Because these are two different things: something can be good, but I just don’t like it, and vice versa. Naturally, these lists go to 11.
Favorite Songs
You’ll notice there are no ballads on here, and that’s not because EDEN can’t write a good ballad; it’s because I don’t like the genre. Not in a boat, not with a goat (not even the adorable one above from ATEEZ’s “Bouncy” video).
11. Diamond
This is off the same Japanese mini-album whose title track was the instantly forgettable “Limitless.” But the first time I heard “Diamond,” I was suddenly having a dance party in my kitchen with my dogs. It’s like being inside one of those electric bubble-blowing guns for 3 minutes.
10. Guerrilla
It’s bombastic but I like the metal vibe that comes in and out as well as the punk Block-B-style vocals. The choreography is wickedly hard and really good, and this was one of my favorite eras in terms of their styling.
9. Halazia
It’s a bit of a junk drawer of a song TBH but the parts are so pretty that I haven’t gotten tired of listening to it.
8. Precious
Andean pan flute? OK, sure. Usually I can pick up Eden’s influences, but I don’t know where he got this stuff. I like it, though!
7. Take Me Home
EDEN is doing a kind of Bruno-Marsy 80’s homage here, complete with sax solo, and it works for me when a lot of that original R&B-inflected pop did not.
6. The Real
They’re all just really having a good time here, and it shows; I posted a more thorough review of this song here.
5. Horizon
This was one of Hong Joong’s (the group leader) early songs for the group, and while compositionally it’s spare compared to their other productions, I think he found a sweet spot between beat and melody with “Horizon”; it was my favorite ATEEZ song early on.
4. Utopia
Just a really fun summer song with a heavy Journey influence; they had me at Journey….
3. Cyberpunk
It’s just so good: that chromatic scale! And despite the thematics, EDENary resisted the temptation to overly autotune the vocals. Boy, do I hate autotune.
2. HALA HALA
Like a lot of global fans, the performance video was my gateway drug to ATEEZ, but the song itself holds up for me. This is when I learned how good EDEN is at pre-choruses; they’re always excellent. But I also liked how unusual the song is overall for K-pop, and it’s impossible to separate the song in my mind from the performance, which was the first time I saw BB Trippin’s choreography–looks like nothing else in the industry and made an indelible impression.
- Answer
It’s big, anthemic, emotional, perfectly balanced. It’s one of my all-time favorite pop songs
Best ATEEZ songs
There’s a lot of overlap between my list and Nick’s at The Bias List, which I’m comforted by as Nick knows a lot more about Euro-pop and K-pop than I do.
11. Twilight
Not my jam, but there’s a reason they perform this at nearly every concert they do; it’s a really compelling piece of bubble-gum pop, a fan favorite.
10. Promise
You can tell from the video they were all chuffed to be on their first European tour…. It’s a great song, tonally coherent and with a good arc; it’s held up well.
9. Treasure
Nick’s right that the two title tracks from their debut were ground-breaking–like nothing else the industry was putting out at the time.
8. Pirate King
The other title track from their debut. The bridge slays.
7. HALA HALA
6. Utopia
5. Wave
I don’t personally care for this song, but I can’t disagree with Nick’s assessment that it’s an exceptional summer jam.
4. Wonderland
IMHO they did the military thing that was so hot for a second there better than anyone else (cf. “On” by BTS, a solid song in its own right). This was the song that raked in the remaining global fans that weren’t hooked by HALA HALA….
3. Cyberpunk: Still so, so good.
2. Answer: What can I say? I have good taste.
- Say My Name
As far as I can tell, this song is perfect. That shift from minor to major on the last verse is pure genius, so smooth./ Early on Hong Joong and (I think) EDEN said they felt this was ATEEZ’s best song, and I agree. I don’t have any emotional attachment to it, which is why it didn’t make my Favorites list, but that’s no measure of its greatness.
The Rookery 