{"id":885822,"date":"2026-01-17T17:30:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T23:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/17\/albums-of-the-year-2025\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T17:30:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T23:30:38","slug":"albums-of-the-year-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/17\/albums-of-the-year-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Albums Of The Year 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In the future, 2025 may well represent a watershed year. Our ongoing digitally-driven fractal lives are increasingly separated, with the intrusion of AI now making it hard to discern fact from fiction. In music, we\u2019ve already seen \u2018clone\u2019 songs speed across our feeds, leaving the human innovators in their algorithmically-processed wake. It\u2019s an era when information is easy to access, yet strangely it\u2019s never been so hard to actually absorb.<\/p>\n

In this sense, gatekeepers have become incredibly important. The art of curation is desperately needed, and if Christmas represents a chance to step away, and re-charge, it also allows an opportunity to tap in with the voices we respect, and absorb some of the tastes we\u2019ve been lacking.<\/p>\n

With 2025 drawing to a close, the CLASH team \u2013 from staff to writers, photographers, and beyond \u2013 have come together to focus on the best album length projects released this year. It\u2019s been a surfeit of riches; the resulting list is speckled with potential greats, with a huge degree of consistent quality from first to last.<\/p>\n

Indeed, if there\u2019s been any one challenge it\u2019s finding consensus. In lives increasingly distinct and remote, cultural conversations have become endlessly fragmented, obliterated into atomic shades by the social media environment.<\/p>\n

That being said, one victor emerged via a clear tally of votes from both writers and staff. Join us as we survey 2025\u2019s finest long form releases \u2013 and pick one worthy winner.<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

60. Loyle Carner \u2013 hopefully !\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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A deeply personal and reflective project, Loyle Carner\u2019s \u2018hopefully !<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 explores themes of family legacy and the quiet hopes we carry through life. Released in June ahead of his headline performance on The Other Stage at Glastonbury, it\u2019s an easy standout in the field of emotionally resonant albums. Less caustic and confrontational than its predecessor \u2018hugo\u2019, \u2018hopefully!\u2019 is still an excavation for Carner who opened up on challenges of modern fatherhood, as well as the joy of raising a child through wistful, easy-listening gems. Harvey Marwood<\/em><\/p>\n

59.<\/strong> JADE \u2013 THAT\u2019S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The typical artist\u2019s encore graces us with three more songs before their stage time is up. But JADE, always one to go above and beyond, delivered eight more to us a few weeks back as an extension of her debut solo album \u2018THAT\u2019S SHOWBIZ, BABY!\u2019. The project\u2019s second disc is much more cohesive than its first<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, showcasing JADE\u2019s growing mastery of her own nu-pop identity. Lead single \u2018Church\u2019 sounds as if it\u2019s lifted straight off MTV, with its fresh blend of sultry, stripped-back moments and explosive beats. Much of the ensuing collection follows in this vein, leaning into nostalgia by repurposing older pop tropes. It allows the project a newfound longevity, as JADE steers away from microtrends and soundbites in favour of displaying the full scope of her artistry. Zahra Hanif<\/em><\/p>\n

58.<\/strong> The Armed \u2013 The Future Is Here And Everything Needs To Be Destroyed\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Detroit band\u2019s sixth album is stylised in capital letters for several reasons. \u2018THE FUTURE IS HERE AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DESTROYED<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is a beautifully intense and ferocious album, so it feels apt to set out its title in such a brash, loud manner. The album takes the band\u2019s newfound lucidity to its most extreme end point. The music is as heavy as The Armed have ever been, as well as rife with almost shockingly accessible diversions. The lyrics are similarly pointed, taking aim at a world that often seems like it\u2019s spiraling out of control, rife with individualists fighting one another to the delight of a tiny gang of elites. Their music goes straight for the jugular, whilst dazzling with its inventive and deeply humanist belief that we can do so, so much better than all this mayhem. Tom Morgan<\/em><\/p>\n

57. Audrey Hobert \u2013 Who\u2019s The Clown\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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It\u2019s always exciting when new voices start to gain traction in the music industry. Up until the start of this year, the 26-year-old singer-songwriter was mostly known as Gracie Abrams\u2019 best friend and core collaborator. On her debut full-length, Hobart puts her own spin on diaristic storytelling: some of the standout songs, like \u2018Thirst Trap\u2019 and \u2018Sex And The City\u2019, paint a vivid picture of the lengths young, impressionable girls can (and usually) go to catch someone\u2019s attention; to romanticise their every action, and find meaning in the almost unnoticeable. Eduarda Goulart<\/em><\/p>\n

