Song Review: RIIZE – Insomnia

Since debut, RIIZE have never stuck to one genre. This pick-and-mix approach can be a lot of fun when the music is consistently high-quality, but gets an artist in trouble if that consistency begins to dip. Without a signature sound tying everything together, it can feel like an agency doesn’t know what to do with their talent. I’m beginning to feel this sensation with RIIZE, particularly when it comes to their sporadic release cycle. We’re promised a new album next spring, but we’ll have to do with a digital single until then. Insomnia marks yet another sonic shift for the group, slowing their energy for an acoustic pop ballad. Needless to say, this is not the genre I flock to K-pop for, but RIIZE has great vocalists and they’ve proven themselves adept at ballads in the past. Strictly speaking, Insomnia is more like an acoustic mid-tempo anyway, as its insistent guitar strum provides rhythm and is quickly joined by trap-influenced percussion. In this way, the song has a similar energy to ZEROBASEONE’s Doctor! Doctor! from last year. The difference, of course, is that Doctor! Doctor! was swiftly followed by a mini album and title track, making it a satisfying appetizer rather than ...