“Say It” by Alex Vela is a simple yet well constructed song pulling in subtle instrumental elements of music from the mid 90s. With a beat-per-minute (bpm) tempo of around 90 (think Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Scar Tissue”), “Say It” is far from the EDM house-music of today with an average bpm of 130 (think Deadmau5 – “Ghosts n’ Stuff”). The song is definitely EDM, but also possesses pop music attributes like catchy lyrics and a slower tempo that would not lend to dancing to this song at a rave of club.
The song starts with a very basic beat of a drum and a hi-hat at a slower tempo that sounds like it was taken directly from the beginner Yamaha keyboards with the built in beats. Ace of Base – a band from the mid 90’s – immediately came to mind. The low bass sounds more like a guitar than a manufactured sound, bringing authenticity to the song’s simplicity.
The progression of the layers of sounds are so subtle that before you know it you go from listening to a single instrument to a complete song with unique sound elements that bring this 90’s vibe that is fresh, unexpected and is never unwelcome in my book.
Without being remixed, “Say It” will likely not make it onto the high energy music playlists that his peers are known for. In fact, the song is so perfectly simple that it has even more potential to receive attention because of its genre crossing qualities.
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