After not caring for much of their music last year, NEXZ has slowly and surely won me over in 2025. This culminated with last month’s Beat-Boxer, a song that has proven to be one of my biggest growers in recent memory. I love its stupid, cartoonish energy and nonsense lyrics. It’s made me realize that what I really want from this group is big, silly pop music and a lot of flipping around.
The new NEXZ album is also strong. JYP Entertainment seems to agree, as they’re promoting it with a follow-up song. Next To You closes the album and offers a peek at a sweeter sound for the guys. While not my favorite b-side, its fitful arrangement grows into a standout chorus that brings bubblegum melodies back to K-pop. This has been an industry approach for decades, highlighted in classics like DBSK/TVXQ’s Balloons. The melodies at Next To Me‘s core will either delight or grate depending on your mood and willingness to surrender to the cheese of it all.
Most of the time, I’m in the mood for Next To Me‘s overbearing approach, but even then I still feel like it’s only half of a good song. The verses do little for me, dragging down the track’s upbeat energy. These segments feel like placeholders before we get back to the good stuff, making Next To Me more frustrating than it should be.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
