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
INSIDE MY LOVE
In Odyssey‘s great whistlestop tour of boyband eras of the past, Inside My Love deposits us right in the middle of the 1999-2001 teen pop boom, characterized by acts like Backstreet Boys and Nsync. The melodies here are instantly reminiscent of those halcyon days and boy do I love this kind of songwriting!
The soaring chorus of Inside My Love laces my musical DNA like a primordial force. This particular progression hits so perfectly no matter what song it’s part of, and I love hearing an SM group retrace its lines. It’s a generous melody unfolding with its full heart. Some may call it cheesy. I’d call it earnest. There’s a big difference between the two. This quality extends to the verses, which opt for a similarly dynamic series of peaks.
A longer runtime and more daring arrangement could have easily vaulted Inside My Love to an all-time great. The production plays things safe, occasionally hinting at big percussive confetti-drop moments but always pulling back instead of rushing forward into full-on euphoria. This is a bit frustrating and keeps Inside My Love firmly within “strong late-album b-side” territory. However, I still think this turn-of-the-millennium pop is the best possible match for RIIZE and really need to hear them tackle an upbeat song of this nature (think Bye Bye Bye, Everybody or Get Another Boyfriend).
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Such a gorgeous song that showcases how integral the vocals of RIIZE are to their songs. Earnest is the perfect description for much of this album, I think the reason that it’s cementing itself as a classic for me is that at this point of time in our world, such a sentimental and feel-good album is like a soothing balm.
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I was caught off guard at how short this song is the first time I heard it, there’s enough here for them to have fully fleshed it out and give it an amazing climax that feels earned.
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the One Kiss of the album, which was one of my favorite b-sides of last year so of course I love it, complete with credits from European producers and songwriters. except that song is 3 minutes long.
I would actually die if they got something like Bye Bye Bye.
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The spirit of Boyz II Men is present and we welcome it with open arms. The chorus soars with heartfelt vocals, powerfully delivering a message of emotional vulnerability. Kenzie you’ve done it again. 10/10
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