Woodz’s “Archive 1” is Boldly Ambitious and Bracingly Honest

When “Drowning” became an unexpected mega-hit during his military service, Woodz had a decision to make. He could rush to capitalize on the momentum, or he could take his time to define himself as an artist. He chose the latter, even scrapping an entire album in late 2025 to ensure that his post-military project coheres “as one great exhibition.” His first full album Archive 1 is that exhibition. A sprawling 17-track collection written, composed, and arranged with longtime collaborators Nathan and Hoho, the album spans genres from rock to R&B to bossa nova to nu metal, revolving not around a single sound, but rather the depth of his artistry.

Woodz describes Archive 1 as “basically a collection of my reflections on life, as well as the genres of music that I enjoy.” Alluding in its lyrics to artists such as Dolly Parton, Ozzy Osborne, Prince, and AC/DC, “Bloodline” confidently announces his musical lineage, essentially, as classic rock. This declaration is not particularly surprising, as he has leaned heavily into rock since 2022’s Colorful Trauma. Still, it is a feat to pull off all the rock subgenres he includes in this album, from the driving rhythmic hard rock of “Downtown” to the soaring power ballad “Cinema.”  

Title track “Human Extinction” takes its influences from 2000s alternative rock, particularly Muse, in its spacey synth elements and dramatic vocal progressions. As the album’s title track, “Human Extinction” reflects Woodz’s ambition, pairing the crescendo vocals and instrumentation with lyrics that confront the dark sides of the human psyche. It is an unusual yet ultimately fitting choice for the centerpiece of the album.  

Woodz particularly impresses with his vocal versatility on the album, with each song showcasing a different color or technique. His wailing on “Bloodline,” for instance, conveys his intensity. In the closing power ballad “To My January,” his voice is inflected with a bit of a twang. “Super Lazy” and “Plastic” also stand out for his lower register, with the latter song also showing off a skillful, sleek vocal slide. Rap metal track “Stray” takes Woodz even further into new musical territory, with him spitting staccato verses and screaming in the pre-chorus.

Notably, he often shifts his vocal styles within the same track. “Na Na Na,” for instance, combines soft falsetto and gritty rasps. In “Glass,” his voice feels more delicate and vulnerable in verses, then turns into belts in chorus. Following full-throated “la la’s” in the bridge, Woodz sings in his lower register in the stripped back outro. The vocal shifts in songs like “Glass” appropriately match the drama of the song and prove how well Woodz can utilize his voice as an expressive instrument. 

Archive 1 clearly showcases Woodz’s considerable talent in both songwriting and performance. Upon the first few listens, it less obviously achieves Woodz’s aspiration to create an album with a core message. However, the album successfully portrays a spectrum of experiences in key themes. The promotions for Archive 1 grouped the tracks in thematic sections: instinct, emotions, relationship, and identity. The album particularly explores the latter two topics, with many of the album’s emotional high points coming from his songs about relationships. Through Woodz’s soaring, yearning vocals, “Cinema” conveys the desire to relive a past romance. In addition to the vulnerability in Woodz’s voice, “Samo” expresses its longing through both delicate acoustic guitar in the verses  and a long, passionate electric guitar solo. 

More prominent, though, is Woodz’s introspection about the conflicting emotions he feels about his work, which he illustrates through both his lyrics and production choices. “Why does everyone say this can’t be done?” he questions in “Dayfly,” in which he embraces the wholehearted pursuit of his dreams, even if it is fleeting. However, in “Super Lazy,” he laments how exhausting his pursuit is:

I didn’t know I’d be this
Since when did it start consuming me?
Every morning turning off the alarm
Carefully walking a tightrope

“Super Lazy” seems to belies its title through its frenetic garage beats, stuttering background vocals, and instrumental breakdowns. The song, however, depicts the desire to slow down an overwhelmingly fast-paced life. 

Throughout the album, Woodz confronts the mental and emotional effects of fame, including intense pressure (“00:30”), self-comparison to other artists (“Stop That”) and the desire to respond brashly to critics (“Stray”). In “Plastic,” Woodz’s warped lower register muses, “I got the life I used to chase / But something’s off, I feel out of place.” At first, the song’s slinky vocals and groovy instrumentals do not seem to evoke the anxiety expressed in the lyrics, but they seem to portray Woodz convincing himself to find a way to cope. 

Some of his musings turn more existential, as in “Struggle,” where he laments his personal mental health challenges living in a “complicated world.” “Human Extinction” wrestles with the instinct to protect the darkest aspects of the self from coming to light. Alternating between saying “I won’t outlast” and “we won’t outlast,” Woodz suggests that human nature is flawed, and all humans struggle with facing their imperfections.

Album closer “To My January” also begins with Woodz facing the “shadows in [his] soul” but ultimately ends the album on a determinedly hopeful note. As it does for many people, January promises a new beginning for Woodz: 

I know I will see the light
No one believes, still I stand
My January is promised just for me
I won’t rush, I’ll live today

In a sense, Woodz circles back to the strategy of living in the present moment that he discusses in the experimental, hip-hop influenced “00:30.” Instead of searching for a brief respite from a hectic life, as he did in the album opener, Woodz approaches life with greater optimism. 

Through Archive 1, Woodz not only proves that he is a talented singer and songwriter, but an emotionally honest artist willing to explore the complexities of ambition and fame, reveal his personal struggles, and search for meaning. It is remarkable how naturally the album’s craft and its vulnerability work in tandem. Woodz sought to redefine himself with Archive 1, and he did so as an artist with a singular vision. 

(YouTube. Teen Vogue. USA Today. Lyrics via Genius [1][2][3][4]. Images via Edam Entertainment).