Review: Enhypen - Drunk-Dazed
HYBE is currently home to several artists, compare that to just BTS in early 2019. I am almost beginning to lose track, and I have certainly lost track for the other big 3, especially with their subsidiaries. I mean, did you know Brown Eyed Girls is an SM group! The HYBE artist line-up is certainly growing, and another I-Land group later this year, and it is clear that Enhypen and them will share an MV universe. As always, I am overly excited, only for me to eventually realize that the MV storylines are really cohesive, I mean does anyone have any idea what is going on in the BTS universe, has Jin gotten them out of the darn time loop yet!?
On to the actual song. When I heard Enhypen was coming back with a song called Drunk-Dazed, I understandably was considered. In an era where underage drinking (often paired with underage driving), a group with a 15-year-old making a song about drinking certainly was, concerning.
That concern remains, but Drunk-Dazed does a better job of handling the topic than I expected. Lines like "Honestly I'm scared, my reflection in the mirror is unfamiliar, the pitiful truth behind this mask, but I never escape". I wish the song played more into this theme, but it did not. Still, it did a fine job as an edgy and dark party track.
Let me first talk about the thing everybody seems to be talking about: The vocal processing. It is so heavy that it is somewhat hard to hear the members' voices, and is almost Vocaloid esque. Personally, I think it is more of an aesthetic choice to create an edgy, muted, alternative feel. I appreciate this, but I know there are several better ways to do this. A classic example is TVXQ's Break Out, which ran a Vocaloid along with the members' voices to create an aesthetically futuristic feel, while at the same time maintaining each voice's individual texture.
That said, the song at its heart is a massive dance track. Each hook is expertly crafted, creating a dark feel. This all culminates in the chorus, one of the best pieces of music to come out of Big Hit recently. It thumps each and every beat with heavy strength, without mixing too much with trendy EDM.
In the end, Drunk-Dazed is great but could have been amazing with a few minor tweaks in its arrangement. It hints at a more secure future for Enhypen. That is, the moment Big Hit begins working out their vocal processing issues.
You nailed the points! I really love how weird and distorted this record is. It feels like a song made for the delinquents out there! I really love how this song feels and remains authentic to what it stands for. This song is also an analogy to the deep idol world. A world where you are too young to die and too drunk to live. It is a wonderful piece of music.
ReplyDeleteHmm, did not think of it as an analogy to idol life, but it could make sense. But you are right, the distortion is a major point in this song's success.
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