[TF Focus] NMIXX, What Was Finally Created by Mixing the Unfamiliar

October 19 Release of 6th Mini Album 'Strange Muse'Unfamiliar Elements and Intense Contrasts, Vocals That Tie Everything TogetherNMIXX released their 6th mini-album 'Strange Muse' on the 19th. The album organically blends the musical direction they have pursued, their deepened expressive power, and the individuality of the six members. The photos are behind-the-scenes shots from the music video. /JYP Entertainment[THE FACT | Reporter Jeong Byung-geun] When different colors meet, a completely new color is born. Sometimes they clash, and sometimes they blend naturally, creating unexpected beauty. This is the music of NMIXX. And this time, those diverse colors have gathered as wishes for each other.NMIXX (LILY HAEWON SULLYOON BAE JIWOO KYUJIN) released their 6th mini-album 'Strange Muse' on the 19th, an album that organically blends the musical direction they have pursued, their deepened expressive power, and the individuality of the six members. Above all, it is interesting how they not only mix different genres but also weave together different emotions and voices into one.Last October, NMIXX reached a turning point in their career with 'Blue Valentine'. They broadened their connection with the public by interpreting the somewhat unfamiliar mix-pop with lyrical melodies and emotions. In May, with 'Heavy Serenade', they further expanded their possibilities by combining rough sounds with romantic sentiments.Through these two albums, NMIXX found a way to converge genre clashes into a single emotion. The most powerful weapon in that process was the solid vocals and expressiveness of the six members. 'Strange Muse' takes a step further based on the musical confidence built up in that way.The core of this album is 'difference'. The album title itself combines 'Strange', meaning unfamiliar and peculiar, with 'Muse', a source of inspiration. It tells a story of different beings meeting and becoming each other's muses in 'MIXXTOPIA', an ideal place where individuality is freely expressed. The mix-pop, NMIXX's identity and musical format, has been expanded into the album's overall message.The title track 'Birthday Wish' embodies this most dramatically. This song, a fusion of Moombahton, Afrobeat, and Future House, creates tension with its twisted bass and rhythmic sounds, while the intuitive chorus boosts energy. The highly charged atmosphere briefly subsides in a break where only the piano and vocals remain, then rises again through narration.The way emotions are handled is noteworthy. While typical pop music steadily builds energy towards the chorus, 'Birthday Wish' boldly breaks that flow in the middle. The silence placed between explosive sounds acts not to erase the preceding energy, but to amplify the subsequent overwhelming moment.The characteristic ever-changing composition is not an end in itself. The process of changing rhythms and shifting moods is a means to express the excitement, joy, and earnestness of encountering each other.What makes this convincing is, of course, the members' vocals. Powerful high notes, delicate expressions, and rhythmically sung vocals and raps add color to different sections. Lily challenged rapping for the first time, and Sullyoon adjusted her vocal placement to deliver the high chorus comfortably. This is the very meaning of the album, combining the unfamiliar with inspiration.Vocal power is the most powerful element that differentiates NMIXX from other groups. Each member's tone and expressiveness are distinct, and their capabilities support the rapid genre transitions. This is why the music can maintain its center no matter which direction the song takes. This is also why NMIXX's mix-pop cannot be easily imitated.The B-side tracks further clarify NMIXX's musical spectrum. The first three songs showcase experimentation and extensibility, while the unit songs in the latter half more clearly reveal their capabilities.Although NMIXX initially gave off a somewhat unfamiliar vibe with their experimental music early in their debut, they gradually created their own unique language by accumulating musical expertise and broadening their expressive range. 'Strange Muse' actively showcases the individuality of the six members and greater potential on top of that. /JYP Entertainment'Kerosene' reveals NMIXX's musical adventurousness with a composition that doesn't allow listeners to get comfortable within a single song, and 'RudE TaLK' shows another direction of contrast with its alternating soft verses that evoke nostalgia, aggressive choruses, thrilling rhythms, and low-pitched raps.These three songs, including the title track, share the common denominator of combining unfamiliar elements, intense contrasts, and vocals that tie them together. They clearly demonstrate how widely NMIXX's identity can be realized.'Sing to the Moon', a collaboration between Lily and Haewon, is a ballad pop that focuses on piano and vocals, stripping away flashy sounds. The two members, who are responsible for the explosive high notes and intense energy in NMIXX's music, compete with restrained emotions. Their vocal capabilities can be confirmed by their ability to lead a song not only with passionate music but also with simple expressions.'Hot 'n Unbothered', by Sullyoon and Bae, exudes completely different charms. It is a song that blends minimal 808 bass with Latin groove and R&B vocals, centering on a relaxed and sophisticated attitude rather than showcasing strong power. The lyrics, which express indifference to the noisy reactions directed at them, reveal a new musical character for the two members.'WHIP', by Jiwoo and Kyujin, is intense and fast-paced. Rap and pop melodies constantly alternate over hip-hop-based synth sounds. The composition, where different elements seem to chase each other, appears to be a compressed version of NMIXX's mix-pop in the two members' own style. Jiwoo and Kyujin's confident energy further sharpens the song's individuality.In addition, all members participated in writing their unit songs. Notably, Kyujin also took on composing for 'WHIP' for the first time, and Bae also contributed lyrics to 'RudE TaLK'. This is a meaningful change as they are starting to put their own stories into music, going beyond just excellently performing given music.This composition also harmonizes perfectly with the album title 'Strange Muse'. The members, who were once inspired by others, expand into beings who inspire each other by showcasing their own musical colors. The individuality of the six members comes together to form one team, and within that team, new possibilities are born again.From the beginning, NMIXX was a team that created new music by combining unfamiliar things. While their experimental nature was somewhat difficult for the public to approach early in their debut, they gradually created their own unique language by accumulating musical expertise and broadening their expressive range. 'Strange Muse' actively showcases the individuality of the six members and greater potential on top of that.kafka@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]