56. JENNIE \u2013 Ruby<\/strong><\/p>\n

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JENNIE\u2019s debut album<\/a><\/span><\/strong> reflected a new era of experimentation for the Korean musician, one teeming <\/em>with ideas <\/em>inspired by a grand sweep of genres; trap, space disco, dimly-lit RnB, folktronic ballads. Where marquee crossover releases from other K-pop stars suffer from tonal whiplash, \u2018Ruby\u2019 succeeds because of its subtle tessellation between softness and abrasiveness. The intro \u2018JANE\u2019 saw the singer enlist downtempo maestro FKJ for a sci-fi-tinged instrumental with ASMR-inspired vocals fluttering in and out the mix; the noirish throwback RnB cut \u2018Damn Right\u2019, with Kali Uchis and Childish Gambino, is a lovemaking profusion unlike anything Jennie has released to date. But it\u2019s \u2018Love Hangover\u2019 that emerges as the zenith of this album; the kind of smooth, effusive, deceptively catchy number tailor made for adult contemporary radio. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

55. DjRUM \u2013 Under Tangled Silence<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Oxford-based DjRUM has long been a CLASH favourite, thanks primarily due to his eclectic, continually inventive DJ sets. Born Felix Manuel, the musicality in its work reaches its true potential on \u2018Under Tangled Silence\u2019, a sublime achievement that moves from club-informed beats through to lush, modern classical aspects. Opening with rivulets of piano, it weaves from the fringes of techno to blissed, head-bobbing junglism, held together by the producer\u2019s painterly tones, and his world-building prowess. An atlas-like guide to inner landscapes, \u2018Under Tangled Silence\u2019 is a gripping, often moving document. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

54. Deafheaven \u2013 Lonely People with Power<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018Lonely People With Power<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is a gargantuan album. A loud, maximalist, bombastic tour de force that brings together everything that this band does so well. Propulsive beats, resounding guitars, exquisite effects, and screamies that make you wonder how George Clarke has any kind of voice left at all. It\u2019s a multifaceted, multilayered gem of an album that restores the band to their rightful position as one of the best that modern heavy music has to offer. Michael Watkins<\/em><\/p>\n

53. DJ Haram \u2013 Beside Myself<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Like the hardest, heaviest warehouse rave you ever stumbled into, Zubeyda Muzeyyen\u2019s \u2018Beside Yourself<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is an unruly yet sublime experience. It\u2019s a wild explosion of ideas, to the point where it could be argued that, when taken as a whole album, it lacks a bit of shape or finesse. Regardless, the fascinating production work by its skilled creator and a frankly ridiculous selection of guest features makes \u2018Beside Myself\u2019 a singular descent into vantablack-coloured dystopian club-tronica. Tom Morgan<\/em><\/p>\n

52. Indigo De Souza \u2013 Precipice\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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We meet Indigo de Souza on the edge. \u2018Precipice<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 feels like a moment suspended in time. We\u2019re no longer looking ahead with apprehension, as we do for much of her 2018 debut \u2018I Love My Mom\u2019, nor are we looking back with bittersweet introspection the way we do on its follow up \u2018Any Shape You Take\u2019. \u2018Precipice\u2019 feels ready to stop trying to make sense of stuff, and just be. It\u2019s the juxtaposition of the highest highs and the lowest lows that gives \u2018Precipice\u2019 its feeling of being suspended on the edge \u2013 these things coexist, sometimes in the same breath as de Souza slips from a bubbly water metaphor into the most stomach jolting kitchen-sink realism you\u2019ve ever heard. Ims Taylor<\/em><\/p>\n

51. clipping. \u2013 Dead Channel Sky\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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An album<\/a><\/span><\/strong> of twisted genius: an unsettling voyage alongside an unsettled brain, navigating the chaos and strange euphoria of hyper-modern life. For an intense hour we cross blurred boundaries between vocal and robot sound, melding actual and virtual realities, and organic and electronic versions of life. clipping. squeeze in references to Munchhausen\u2019s Syndrome and Gitmo, painting vivid pictures of ordered chaos. Daveed Diggs\u2019 delivery remains chillingly laid-back whether speaking words infused with tongue-in-cheek humour or dropping crushing, brutal bars. Phil Taylor<\/em><\/p>\n

