The K-pop crusadersTK latest full-length includes contributions from “Hitman” Bang Si-Hyuk, Cirkut, Slow Rabbit, JVKE, Mike Daley and more.
ENHYPEN
Courtesy of BELIFT LAB
Since ENHYPEN debuted in 2020 while the world was deep in the COVID-19 pandemic, the HYBE and BELIFT GROUP boy band embraced a dark sound and concept, driven by a larger vampire theme and lore that permeated their album releases and an accompanying webtoon series. But with the release of their second full-length Korean album, Romance : Untold, the septet are beginning what they describe as their new “Romance” series to share “the story of seven boys who vow to protect their love at all costs.”
To begin this story, ENHYPEN deliver eight tracks of fresh genres to explore with a range of top K-pop and pop hitmakers. Lead single “XO (Only If You Say Yes)” includes composition work from HYBE chairman “Hitman” Bang Si-Hyuk (who has worked with ENHYPEN since their debut single “Given-Taken”) but also is co-produced by Billboard Hot 100 hitmaker JVKE (who also features on an English version of the track). There is a breakbeat percussion and punk-rock influences in “Paranormal,” and “Brough the Heat Back” is a sweet, swirly mix of electro-pop and dance styles.
But beyond the new genres embraced, the themes within Romance: Untold show a group looking to be the ideal idol boyfriends not just to their most devoted fans but to the world in general. “XO” acts as a consent anthem, and all the members contribute to the comforting cut “Highway 1099.”
While “XO (Only If You Say Yes)” is the lead single, nearly every track feels like it could have a single on Romance : Untold. Here’s our ranking of the songs on ENHYPEN’s latest full-length album Romance : Untold.
“Paranormal”
With a mix of breakbeat and punk-rock influences, “Paranormal” is by no means a bad song on an album where every track sounds like it could have competed as a lead single. Instead, this cut doesn’t deliver the same amount of development and evolution as the other Romance : Untold tracks when ENHYPEN has spent years playing around with rock and punk influences — though the additional electronic and drum-break elements refresh the genre for them.
“Your Eyes Only”
An immediate takeaway from Romance : Untold is just how cool the ENHYPEN guys sound on this record. While the band shared that on this LP they “wanted to reveal more of our ‘boyfriend’ sides,” they seem like the kind of partner with a daily surprise or unexpected delight. From Jungwon leading off with the first “Let’s sugar talk!” line to Heeseung’s breathy “You can bite me, you complete me” lyric, and then all seven guys coming together on the laid-back chorus reminds us that thesearen’t the kids we watched compete for their dreams on I-Land in 2020 and they’ve matured into top-class gentleman.
“Highway 1009”
A lovely fan song dedicated to ENHYPEN’s adoring ENGENEs, “Highway 1009” not only has all seven members co-writing the track but also sees eldest member Heeseung acting as a main producer. ENHA’s “boyfriend sides” are cranked up to 11 on this track — repeating lines like “Can you stay with me a little bit more?” and “I told you like a million times/ With you everything will be all right” — with the tender, acoustic instrumentation only adding to the heartfeltness.
But the track is also a personalized love letter specifically for ENGENEs with some clever wordplay (“Cause I’ll be there be your engine now”) and a theme of going down the road of “Highway 1009” (with 1009 being an angel number), making it a very special addition to ENHYPEN’s most lovely tracks like “Orange Flower (You Complete Me),” which the septet performed with “Highway 1009” at a showcase for the new album.
“Hundred Broken Hearts”
Image Credit: BELIFT LAB By the time “Hundred Broken Hearts” plays at Track No. 4 on Romance : Untold, the “boyfriend side” vibes are established, and this cut delivers one of the record’s most romantic moods. Over icy, ’80s-inspired synthesizers, ENHYPEN promise “A hundred broken hearts, a hundred broken hearts/ It’s not our fate.” With lyrics co-penned by leader Jungwon, “Hundred Broken Hearts” delivers a declaration that this love is different, a promise of protection, and a commitment to forgo clichés of love songs and novels. Swoon.
