izna have delivered a fractured discography so far, with some songs hitting harder than others. However, the highlight medley for their newest mini-album hinted at a synth-heavy sound that feels consistent among its tracks. This is a stellar identity for the group to pursue and results in their strongest title track yet.
Metronome is pure, unfiltered dance music. We’ve heard a surplus of this sound in K-pop this year, but most of these songs have been marred by constant talk-chanting that works against the appeal of their instrumental. Metronome isn’t the most melodic beast either, sacrificing most of its chorus for a heavily filtered vocal loop and churning out predictable phrasing during its verses, but there’s a Euro-sheen to the execution that feels as if an actual DJ was involved in the process. In reality, this is yet another Teddy & Co. production, but it’s one of his better efforts lately.
If we’re taking baby steps toward the kind of dramatic, vocal-led dance music that first ushered me into this K-pop world, Metronome feels like a tentative tiptoe into the well. If you were to stack it against the many new DJ/dance songs released globally each week, I’m not sure it would stand out. But in K-pop’s microcosm, the track is a positive evolution and fits izna’s sleek vocal delivery. I look forward to how they might build upon this in the future.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
9
Bias
9
RATING
8.5