50<\/strong>. Wednesday \u2013 Bleeds<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Wednesday\u2019s \u2018Bleeds\u2019 is a mishmash medley of Southern indie-rock. It presents songs of confession, reflection, wit, heartache and true crime in new and distinctive ways. Karly Hartzman (guitar, vocals), Zandy Chelmis (lap steel, pedal steel), Alan Miller (drums), Ethan Baechtold (bass, piano) and Jake \u201cM.J.\u201d Lenderman (guitar) are a road-tested troupe melding witty lyrics depicting eccentric narratives, soulful steel and melodic guitar on a charged record that despite its novelistic reach always feels true-to-life. Amelie Grice<\/em><\/p>\n

49. Armand Hammer, The Alchemist \u2013 Mercy<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Armand Hammer \u2014 the group comprising rappers ELUCID and billy woods \u2014 and producer The Alchemist build entire worlds on \u2018Mercy\u2019. Equal parts lush and foreboding, \u2018Mercy\u2019 is uncompromising and soul-crushing, the lyrics unspooling historic threads of socio-political unrest and the phantom effects of empire. But it\u2019s not all doom and gloom: there\u2019s the glint of hope and promise in the synergy between the rap duo, perpetually lived-in and in lockstep, and the producer anchoring it all in twisted, but always beguiling moodscapes. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

48. Ethel Cain \u2013 Willoughby Tucker, I\u2019ll Always Love You<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018Willoughby Tucker, I\u2019ll Always Love You<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 was never supposed to be where Cain went next, certainly not in the form that it now exists. There was a promise of a prequel EP that would explore how the characters from \u2018Preacher\u2019s Daughter\u2019 came to be, but what emerged was an album as long as Sufjan\u2019s \u2018Illinois\u2019, itself a sprawling dissection of flawed American ideals and the people who so readily fail to live up to them. On \u2018Willoughby Tucker\u2026\u2019, we find a record that moves like an opus, bringing together everything that Cain has done so far and besting it in the process. Instrumental tracks, Americana gems, synth-layered meditations on traumatic childhoods, and a dower spirit that suffocates everything that it overwhelms \u2013 they\u2019re all on here, and they\u2019re all bigger, bolder, and better than before. Michael Watkins<\/em><\/p>\n

47. Olivia Dean \u2013 The Art of Loving<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The concept and title for Olivia Dean\u2019s second album<\/a><\/span><\/strong> came from an exhibition she attended in Los Angeles, All About Love by Mickalene Thomas, whose vibrant portraiture endeavoured to reshape notions of beauty, sexuality and femininity. Thomas\u2019 exhibition paid homage to the feminist writer bell hooks, whose book of the same name deepened the concept of love beyond romantic relationships to incorporate family, friendship, and community.\u00a0On \u2018The Art Of Loving\u2019, Dean traces her own non-linear journey through romantic encounters and relationships, with self-love as the bedrock. \u200b\u200b<\/p>\n

\u2018The Art Of Loving\u2019 more vividly, and compellingly, reconciles Dean\u2019s love of classic sounds with modern notes on desire, intimacy, romantic disillusion and discontent. The London singer-songwriter soars on torch songs that contrast feelings of self-regard with self-doubt. And her vocal ability is undiminished throughout, edging closer to the hallmarks of neo-soul and bossa, while leaning into the jazz-tinged moodscapes that her velvety voice naturally reaches for. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

46. Model\/Actriz \u2013 Pirouette\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018Pirouette<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is an album of contrasts, and to an equal measure Brooklyn\u2019s Model\/Actriz are a band of juxtapositions. The four-piece expertly place seemingly clashing sounds side by side, but with their lyrical aptitude and technical prowess, they\u2019re able to make it work effortlessly. Similarly, they consistently bring club-pop energy while employing conventional rock instrumentation, all the while having a level of lyrical clarity others rarely achieve. Two albums deep, the group remain as nimble and precise as ever. Yu An Su<\/em><\/p>\n

45. Dave \u2013 The Boy Who Played the Harp\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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This is a staggeringly powerful record by UK rap\u2019s most potent, and mystifying, storyteller. Continually evading easy descriptors, Dave pushes his art to higher levels. At one point he dismisses the need for cultural commentators, preferring to keep those to sport. It\u2019s easy to push back on it \u2013 isn\u2019t Dave, a vocal fan of the art, also a critic himself? \u2018The Boy Who Played The Harp<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 has been almost purposefully designed to exclude easy hot takes, and narrow definitions. It\u2019s a record that truly speaks for itself, and in truth there is no higher praise we could give it. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

