“A knife!!!” Gleefully screamed the sprinting child, proclaiming the object he’d masterfully swiped–to all the adults’ dismay. This is of course in reference to a famous Vine (the gone but not forgotten short-form video predecessor to TikTok), which eight years ago amassed about the same amount of fame as road work ahead, and has been quoted by countless millennials and Gen-Zers ever since.
K-Pop vampires Enhypen, though belonging to the latter generation, definitely wouldn’t have been our first guess for an artist that would reference such clips in their music.
Irish singer CMAT did something similar with I Wanna Be A Cowboy, Baby!, but not quite as directly as that in Enhypen’s title track of their newest album, THE SIN : VANISH. The song, aptly titled “Knife”, opens with a spoken word snippet of an adult, likely a parent, asking a young child what they’re holding in a very similar vein to the Vine.
The young one responds in the same tone, words, and sheer glee as the original. It’s irrefutable: Enhypen used a Vine as inspiration, and it’s kind of iconic.
So, what’s the song actually about? In its raw version (we’ll get to that later) it’s a short two minutes or so, dressed in tasteful autotune and ice-cold lines like ‘(It’s a knife) Moving through the city like a ghost / (It’s a knife) Dirty dancing, we put on a show.’
The Korean rendition features similarly effective lines in their place, translated as such: ‘Upon the icy blade, we dance like we’re in a movie.’ The beat is simply villainous. It’s perhaps not as majestic as their previous album’s “Bad Desire”, but intrigue is sustained with the THE SIN : VANISH‘s bold structure.
The album comes in many versions (even by K-Pop’s standards), including member-dedicated variations featuring re-spun renditions of “Knife” sung solo with each respective member. It’s a pretty bold yet genius choice by their team; it not only gives each singer or rapper a chance to express themselves wholly with their own flair, but also serves as clear evidence of their individual capabilities.
“No Way Back (Feat.So!YoON!)” is a fantastic step into the album, featuring a strong minor-key synth progression and beautiful percussion to sell the emotions bleeding out of this song. It’s impossible to pick the best part, but main vocalist Heeseung particularly shone in his moments.
Instrumentals overlaid with spoken word continue to lead us through the album, with references to Enhypen’s vampiric lore. Excitement is roused again when “Stealer” comes in. The falsetto pre-choruses are ridden perfectly by the singers, sealing listeners in a euphoric moment that passes by too soon when the juxtaposing chorus drops down from nowhere. Don’t mistake us; every moment of “Stealer” is a party.
“Big Girls Don’t Cry” promises to protect with sweet words like ‘I’ll keep you safe, everything’s fine, stay with me now‘, seemingly offering a respite from the other boys that “only want your heart because they wanting to break it”. It’s a rhythmic little track that will surely play into fans’ hearts. The boys keep it beating with “Lost Island”, a charming uptempo song flowing with soulful vocals and reverb.
R&B goodness settles us down for a cosy night in “Sleep Tight”. The boys extend romantic invitations to a soft beat, rightfully taking centre stage with the vocals on the album closer. Bad boys aren’t going out of style for a while. Enhypen are making sure of that. Although, from the sounds of it, the tough looks are just for cool points. These vampires are really softies at heart.
Enhypen are on Instagram. You can listen to THE SIN : VANISH here.
