Woodz hasn’t yet announced the date of his new album, but he teases it today with pre-release single Abyss (심연). In this case, a pre-release offers the chance to showcase something a little softer than a traditional K-pop title track. Abyss maintains the rock edge he’s been pursuing for some time while muting the energy to craft a more confessional style.
This song takes me right back to the nineties, where this kind of soft, alternative sound was omnipresent. It’s very nostalgic in that way. Abyss takes its time, opening with a gentle strum of guitar before climaxing in a series of distorted riffs that act as the song’s catchiest moments. Woodz’ voice takes a higher tone, delivered with an offhand ease. His performance is like a live session that just happened to be captured by a recording engineer. This enhances Abyss’s navel-gazing appeal and helps the melodies hit more effectively.
Music in this style tends to take time to reveal all its charms. Abyss will hit you with its mood straightaway, but may take longer to fully seep into your brain. Several listens and I’m already appreciated its construction and execution more than I did at first. I’m eager to see how it plays in the context of an album, sandwiched between more boisterous material. In K-pop’s maximalist, hyper-polished world, Abyss stands out in a good way. Woodz clearly has something exciting up his sleeve and his upcoming album can’t come soon enough.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
Grade: B
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Woodz never disappoints me every time he’s returning back with a new release! I love this one. This hazy, sentimental alternative sound immediately grabbed me, and I feel like I’m gonna get addicted to it gradually. His consistency is one of the main reasons why Seungyoun has been one of my ults for such a long time. Rating-wise, it’s a 8.5/10.
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I love this, it could be boring but it’s not. Very very excited to have a whole album to listen to soon!
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No Way. It’a already out???
WOODZ is so reliable when it comes to music. This is fantastic. Unlike his other songs, I’ll have to be in the mood to listen to this song but it’s still really good.
I agree with your rating for now but I’m sure it’ll go up.
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This one feels slightly forgettable to me but maybe it will grown on me after multiple listens… Can’t wait for the upcoming album though!!
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It’s a grower and the song hits hard when you turn on the subs. The lyrics matches the confessional delivery.
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Man is this mediocre, lol.
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Will you be reviewing Shin Jimin’s new EP? 🙂
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Not planning on it. It’s nice to hear her sing, though.
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I usually love all his songs but this one didn’t do it for me. The lyrics did not help. This does nothing to lessen my excitement for his next album. I can’t wait.
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