Jem is an English artist hitting the British jazz pop scene with her EP, Love Me or Lose Me. Motifs about forbidden love come through Jem’s rich tones and smooth jazz rhythms in its four tracks. The EP starts with “Juliet,” which introduces the more self-conscious and exploratory parts of starting a new relationship. The red flags are waving throughout – the overthinking, the doubt, the blinders over the lover’s flaws, but that’s par for the course if you’re getting drawn in by a Romeo. “Falling 4U,” featuring Tomi Balogh, romanticizes the falling with some 00s-type R&B flavors.
A standout track for is “1.18,” where our Juliet is caught in her thoughts in the wee hours of the morning. Smooth rhythms with spoken-word vocals lament a deep insecurity from an unsure love. All those red flags from the first two tracks come to a head here. Sweet and strummy guitars illustrate that frustrating feeling of uncertainty. It’s hard to know if her lover is giving her the runaround, or if she’s giving it to herself through that endless process of thinking and rethinking into eternity. What strikes me is how often I’ve been down this road, and how many friends I have watched spiral, asking “what are we?” Maybe needing to ask is the biggest red flag of all.
Jem’s voice and keys fit with the shift to cold winter tones. Final track “Fingertips” tinkles this warm EP to a close. A solid effort from this London-based newcomer.
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