7/10

When he first broke through with his much-loved debut LP 'Maybe Everything' back in 2018, Nashville-based artist Jackson was greeted as one of the more emotive names on the rise. Quickly following up that effort with the highly-praised companion EP 'Concurrent Patterns' the following year, he since took a break from the new music scene to figure out his next move. But with years to perfect his aesthetic going forward, he is now back once again to deliver his eagerly-awaited sophomore album 'Less Familiar', a record that returns to that lofty appeal he first arrived with.

Capturing this incredibly warm and inviting aesthetic as it plays, 'Less Familiar' sees him break his extended hiatus with some truly exuberant delights here. Taking cues from 80s-inspired dream-pop energy, 2000s indie-folk, modern day Americana and so much more in-between, his newest endeavour comes across as a wildly adventurous listen at every turn. Injecting his heartfelt approach to songwriting across all nine tracks, Jackson returns to the fold with some of his more impactful material to date here.

While it has been quite a while since we last heard from him, 'Less Familiar' has clearly been a labour of love for him as he looks to craft a truly mesmerising and memorable addition to his catalogue. With such a proficiency within his direction from start to finish, we hope he doesn't leave it this long again before gifting us something new.