K-Pop's fifth-generation is full of promising music talent. Girl groups like ILLIT and BABYMONSTER present two completely different perspectives on girlhood, while boy groups like BOYNEXTDOOR and xikers bring exceedingly impressive levels of energy to every stage they step foot on. RIIZE is one of SM Entertainment's newest K-Pop boy groups since the company saw monumental success with groups like SHINee, EXO, and NCT.

After bursting onto the scene in 2023 with "Siren," RIIZE brought a unique blend of youthful energy and ionate authenticity that allowed them to feel more accessible and relatable to listeners. Now, as their second anniversary nears, the six-member boy group is finally presenting their music in a longer form with their debut full-length album, ODYSSEY. This album follows their debut mini-album, RIIZING, as well as their first fan concert tour.

Every one of the 10 tracks represents a different side of the sonic atmosphere they've created, including vulnerable ballads, anthems of empowerment, and confidence-boosting dance tracks. Overall, the album is a bold declaration of their continuous evolution. Their music continues to evolve, as well as their position in one of K-Pop's most diverse generations. As usual, the vocals pop, but so do their rap verses. Some of the songs rise over others, but every song comes with its own special charm that feels fresh. Below is my first-listen ranking of every song on ODYSSEY.

10 age

Track 6 - 0:39

I love an interlude, especially on a K-Pop album. The only reason "age" is here is that it's an instrumental track that's just over 30 seconds long, and it feels wrong to rank it above any other track on this album. The instrumental itself is stunning. As it goes on, it creates an image of transformation in your mind, reflecting RIIZE's journey both throughout the first and second half of the album and in general.

The instrumental grows more and more triumphant in the last 10 seconds. After it reaches its climax, it fades into the sound of a ticking clock. This could symbolize plenty of things, but it also serves as a seamless transition into "Midnight Mirage," the track that follows, and that's as good a reason as any to sing its praises for me.

9 Bag Bad Back

Track 2 - 3:12

I'll be the first to it that I didn't connect with this song during my first listen, maybe even during my second. After watching the music video when it dropped, I went through a series of reactions as I tried to figure out how I felt about it. "Bag Bad Back," try saying that 10 times, is a track full of confidence and charisma. It shows a more hip-hop-infused side to RIIZE that hasn't been felt yet in their previous releases, and immediately felt, to me, like something NCT 127 would release.

My main problem with it was the repetition of one word in its choruses, an issue that seems to plague music in general today, riding off the success of "FE!N" by Travis Scott. Beyond that, there were aspects I enjoyed. I'm always impressed by this group's vocals, and this song was no different. The pre-choruses pulled me in, and the piano-driven bridge made me lean back in relief. While the final chorus didn't give me everything I wanted, the build-up almost made it worth it for me - almost.

8 Odyssey

Track 1 - 2:32

ODYSSEY opens with a track of the same name. It gives a nervous energy that is likely to accompany a release as big as this for any K-Pop group. When that first chorus starts, it feels like you're ing RIIZE on their journey or running among them after the firing of the starting gun. The harmonies that shine in the choruses are beautiful, creating a clear group effort that doesn't go unnoticed.

It feels like you're ing RIIZE on their journey or running among them after the firing of the starting gun.

Ultimately, by the time I progressed further into the album, "Odyssey" fell to the wayside. That being said, I couldn't think of a better track to open the album with. It really feels like a new beginning. I also believe it would sound great at full blast on a long car ride with the windows rolled down and on a hot summer's day spent lying out on the beach.

7 Show Me Love

Track 5 - 3:09

The fifth track creates a warm, positive atmosphere just inside three minutes. "Show Me Love" is the type of K-Pop song that provides comfort for both casual listeners and committed fans. You can't help but take note of the lighthearted joy that comes through in every line of a song like this, where it's easy to find yourself within its lyrics.

I can already imagine RIIZE on their first world tour, singing this song while running around the stage trying to reach every possible fan they could see. Fans would wave their lightsticks enthusiastically, singing along to every word while bonding with those standing on either side of them. Rumor has it that a tour is in the works, so, if they're looking for setlist suggestions, I hope someone takes up my vision and makes it a reality.

