The Paradox’s ‘NSFW’ is full of chaotic energy and emo anthems.

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TOP 3 SONGS

3. Get The Message

This song gives teen angst — but with a grown-up twist.

No matter what the singer says or does, it feels like he’s never enough for the girl he’s with. She doesn’t like his taste in music. He doesn’t fit in with her family. Her car costs more than his house. They are fundamentally different, and the tension between them feels constant.

At its core, “Get The Message” is about identity. He just wants to be himself. She won’t change, and he isn’t going to either. There’s something deeply relatable about that standoff. It’s not even about winning or losing; it’s about refusing to shrink yourself to make someone else comfortable.

The frustration feels real. The delivery is sharp. And underneath the sarcasm and edge, there’s vulnerability. It’s the sound of someone saying, “If I’m not enough as I am, then maybe this isn’t it.”

2. No Strings Attached

This is easily the softest moment on the EP, and it’s such a mood.

“No Strings Attached” has a laid-back, almost dreamy energy. It leans into that nostalgic tone The Paradox does so well, the kind that makes you feel like you’re remembering something instead of hearing it for the first time.

So what is the song about? Catching feelings… and deciding not to.

It’s easier to keep things casual. To just go with the flow. To fool around and pretend it’s nothing serious. It feels like high school crushes that blur into friends-with-benefits situations: thrilling, reckless, a little bittersweet. There’s excitement there, but also restraint. You can feel the emotional walls being built in real time.

Overall, the track is subtle, honest, and hits.

1. Do Me Like That

This was the first track I ever heard from The Paradox, and the song that pulled me in completely. And honestly? It makes perfect sense why.

“Do Me Like That” screams early-2000s high-school emo, but with a modern-day polish that keeps it from feeling dated. It’s dramatic in that teenage way, full of jealousy, petty reactions, and crushes that feel like life-or-death situations. The lyrics are soaked in hurt and bitterness, but somehow the production feels bright, upbeat, almost happy.

That contrast is what makes it so addictive.

It captures that feeling of pretending you don’t care while absolutely caring too much. It’s playful but wounded. Petty but sincere. It feels like passing notes in class, stalking someone’s MySpace, replaying moments in your head that probably didn’t mean what you thought they did. It absolutely embodies that classic alt energy, and the second it ended, I knew I needed more.

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SONG BY SONG RATING

1. Get The Message (4/5)

2. Do It Again (4/5)

3. Leave My Room (4/5)

4. Bender (4/5)

5. No Strings Attached (4.5/5)

6. Do Me Like That (4.5/5)

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RGM RATING

(83%)

The Paradox — made up of lead singer/guitarist Eric Dangerfield, bassist Donald Bryant, lead guitarist Xelan Bernard, and drummer Percy Crews — blew up almost overnight a little over a year ago. And after listening to NSFW, I completely understand why.

The band feels both brand new and deeply nostalgic at the same time. That balance is rare.

Eric has spoken about being raised on Motown while also loving bands like Green Day and Blink-182. That blend makes perfect sense when you hear this EP. There’s a groove. There’s melody. But there’s also raw pop-punk energy and emotional urgency. He loved the idea of an all-Black alternative band — and instead of waiting for one, he built one with his friends in Atlanta. I’m genuinely so glad they did.

I’m a true emo girl at heart. I spent my teen years blasting Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy, and Paramore through my headphones while rushing through homework just so I could sneak out and hit mosh pits on the weekends. Having a band in this space that looks like me — that genuinely loves what they’re doing — is something teenage me not only wanted, but needed.

That representation matters.

And it makes this EP hit differently.

Beyond the emotion, the team behind NSFW is stacked. The band collaborates with writers like Curtis Peoples, Lil Aaron, Jackson Southorn (aka Jakkyboi), Nick Furlong, and Travis Barker. They work with engineers like Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (known for their work with Mayday Parade and Set It Off), as well as Chris Gehringer, who has worked with Lana Del Rey and Twenty One Pilots. Producers Mike Pepe and Daniel Omelio (Robopop) bring experience from acts like My Chemical Romance and Maroon 5.

And you can hear that polish.

But what makes NSFW special isn’t just the resume, it’s the honesty.

The EP covers real-life topics: high school nostalgia, messy relationships, feeling broke, working jobs you hate, wanting more from life, but not knowing how to get it. It’s the stuff that made alternative music feel like home in the first place. There’s no pretending here. No overcomplicating. Just raw, emotional storytelling wrapped in infectious hooks.

This project genuinely makes me want to call my mom and say, “See? It wasn’t a phase.”

Overall, NSFW is more than a strong EP — it’s hopeful. It reminds me of why I fell in love with this genre in the first place. The Paradox has already accomplished so much, but this feels like the beginning of something even bigger. I’ve been a fan for a minute now, and this project only makes me more excited to keep watching their journey unfold.

And if this is just the start? We’re in for something truly special.

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