RIIZE has quickly become one of my favourite K-pop groups music-wise. Ever since their debut, they have never failed to impress me, with ‘Memories’ and ‘Get a Guitar’ catapulting within my top 20 and 10 K-pop songs of 2023 respectively. Kicking of the year with the incredible grower of a song, ‘Love 119’, which continues to be a strong contended for my final-year countdown, RIIZE has since released their first mini album, ‘RIIZING’. Were they able to meet my high expectations?
Siren
Ever since I first listened to ‘Siren’ from its short 1-minute snippet all the way back before RIIZE even debuted, there was one thing that came into mind: NCT. NCT has been responsible for introducing the most extreme and unconventional sound palettes within their songs, and it seems to have migrated into RIIZE and inspired ‘Siren’. It’s unabashedly loud, in-your-face, and commits to all of its features. RIIZE puts their own twist in the execution, and I will have to admit, it ended up winning me over. It may not be melodic, but it is quite dynamic, and it is easy to get caught in its groove. It is undoubtedly well thought-of, and warrants respect. It may be a bit of an anomaly among their discography in terms of soundscape, but it certainly grabs your attention. In that- it definitely succeeds.
Hooks – 7
Production – 9
Vocal Delivery – 8
Overall – 8
Impossible
Impossible quickly cemented itself as one of my favourite K-pop songs of 2024 so far. I do not typically like house music, but the production is simply so clean, polished, and indelibly groovy. Its thumping beat shall remain classic for the years to come. The dance break just seals the deal.
What’s better is that the melodies are well-crafted, effortlessly enduring hours of replay. I have played this song at least two times a day ever since the music video’s release, and I only continue to bask in its glorious longevity. My instincts scream to me that I won’t ever grow tired of listening.
One does bother me slightly is the vocal delivery. In particular, while I am a fan of Anton’s vocal tone, it seems like he sounds more stuck in his nose, not only in this song, but throughout the album. Perhaps its a stylistic choice, but its not something I particularly appreciate in this context.
Hooks – 10
Production – 10
Vocal Delivery – 9
Overall – 9.75
9 Days
Speaking of vocal delivery, I really love the vocal delivery within ‘9 Days’. It enabled the distinct vocal tones of all the members to shine, making them sound like an old-style boyband. Some fans have pointed out that RIIZE is the most nostalgic-inducing 5th generation K-pop group. Honestly, I would have to agree. They have the ability to evoke nostalgia in a way that any other groups have yet to do for me, which is definitely one of their signature qualities.
I am not sure what to make out of the production choice of stripping most instrumentals in the chorus, but it does add to the nostalgic element of their songs. On the other hand, the melodies do ring true.
Nevertheless, I do get the impression that the chorus is an added element to the song rather than something which elevates and builds upon the rest of its components. This is its most notable limitation.
Hooks – 8
Production – 9
Vocal Delivery – 10
Overall – 8.75
Honestly
‘Honestly’, I’m very fond if the melodies in ‘Honestly’, especially in the chorus. Every time it comes up, I feel my heart being touched. It utterly succeeds in forming an emotional connection with the listener in a way that feels absolutely authentic. This is where the song absolutely succeeds.
The vocal delivery and the harmonies well complement the melodies in evoking the emotional response. It is absent of pretence. For a song called ‘Honestly’, they understood the assignment perfectly.
Its production is rather standard for an RnB piece of pop music, but it is commendable. The vocal mixing is clean, as it has been for ‘9 Days’, though I think that the latter’s production is more interesting overall. Nevertheless, I think this is because ‘Honestly’ is more straightforward, perhaps reflecting on the message of the song- being honest and straightforward.
This is another solid addition to RIIZE’s discography, and they really suit this sound.
Hooks – 10
Production – 8
Vocal Delivery – 10
Overall – 9.5
One Kiss
3 seconds was all I needed to know that I will love this song. It feels like old school 2000s era K-pop, almost old k-drama OST-esque. Everything, from the production to the melodies, sounds like a classic. This is a sound that has endured the test of time, and RIIZE is giving it their modern twist on revival. It is in a state of being perpetually old-style, yet it still finds itself sounding exceedingly fresh. I still have no idea how they do it.
There is almost absolutely nothing that I would want to change. The members all gave justice to the vocal delivery, special mention to Sohee for his power note in the bridge, and Wonbin who captured the essence of old-style K-pop vocals.
One thing I will note though, is that the first few lines of the chorus don’t immediately sink into my head, but it is improving upon more listens. I have faith in the song’s strongest hooks, so I will tentatively give it a score which I believe it will grow into. I know that I am a big sucker for this sound. Take my bias as you will!
Hooks – 10
Production – 10
Vocal Delivery – 10
Overall – 10
Concluding Thoughts
Listening to the album altogether, with the exception of Siren, it feels extremely cohesive. In fact, I think that pretending that Siren is not part of the album, it would be quite hard to another K-pop album released this year that is as cohesive. The songs fit together both in terms of production and melodies, and all lean into the nostalgic appeal, which is undeniably effective. On the other hand, Siren compromises the cohesiveness and overall sound of the album, even though I fairly enjoy the song itself, which is a bit of a shame. Nevertheless, the existence of ‘Impossible’ and ‘One Kiss’ will likely keep this Album among the top of the whole year, and I’m glad that RIIZE have decided stride in this direction for their future sound. Needless to say, they met my expectations, perhaps in some counts, exceeded them. The fact remains that at the moment, they are probably my listened K-pop group. I hope that they will keep up with this consistency.
Overall Score: 9.25
K-pop Evaluated 
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