There is no worse feeling than putting your headphones on and opening a streaming service to listen to music, but having no idea what to listen to. Fear not, for I am always here to give suggestions relating to anything involving music. Several music releases can remedy the problem at hand. It is time for another round-up of five of my favorite albums released since the first issue of The DrumBeat.

“What’s Wrong”
by Elliott Fullam

This is easily one of the better releases we have seen this year as it is the debut album of 17-year-old Elliott Fullam — incredibly impressive to say the least. This slow core record takes great influence from Fullam’s namesake, Elliott Smith, along with bands like Duster, LSD and the Search for God. The bleak lyrics coupled with the eerie and bare instrumentation create a morose and almost dilapidated environment where mental degradation meets the youth of a teenage boy. The perspective is not the most complex or developed, but maybe it’s for the better as the album thrives and builds on the simplicity of description. The quiet and slow nature of the album makes this an experience similar to watching rain slide down a window. A must-listen release that excites me for the future of Fullam.

“PRE PLEASURE”
by Julia Jacklin

I am a sucker for a good singer-songwriter album, and Julia Jacklin’s third studio album is just that. This album will not revolutionize the indie scene or break new ground, but the straightforward and effortless nature of the 37-minute journey this album takes you on lets the relatability of the lyrics do the bulk of the work. The album is an ode to the past. Jacklin takes a somber position reflecting over the time that has gone by as she delivers some of her most powerful vocal work. She takes a departure from the depressive ballads she usually creates and instead opts for more wispy and intimate confrontations of love and what it can do to a person while she explores different instrumentation.

“I Love You Jennifer B”
by Jockstrap

Another debut album, Jockstrap has built on the work of their three EPs and fully fleshed it out into what I can confidently say is one of, if not the best, produced albums of the year. To peg this down into the genre of art-pop is a disservice to the record. The album contains songs that could play in an underground rave and songs fitting for an autumn walk through a dewy forest. The controlled chaos on this record creates an environment where your brain is still processing the last wave of instrumentation while being thrown into the next. The confident vocal work of Georgia Ellery is brilliant because she always finds a way to adapt to the new rhythm Taylor Skye’s production throws at her with powerful and layered vocals. You will not find any other albums that compare to the production on “I Love You Jennifer B” this year.

“God Save The Animals”
by Alex G

One of the most consistent artists of the last decade returns for the second time this year with another wonderful album. Alex G’s ninth studio album in 12 years feels just as fresh and concise as the previous eight. The album is a beautiful mixture of psychedelic rock and indie folk. The atmosphere is one full of warmth and charm that almost cradles the listener with tightly bound arms. The lyrics, as with all Alex G projects, are personal, like a conversation with a stranger at a coffee shop. Alex G’s repertoire of guitars and whispery vocals on this record create a unique sound when combined with all the electronic elements present, but strangely it works quite well. The album fires off your dopamine only to quell you back down with serotonin like an oil fire under a half open jar.

“The Forever Story”
by JID

We had not seen much from JID in terms of solo studio albums since his 2018 release “DiCaprio 2,” but this new album has been worth the wait. JID has some sensational flows to couple with poignant lyricism showing how much of a leap he has taken since we last saw a full project from him. We get some incredible neo soul sampling to go with the punchy and lively beats that contrast the production on some of the more emotionally vulnerable tracks where we see JID express himself in a revealing way. I find it easy to say this is one of the better conscious hip-hop records not just of the year, but in general. The Atlanta native has released a classic, which I believe solidifies his status within the contemporary hip-hop community.