The flow of new music is constant and occasionally overwhelming. On First Listen helps you (and us) keep up by sharing our initial reactions to the latest releases.
Just about any song can instantly transport you back to a specific time in your life. A good song can do the same to a specific time that you never actually lived through. Say She She’s music falls into that latter category, inviting you back through the decades like a Disco Doc Brown.
The Brooklyn-based group fires up the flux capacitor again on new single “C’est Si Bon,” a joyously funky track that doesn’t drop until tomorrow but you can listen to right now using the “Listen” button above.
Considering the band’s name pulls inspiration from groovemaster Nile Rodgers, you should already have a pretty good idea what you’re in for when you spin a Say She She track. This one in particular really brings it in a big way from the jump, pairing handclaps with several lines in French that — if my two semesters studying the language at UW-Madison were worth anything — mean, “Get ready to move, fool.”
OK, here’s the actual translation for the curious:
C’est si bon (It’s so good)
C’est chi-chi (It’s Chi-Chi [chic])
C’est trop chou (It’s so cute)
C’est chi-chi (It’s Chi-Chi [chic])
Ça c’est chaud (Thats hot!)
C’est pas grave (It's all good!)
C’est chouette! (It’s cool!)
C’est chouette! (It’s cool!)
That sets the tone for the rest of the song, which encourages everyone to let go of worry and anxiety, and just go for it … whatever your “it” happens to be.
Tell them what you want
The time will soon be gone
When all is said and done
The world keeps spinning on
The “free yourself” message is as musical as it is lyrical — in the tight harmonies of Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham, and in every second of instrumentation. Put it all together, and it’s like sonic courage that’ll help you finally message your crush or ask for a raise or try that tricky recipe you’re fairly certain will end in disaster. It’s a good listen in a lot of situations is what I’m saying.
You can enjoy “C’est Si Bon” here on the website, track it down in the usual places when it officially drops tomorrow, and catch Say She She doing their thing live in the Back Room on July 25 along with fellow 88Nine artist Abby Jeanne.
