Despite hailing from one of K-pop’s biggest agencies, NMIXX’s ascent has been slow and steady. While their debut single polarized fans, the group has surged in popularity with each passing year and started to develop a diverse catalog of sounds. Their singles tend to be very hit or miss for me and often take some time to grow, but overall I find the group quite charming. We’ll see if time will be kind to Know About Me, but the song takes some odd turns that make my initial reaction tough to gauge.
NMIXX have become known for their vocals prowess, so it always feels weird when their music has them talking more than singing. Know About Me carries touches of the NMIXX charm — most notably in the tight harmonies that echo the sing-talk of the chorus. It makes me wish for more, especially as we veer into a needlessly loud bridge. At its best, Know About Me has an aloof coolness that keeps the listener at arm’s length. Despite their sing-talk, the chorus and post-chorus are most effective. I especially like the way the second verse acts as a build between choruses. This sense of drama returns during the song’s bridge. An injection of melody here would have done wonders rather than the shout-sing approach we get, but the instrumental pulses with an exciting sense of ascent.
In fact, Know About Me would be stronger if it dispensed with its tired trap aesthetic entirely and reveled in a more crisp EDM soundscape. The production drags more often than it should, which is only made more obvious during the moments when the instrumental ramps up. With that said, Know About Me is dynamic enough to reward repeated plays. Right off the bat, I enjoy it more than last year’s See That, which went on to become a nice hit for the group. I’ll be interested to discover where this one takes me over the next few weeks.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8