Jasmine Cassell flexes her songwriting skills on S7VEN EP
New Jersey singer songwriter Jasmine Cassell focuses on love for her recent EP S7VEN. Different types of love; self love, the love of God, romantic love. The lyrical theme, mixed with superb instrumental arrangements, made this project a standout debut.
I had heard Jasmine Cassell perform “Let Me In” live, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear some layered 80s synths — a signature style of producer Lee “LeBeet” Clarke, who has also worked with Kate Faust and Kingsley Ibeneche. That sound could have easily been a very cheesy move, but it works so well for the song and compliments the melody really well. The melody is catchy, and the way the chorus comes in makes this perfect for an impromptu car karaoke session. The lyrics echo Erykah Badu’s “Bag Lady” sentiment with lyrics like “You’ve got a lot of baggage, girl. / Let me in so I can trash it, girl.”
The track “Open” is also a favorite. The melody is really interesting, and the instrumental arrangements are amazing. The synth is subtle, but adds a lot to the groove of the song. The bass is to die for, and the song features my favorite thing ever: a horn section!! Jasmine also displays more dynamic vocals on this track, notably the high notes and runs towards the end. This is the kind of song you start your day with to get you in the right headspace.
The EP ends on more of a solemn and introspective note with “Floating Away”, which features lyrics that reflect on the self and acknowledge imperfections. This track features some of the strongest writing on the EP, my personal favorite being “I’m exposed to the air / And I lie in my disaster / I’m comfortable there.” The vocals are also really strong in that you can clearly feel the emotion, which is no small feat. I was also really impressed when the beat dropped at around the 2 minute mark. That was the icing on the cake, and a great way to end the EP.
This EP is a strong debut for Jasmine Cassell. She’s really shown her strength as a songwriter and her attendance to musicianship, which is really refreshing. Listen to S7VEN down below.