New Music of the Day – CLXXXV: Bright Yellow Shoes – Samantha Leon

Right from the opening sound of the sonorous cello and the Nora Jones vibe, I knew that I was going to love this record. Pop with a lot of heart and an endless amount of soul, wonderfully unhurried and wrapped in classical guitars and sensual string arrangements and a vocal that is simultaneously timeless jazz diva and latest chart sensation. That’s a lot to fit in to one song yet it does so elegantly and sparingly, one element leaving enough room that the other can work its magic.

If pop music is normally built on drive and energy then this sits somewhere else on the spectrum relying on sensuality and a wonderfully languid delivery for its lulling and tasteful nature. Whilst the ambient feel of the instrumentation causes you to focus on Samantha’s voice, second and third plays reveal just how much is going on behind her through sparing, well-chosen and impactful musical details. A low key song this may be but rather than just serve the purpose of being sultry mood music, it lingers in the air long after it has hit its final note due to some clever choices and its extremely well crafted design.