RIIZE are part of a vanguard of fresh fifth-gen acts that are making this year’s K-pop quite exciting. Pre-release Impossible remains a certified mega-banger, while Love 119 just may be 2024’s biggest grower. So far, they’ve managed to keep the quality remarkably high despite traversing various genres. New title track Boom Boom Bass marks the release of their first official mini album and takes us back to the groovy days of debut hit Get A Guitar. In fact, it’s composed by the very same team!
Though this is very Get A Guitar coded, it actually reminds me of a different SM artist comeback. The double whammy of Impossible and Boom Boom Bass feels like an ode to SHINee’s 2015 View/Married To The Music rollout. In this case, the songs are shorter and slightly less ambitious — a product of our time, unfortunately — but I’m certainly not going to complain about a group using SHINee as their template.
Boom Boom Bass is too short, for sure, but it packs a wallop within its slight frame. We’re jolted right into the groove with a brisk verse as Wonbin’s vocals pull us into the track. The chorus arrives remarkably quick, segueing naturally into the “boom boom bass” hook that’s been teased repeatedly leading up to this release. The song snowballs from here, growing more rhythmically complex as the production deepens and develops. By the time we reach the song’s conclusion, Boom Boom Bass is kicking up quite a funk. This is why we need a four minute version!
Still, I’ll take a song that steadily grows better over one that quickly wears out its welcome. I’m already obsessing over Boom Boom Bass‘s MJ-esque dance break and segue into the final chorus. Impossible pulled off a similar trick, saving its biggest sucker punch for its final moments. This structure can feel frustrating at first, but tends to encourage repeat listens in the long run. Boom Boom Bass pulls this off less successfully than its superior predecessor, but RIIZE’s rising fortunes earn it the same rating to start.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
YES. I have no words. And I do get the similarities to SHINee’s 2015 title tracks.
BTW now that the whole album is out, how would you rank the RIIZING tracks at the moment? I think this is one of the best k-pop albums that I’ve listened to for this year.
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Also, I really hope they don’t prolong the album rollout again. We got the rest of the album way before the title track smh.
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1. Impossible
.
.
.
2. Boom Boom Bass
3. Love 119
4. 9 Days
5. One Kiss
6. Honestly
7. Talk Saxy
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.
.
.
.
.
.
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8. Siren
(Siren should have been left off, honestly. It sticks out like a sore thumb.)
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did not expect to see One Kiss so low now over Love 119 and 9 Days 🥲 I still prefer it over those two songs
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Interesting to see how 9 days has grown on you. I remember on release you ranked it lower than One Kiss. It is honestly a great song, and just needed a few listens to make the sonic shifts smooth (alike Next Level, actually)
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Honestly, the two are pretty much tied for me. I just tend to gravitate naturally to the higher-energy songs.
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Ooh, given 6/8 songs here are in mid-8s and higher (Impossible and BBB being 9 and above), how’d you rate Siren and Honestly? Since you didn’t review Siren when the full version came out (I understand it might be because there was no MV), and Honestly also doesn’t have an MV either (but a live clip though, but it doesn’t count). I feel like you might give Siren in low-6s, if not below 5.75 😅
And since Love 119 is so high, higher than 9 Days and One Kiss, which got 8.75, how’d you rate it now? 8.75 as well?
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Just off the top of my head without digging deep into individual facets, I’d probably give Siren something like 6.5 and Honestly about an 8-8.25. Love 119 has risen to an 8.75 for me.
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It should be illegal to make a title track that short. I really like the song, but it feels more like a VERY well executed b-side than a title track (sort of like Taemin’s Guess Who or SHINee’s Queen of New York or Savior/Black Whole). I enjoyed the song (it’s a bit reminiscent of that Daft Punk ‘Get Lucky’ sound). Might I add, the production is pristine (oh the Superhuman days!) and Sohee’s voice is immaculate in the song. I like how their guitar-oriented title tracks always have a killer instrumental break. The song has been on repeat since it was released. The chorus is definitely an earworm much in the way as Get a Guitar.
Objectively, we waited for two months for a barely over 2:30 minute song!!! They should’ve made this the pre-release and Impossible the title track. SM has been in a trajectory where they put out incredible pre-releases only to have the title tracks feel lesser in comparison ex: NCT Dream’s ‘Broken Melodies’, SHINee’s ‘The Feeling’, aespa’s. ‘Supernova’. My wish is for them to use that banging instrumental in their RIIZING trailer and comeback with an absolute beast of a song! Anton has already confirmed that they have recorded the song from the instrumental. It’s unlikely RIIZE will have a ‘Sherlock’ or a ‘Rising Sun’ because of what direction SM seems to want them, but one can always hope. Overall, they seem to have taken 2015 SHINee as an inspiration for this comeback (Odd/Married to the Music), and that’s always a great thing to see and hear!
Unrelated, but what do you think of Get a Guitar Chromeo remix?
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*Black Hole
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I think I remember him tweeting about liking the GAG Chromeo remix back when it was released?
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Yeah, it’s a cool mix but the original remains superior.
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Holy sht. I was in an MJ Thriller high all week because of that reel with the teacher-students dancing to it in the hallway and then this drops, it felt like two worlds colliding. That beat that’s encompassing throughout the song itches my brain so much!
