I don’t watch many audition series anymore, but I did catch the latest season of JYP’s Nizi Project last year. I chose to watch it because I find J.Y. Park a fascinating and highly entertaining TV personality, but of course I grew to like the guys of NEXZ as well. Following in NiziU’s footsteps, they’re the latest in a line of J-pop groups produced and managed by K-pop agencies. But interestingly, they’ve unveiled their debut single in Korea before Japan. I guess we’re not even pretending what this is anymore.

Ride The Vibe feels very on trend, bopping along a light, easy listening groove with a few structural switch-ups peppering the chorus. Much of the percussion hinges on those annoying xylophone tones that used to be so popular a few years ago, making me wish the track would have stuck with the driving beat of its verses. The chorus attempts to shift energy and highlight its groove, but the instrumental isn’t effective and the hook is very dull. I see what the songwriters are trying to do, but we need better melodies here.

Speaking of songwriters, I was shocked to learn that Ride The Vibe is an e.one co-write. This is a huge sonic shift for that team and misses many of the quirks that characterize their best work. In fact, the song is nearly quirk-free. Without a unique calling card of its own, Ride The Vibe needs to be melodically and rhythmically bullet proof. Instead, it just kind of limps along.

Grade: C