6 Inside My Love

Track 9 - 2:39

"Inside My Love" feels very similar to "Show Me Love" to me, and not just because of its title. Where the latter feels more like an anthem of empowerment for listeners, the former is a direct dedication to their fans. As they look back on the memories they've created over the past year or so, RIIZE cements their appreciation for their fanbase wholeheartedly with a song that I can also see performed at concerts, sung directly to those in the audience who came from all over the world to watch them on stage.

If there's something I love about a song, it's when it comes with a key change in the last chorus. Every member's voice shines so brightly in the purposeful structure this song occupies. Their harmonies float over the instrumental in gentle waves, leaving fans feeling warm and seen.

5 The End Of The Day

Track 8 - 3:42

Of all the slower tracks on this album, "The End of the Day" has to be my favorite. I wouldn't always consider myself a ballad fan, but when done right, they can stand out just right from the rest of an album. I could spend this entire list praising their vocals, but they reach new heights in this song. After my first initial listen, I felt like "The End of the Day" should be the OST to a K-Drama. That feeling, paired with the beautiful, cinematic music video, only served to push this song higher on my list.

Without even reading the lyrics, you feel a sense of comfort and clarity while listening to it.

It has all the 2000s charm of a song by the Backstreet Boys or 98 Degrees. Without even reading the lyrics, you feel a sense of comfort and clarity while listening to it. The music video sees each member reaching out a hand to help someone who is struggling through everyday issues like bullying or stage fright. It's a gorgeous track that I didn't expect from RIIZE in this capacity.

4 Midnight Mirage

Track 7 - 3:22

While writing this, I'm realizing just how different every track on this album is from one another. Somehow, they all come together to create a refreshing album that provides a little bit of everything for anyone listening. "Midnight Mirage" is a simple, feel-good track that rides over a bouncy instrumental.

It's said to describe or invoke a sense of creative inspiration. The chanting sort of chorus is another aspect that feels very reminiscent of music from the 1990s and early 2000s, specifically of boy bands or male pop idols of the time. It's catchy, easy to listen to, and perfect for the warmer weather that approaches. The animated music video also gets across the youthful energy this group can't help but exude in everything they do.

3 Ember To Solar

Track 3 - 3:20

ittedly, it took me a few listens to truly get into "Ember to Solar," but I'm glad I finally did. This is an incredibly high-energy track that provides a much-needed energy boost early on in the album. From start to finish, it never takes a single second to breathe, leaving you hanging onto every word with undivided attention until the chorus explodes into goosebump-inducing vocal deliveries and hypnotizing harmonies.

You're hitching a ride on a never-ending subway ride through another dimension.

The choruses in this song seem to offer a kind of release for both those singing and those listening. "Ember to Solar," like its shortened track video, feels like you're hitching a ride on a never-ending subway ride through another dimension. The ad libs in the final chorus from Sohee and Wonbin don't let up until the very last second, undoubtedly leaving you wanting more while catching your breath.

2 Fly Up

Track 4 - 2:58

I didn't know I needed a K-Pop song that sounded straight out of a Disney Channel Original Movie until now. The album's title track, "Fly Up," is a contagiously fun song that makes you want to get up and dance after just 30 seconds. The ensemble vocals in the introduction and each chorus feel so similar to something I would hear in Teen Beach Movie or at the end of a High School Musical movie that I can't help but feel a rush of nostalgia and joy every time I listen to it.

The music video is exactly what I envisioned in my head after listening to the song without a visual. The run around a school with an impressive crew of dancers, doing running flips on a brick wall and dancing on tables like they stepped straight out of the next Disney Channel movie musical. I already loved what I was hearing, but they sold me completely when the video ended with a freeze-frame.

1 Another Life

Track 10 - 3:47

When a closing song sums up an album and ends it off perfectly, I can't help but be totally satisfied. "Another Life" is a ridiculously incredible track that sees the reflecting on the steps that led them to where they're currently at in their journey, while also asking where they might be if they chose to go down another career path. I see idols asked similar questions in interviews all the time, but I've never heard a song that tackles that topic so brilliantly.

"Another Life" is the only track that could've brought this album to a close.

This song holds my favorite chorus on the entire album. The falsetto delivery in the verses paired with the melodic pre-chorus pull you willingly into the climactic choruses that never seem to get old no matter how many times I replay them. "Another Life" is the only track that could've brought this album to a close. Don't even get me started on that guitar solo at the end and how it, and RIIZE, made me feel like I was floating out of my seat.