‘It is.’ Shows the Eclectic but Focused Energy of JMSN

Matt Matasci

JMSN (pronounced Jameson) may have an appearance that screams Father John Misty but don’t let the look fool you. Christian Berishaj, also known as JMSN, is no indie pop or psych-folk troubadour instead this burgeoning young artist is focused on creating nothing but intelligent and soulful music. His third studio full-length album under his newest moniker is a powerfully executed genre exercise in the many mutations of R&B music, pulling influence from just about every decade of the genre’s existence while remaining quite disciplined and focused. “It is.” is heavily inspired by the sounds of the past but it also takes a bold look toward the future. Berishaj has created a sound with JMSN that fits in with the alternative R&B style that has exploded over the past five years.

Despite the fact that JMSN appears to be a fresh, unheard of new talent on the scene, he has been in the industry for over a decade. Beginning his music career at the tender age of 17 with the moniker Snowhite, he signed a major label deal with his power-pop band Love Arcade. After that mediocre project failed, he moved on to an electronic-ridden pop sound as Christian TV. Though his second effort yielded a more positive result than his first, both concluded with him being dropped from major label rosters. Unsurprisingly jaded by these experiences, Berishaj went back to the drawing board, formed his own label and began crafting the sound that would form the basis of JMSN – a sound he refers to as “hippy R&B.”

For the most part, “It is.” maintains a laid-back vibe over its 13 tracks. The title track and album opener set the mood with nearly a minute of quiet drones before strings swell in the background and Berishaj’s soulful voice powers through earnest couplets about commitment: “There’s just something about the way / I could die for love and be satisfied” and “It would be worth my whole entire life / I would dedicate and sacrifice.” The aggressively-titled “Fuck U” reaches back into the ‘60s and ‘70s for its funky soul-tinged aesthetic with fuzzed-out guitar strokes and booming brass section. Those horns are found throughout the album, most effectively on “Cruel Intentions,” the reggae-inspired “Hypnotized” and “Most Of All.” JMSN changes things up enough on “It is.” to keep it interesting throughout its entirety. A female vocal counterpoint is brought on for the down-tempo “Fantasize,” “Be A Man” and “Be A Man, Pt. 2.” And “Good Ol’ Case of the Blues” adds some organ tones to the mix.

JMSN has been sculpting his “hippy R&B” sound for years. The result is that “It is.” provides many of the most fully-formed and brightly-shining R&B tracks of the past few years and as a whole the album represents one of the most evolved and well put together of the sub-genre.

JMSN’s “It is.” is available from Apple Music on May 6.