“Royalty”
Despite a somewhat short tracklist for a full-length album, Romance : Untold is still super satisfying for how fresh it feels compared to past ENHYPEN records. The laidback funk and surf-pop sounds in “Royalty” are perfect for a mid-July release and mark a summery new soundscape for the group to shine within. Yet another track that sounds like it could easily be heard across Top 40 radios this summer, “Royalty,” reminds the listener of the true global-pop promise of ENHYPEN.
“Brought the Heat Back”
While Cirkut has produced Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping hits for the likes of The Weeknd, Maroon 5, Pitbull, Sam Smith and Kim Petras, the super-pop producer also teamed up with ENHYPEN last year on “Bite Me,” the lead single off the group’s first Top 5 album on the Billboard 200 Dark Blood. While the dizzying dance-pop of “Brought the Heat Back” isn’t the representative single for Romance : Untold (although, it was likely a contender), this latest Cirkut-ENHYPEN team-up is even more creative and experimental than “Bite Me” and sounds as if it could be an unexpected Top 40 radio hit for the summer if ENHYPEN (or another band with rock-pop leanings like Jonas Brothers or even Joe Jonas’ DNCE project) wanted to go that route.
A truly satisfying experimental pop experience, we hope “Brought the Heat Back” will lead to more Cirkut work for ENHYPEN because both this and “Bite Me” show the hitmaker clearly having a lot of fun with the freedom K-pop productions can deliver.
“Moonstruck”
During a visit to Billboard News, Jungwon noted how “previously our songs showcased powerful and dark sides” and that Romance : Untold allows a more tender and romantic side. But if ENHYPEN wanted to squeeze out one last single with a darker concept, “Moonstuck” would have been an excellent choice. Mixing eerie synthesizers, gorgeous harp pluckings and an emphasis on the members’ falsettos, the song also feels like a matured take on ENHYPEN’s very excellent debut single “Given-Taken” from 2020, marking a full-circle musical moment for the group.
While it might not be as refreshing as some of the other Romance : Untold songs when compared to the boy band’s overall discography, “Moonstruck” opens the LP as a reminder of what ENHYPEN does best with the rest of the LP open for new sonic adventures and experimentation.
“XO (Only If You Say Yes)”
Image Credit: Courtesy of BELIFT LAB A large theme surrounding the triumphs throughout Romance: Untold is how much ENHYPEN pushes themselves as artists throughout the LP. From a fan song penned by all seven members to some of the most innovative tracks of their discography, the album’s lead single, “XO (Only If You Say Yes),” not only pushes the group in new and exciting musical directions but also has an opportunity to make a positive push in society at large.
While the album showcases a more romantic side of ENHYPEN, they also do so in the most respectful ways. As the title hints, “XO (Only If You Say Yes)” is a consent anthem where ENHYPEN want to show love to their partner but will only give X’s and O’s (kisses and hugs) with permission. Even as the guys beg to get the OK over the glitchy, electro-pop production, ENHYPEN are sure to make sure their partner is comfortable: Sunghoon opens the second verse asking, “Can I kiss you? Can I hug you?” and Jake follows up with “Would you kiss me? Would you hug me?”
South Korea and America represent two of ENHYPEN’s biggest markets and a majority of the members’ home countries. Both countries are also battling heated political and social environments where toxic masculinity too commonly runs unchecked as respect for women is downplayed. ENHYPEN not only set an example of respect for their fellow men to follow on the futuristic “XO,” but also for what other women and men can and should expect in their relationships.
“XO” also gets bonus points to push it to No. 1 on this ranking for also including an additional English version on the album with one of the song’s actual producers JVKE — famous for his Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hits “Golden Hour” — as a featured vocalist. The choice gives the new version a natural fit and sound (especially for JVKE, who is so clearly focused on becoming ENHYPEN’s eighth member) instead of tacking on an additional artist who might feel random or go against the band’s original beliefs.
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