First Listen: Clearing the 2025 Decks
Album: Objects
Quick Thoughts: Yes, it's Phoebe's sister, but don't let that overshadow what is a really gorgeous ambient soundscape. Waller-Bridge's musical history is mostly in the area of film and television scores, and this being the first proper album works really well as an cohesive piece of work. Honestly really enjoyed this, great for fans of folks like Claire Rousay.
Songs of Note: "Tapes," "HZ," "Shoe," "Hoover," "Bill's Cat and Me"
Album: Another World is in the Air
Quick Thoughts: This made it on a friend's best-of playlist and I kind of fell in love with it. It's a quirky little folk record that openly borrows from countless classics and yet still feels fresh and unique. One of the more intriguing listens of the year, honestly, and deserves some attention.
Songs of Note: "Staying Queer," "Drive Away," "How's Your Mom?"
Album: Singapore Dreaming
Quick Thoughts: Another friend told me this was her favorite of the year, and this is absolutely my vibe: reverb-ready alt-rock clearly inspired by some of the best stuff of recent years. "Aku Cemas" gives a good idea of the overall thinking here, but there are a lot of highlights and reasons to give this a listen before the new year.
Songs of Note: "Aku Cemas," "Blue Mountains"
Of note:
* Infinte Coles - SweetFace Killah (Son of Ghostface Killah with a lot to say.)
* Blond:ish - Never Walk Alone
* The Tubs - Cotton Crown
* Conway the Machine - You Can't Kill God With Bullets
* Won't Stay Dead - Vindication
* Danny L. Harle and Rachika Nayar - Azimuth Divergence
* HEALTH - CONFLICT DLC
* Brass Against - VI
* Brother Ali - Brother Minutester Vol. 2: Uskudar Sessions
* Juliana Hatfield - Lightning Might Strike
* Anna of the North - Girl in a Bottle
* Nas and DJ Premier - Light-Years
* Dove Ellis - Blizzard
* Sims - Flou
* Nick & June - New Year's Face
* Mike Hugenor - Surfing the Web With Aliens
* Erick Sermon - Dynamic Duos (Volume 1)
* The Deathly Quiet - It's Time for Me to Go
* TEED - Always With Me
* Lotte Kestner - Covers Vol. 3
* Alison Wonderland - GHOST WORLD
* Black Helicopter - Balancing Act
* Kronos Quartet - Forgive Us For
* Silk Daisys - Silk Daisys
* Chad Crouch - Interrorem Soundwalk
* Half Dizzy - Yard Sale
* Stara Rzeka - WYNOŚ SIĘ Z MOJEGO DOMU
* Agriculture - The Spiritual Sound
* Retail Drugs - rECKless dRIVing
EPs:
* Cult of Venus - Algorithm
* Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - Thoughts on the Future
* Art Brut and Bis - Sorry About That
* Swansea Sound - All is Calm
* Homeboy Sandman - Turns Out I Can Sell a Few More of These
* Ruby Red - Ruby Red
* The Deathly Quiet - Merry to You
* Leya - I Remember Nothing
* Meet Me @ The Altar - Worried Sick
* Banshee - I Used to Blame God
* Mallory Chipman - the time
* The Popguns - Who Never Found Love
* Bee Blackwell - New Familiar
* District Advisory Board - Test Pattern
Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:
* Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Live God
* Oh. What. Fun. original soundtrack
* Budot's World: 3-Hit combo!
* Voices from The Lake - II
* Annie DiRusso - Super Pedestrian (Deluxe)
* I'm With Her - Songs from the Stage: Kansas City
* Passages: Artists in Solidarity with Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers
* Eelke Kleijn - Days Like Nights 2025
* It's a Wicked Cool Christmas
* FUZZ - Fuzz's Fourth Dream: Singles, Demos, and Rarities
Also out:
* 1 Trait Danger - Escape from 1 Trait / 1 Trait University
