SASAMI turns rage into melody on new single “Say It”

There’s another single from the upcoming SASAMI record available today, and if you’ve been following the artist up until now, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. The former downbeat indie singer-songwriter has a new direction in mind for Squeeze, her sophomore record due out February 25th via Domino Records, and the industrial-influenced “Say It” says it all. 

“‘Say It’ is a rage anthem dance track about spinning about because someone isn’t communicating with you,” says songwriter Sasami Ashworth in a press release. “I feel like when I hear the song I see a hot femme with a mystical flamethrower engulfed in emotional blue flames throwing elbows alone in an industrial dance club in outer space.”

The clangor and brutal dance beats are new elements of classically-trained composer SASAMI’s music, but serve an important function. Inspired by the mythological spirit Nure-onna, depicted as the head of a woman on a snake’s body, Ashworth draws upon her Japanese and Korean heritage to produce sounds that are unsettling, as an act of rebellion against a culture of “anti-toxic positivity.” SASAMI’s ultimate goal with Squeeze — which features ear-worm melodies and her soft, beautiful vocals in the respite of the record’s most aggressive moments — is to give marginalized persons, specifically femmes, BIPOC, and queer people a cathartic release from the oppression and violence they face in their everyday lives. 

Philadelphia’s own Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast described the phenomenon of SASAMI succinctly to Variety saying, “What SASAMI is doing musically is that perfect blend of music that can be really heavy and hard and aggressive but also melodic and enjoyable and catchy.”

SASAMI will perform at Johnny Brenda’s on March 26th as part of her own headlining tour, and will return to the city to support HAIM on May 28th. Tickets and information can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar. Listen to “Say It” at the link below, along with a short visualizer graphic.