photo courtesy of Savvy Haze
Single Review of Savvy Haze: “Hip Thrust”
Nayla Savannah is a versatile creative force whose music, as she notes, combines hip-hop and grunge, as well as a variety of other influences for an original, edgy sound. Her talent is readily apparent to anyone who spends a lot of time with cutting-edge creative artists, as you can hear from her solo recordings Savy World and Be Free, as well as Savvy Haze Live, the latest full-length recording from her band Savvy Haze. “Hip Thrust” was shared with me this spring, as it was being released to popular streaming platforms, and I knew I was listening to something special.
image courtesy of Savvy Haze
Indeed, while a description of Nayla’s might make it sound as if it inhabits – and perhaps invents a niche subgenre – Savvy Haze’s initial single release, “Hip Thrust,” is a broad appeal song you absolutely have to hear. The studio single, separate from Savvy Haze Live, is an aggressively catchy earworm. Not just casually catchy. I’m talking the kind of song you hear played at sports arenas during breaks in the action where everyone stands up and dances. Or maybe struts; that’s really more what I do when I listen to the song. It’s an awkward, weird strut, but I’ve got a great big ol’ smile on my face.
The song is primarily one big, long, hooky, plucky, funky groove. Add a thumpin’ rhythm section. And Nayla’s – er, Savvy’s – vocal stylings on top. There’s even some mid-song guitar shredding for guitar rock fans. But the rhythm is so memorable I always forget it’s even in there. The production is a little raw, but that’s all just part of this song’s appeal. Trust me, you’ve never heard anything quite like “Hip Thrust.” And it’ll be stuck in your head for days after each listen.
Not only will “Hip Thrust” appeal across most musical fanbases (anyone who likes unadulterated fun, really), but like any good hit single, it also gets the listener accustomed to the artist’s sound. Now, personally I’m not a fan of live albums, so I’m not likely to get past the external noisiness I heard upon a quick sample of Savvy Haze Live – that might appeal to you if want to capture the atmosphere of a live performance, though, so if that’s you, check it out – but Savvy Haze also has a second guitar-infused funky hip-hop studio single, “Section,” that I find more enjoyable with each listen, in part because I play it back-to-back with “Hip Thrust,” and it’s slowly becoming a favorite, too. So think of “Hip Thrust” as a gateway song. Everyone’s gonna get hooked on it. So start with “Hip Thrust” and see where it leads you. You know you want to.
