While cruising Amazon's music scene, I happened upon this CD and had never heard of Samantha James. I was mildly intrigued so I listened to the 30-second snippets of the first few tracks of "Rise" and thought it had a nice, mellow, yet danceable sound. I decided to purchase it (as I'm always trying out new music) and the more I listen to it, the more I really like it. I've never been heavy into electronic/techno music, but "Rise" is a pleasant fusion of techno, smooth jazz, soul, and light Latin grooves all packaged within a sophisticated mellow sound. Samantha's smooth, yet soulful sound is like vintage Madonna crossed with Tracy Thorn (from EBTG) meets techno Bossa Nova. Although the techno beat can become redundant, it's not as noticeable on this CD. The title track hooks you from the beginning and keeps you listening to such gems as "Breathe You In" and "Angel Love." One of my favorites is the uplifting "Send it Out to the Universe." But truly, there's not a bad cut on the entire CD - it's that listenable. I'd recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys any of the genres I've mentioned above. Samantha James is definitely someone to keep an eye (and an eager listening ear) on.
