Why “Future Perfect (Pass the MIC)” is ENHYPEN’s song of the year

Wonderkid: I chose “Future Perfect (Pass the MIC)” as ENHYPEN’s song of the year because it was a great way to expand the scope of their music. I think one of the most important parts of what keeps a group going is curiosity. What the listener hears comes down to their imagination. Communication is what makes any piece of artwork whole. I think it’s important that listeners be curious about what novel thing the artist can bring to the table and where they will go next. In that sense, I think the best part of “Future Perfect” is that it helps fans see ENHYPEN as a group that does even more kinds of music than they previously imagined.

ENHYPEN + Drill

Wonderkid: For this song, we tried to work within the genre as closely as possible. I was thinking about what would suit the song best, and I ended up going with Chicago drill. For a producer, choosing the most fitting genre for a song is like trying to choose your favorite toy in a messy room. And then, after lots of consideration, you have a eureka moment. “Future Perfect (Pass the MIC)” takes such a strong stance that the listener can’t help but believe in it. Drill, as a genre, is a defiant kind of hip hop, so I tried to emphasize that aspect while making the song. It’s an uncommon genre for K-pop songs and it was all-new for ENHYPEN, so I was pretty worried, to be honest, but they did a good job with it in the end.

ENHYPEN rockets forward

Wonderkid: There’s always been something cool about ENHYPEN’s music. There’s this sense of, Just try and keep up with me. If you look at songs like “Drunk-Dazed” and “Tamed-Dashed,” for example, there was something ultimately pessimistic about the image the group was portraying, but “Future Perfect” is hip hop, and hip hop is all about having a voice, so I felt it was important that it let them assert their position confidently and as one. So I emphasized to them while recording the vocals that they had to sing it in a way that leaves a clear exclamation point for the listener. I hope the instrument tracks, the members’ vocals and their attitude all together gets ENHYPEN’s message across because it’s my job to make sure we can get our position and our meaning across in a beautiful way through music. I was especially strapped for time for this song and I might have asked a lot of the members. It was tough recording the vocals but we tried not to compromise anywhere. It seems to me like we made absolute decisions and never took any half measures. Honestly, though, this would’ve been a tough song for anyone. I’m proud that we did our best and, in the end, it shows.

ENHYPEN paints their own “Future”

Wonderkid: Just looking at their first song, “Into the I-LAND,” and “Future Perfect,” you can see how far they’ve come. But there’s still a long way to go. (laughs) I don’t think we’re even halfway there yet. But I think the ENHYPEN members worked really hard this year. I think they matured so rapidly because they went through the audition process. Speaking as a producer, I think we have to make exciting original music for the people who are always waiting for more from us. We don’t really like clichéd expressions and the same goes for genres. Even I don’t know what kind of music ENHYPEN will be making in the future (laughs) but one thing’s for sure: We want the music we make to keep people curious about where we’re going next.