Samantha James

Maybe it’s dusk, warm outside and you’re cruising around the city solo with the windows open, feeling good about life. Or on your way home from the club with friends, winding down but still wanting to groove. Samantha James’ debut, Rise, is a nice fit for both scenarios and more. Produced by Sebastian Arocha Morton (ROCAsound, Vikter Duplaix), the tracks are mostly made of mellow house – danceable but not necessarily sweat-inducing. Combined with James’ breathy voice – a softer, more innocent version of Tracey Thorn (Everything But the Girl) on Temperamental – it’s a melodic, suspiciously beautiful blend. Standouts are the title track, “Enchanted Life,” and “I Found You.” Some lyrics seem a little saccharine at first (“Angel Love,” “Send It Out to the Universe”) but reveal genuine insight, and even inspiration. It may take a couple of spins, but Rise is a pleasant fallback for a variety of moods. 4 stars