Samantha Leon - s/t (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://www.samanthaleonmusic.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/samanthaleonmusic/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/samleon_music

Video Teaser: https://youtu.be/v5I3R_SURcg

Written by Mike Tabor, posted by blog admin

New York’s own Samantha Leon is a shiny newcomer on her debut EP, but she’s well-seasoned for it. This beautiful young future star is going places with her wise-choice influences and living up to them in the process. She might even surpass some of them, if she continues to release this quality of product. It has been said that she puts her heart into it, and that is an understatement. She can sound like Adele or Sarah McLachlan in the same song. She has a soft, but very big voice, and her lyrics are cutting-edge. The kind you have got to reckon with, even when she goes below the belt to make her point.

“Bright Yellow Shoes” leads the show and picks back up later with separate versions/mixes, and the first one is considerably better. This brings her voice into the fore and it grabs you and doesn’t let go. Only then are you starting to pick up on her lyrics too. The sound of her voice captivates all on its own. These are layers she gets you completely into. This isn’t some lo-fi production either. She sings her lights out and proceeds to hook you in one fell swoop with this. Every debut starts with a fabulous opener and this is no exception to that rule. She knocked it out of the park.

And this is followed-up by the fun, but completely different animal that is “High” with its lyrical subject matter taking on a more or less desired approach. You either like what she’s chosen to sing about or not, but there’s an audience for it and her aim is dead on. I did laugh and you might as well lighten up if you don’t like it, but to be honest it does go a low place or two. It’s all basically inoffensive though, and maybe rectifiable on the next track if you are forgiving. “Run Away” has its cleaner lyrical content, but there is a bleep somewhere in there. However, this is ultimately a killer track.

I could go on about this one title alone, it’s that good. But there are different gears and speeds to switch on this group of songs and the backing tracks all cruise together so well it’s like a tub of butter. “Perfect” is another story altogether with Danny Matos taking it to another level. Hearing his do some magic with a smooth rap just seals the deal. I wouldn’t even worry about the rest, it’s a voice you want to hear, even if you’re not into this type of pop meets R&B stuff, there’s still an experience to take away from her first, and hopefully not last release. Samantha Leon has a long way to go, but she’s already there in many ways.

Grade: B+