ATEEZ have kept a relatively consistent style between their Korean and Japanese work, even when collaborating with J-pop act BE:FIRST for a couple of songs. New single Birthday doesn’t upend this pattern, keeping their core production team and riffing off elements similar to their past few albums.
The problem, of course, is that I didn’t particularly care for their last few albums. Birthday will likely appeal to anyone who enjoyed songs like Work and Hush Hush, as it keeps a similarly sparse hip-hop sound. We get a Jongho power note here and there, but this is much more of a rap showcase than the theatrical, larger-than-life K-pop of the group’s past. And as a rap showcase, the song does little to distinguish itself. ATEEZ’s charisma is on display as usual, but memorable highlights are few and far between during Birthday‘s predictable verses.
Occasionally, the track plays around with tempo and energy shifts, causing its second verse to feel off-balance. This disorientation is intentional and works for that purpose, but the transitions could be much more engaging. Too much of Birthday feels phoned-in — an afterthought of a b-side repurposed for single promotion. Regardless of your response to this specific sound, it’s clear the group have far more successful iterations of it within their discography.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
If they continue this trajectory, I foresee their fall from any of my end of year lists. Personally, I haven’t enjoyed the overwhelming majority of their songs or sound since Halazia
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You didn’t like anything from Outlaw album?
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right… cuz outlaw is their best work period
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Last album from them I enjoyed, and I only liked three songs: This World, Wake Up, and Dune. After that, haven’t really annoyed any of their new music (Silver Light lost its shine for me)
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3/6 is quite good! I wouldn’t say give up on them just yet.
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Ateez is a group that I have always earnestly hoped I could get into. They have a very strong identity as a group, and seem cool as people outside of that. Unfortunately, their music has never pulled me over the treshold. It just doesn’ t suit me, and I’m a little sad about that.
This is no different. It’ s a cool vibe, I like the production in the chorus, but ultimately it’s not really for me. The tempo changes throw me off my groove, and while I think it’ s sort of a cool thing to do in a song, I really don’ t enjoy the listening experience it creates.
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If songs like Halazia, Answer, Inception and Dune have never pulled you in, its true- you’re unlikely to ever get into ATEEZ.
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Ateez need more people like you that only spreading positivity. People only know to hate and criticize but they can’t do better music
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Ateez need more people like you that only spreading positivity and those people that only good at hating and criticize other people even can’t make better songs
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it’s ok.
8/10 for me (8, 8, 8, 8)
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Eh, nothing new. I barely enjoyed anything since Halazia as well. But again, I can’t critique a Japanese comeback too strongly since they’re almost never on the same level as the Korean discography (at least from personal observations)
Rating’s the same.
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if Ateez make song sound the same all the time, people will still hate and criticize them but when they want to try new sound people still hate and criticize them. Is not they the problem but those that only know how to hate and criticize them
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it’s not at all about making the same songs but making songs of similar or even higher quality.
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Please, I loved their title track run till Halazia and none of them sound similar to one another at all (like, how on earth are Wave and Guerrilla the same? Or Illusion and Wonderland?). It’s more so about the quality (which ofc will be subjectively interpreted) or the vibes not being as strong as before. Just because I didn’t like their post-Halazia comebacks doesn’t make me a hater.
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Progress on the NEWS J Pop Album Guide. Their albums came to streaming platforms today.
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Yep, I’ll have to make up another post! It’ll probably be a few days until I get around to it, though.
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Okay. When do you think you will have the NEWS j pop all albums guide uploaded by what day.
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I’ll probably aim for Saturday but it depends on how busy the week is for me.
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Bridge is great, the rap line lights up the song. But it feels jittery and enervated at the same time. Even though I’m not the hugest Ateez fan, I did like Bouncy and Work because they are super fun dance floor dodo songs without a thought in their heads. This song doesn’t do it for me, it’s fragmented, and not in a great way.
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I’ll just wait for their next Korean comeback.
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What happened to their ambition?
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We had Not Okay this year too, which was gorgeous, cinematic and grandiose. I’m sure their ambition is fine.
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For people who say ATEEZ fell off since the Treasure series and keep whining about their ‘new’ sound..did you not like the Outlaw album? Like…How? Help me understand. Are you genuinely okay?
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I liked the outlaw album but I understand that it’s not for everyone’s taste. If they don’t like it, it’s fine.
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idk what is this post Outlaw album trajectory… i had started becoming ambivalent towards ateez around deja vu but then halazia and the no-skip the world and outlaw albums happened and i was like WOW YES this is the ateez i fell for… but crazy form onwards… 😭 i hope their next korean CB will match their level and my expectations
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I thought We Know (Will) and Siren (Golden Hour) feel very much like World series level songs, production wise.
I would say, keep your expectations high..hopefully we get more masterful songs again in the next comeback!
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