A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
Though you wouldn’t guess it from my review of Do Your Dance, RIIZE just released one of the strongest K-pop albums of the year. And actually, Do Your Dance has grown on me quite a bit. I only wish it felt like more than half of a song. It works perfectly fine within the context of the album, but every single b-side is stronger. I absolutely love the throwback nature of Like A Bomb and nearly chose to write a double “buried treasure” feature including it as well, but there’s no denying album opener Soar.
SM Entertainment doesn’t promote follow-ups very often anymore, but Soar deserves to become a title track of some sort. Rather than opt for trends and TikTok virality, Soar goes straight for the anthemic pop/rock jugular. It’s uplifting and cinematic and doesn’t shy away from using the guys’ powerful vocals. Best of all, it’s a complete song with multiple highlights that unfurl throughout its running time.
The chorus hits with the most force, offering a dynamic vocal blend that feels like the ascent of an airplane. But really, there’s not a moment I don’t love here. The 90s rock sound of the verses is idiosyncratic enough to stand out and the chugging, chant-along switch-up in the second verse is absolutely galvanizing. Even the shouty rap moments work well within this sonic setting. The fact that they chose to open the album on this note shows that SM knew they had something good here. Now, we just need to find some way to promote it.
Hooks
9
Production
9
Longevity
9
Bias
9
RATING
9