This year has been one of the longest ones in history.

While the live entertainment industry has effectively shut down across the globe as a result of COVID-19 and millions of people have lost their jobs across a variety of industries- now more than ever music is being used as a tool to unify the masses.

After all, a good song can help you forget all of your troubles, if even only for its three minute run time.

And while hundreds of artists have taken time during quarantine to release new singles, we want to take a moment to highlight those who have gone above and beyond with the release of their debut full length albums.

The following three albums were released between July 24th and this past week by three up-and-coming artists who have brought us some of our happiest moments throughout this long summer.

Please stream, enjoy, and check out our full Album of the Year playlist, linked below.

“Look Me Up When You Get There” – Safarai Room

Safari Room are a Nashville based trio that just released their debut album “Look Me Up When You Get There,” this past July.

Made up of vocalist Alec Koukol, lead guitarist Chris Collier and drummer Austin Drewry, Safari Room have been on the rise since their 2016 debut. With several EPs under their belt and a growing fan base, their new album was welcomed with open arms as a soon to be crowned indie/alternative album of the summer.

An indie album at its core, “Look Me Up When You Get Here,” features a blend of stylistic choices. From groovy soft rock tracks like “One Day Here” and “Is This Forever” to ballads like “Right / Fair,” the collection showcases Safari Room’s range. With both Koukol’s vocal and songwriting prowess fully on display and supported by equal levels of instrumental genius provided by Collier and Drewry.

Often compared to artists such as The National and Death Cab for Cutie, Safari Room have used this release to carve out their own corner of the indie market, and we have high hopes they will end up dominating the scene by the time their next release hits the airwaves.

“Introducing… Gold Star Gold Star” – Gold Star Gold Star

The debut LP by Chicago natives Gold Star Gold Star, “Introducing… Gold Star Gold Star,” is one of our favorite releases from the past few months.

A relaxed pop album drenched in 60s nostalgia, “Introducing…” is the first collection of tracks by Jungle Green members and longtime friends Adam Miller and Adam Obermeier.

After forming a bond in college over their mutual love for The Beatles, Miller and Obermeier became a match made in music heaven, with the aim of modernizing classic pop sounds by pushing their creative limits. But instead of just focusing on pop as a genre, the duo set strict restrictions on what type of pop sounds they hoped to create. In particular, their goal became not just exploring the realm of popular music, but to record a mono-mixed album that focused more on the execution and writing of the tracks than the immersive mixing process.

Following a challenge the duo created to write a song a day until they had enough material for an album, the idea of “Introducing…” was born. And it was not long before the full album became a tangible concept- packed to the brim with a sense of familiar warmth that is quickly contrasted by unexpected and unique elements thrown into each track. From a waterfall opening up “Sun Setting Down,” to fun guitar parts being thrown in where they’re least expected, the entire album feels fresh despite it’s clear oldies influences.

If you’re looking for an album to listen to while relaxing, or if you’re a fan of The Beach Boys, The Young Veins, or the album “Pretty. Odd.” by Panic! At The Disco, “Introducing…” is an album you don’t want to miss out on.

“Search and Recovery” – Sketch Eclectic

The debut album by musical and life partners Darin Starr and Denia Kirk, also known as Sketch Eclectic, “Search and Recovery” is a theatric masterpiece.

Inspired by a series of melodies Starr created in addition to poems and lyrics written by Kirk, “Search and Recovery” is a lightly inspired concept album that take’s listeners on a journey through love, loss, mental health and rebuilding yourself after a voyage through self discovery.

Described by the band as a “transformation through pain,” “Search and Recovery” ranges in sound track to track- reflecting the song lyrics through not only vocal cues but also the instrumental genre.

With cabaret inspired tracks like “Becoming Velveteen,” ballads like “Right Before My Eyes,” and 90s sounding rock songs like “Drive,” this album features a heavy sense of theatrics- with powerful saxophone and horn parts taking some tracks to a new level, while others hone in on an alternative rock sound.

With 13 total tracks, this album offers something new each time one song ends and a new one begins. No two tracks sound the same, yet the entire album feels cohesive, telling the listener a story as they move through, easily making “Search and Recovery” one of the most creative releases of the year.

You can check out all three of the above albums now, and see what other albums we enjoyed this year over on our Album of the Year playlist, linked below!