In between conquering Korean charts with their title track and album Blue Valentine, NMIXX have maintained an unlikely collaboration with Brazilian drag artist Pabllo Vittar. This pairing sounds more fun than the actual music it has spawned, but it’s always nice when K-pop agencies remember that “global outreach” doesn’t automatically mean going to America. And despite its relative conservatism as an industry, K-pop feels uniquely suited to cross paths with drag.
Last year, I gave NMIXX’s first pairing with Vittar a decent rating but I can’t recall anything about that song. It didn’t last long on my playlist and felt more like an interesting diversion than a full attempt to create something with lasting impact. The same can be said about Tic Tic. This is two minutes of booty shaking groove with the most threadbare of songs thrown over the top. NMIXX are largely relegated to speaking and making sound effects while Vittar does most of the singing. It’s an enjoyable burst of energy, but it feels very throwaway.
In fact, Tic Tic is so throwaway that I debated whether I should write about it at all. Ultimately, I wanted the opportunity to express how interesting the “performance video” is. It’s a clip from Brazil’s Carnival celebration, but removing any crowd noise and ambiance gives the video an eerie, stilted energy. Also, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a K-pop group caged in such a tiny (elevated!) stage, their movements constrained and their audience appearing inert thanks to the studio mix being used as the audio. I find the idea of cultures colliding in this way very fascinating but I’m not sure NMIXX’s appeal comes across here. At the very least, it’s an interesting visual. I wish the song had more to offer.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
7
Bias
7
RATING
7.25