Last week, I shared my anticipation for Ateez’s first 2026 comeback, Golden Hour: Part 4. This album exceeded my expectations! It may be a short 5-track extended play, but it hits you like a flavor bomb. I had expressed boredom with the recent direction of their music, and I still hold this opinion of some of the music from Golden Hour: Part 2 and Part 3, but I am starting to see the vision.

Ghost

Ghost blends the traditional Ateez sound and production with the new thematic explorations of Golden Hour: Part 3 and In Your Fantasy Edition. There was an 80s sound to some of the songs in Part 3 that was okay, but not my favorite. Bringing the two artistic elements together feels like Ateez’s full circle. This song was a great opening for the album to bridge the transition of where they have been creatively and where we are going. Without it, Adrenaline and Ghost would feel jarring, in my opinion.

There’s no way out, 경고하는 메시지
Don’t say it out, 네 귀에 속삭이지
되돌리기엔 이미 늦어버렸지
Know you want it more, more than me

[Chorus:]
Now, you see that I’m a ghost
When the lights get low
네 진심의 끈을 풀어
Now, you see it in your soul
When I get so close
감촉만 새기고 가

Adrenaline

I love this song! It’s one of those title tracks that I replay, over and over, and don’t get bored – for real. Adrenaline reminds me of some of my favorite past Ateez title tracks – Wonderland, Guerrilla, Hala Hala, Say My Name. Yeosang being front and center for the chorus is what we were asking for. I love how his voice pairs with San and Yunho. This song was less formulaic. It isn’t a build just to Mingi rapping or Junho hitting an impossibly high note. Hongjoong is still captain but sprinkled in, yet because he writes their music, you can feel his presence in the tone and character, a lot like Taeyong (NCT 127) or Bang Chan (Stray Kids).

The pre-chorus is my favorite part of the song. It builds before the beat drop, with four different members and their unique styles, increasing the tension in the song like adrenaline building in your body. It was such a clever detail to make the song come to life.

[Pre-Chorus: Yeosang, Yunho, San, Seonghwa]
I can feel it go, flushin’ through my veins
시동 걸어 막 활활 타오르게
I can feel it go, runnin’ through my veins
Buzzin’ up my neck, pumpin’ adrenaline
I can feel it go, flushin’ through my veins
시동 걸어 막 활활 타오르게
I can feel it go, runnin’ through my veins
Buzzin’ up my neck, pumpin’ adrenaline (Let’s go)

I have been underwhelmed by San’s contributions in recent years, as just the dude being used as the muscle eye candy instead of utilizing his voice. Finally, his singing is back, and he kept his shirt on. This was a gimmicky part of Ice on My Teeth that I didn’t care for because I’m not into women being objectified, and I don’t want men objectified either.

NASA

Some of the lyrics of this song are a little cringe, like referencing Apple Stock, but I think that is because NASA is also an American agency, so it felt a bit US-centered, but I get it for the theme. I’m probably projecting all my current political frustration on these lyrics because this song is good. It’s a slow burn, satisfying earworm. I love the stage performance for KBS, in their space suit-inspired outfits. There is this lovely, quiet moment on a bridge with what you assume is “space” sound. I would love for them to make more music like this song. It’s unlike anything else in their discography.

[Pre-Chorus: Wooyoung, Jongho]
뱉어 난 gold and silver
만들어, masterpiece
가치는 안 변하지
It’s ’til I rest in peace
Turn up
I fly, so higher than the sky
We go
저 우주까지 올라, going up

[Chorus: Yunho, Yeosang, Wooyoung, *San*, Seonghwa]
Shoot for the stars like NASA, always going up like my stack
Ready on your mark, go faster, shoot for the stars like NASA

On The Road

This is a solid song, not my favorite, but melodically good. A breath of fresh air after two songs with big energy. It’s a song that I think will grow on me in time until I love it. It’s chill, but explores themes that they have always been good at exploring. Melodically, it reminds me of Wave, The Ring, and maybe Django.

[Pre-Chorus: Yunho, Seonghwa]
Can’t stay behind
다시 시작인 것처럼
We live our lives
‘Cause I’ma go down this road tonight

[Chorus: Wooyoung, San, Jongho]
Go left, go right
I’ma go down this road tonight
That’s right, it’s time
‘Cause, nothing won’t make me change my mind
Oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh
Yeah, we’re goin’ down this road tonight

This happens to me often with B-sides from K-pop. For example, when Aespa released Armageddon in 2024, my favorite songs were Supernova and Armageddon, but now in 2026, I love Bahama and Live My Life. The same with Nmixx and their Fe:304 Forward album from 2025, I loved Know About Me, and Slingshot, but now Ocean is a song I never skip.

Choose

The sentimental favorite. I recently used this song to share my ‘Melt the ICE’ hat on Instagram for the ache of this song’s emotion. I choose to stand with my neighbor, and this song excels in making me feel love. It was a great choice to end the album, a bit of a lighter production song after the EDM of Adrenaline and NASA. I believe this song was released as a single for the seventh anniversary of ATINY, the Ateez fandom.

We can be forever lost under velvet skies
Fall together closer
‘Cause I would choose you
And I’m trying, I’m trying, it’s you, nobody

We can stay forever even in quiet nights
Run together closer
‘Cause I would choose you
And I’m trying, I’m trying, it’s you, nobody

nobody
(Hoo-hoo) nobody
(Hoo-hoo) yeah, I’m trying, I’m trying, it’s you, nobody

I Feel Like A Real Atiny Again

Going into 2025, I was seriously questioning my Atiny allegiance. Like, how many albums do you have to skip to not consider yourself a fan anymore? I mean, it happened to me with TOP. Thankfully, it was really just one and a half, but it felt like a long time of being in an Ateez desert, waiting for the pirate ship to sail overhead. If you are looking for something a little different to listen to, give Golden Hour: Part 4 a try!