You all know I love a bad K-pop acronym. The confusing name of newly-debuted girl group ifeye stands for “Imagine & Find Energetic Young Eyes.” Um… creepy? For me, they’re most notable for their partnership with producer Leez, who was partially responsible for guiding ATEEZ and Dreamcatcher’s early career and has made great music for other groups since. ifeye’s pre-debut teasers promised a dark horror concept, which would have been a welcome change in girl group trends. However, debut single Nerdy ends up being far more generic.

Girl groups don’t seem to be breaking the “beigepop” trend yet, as Nerdy offers its own take on the subdued sound. It’s the latest in an endless line of mumble-singing over fitful electronic backdrops, though the song opens a bit during its chorus. A different instrumental and arrangement would have done wonders here. The percussion feels ripped from any number of ifeye’s peers and the airy vocal arrangement blurs the girls’ performance like watercolors. Rather than a group of individual voices, they sound like one long exhale.

On the plus side, Nerdy boasts a decent chorus — or at least, half of one. I love how the melody ascends during the first part of this refrain, though again that pesky vocal arrangement feels at odds with the more effusive melody. I’m less enthused by the sing-song “N-E-R-D-Y, catch my nerdy sign” hook. Spelling out words in pop songs rarely works for me and just feels like an easy, obvious way to craft an earworm. On the whole, Nerdy may be a bit stronger than its many competitors but this style has long since worn out its welcome. As a debut, it doesn’t offer much compelling evidence as to why ifeye are worth our time and investment.

Grade: C+