Often, as they vacillate between here and there, one sees their youthful fervour shine through as they gear up to rush into the storm. Then again, however, ‘Just A Little Bit’ plays neatly into the album conceptually – as ENHYPEN’s rhythm is thrown off due to the appearance of “you”, the world comes to a stop, making them wonder what the right choice truly is. While an easy listen, the guitar-led simple acoustic arrangement feels lost on an album driven by ambition and single-minded determination. The only time the album stumbles is on the romantic, lovelorn ‘Just A Little Bit’. As images of a utopic “midsummer night’s dream” and vocal loops on the chorus lull us into sweet submission, you almost miss the quiet admission of the fear of losing it all hidden in the electro-funk inspired track. Take for example ‘Upper Side Dreamin’’, which turns the intensity of ‘Tamed-Dashed’ into a completely different, yet equally charming direction. It’s as if ENHYPEN are taste-testing the consequences before finally swinging one way or another. This invisible darkness coupled with the temptation of choice, in fact, becomes a consistent concept on the album. Seeped in exciting, blood-pumping EDM-style synth bass, ‘Tamed-Dashed’ pulls one in with its dizzying intensity, but just like its ‘Border: Carnival’ equivalent ‘Drunk-Dazed’, it never quite breaks free from the clutches of a sinister energy lurking beneath. Holding the album together in enchanting gravity is the title track ‘Tamed-Dashed’, carrying forward their tradition of making anthemic numbers deceptive in their brevity. After all, we were all spectators to their journeys on I-LAND, the music survival show where the members fought to debut as a team. Take away ENHYPEN’s enticing fantasy storyline and the alluring CGI on their music videos, however, and you realise how simple yet apt it is for them to talk about this contrast. READ MORE: ENHYPEN: “We’re determined to become ‘the’ destination for K-pop fans around the world”Īt first, it’s easy to dismiss this viewpoint – offering something of value in return for something you desire manically – as philosophical hocus pocus, one of those things you only read about in books that you only ever picked up under peer pressure. The septet are quickly emerging as not only one of the most exciting and conceptually rich acts of this generation, but also as one capable of wielding exceptional cohesion in their art, a feat demonstrated nowhere better than on their first full-length album ‘Dimension : Dilemma’. The track sets the stage for what is another triumph in this rookie powerhouse’s career. Therein lies the dilemma of life: “The most precious things might be the things you have to give away in order to get the treasure”, as ENHYPEN say on ‘Intro: Whiteout’. By extension, an object of desire always comes at the cost of a sacrifice – sometimes, that sacrifice entails giving up something dear to you. Newton’s third law states that for every action, there must be an equal and opposite reaction.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |