17 July 2020
I’m a big fan of Jason Derulo’s habit of starting his tracks by saying his own name. It’s a considerate signal from him that I should change the station. After all, not everyone loves Jason Derulo as much as Jason Derulo seems to love Jason Derulo. Thanks, Jason.
It’s not quite out of modesty that Jason Derulo cedes first billing on this track. Jawsh 685 was a teenage DJ from Auckland and here becomes only the fourth Kiwi to top the Irish singles charts. (Three of those four acts are from Auckland; the fourth is from Hamilton.) The siren beat in the title is a hip-hop sound originating from his Pasifika, or Pacific Islander, community, and the 685 in his nom de DJ is the international dialling code for Samoa. ‘Laxed (Siren Beat)’ was an original track by Jawsh 685 that went viral earlier in 2020, and which Jason Derulo fancied for a sample. Unfortunately, Derulo put out ‘Savage Love’ with the sample but without credit for Jawsh 685. It all got settled, hence the artist billing and the compound title. Still, ‘Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)’ becomes yet another of our chart-toppers where everything gets legal.
The artist order also reflects the quality of this track. Derulo brings his usual bland-ass chart R&B-pop presence but doesn’t ruin the thing, and his keening pre-chorus even adds a teensy bit of soulfulness. Jawsh 685’s squeaky car-horn hook and head-bobbing beat are the substance here, though. While I wouldn’t want to spend any longer than necessary in the company of ‘Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)’ lest prolonged exposure to that squeaky hook has side-effects, it’s still a pretty decent accomplishment for a kid from Auckland.
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