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Interesting… I find this release more towards my alley because I just want deliciously rhythmic and complex but very catchy song and this really blows my mind. Honestly, 2024 is on track to become THAT year to be remembered. This is RIIZE’s most well produced and technically audacious record yet. Another magnificent banger, 9.75/10.
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I surprisingly don’t have a problem with the duration here. they make the most out of those 2 minutes and 32 seconds, which is exactly the way to do it if anyone’s gonna make a 2~3 minute song. though I wouldn’t say no to an extended version.
for me it’s better than Get a Guitar. great verses that contrast the anti drop chorus, which works well. and that MJ/Daft Punk-esque dance break is simply amazing. I still prefer Impossible though. now if we just get SM to release the song in the RIIZING trailer soon…
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even since get a guitar, i have always felt that riize was made with shinee in mind. at least for their debut years
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I pray this comparison continues. I need their Sherlock/Dream Girl/etc!
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Loved it on first listen, but I feel like it does not thrill me as much as Impossible or any of the previously released b-sides. Maybe it’s just too similar to Get a Guitar for me to evoke new excitement. I was really hoping for a full-out post chorus after that anti-drop. Compared to the pre-release I can’t help but feel just a bit dissapointed, but I give it just a few more listens before I am obsessed like it has happened with (almost) every Riize release so far.
Overall and release schedule aside, Riizing is really one of this year’s best albums and one of the best full lenght boy groups releases I can think of in a long time. The singles, also including Love 119 and Talk Saxy, are just amazing and filled with replay value. I have only grown more obsessed with the b-sides with each passing day. All songs are no-skip awesomeness, except for Siren lol which is not even that bad for my personal taste.
The only thing that could’ve made me even happier was seeing Seunghan return, for which I had already lost most of my hopes. At least we did not get a six-member studio version for Talk Saxy.
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I’ve feared to ask this on places like twitter, but I’m curious…
Regarding the Seunghan thing, are we certain it’s purely an SM decision? I’ve seen the boycotts and general anger leveled at the agency, but are we sure this hiatus/leave isn’t something Seunghan himself asked for? I’m honestly out of the loop with this and just generally curious.
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He was seen at a Han river light show not so long ago, I think late May. The fans walked up to him, he gave out autographs and they photographed him and shared it all on twt. One of them actually asked him directly about his return, but he just gave a very ambiguous answer, something like “Well, about that…” and laughed a bit, they said it’s a bit hard to translate so we didn’t try to find out more from those words. So in short, he’s alive and well but no one wants to say anything about whose decision it is, and what is going to happen🤷
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you know I have thinking exactly the same thing. The longer this goes the more I think its his own decision. He seemed like a really sensitiv boy and being subjected to so much hate and gossip must have been awful for him. And there is a a part of the fandom who dont want him back and I am sure he knows that.
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unlistenable for me, sorry 😦
I like what they did with the mj sound, but it’s soooooo not my taste. Like I guess the chorus slaps when it comes on (it’s kind of funny and quirky), but at the same time it’s sooo embarassing to listen to this + I can’t even process the full song cause it feels like they squished some normal-lenght song into tight 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Like, listen to it with the music video that cuts every 0,5s and you’re gonna get even worse headache. Like where’s the song structure ??? (I have the same feeling with yesterday’s ‘Right Now’ by NewJeans – after listening to it I felt like I just listened to pure noise without any structure you know)
Ranking RIIZE’s tracks:
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From the teasers I got the impression this would be GAG 2.0 but it’s more like an improved version than a carbon copy. The production is their best to date. This is so funky and energetic. Not sure if I’d rank this over GAG but as a song Love 119 is still going strong. I waited like a dog for that track from the trailer. I will continue to wait for that, but not mad at this at all.
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I’m with you on that dog feeling😂
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I love everything about this except the chorus – which I also think is really good, but it sounds so much like a pre-chorus hook to me that’s supposed to lead to a big blowout chorus. I feel like I keep getting teased through the entire song, and the climax doesn’t quite get me there.
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idk why, but the (last iteration even more) post-chorus reminded me of <a href=”https://thebiaslist.com/2021/06/05/buried-treasure-txt-no-rules/“>TXT’s No Rules</a> a lot. I think a developed version of this would sound kinda similar to this.
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This wwas honestly a great 16th Birthday present, thank you riize😍
And thank you all the other groups that decided to comeback on my birthday too😍😍
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No notes. Riize, pop perfection AGAIN. Impossible and now Boom Boom Bass. They are the moment!
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After having listened to it a few more times in silence with headphones on, holy smokes. On my first few listened I could tell the production was good and crisp, but it’s actually more incredible. It’s so detailed, intentional, and engaging (the piano? after the first part of the dance break gives such a sense of drama). The production for me it’s definitely a 10/10.
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It’s ok.
Doesn’t touch love 119 and impossible.
Feels like a conceptual remix of play me like a guitar.
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A slight retreading of “Get a Guitar” but wow I am a SUCKER for the MJ-like verses and the chord progression UGH. I guess I wish it was longer, but it delivers so much fun in it’s short runtime.
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An attempt at making another Get a Guitar-ish song which for me didn’t turn out pretty well. The main reason for that is the chorus which I did not like at all, maybe passable for another group but not from RIIZE who have been the best so far among 5th gen groups.
I agree with many others here that this should have been a pre-release track and Impossible the title which really fits.
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