NEK! releases ‘zero-sum’ from the album ‘TR!CK TAK!NG.’ The performer writes lyrics with Lark and Maimai while creating a beat with their team. He brings a raw electronic energy to this track about competition and ambition.
Released: February 12, 2025
zero-sum
Nek! • From “TR!CK TAK!NG”
zero-sum Lyrics Translation (from “TR!CK TAK!NG”)
NEK! describes a ‘black and white chessboard’ of hidden agendas in the lyrics. The artist mentions how ‘The world at your fingertips is wonderful’ with a biting tone. The blue and red lights symbolize different phases of this zero-sum game.
Kimitachi no kotoba ura no uraThe hidden agendas behind your words,
Shiro to kuro no banmenjou deon this black and white chessboard.
Meimei toriau pojishon tookuEveryone’s taking sides and talking trash.
ShoumonaiIt’s pathetic.
ShoumonaiIt’s so useless.
Isshou kageguchi aotta shinja kaosu ronsouA lifetime of backstabbing fans and chaotic disputes.
Aironi fukunda higaisha muubuYou’re pulling the ‘victim card’ full of irony.
Itai kanshouIt’s a painful kind of sentimentality.
Taiari jinsei eapu no shikou otsugi douzoLiving life on the edge with hollow thoughts; next please!
Goodbye my dear hater guysGoodbye, my dear haters.
Denshi no umi deIn this electronic sea,
Mousou gensou haitespitting out delusions and fantasies.
Kamitsuki mawaruYou’re biting at everyone around you.
Kirikiri mau seimeitai megakeAiming for those caught in a tailspin,
Bad kamashite narashite yeagive ’em hell and make some noise, yeah.
Itetsuku yoru oThrough the freezing night,
Rollin’ rollin’ downrollin’, rollin’ down.
Kansei ga togirenu you niI’ll make sure the cheers never stop.
Kotoba o ubau seija no koujinChasing the dust of ‘saints’ who steal our words.
Crazy noisy itsuwari no seigiCrazy, noisy, fake justice.
Aa buruu raito no tomoshibiAh, the glow of the blue light.
Torikago no naka no you desuIt feels like I’m stuck in a birdcage.
Yubisaki no sekai wa subarashiiThe world at your fingertips is wonderful.
Zero-sum fair gameIt’s a zero-sum fair game.
Want you goneI want you gone.
Kimitachi no hara no naka no nakaDeep inside your guts,
Dosuguroi honne o kakushiteyou’re hiding your pitch-black true feelings.
Enen meisou dabusuta tookuEndlessly straying with double-standard talk.
ShoumonaiIt’s pathetic.
ShoumonaiIt’s so useless.
Kakou de mitasu shounin yokkyuu sarasu bonnouFiltering your need for approval and exposing your greed.
Shugo deka o kimochiActing like you’re way more important than you are.
Buro zetsukou watasu indouBlocking and cutting ties, I’m giving you your final rites.
Hinsei utagau sute mi no kakusan koshite douzoGo ahead and spread your lies while I question your character.
Goodbye my dear hater guysGoodbye, my dear haters.
Reishou shite kowashite yeahSneer at them and break it all, yeah.
Koge tsuku yoru oThrough the scorching night,
Rollin’ rollin’ downrollin’, rollin’ down.
Kensou ga togirenu you niI’ll make sure the noise never stops.
Kotoba o ubau seija no koujinChasing the dust of ‘saints’ who steal our words.
Crazy noisy yuganda seigiCrazy, noisy, distorted justice.
Aa reddo raito ga tomoshibiAh, the red light is glowing.
Fukuro no nezumi no you desuIt’s like being a trapped rat.
Yubisaki no sekai wa subarashiiThe world at your fingertips is wonderful.
Zero-sum fair gameIt’s a zero-sum fair game.
Bring it downBring it down.
Bad kamashiteHit ’em hard,
Sakebe say yeahshout it out, say yeah!
Itetsuku yoru oThrough the freezing night,
Rollin’ rollin’ downrollin’, rollin’ down.
Kansei ga togirenu you niI’ll make sure the cheers never stop.
Kokoro o moyasu bokura no gyakushuu\ Kakumei zenya futaiten mooshonOur counterattack is burning in our hearts; an unshakeable move on the eve of revolution.
Koge tsuku yoru oThrough the scorching night,
Rollin’ rollin’ downrollin’, rollin’ down.
Joudou ga togirenu you niSo the emotions never stop flowing.
Kotoba o ubau seija kidori oThose ‘saints’ who try to steal our words,
Waratte yarou zelet’s just laugh in their faces.
Muteki no emooshonWith invincible emotion.
Aa reddo raito ga tomoshibiAh, the red light is glowing.
Chekkumeito oshimai desuCheckmate, it’s all over.
Yubisaki no sekai wa subarashiiThe world at your fingertips is wonderful.
Zero-sum fair gameIt’s a zero-sum fair game.
Want you goneI want you gone.
zero-sum Music Video
‘zero-sum’ is about competitive ambition. The lyrics expose the emptiness behind a win-lose mentality. The performer tells haters to bring it down with defiant energy.