Say She She: Cut & Rewind [Album Review]

Say She She
Cut & Rewind
drink sum wtr [2025]

“Funk, fire, and fearless harmonies—Cut & Rewind locks in their groove for good.”

Album Overview: Disco-funk trio Say She She has been on a steady upward trajectory since their debut album Prism dropped in 2022. Successful tours, radio sessions, a double-LP sophomore album, and an appearance on CBS This Morning have all helped catapult them into the spotlight and are a testament to the hard work they’ve put in. Now they’re back with their third album, Cut & Rewind, a confident set of songs that keeps up the momentum they’ve built so far.

Musical Style: Say She She’s sound combines the funkiness of 70s disco with the more atmospheric textures of 80s R&B, giving that blend a modern twist. The key ingredient is the three-part harmonies of Piya Malik, Nya Gazelle Brown, and Sabrina Cunningham that float atop each track, supporting the lead vocals they trade off from track to track.

Evolution of Sound: Cut & Rewind isn’t a huge departure from what came before, but it does dive deeper into the vintage R&B sounds than either of their previous albums. While their earlier work had elements of pop and even occasional psychedelic flourishes, Cut & Rewind is very much a dance record, but one that can still make you think while you groove along to its infectious hooks.

Artists with Similar Fire: Fans of L.A.-based funk band Orgone will want to check out Cut & Rewind, since the core of that band is responsible for most of the playing on the album (as well as it’s predecessor, 2023’s Silver). The album’s more synthetic textures recall Prince’s classic 80s run of albums, while the harmonies bring to mind acts like Sister Sledge or The Pointer Sisters.

Pivotal Tracks: “Under The Sun” is one of the album’s early highlights, a breezy track that offers a glittering example of the band’s signature “discodelic” sound. They lean even more heavily into the disco half of that descriptor with “Disco Life” and “Take It All,” while “Chapters” and closer “Make It Known” lay down the funk. There are even a few post-punk/new wave-influenced moments on tracks like “She Who Dares,” “Shop Boy,” and the title track that expand the Say She She palette in new directions.

Lyrical Strength: Even though the music sometimes feels like a throwback, the songs cover a wide range of topics that firmly situate Say She She in our current era (except for “Disco Life,” that is, which focuses on the infamous “Disco Demolition Night” of 1979). There are tracks about women who resist the status quo (“Under The Sun,” “She Who Dares”) and the challenges of making art for a living(“Cut & Rewind,” “Bandit,”), along with a few heartfelt love songs (“Chapters,” “Possibilities”).

Final Groove: Cut & Rewind is a smart, diverse set of songs that finds Say She She embracing their strengths while stretching themselves in new directions. The retro-meets-modern production, sharp songwriting, and soulful harmonies make it an album to check out even if dance music isn’t typically your thing. To paraphrase one of the album’s catchiest cuts, just because you never had a disco life doesn’t mean you can’t start now.

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