The very first song, ‘Intro: The Invitation’ is an initiation into the album rings in the atmosphere of a carnival but there is something off about it. It sounds almost like an abandoned amusement park haunted by the past. Right off the bat, this is no ordinary carnival. This carnival is at the eponymous border of reality and fantasy. Through a voice-over by Jake and HeeSeung, echoing the Bard himself, Shakespeare, we’re sworn into this cult-like experience where it is made clear that ENHYPEN’s world here has been turned upside down. Time reigns supreme and everything that glitters is definitely a trap. Sonically, there are heavy Western influences already making themselves obvious. A steady alt-rock melody backs up the narration, hyping up what’s to come. Find Out What Is The MBTI Personality Types Of Each ENHYPEN Member KPOP STORIES|Oct 22, 2020 ‘Drunk-Dazed’ brings us ENHYPEN we know and love, fast-paced and full of energy. It is clear by this point that its carnival is without a doubt, a metaphor. It is everything you could ever dream of but the line between it being a sweet dream and a nightmare is blurred. For listeners, this could even refer to the glitz and glamour of idol life. Being in the spotlight, receiving love from millions is nothing short of an impossible dream to some. However, what people often don’t realize is the dark side of the moon - the pressures of perfection, expectations, and criticism. ‘Drunk-Dazed’ works itself on the foundation of a strong EDM beat but layers of pop-rock almost camouflage the same. It ends with a sort of a war cry in preparation for battle and never comes down from the crescendo it builds. The hook is catchy and the vocals are truly amazing, something that listeners have come to expect of ENHYPEN. Why Is ENHYPEN Popular? 5 Things To Know If You Are New To ENHYPEN KPOP STORIES|May 17, 2021 ‘Fever’, once again, is classic ENHYPEN. It intensifies the concept of an unattainable chimera that they are chasing after, albeit in vain. The pace is slower than the first two tracks but the album as a whole is showing no signs of slowing down. There’s a sensual feel to the song, made quite evident by the name of the song itself as desire reaches a fever pitch. ENHYPEN has a strange ability to make the whole group sound like one single voice. That is not to say that the members aren’t well-represented but rather that their coherence is so seamless and devoid of distractions that the members become one through their music.‘Not For Sale’ is a rather relaxed song, one of the first in the album where the spotlight is placed unwaveringly on the members’ vocals as they signal the importance of true and sincere love in a capitalistic world. This song is very much a dance song with simple pop beats reflecting the youthful boy group vibes that ENHYPEN haven’t really played around with in a while. Its placement in the middle of the album too was an impressive creative choice as we’re launched back into the pit of intensity with ‘Mixed Up’.‘Mixed Up’ seems fed up with the carnival. Its charm has faded away and there are no more temptations left to be answered. The glamour is gone and all that’s left is the harsh reality of life. A look into the lyrics confirms our suspicions of the album being predominantly based on the flash of fame that inevitably turns into a fire and takes everything down in its wake. Once again, such a theme is unexpected of an idol group that’s still rather fresh in the industry. However, the fact that they’re dealing with the concepts of greed, unquenchable ambition, and subsequent burnout so soon in their career is telling of how serious they are about their music. The song itself isn’t novel when it comes to style or sonic elements but it is catchy nonetheless and very well produced.‘Outro: The Wormhole’ brings back a narration similar to ‘Intro: The Invitation’, connecting seemingly severed feelings quite like what a wormhole does. The veil is lifted and one’s desired reality collides with one’s lived reality, raking up a storm of realization which ENHYPEN once again quotes Shakespeare to express (“And yet when most I wink / Then do mine eyes best see”), implying that only when one reads between the lines, escapes the prison of their own worldly senses and material greed, is one able to see life for what it truly is. Musically, the voice-over is complemented by a constantly rising choir crescendo which is amplified slowly but steadily with a marching drum beat until it reaches a peak before slowly calming down to silence again, drawing the conclusion to this brilliant album. ENHYPEN Breaks Own Record With Pre-Order Sales For “BORDER : CARNIVAL” In 3 Days Time KPOP STORIES|Apr 8, 2021
