Don't we all love a good motivational song about running towards your dreams? I know I do, and NMIXX’s latest album, Fe304: BREAK, offers just that. This album is the first in a new chapter of NMIXX's discography, named after the chemical formula for black iron oxide (Fe3O4). Interestingly, this compound is often used to resist corrosion, which seems to be in contrast to the album’s title: BREAK. It becomes clear throughout the album, however, that NMIXX’s goal is to break down the walls holding them back without becoming corroded themselves.
The first song on the album as well as the title track, “Dash” sounds funky and sassy, as one would expect from NMIXX. The pop song is a bit repetitive throughout the chorus and might be an acquired taste for some, but it's certainly a fun and unique listening experience. This song is about running forward no matter what, ignoring “red lights” and anything else in the way. Difficulties are acknowledged within the lyrics, “Quivering stars, I run/Into the distance, a rough road unfolds” as well as in other lines, but the singers don't let the rough roads stop them. Instead, they feel confident in their dash (“Wherever I step on becomes a runway”) and they continue to, “Ride against what the world wants.” “Dash” sets the tone and the action for the album, while the other six tracks go into more detail on what the dash is for, why and how it continues, and what the goal is.
“Soñar (Breaker)” answers the question: “Why do we dash?” or “What are we dashing for?” “Soñar” is Spanish for “Dream”. The unique tri-lingual song has parts that sound like they should be in a movie, particularly in the pre-chorus. The unique vocals and varying tones keep it interesting, although, like “Dash”, the chorus is slightly repetitive, encouraging listeners to, “Come a soñar” or “Come to dream.” Clearly, the singers are not running with no purpose, but towards a dream, with the promise to never give up.
In my opinion, “Run for Roses” is a true masterpiece, one of the best off the album. This song, too, has a dramatic, movie-like sound. The upbeat guitars, the fiddle in the pre-chorus, and the overall beat give “Run for Roses” a unique sound that seems very latino-inspired. This masterfully created song is also about running for a dream, but emphasis is placed on who you're running with. “Run for Roses” is about fighting for a future dream together with the people who make the dream worth it. This is clear from the very first lines: “We're alive 'cause we are not alone/Hand to hand, you know we won't let go, oh/Run for roses.” This song acts as a bridge to the rest of the album, with the following three tracks primarily focusing on personal relationships.
“Boom” is a relatively calm song with a smooth flow that seems counterintuitive when the lyrics are taken into consideration. This song is about an explosive love, but it's also an anthem of confidence, with the most iconic line being, “Light your heart up, tick tick tick tick, boom boom.” The focus isn't on how NMIXX feel about someone else, but on how they make others feel.
Compared to “Boom”, the love in “Passionfruit” is more two-sided, and multidimensional. The song is chill, sweet, and pretty, with long held-out notes in the chorus. “Passionfruit” is about love between two that is passionate and sweet like passion fruit. This love is also confusing, however, and it might not seem right at first. Still, they jump right in anyway. The conflict is expressed in the lyrics, “Spit it out, spit it out, spit it out/Doesn't suit your taste, it's okay/Want it more, want it more, want it more/Something stronger in front of me.”
Similarly, “Xoxo” describes how hard love can be with slow beats and a calm chorus. Again the conclusion is reached that, despite the barriers, they're going to love anyway: “Every day, despite the pouring rain/It clears up again/Sharp words that seem to cut/But you make me talk even though I close my ears/You open my heart like magic.” “XOXO” is about two people who decide to take each other's hands and be together despite the challenges.
Another groundbreaking masterpiece, “Break the Wall” ends the album on a note that sounds a bit like a nostalgic record. This song returns to the theme of dreams, sounding like both a promise and a call to action, while still maintaining the theme of coming together in love. This song ties together all of the album’s themes with a neat bow. Together, despite the struggles and confusion of life and love, NMIXX is running towards their dream for a future where walls are broken down and people are all united together. The final chorus, stripped down from the rest of the song, can't help but leave audiences with a sentimental feeling of hope and togetherness; “Come and break down the wall/Destroy everything, since the journey has begun/Beyond your wildest dreams/Far from the world I imagined/Don't ever give up/This overpowering tremor, shout louder/One by one, together, together/Wake up the world that has stopped with you.”
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