Fresh off the massive success of last year’s Blue Valentine, NMIXX are gearing up for its follow-up album. That album is set to release next month, but they’ve started its campaign early with Crescendo. JYP groups have been absolutely prolific at the moment, with multiple acts from the agency promoting at the same time. I don’t think NMIXX are planning to perform this song on music shows just yet, and that makes sense as it feels more like a buzz track than a major bid for chart dominance.
It’s been rewarding to watch NMIXX grow from their mixxpop beginnings toward a more vocally-centered approach. They’ve made ‘strong vocals’ their brand, and we don’t see nearly enough of that in K-pop these days. But as always, any branding lives or dies on the success of the song itself. Even with all its twists and turns and moments of experimental surprise, Crescendo doesn’t do much for me. Its chorus feels very indebted to Western pop sounds I don’t often enjoy and the song’s energy gets stuck at “plodding” throughout most of its runtime.
Crescendo‘s verses offer the most bang for your buck. There are some fascinating tempo and structural shifts here. Even if the melodies aren’t hitting me, the experience is fun to listen to. Unfortunately, the chanted chorus doesn’t continue this same freewheeling vibe. It’s not a “bad” hook, but its declarative nature has a way of stopping the song in its tracks. I’m just not a fan of this style of chorus, which makes Crescendo a tricky proposition.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
Grade: C
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I knew this wasn’t Nick’s style immediately!
I was actually expecting a high octane chorus drop in the style of Blue Valentine after what is actually the chorus here. I was thrown off on my first listen for sure. Even after verse 2 I expected a post-chorus to come in. I do love how a first listen of their songs usually confuses me a little!
Regardless, I think what is there is really interesting and still a great song, looking at what it actually is vs what I was expecting initially. Particularly the bridge and final chorus. I’m especially happy the chorus sounds like multiple members are singing it (not sure if this is accurate, I’m just a filthy casual musically), I don’t think there’s enough of that with kpop GROUPS. The “You’re here for me, I’m here for you” sung in tandem with the chorus after hearing it in the bridge creates a really nice climax or “crescendo”, if you will. I do wish they could have had an outro that matched or exceeded the “crescendo” of the final chorus, however, as it does end a little abruptly.
Overall, the production is really cool, and there are many nuggets to appreciate on repeat listens. Additionally, many of my favorite Nmixx calling cards are present: highlight on vocals, stacking harmonies, layered melodies, ad libs.
I think after a handful of listens it’s a solid 9,9,9,10 = 9.25 for me. Very much like a High Horse, not a chart topper, but a fascinating an interesting piece of music.
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if you listen to it once I can see why it’s a C. I always listen to a new release a couple of times to really get the feel for it.
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I like that it’s sonically different, and I like that they’re trying something new, but yeah it’s not catching for me. The constant start/stop is not going to make me add this to a regular rotation. I think I appreciate it more than I like it, but I look forward to hearing more of their next album.
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It was ok, but from the start I dunno maybe is just me but it felt off, like not exactly all in sync and the vibe too.
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This is a song that takes 2/3 listens but once it hits, it hits really hard. The restrained structure makes it intriguing and rewarding. It’s true the chorus is a bit western, a bit Olivia Rodrigo but the whole song is pure NMIXX in its experimental layers and gorgeous vocals. I’m a fan so 100% subjective but this is a good song and a great pre-release track!
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oh yeah the chorus did have an Olivia Rodrigo vibe
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It reminds me even more of the Liability reprise from Lorde’s Melodrama (an album I really liked).
Anyway as for this song…you either like this style or you don’t, and it’s not really for me. Not clear there’s a point in me trying to give it a rating.
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I mean it was ok.
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After the first listen all I can say is that I’m happy to react with “I’m intrigued.” I did not think it was a banger or a massive hit song in the way Blue Valentine or Dash were, but this is for sure a good song.
