Jasmine.4.t You Are The Morning

Manchester-based singer-songwriter Jasmine.4.t’s debut album is a warm folk-inflected affair with a heavy focus on trans identity, trans for trans love, and community. As a trans woman, Jasmine has reflected on the myriad challenges she has faced during her transition — including divorce and rejection — and while You Are The Morning certainly channels her pain and fear, it is not a record without hope.

Amid the echoes of Sufjan Stevens (Kitchen) and Bon Iver (Roan), there is heavy boygenius/Phoebe Bridgers flavour that makes immediate sense when you learn who produced You Are The Morning. I have gone on record as something of a boygenius sceptic in the past, but I would never entertain the argument that the trio are not skilled musicians in their own right.

The mentorship of Bridgers, Dacus and Baker has undoubtedly given Jasmine a solid promotional boost, but at times their influence becomes suffocating. Guy Fawkes Tesco Dissociation (admittedly a great title) is one such moment. For a record that leans so heavily on the theme of identity, it seems a little paradoxical to sound so much like your producers.

Best Friend’s House is a heartfelt rumination on homelessness, but it’s too simplistic and on the nose for my tastes. Highfield, which deals with another important topic in transphobia, didn’t land for me either. Elsewhere, the satisfyingly fuzzy Tall Girl is a welcome counterpoint to some of the record’s more saccharine moments, while the Elliott Smith-esque Elephant is the record’s clear standout. Jasmine has been vocal about her desire to capture her love of Smith’s songwriting and it’s fair to say she has nailed that particular brief here.

Woman finds Jasmine closing You Are The Morning with a clear statement of identity. To hear its tender chorus — “’Cause I know who I am / And I understand / That I am in my soul a woman” — against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s controversial executive order to “restore biological truth to federal government” is undeniably powerful. Regardless of your individual views on issues of gender identity — or ideology, if you prefer — it is a timely reminder that such dogmatic statements affect real people and communities. 

As a bravely personal reflection on transition and identity, You Are The Morning may well benefit from the timing of its release; I’m pretty sure Jasmine would prefer otherwise. At times delightful, yet not without its flaws, this is an encouraging debut. I expect Jasmine's confidence and (musical) individuality to grow on future releases — hopefully away from the gravitational pull of the boygenius universe.