Coby James ‘Mixtape Vol. 1: Side A’

Coby James
Mixtape Vol. 1: Side A
(Centricity Music)

Colby James‘ new effort is a four-song pop ride reminiscient of a drive down a West Coast highway, with the windows down and a cool ocean breeze.

From the nineteen year-old South Carolina native that wrote the hit, “Born Ready,” Mixtape Vol 1: Side A dropped April 2. It is planned to be the first in a four series to be released through the year.

The album opens with “Golden,” an upbeat song with a Jonas Brothers vibe that was actually written during quarantine. The track has a slow, catchy hook that leaves the listener head-bobbing long after it’s over.

The second track on the album is “Castles,” a song about chasing fame and success. “Castles in the sky always washing away….I want to do what God says.” Castles features one of the strongest moments of the album, a high-powered bridge declaring, “You’re the rock/where I stand/All other ground is sinking sand.”

The final two tracks, “Simple” and “New Roots,” are slower more intimate tracks. Lyrically, they explore personal themes that give us a tiny glimpse of the tender family life of a young musician set out to chase God’s call.

Overall, Mixtape Vol 1: A, was a fun listen with catchy hooks and memorable verses. We would have liked it for it to be longer, the entire project comes in a just over fifteen minutes.

—Layla Velasquez 

YouTube Audio Video:

Spotify EP Playlist:

Album Track Listing:
1 – Castles
2 – Simple
3 – Golden
4 – New Roots