Boy group n.SSign debuted last summer with a ton of success and even more potential, but it was undercut by weird song choices. Their title track proved to be rather inscrutable — especially where debuts are concerned. I much preferred their gorgeous pre-release Higher and was excited to see a (so-so) Sweetune track among the b-sides.

For their first comeback, the guys have promised a trio of title tracks. Happy & is the first to be promoted and sees n.SSign shifting to a more upbeat sound. This should yield good results, but once again the song lets them down. There’s a point at which “upbeat” becomes cloying, and the “na na na” hook that opens Happy & instantly had my defenses up. I’m not a fan of this style of hook. It’s like the vocal version of plonky percussion, pulling down energy just as the rest of the track seeks to heighten it.

All of Happy & is like this. It’s far too plodding for the vibes it seeks to deliver. A melodic chorus and bridge supply brief moments of lift, but it’s not enough to get my heart racing the way great pop music can. This overall direction is solid for n.SSign, but Happy & sounds too much like a song you’d hear fronting an advertising campaign.

Grade: C