Celebrate with NMIXX’s “Birthday Wish”
Photo: NMIXX Official X
NMIXX puts sentimentality on full display in their newest title track, “Birthday Wish.” Heading their sixth EP, Strange Muse, the song wants everyone to embrace their differences and begin anew. Strange Muse blends tender emotions previously touched on through releases like Heavy Serenade and Blue Valentine with classic MIXXPOP-style B-sides and unit songs, the latter being the first for the group.
Strange Muse TRACKLIST:
“Birthday Wish”
“Kerosene”
“RudE TaLK”
“Sing to the Moon (LILY, HAEWON)”
“Hot ‘n Unbothered (SULLYOON, BAE)”
“WHIP (JIWOO, KYUJIN)”
The Title Track
For the first time since 2022, NMIXX did not come out with a pre-release song prior to the EP’s official launch. Instead, “Birthday Wish” stands alone as the promoted song with a music video. Released on October 19, “Birthday Wish” envisions an accepting space where people can actualize their true selves. In this sense, the day where everyone meets within this MIXXTOPIA—a land that NMIXX has been striving towards since their debut—acts as everyone’s new “birthday.” The group stated that the EP’s title refers to how “[everyone is] each other’s muse” in MIXXTOPIA. Everyone becomes an inspiration.
“Birthday Wish” drums up celebration through its combination of future house and moombahton genres. There is a heavenly airy quality in the vocals that oozes hope. Though the talking portions distract from the song, the majority of the track remains focused on its strongest quality: optimism. In the music video, NMIXX takes the idea of everyone as each other’s muse through throwing a classy party. It comes complete with each member strutting confidently in dresses like the stars of a fancy fashion show.
Group B-Sides
“Kerosene” and “RudE TaLK” bring NMIXX’s MIXXPOP classic MIXXPOP sound, the type to switch genres and tempo that often creates a sense of intrigue. “Kerosene” is hyperpop with some industrial elements. The last chorus in particular goes overboard with a fastened tempo, stronger vocals, and the addition of a shrill pitch in the instrumental. It’s not exactly a song that would blend nicely within every playlist, but it’s one that will get the gears in your brain turning.
“RudE TaLK” brings a dual bright and dark sound with contrasting verses and choruses. The verses are upbeat and vocal-focuses, whereas the chorus goes the opposite. NMIXX sing-talks and uses a low pitch in an intimidating way. It can feel jarring, but it makes a lasting impact conceptually.
Unit Songs
Lily and Haewon’s “Sing to the Moon” combines many positive qualities: a four-minute piano ballad of pure vocals from the group’s best singers. The song itself carries a romantic message of lovers comforting each other under the moonlight. “Sing to the Moon” provides comfort in one song.
Sullyoon and Bae’s “Hot ‘n Unbothered” capitalizes on the duo’s lower singing ranges. Though Sullyoon has been showing more of her lower range in “Birthday Wish” and “Cresendo,” the contrast between her typical high range—crisp and clear—and the lower range—fuller—is something I wish more NMIXX songs highlighted. Bae also excels at using her lower tone, which complements nicely here. However, this Afrobeats song stays consistently in a low energy beat with an almost monotone range. It’s clearly meant to be a dance song more than a vocal performance, but it feels like it ends too quickly to get into its groove.
Jiwoo and Kyujin’s “WHIP” comes off as aggressive as its title implies. It’s rap-focused with many 808 beats. It comes with a twang of Old West with yodel imitations in between the rap portions. It’s personally the most creative of the three unit songs, though I believe the group understood which type of songs fit each duo the best.
Overall, NMIXX’s Strange Muse highlights a lot of inter-group synergy with its unit tracks and usage of MIXXPOP B-Sides. The title track “Birthday Wish” is a cheerful follow-up from the yearning feeling of “Heavy Serenade,” but the speaking portions take away from the emotional heights. Nevertheless, it shows creativity.