New JYP Leisure J-pop group NEXZ made their debut in Korea earlier this 12 months with the unremarkable Trip The Vibe. Now they’re again with a fast follow-up (and their official Japanese debut) within the type of jubilant pop observe Hold On Shifting. NEXZ are clearly tackling a lighter sound than a lot of JYP’s male acts, and that offers them a pleasant area of interest to pursue additional. Hold On Shifting is a step in the proper route, however the group may nonetheless profit from a extra idiosyncratic contact.

My greatest difficulty with Trip The Vibe was its must always interrupt its groove with rhythmic modifications that did little to ascertain momentum. Hold On Shifting solves this difficulty, bopping alongside a constant burst of power that fits the group nicely. It’s a buoyant, toe-tapping association that ought to have been launched on the onset of the summer time season. Stabs of synth give the refrain additional heft, serving to to cowl a comparatively inert collection of melodies.

Whereas Hold On Shifting is pleasing and enjoyable, it’s nonetheless too generic to provide NEXZ the sonic calling card they want. With none actual quirks or surprises, the music feels extra like a boilerplate boy group cliché than an plain standout. There’s positively an area for this model of music, however I’ve but to listen to a convincing argument for NEXZ’s place within the pop market. What are they bringing that we will’t hear elsewhere?

Grade: B-