After winning one of seven spots on Mnet survival show I-Land 2020, ENHYPEN members began spreading their message and pushing K-pop forward. Since they first debuted with their Manifesto: Day 1 EP back in October 2019, ENHYPEN have made great strides to accomplish their mission – earning South Korea’s ninth biggest-selling album for 2021 and numerous TV appearances; though they remain grateful for any accolades bestowed upon them so far, but are committed to taking things even further.
DARK BLOOD marks ENHYPEN’s return to vampiric themes present in their debut, featuring an anthemic dark power anthem and an overarching tale of transformation and power – but now with greater confidence in their vision.
JUNGWON, HEESEUNG, JAY, NI-KI, SUNG-HOON and SUNOO form the inaugural septet signed under belift Lab–a joint venture between HYBE and CJ E&M. Although each boy hails from different backgrounds and personalities, their disparate experiences come together well to form one strong team.
As some K-pop groups can fall prey to being too polished and artificial, ENHYPEN’s preppy melodies and infectious beats exude an organic quality that feels more genuine. Their music also speaks volumes of ENHYPEN being a fun group who likes letting loose and having an enjoyable experience; their music truly encapsulates this.
The new album opens with “Fate,” an atmospheric spoken-word intro similar to those on their other albums. While solid, this version seems underutilized since most of it doesn’t allow for singing from any of the guys involved. Next comes “Blessed-Cursed,” a dark rock track which explores an all-too-common reality: fame and reaching your goals may not always deliver what was promised.
ENHYPEN also covers a One Direction classic on “What Makes You Beautiful”, trading off vocals to highlight each member’s individual sound and creating a pop-influenced track that sounds as if it could have been written just for them.
As soon as you listen to this EP, it becomes evident that all seven band members are talented musicians. Sunghoon can rap with some of the top artists, while Jay stands out with her beautiful voice–especially in choruses. In addition, Sunoo’s piano skills showcase how versatile their group truly is–they can turn nearly any genre into something catchy and appealing; we can’t wait to see what comes next from these guys.