Song Review: izna – Sign

New girl group izna made their debut last September with a song that never seemed to capture the public’s attention in the way I’d expect from their pre-debut hype. Given this, I’m surprised they took so long to make a comeback, but now they’re back with digital single Sign. This song reunites them with famed producer Teddy who supplies them with plenty of pop polish.

Sign‘s inability to fully develop its strongest instincts is frustrating, but the song has a great chorus supported by touches of instrumental drama that help set izna apart from most current girl group trends. To get here, the listener must wade through verses that don’t build much momentum or curiosity. If verses are a set-up for the chorus, Sign fails in this regard. The pre-chorus is nice, but everything prior to that moves aimlessly and is much too lethargic.

However, make it through these verses and you’re rewarded with a wonderfully fun hook. The melodies are catchy, but more importantly the production amps up with a mix of synth and guitar that layer a satisfying pop sheen over the track. I wish this drive extended into verse two and kept chugging along throughout the track, but Sign is quite stubborn in its approach. It gives and takes in equal measure rather than fully allowing itself to let loose and give permission for the listener to revel in its awesomeness.

Grade: B