There’s a lot going on in the production, and I appreciate these shifts and weird sections throughout the track. The chorus does sound a little like corporate Western Hot 100 music LMAO, but I don’t think Crescendo would fit on that type of playlist or radio vibe with its production choices.
I’m ready for the mini-album now, hoping it’s gonna have these odd but cool production choices.
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I found this very interesting, ethereal and surprising.
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I am hearing a leftover Taylor Swift song (or Olivia) from her Swedish years, produced by the JYP machine. The lyrics … “I’m deep in shallow” – some might think that is profound.
For a song call “Crescendo” with lyrics including both decrescendo and crescendo, I would have expected the music to reflect those music ideas, instead it more or less hits at about the same intensity with nary a crescendo in earshot.
Rating is about right, perhaps low 8’s for me.
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Funny you mention Taylor Swift, Nmixx’s Lily has first credits on songwriting on this song and is a massive Swifty. While I’m not a fan of all of Taylor Swift’s lyrics, she does have a lot of songs with actually interesting lyrics, before she started writing softcore Travis Kelce porn, cliche daddy issue slop, and empty, deep sounding, try hard poetry.
I think knowing Lily’s intense love for music and seeing her use musical terminology as expressions of love shows lyrical depth in a more personal, more intimate way. There are so many fun examples throughout the song. To specifically address the “deep in shallow” line, in context I think it is more than just a throwaway line feigning depth, and justifies itself through context. The lyrics describe losing oneself in wandering love, akin to, or much like, a kind of young, puppy love where you fall head over heels without having much compelling rationale to justify it… or put another way, throwing yourself deep into a shallow love. I also think “took away my metronome” is really clever. There is obvious comparison to the heart, but also how a metronome keeps you on beat, and without it you stray or wander, supporting the prior lyric. There’s more lines I really like in the song as well, but that would be a whole post in and of itself.
The main point I’m trying to make is that while Crescendo is no Simon and Garfunkel’s “sound of silence” level of lyricism, I don’t think it’s the kind of provocative emptiness you see in more recent Taylor Swift songs.
Musically, I do agree there could be MORE of a crescendo, particularly at the end.
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As someone who majored in Music, the back and forth from half time, syncopation, chromatic melody, and more, the song encompasses a feeling of acknowledging what you can’t control and taking a step forward even if you’re afraid to. It was an emotional journey that I needed in my time of life and just like Crescendo’s you can’t really stop once you start getting louder, it was so raw, human, and something the Kpop scene really needs especially in this trash can of sounds (I can’t even consider as songs) that are being produced that have zero respect towards music.
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Even if the chorus has much to be desired the song is way more interesting than a lot of other reheated nachos of muddled music out there right now. would give 9 for production and give this an 8.
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overall maybe 8, but production 9, creativity 10, especially compared to hybe’s meaningless, hollow, annoying Labubu Dubai chocolate edm only for TikTok and charts, this is priceless.
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Literally LOL, unfortunately people here prefers that 🤣
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Literally LOL, unfortunately people here prefers that 🤣
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The chorus is pretty awful, yeah. Sounds like an Imagine Dragons or 21 Pilots approach.
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Can’t believe people her have no taste at all… won’t be shocked if the top artists of these people are ATEEZ or ENHYPEN lmao
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absolutely 😩😩
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I actually like Crescendo’s chorus more than its verses . You can tell that they were going for High Horse’s idea but in a different dimension and universe . I get what they were trying to showcase with this song . I would like to hear how it fits in their EP .
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I really enjoyed the verses but the chorus was a total letdown for me. Also, I was screaming waterr….after that “I am deep in shallow” lyrics, I am deep in shallow water makes more sense in my opinion.
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This is definitely a Bias list. When Le Sserafim celebration pre release has the same if not better rating as NMIXX crescendo here, but the receptive was so bad with celebration while Crescendo took a very different approach to not follow trends but in a very artistic vision that can be consider outside the realm of kpop, it makes you think the scores here are base off of popularity of the group rather than the actual music.
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Or maybe I just don’t like the song very much…
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