RIIZE’s new album has a very strong visual element, with music videos or shortened “track videos” for each song. Because of this (and because the album is so strong), I’ll be working through the entire track list over the next few days. Make sure to check back often!
1. Odyssey // 2. Bag Bad Back // 3. Ember To Solar // 4. Fly Up // 5. Show Me Love // 6. Passage // 7. Midnight Mirage // 8. The End Of The Day // 9. Inside My Love // 10. Another Life
ODYSSEY
This is the shortest non-interlude track on the album and, as such, feels almost like an extended introduction. As a gateway into the album’s worldview, its ethereal sound immediately envelops listeners. The production borrows elements from UK garage, making it arguably the trendiest track here. However, I’m more interested in the celestial synths that pepper the chorus. A number of SM boy groups have utilized this soundscape before (SHINee’s Password comes immediately to mind) and it always hits.
Odyssey also does a great job establishing the album’s greatest asset: layered vocal production. This has been a hallmark of SM Entertainment since the 90’s and I’m so happy to hear it so fully-realized across these songs. I’ll be touching on this a lot in later write-ups. Odyssey‘s vocals are softer than many of the tracks that follow, but their gorgeous texture draws attention and elevates the song’s simple melodies. I would have loved to hear another minute where Odyssey could have transformed and expanded even further, but that kind of bombast will be coming later on the album. As an extended teaser, this works brilliantly. As a song on its own, it’s still very successful.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
hey nick, have you heard this song by idle? it’s a bside on their new album. i potentially see a buried treasure. it sounds like bonny and clyde but group version. it’s only 2:26 minutes long, but there’s space for a cathartic bridge which im sure will surprise you. ihttps://open.spotify.com/track/6SCiybhUyi8ls3GqenO67F?si=ZC0IR0NcStKT5zZAQfm3UA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A4vj008nVDYfO4m75ZT1VBu
my rating is 8.75 (8 hooks, 9 production, 9 longevity, 9 bias)
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Just finished my first listen of the album as I type this – was really impressed by the variation in songs. Just as impressed that they’re generally able to keep the quality up for a full-length album. RIIZING was decent but a little one-note, so I still just considered them a (very good) singles group up to this point. This album has the juice.
Odyssey was a mystical and catching opening, and it all kind of goes up from there. Excited to watch the visual accompaniments as you do this track-by-track and see how I feel by the end of it!
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Just listened to the whole album and it is indeed very good. Stellar production, amazing vocals and some great hooks. It is a pity that their ridiculous “scandal” and the way SM handled it will unfortunately forever prevent me from seriously investing in this group.
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As a general rule, SM handles all scandals badly, says this old ELF.
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It seems like it. I mean, if a fandom’s behavior is generally factored into one’s capability to engage with a group, then funeral wreaths got to do the trick I guess? I mean, over a thousand funeral wreaths??? For a kissing pic? I am not saying this fandom is singularly bad, I’m saying that this is too much chaos for me to add to the fandom chaos I already have. Also, if we assess the label’s behavior, it is funny how we often expect kpop labels and kpop artists to call out toxic fans when a label as big as SM can’t even defend their own artists receiving funeral wreaths over a pre-debut kiss. The bar is so low it is actually unbelievable. All these leave a very bitter taste in my mouth. I am not saying SM is singularly bad at handling scandals either (although there is probably basis in that statement as you said, I just don’t know enough to back it up personally) but I just have way more expectations from a label of this caliber when they have already lost two artists to suicide (one of them specifically because of hate campaigns). This whole thing was just very unfortunate.
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will you be reviewing Bag Bad Back again or did I just click on the post early and you haven’t linked the review yet?
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I was surprised to see you say Bag Bad Back had grown on you (in the Fly Up review), so I gave it another shot and actually enjoyed it. RIIZING has slowly become one of my favorite Kpop boy band releases in recent memory so I’m excited to listen to this album. This first track is already really promising.
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It also reminded me of some the work SHINee did in the 1 of 1 album. Very good, and I like how it has a transcendental quality. An 8.75
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No other group gives me the SHINee vibes like Riize. Their vocals aren’t up to that yet, but the vibes are there.
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I was hearing SHINee flavors too. For me, more specifically, the vocals from “Good Evening” and “Countless” from The Story of Light.
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I was also thinking Story of Light! I can hear Riize do an All Day All Night.
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Great album opener!!! Of course in line with the sound k-pop acts are taking on when they drop a dance track: house-influenced or UK garage. I enjoy both genres and it’s really nice to have RIIZE finally doing a track in this style. The vocals have a really nice charm, their delivery sounds soft and nostalgic and the layering makes it sound like an actual group.
I agree with one of the comments that says RIIZE has been mostly a singles group. Honestly, I couldn’t agree more because their albums have such sonic variety and the tracks barely weave into each other. But then again, I’ve never heard SM making (or K-pop agencies in general) making albums that sound sonically coherent. Often times, it’s just a group of well-produced tracks.
In any case, amazing first track and solid album!
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A great album opener. I envision a sunrise or sunset when this comes on. The track captures the feeling of being on your way to something new.
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