[5] On June 12, SM announced the album's title release date, along with a video featuring Exo's updated logo.

[8] The album opens with the title track "Cream Soda", a dance-pop song with an exotic rhythm and upbeat brass, keyboard and drum instrumentation.

It features sensual vocals, and lyrics that compare the soft yet thrilling moment of falling in love to cream soda.

[11] "Private Party" is an R&B dance song that combines powerful bass drums, dreamlike synth, vocal chops and whistling.

[13] The album closes with the first pre-release single "Let Me In", an R&B ballad with a dreamy sound and vocals that express understated emotions, with lyrics that compare a lover to a blue ocean and a longing to be together endlessly even if they fall into the deep end.

[15] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)'s Global Music Report for 2023, Exist was the eighth best-selling album worldwide, having sold 2.3 million units.