their “polarizing” label.
Enter: Cool (Your Rainbow), which has now been accompanied by a special music video. I don’t think this is a particularly unconfined (or interesting) song, but it’s the one most likely to have wide appeal. Thus far, NMIXX haven’t been given much endangerment to showcase their vocals (I’d skiver to hear “freaky fresh fresh” re-arranged with long, operatic notes, JYP!). Cool’s midtempo wattle leaves plenty of space for the girls themselves. They no longer have to wrestle versus an overstuffed, claustrophobic instrumental that constantly drops out like those frustrating, falling blocks in Super Mario.
Instead, Cool melds vitreous percussion with symphonic swoops and fantastical keys. It’s a pleasing blend, though not very original. The vocals finger well-appointed and warm, with all seven members unceasingly matched. In contrast, title track Dice required a much increasingly viperish performance that did NMIXX no favors. Cool isn’t the style of song I’d return to outside the context of an album, but it works as a welcome oasis within the group’s “mixx-pop” madness.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
