Julia Jacklin’s fourth album, The Gem, explores the tension between vulnerability and self-protection, faith and freedom, and hope and despair. It matters because the Australian singer-songwriter deepens her established reputation for emotionally precise storytelling while bringing together the introspection of Crushing and the bolder pop influences of Pre Pleasure.

Across its 10 tracks, Jacklin turns mundane moments into reflections on identity, relationships and spirituality, with recurring questions about God and personal control. The album moves between lush pop-rock, upbeat jangly songs and sparse acoustic pieces, while her restrained vocals and carefully layered harmonies give particular force to songs such as Walk On Me, Brand New and Angel Vision.