NEXZ Release SAUCIN': 6 Tracks Built to Make You Move at a Festival

NEXZ released their fourth mini-album SAUCIN' on the 24th at 6 p.m. KST, and member Yuu's description of what to expect sets the tone perfectly: start with just a taste, he says, and you'll end up completely drenched in it.

The album title plays on the word "sauce" with a progressive "-ing" ending, a small but deliberate choice that captures what the group is going for. The idea, as JYP Entertainment frames it, is that NEXZ add their own flavor to everything they touch, and SAUCIN' is the clearest argument yet for what that flavor actually is.

Six tracks, three writers in the group

The record spans six songs, with the title track "SAUCIN'" anchoring a tracklist that also includes "LOCO," "APPETITE," "UPGRADE," and "20 NOW." Themes of free energy, self-confidence, and growth run through the full set.

Members Tomoya, Haru, and Huey contributed to the writing and composition of track three, "APPETITE," while Tomoya earned an additional songwriting credit on track five, "20 NOW", a sign of how much creative investment the group is putting into shaping their own sound.

Yuu described the title track as the kind of song that makes you picture a crowd jumping at a festival the moment you hear it. "The energy was so intense that when I first listened to 'SAUCIN',' I could immediately see us all running wild on a stage or at a festival," he said. "I hope people watching naturally start moving their bodies and enjoy it together."

Sogeon pointed to performance as the group's sharpest edge. "A lot of people tell us that after watching our stage, they want to see it again," he said. "Every time I hear that, I feel genuinely grateful and proud."

Stepping into a packed comeback window

NEXZ, who are made up of both Korean and Japanese members, are releasing SAUCIN' into one of the busiest comeback periods in recent memory. BIGBANG, NCT 127, Stray Kids, ENHYPEN, and Alpha Drive One are all active in the same window, a lineup that would give any group pause.

Tomoya, for his part, sounds energized by it. "Being active at the same time as so many senior and peer artists is great motivation for us," he said. "I want to leave a strong impression on everyone who loves K-pop: that NEXZ really delivers on stage."

For a group still building their international footprint, that kind of crowded season can actually work in their favor. More eyes on K-pop generally means more chances for a standout live performance to travel, and if SAUCIN' delivers on the festival-ready energy the members are describing, that stage moment might just be what introduces them to a whole new audience.