Less than four months after expérgo, NMIXX is back. NMIXX came to mix up the summer with A Midsummer NMIXX’s Dream on July 11. This single album takes a page from William Shakespeare by creating a pun based on his comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It breaks a previous pattern of NMIXX only using single phrases or words for their album titles: AD MARE, Latin for “to the sea”; Entwurf, German for “design” or “draft”; and expérgo, Spanish for “to awaken.” A Midsummer NMIXX’s Dream contains the title track “Party O’Clock” and “Roller Coaster,” the latter of which served as a pre-release leading up to the official single album.

“Party O’Clock” 

Including J.Y. Park himself, many lyricists and composers participated in making this title track. In “Party O’Clock,” NMIXX call the one they love over for a party within the forest. This night leaves partygoers “spellbound” with romantic sparks in the air. Though no literal magical intervention makes its way into the song, the lyrics loosely reference the events in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; after an enchanting night of characters falling in love within the forest, the audience is asked to remember the play’s events as a dream. I personally know the catchiness of “Beep-beep, jingling jingling / Keep-keep mingling mingling” will stay in my dreams for weeks. 

Director Kwon Yongsoo of STUDIO SACCHARIN and their crew did an amazing job with the music video’s stunning visuals. The outdoor shots look especially phenomenal. In the day, the sunset shines brightly on the members as they dance in a grassy field. The shots shine the most at night; the forest fairy concept looks beautiful with the members donning flower hair ornaments and brightly coloured dresses. The jellyfish umbrellas near the end add to NMIXX’s ocean motif, which can also be found in the group’s previous releases and marketing.

“Roller Coaster” 

NMIXX dropped a fresh summer song centered around dreams of infatuation on July 3. Similar to how “Young, Dumb, Stupid” served as a pre-release for expérgo, “Roller Coaster” released eight days before the comeback. The song centers around spending a special moment with a lover: a moment that carries an unpredictable and unforgettable adrenaline rush.

The music video takes place in a high school, but the story likely takes place within a dream. Both the lyrics and music video imply this point. The speaker wakes up in a cold sweat from their “bright and clear dream,” and the music video shows Bae waking up from a daydream. Even on its own, the video is an entertaining experience . Any music video with  fun summer hangouts  will surely delight many viewers. Director SOZE YOON of STUDIO GAZE and their crew nailed the dreamy effect. Here it feels nostalgic, and pairs well with the mood of the song and the high school setting.

While “Party O’Clock” and “Roller Coaster” feel musically tamer than their predecessors, there is no doubt that this era for NMIXX offers something healing and fun for the summer. NMIXX continues to “change up” expectations for everything they release. After all, a party is not a party without NMIXX.

Edited by Omani