Song Review: Nissy – Say Yes

Just over two months since his last single, Nissy is back with Say Yes. And with a music video that carries on the story of February’s Get You Back, he seems to be crafting a connected universe of songs. I wouldn’t be surprised if we heard from him again two months from now. This regularity is a welcome shift, since new Nissy music has been hard to come by since 2018’s excellent Hocus Pocus 2 album.

Although I enjoyed Get You Back, I don’t think its hard-hitting EDM sound was a great fit for Nissy’s charms. He excels at groovier styles that allow his charismatic vocals to take center stage. In this way, Say Yes is an improvement. It may not reinvent the musical wheel, but it finds him thriving in his comfort zone.

The track opens with a plucked beat that has slight tropical undertones. The verse builds tension before additional percussion enters to support the pre-chorus. This is all window-dressing for the song’s true centerpiece – a two-part chorus that moves from slinky percussion to effusive synth-pop. I’m especially partial to the second part of this segment, where the instrumental unveils its full potential and the vocal performance becomes more rousing. I can’t say that the arrangement is particularly original, but Nissy’s smooth vocal pulls it off with flair. His music has always had a retro flair, but he’s never tackled an 80’s-inspired synthwave sound before. I’d be curious to hear what he could do with this aesthetic, and Say Yes seems to work as an on-ramp to more daring work in the future.

Hooks 8 Production 8 Longevity 9 Bias 9 RATING 8.5 Original Article