44<\/strong>. Tyler, The Creator \u2013 Don\u2019t Tap The Glass\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Where the warped psychodrama of \u2018Chromakopia\u2019 excavated Tyler\u2019s past musical alter-egos, exploring the illusion of youth and celebrity as intoxicants through a mask-clad protagonist in a state of flux, \u2018DON\u2019T TAP THE GLASS<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is Tyler stripping back the artifice and luxuriating in a state of sustained ecstasy. The 10-track album revels in the spark and frisson of the current moment, foregoing the usual worn sprawl in favour of playfulness and pageantry. As palate cleansers go, \u2018DON\u2019T TAP THE GLASS\u2019 does its job: a mash-up of shrewd, slinky dancefloor capers that dials back the conceptual overload, hits the reset button and revels in fun. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

43. Sudan Archives \u2013 The BPM<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018The BPM<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u2019, Brittney Parks\u2019 third album, is no symphony but a full blown dance record, meant to rattle speakers and move hips. It\u2019s filled with heavy 808s, unabashed raunchiness, full blown rap and, yes, strings \u2013 deployed in the form of pulsing synths and thumping, kinetic drums. Contrary to the techno-pessimism of 2025, the album \u2013 from its cover onwards \u2013 is also an unabashed celebration of technology, one which seems to be at odds with Parks\u2019 love for traditional music making, until it doesn\u2019t. Liam Inscoe-Jones<\/em><\/p>\n

42. Haim \u2013 i quit<\/strong><\/p>\n

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After the gargantuan success of \u2018Women In Music Pt III\u2019, expectations were naturally sky high for Haim\u2019s follow-up, \u2018I quit<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019. It\u2019s a more straightforward album, examining the trials and tribulations of relationships and breakups. But it\u2019s also the most out-and-rock record the sisters have put out since their debut, packed with verve, energy and grit. It shows they\u2019re not content to stay still so they delivered another stellar record that justified the wait. Christopher Connor<\/em><\/p>\n

41. PinkPantheress \u2013 Fancy That\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Electro-pop princess PinkPantheress returned this year with her second mixtape, \u2018Fancy That<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019. Though compact at just twenty minutes, the project bursts with charm (\u201cI\u2019m really glad to meet you!\u201d), energy, and Pantheress\u2019 signature blend of samples and musical influences, ranging from UK garage to emo. The project sees the 24-year-old singer-producer triumphantly rework the noughties into the mainstream, layering nostalgic touches throughout, from bassline to Just Jack. Zahra Hanif<\/em><\/p>\n

40. Addison Rae \u2013 Addison\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Following a successful run of singles, pop prodigy Addison Rae seized 2025 as the year to drop her hotly-anticipated debut album<\/a><\/span><\/strong>. Largely sharing a fanbase, as well as artistic common ground with the likes of Charli xcx and Lana Del Rey,\u00a0places Addison Rae in a unique position. Her genre isn\u2019t solely pop but it\u2019s not quite alternative either. After going through one of the most notable rebrands in modern music \u2013 from part-time musician and full-time influencer to becoming one of the most exciting newcomers in the music industry \u2013 \u2018Addison\u2019 is a breath of fresh air in a saturated environment. Lauren Hague<\/em><\/p>\n

39<\/strong>. Bad Bunny \u2013 Deb\u00ed Tirar M\u00e1s Fotos\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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On \u2018DeB\u00cd TiRAR M\u00e1S FOToS<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019, Bad Bunny \u201crecommits\u201d to Puerto Rico. Translated as \u2018I should have taken more photos\u2019, the results are a brave and bold audio pictograph not only of Puerto Rico, but of the diaspora itself, with all its pan-generational variants and complexities. Hemming in his crossover impulses, it stays true to his foundational aspects; \u2018PIToRRO DE COCO\u2019 is a real whirlwind ride, while the crunching bass tones that permeate \u2018EoO\u2019 offer sheer reggaeton bedlam. Boasting 17-tracks and a full hour of music, \u2018DeB\u00cd TiRAR M\u00e1S FOToS\u2019 is a love letter to his heritage that boasts some of Bad Bunny\u2019s most definitive moments. A generational voice within the diaspora, this project finds the star bringing it all back home. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

38<\/strong>. The Alchemist, Freddie Gibbs \u2013 Alfredo 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

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A rapper who continually switches it up, last year\u2019s \u2018You Only Die 1nce\u2019 was a major league moment, a display of Freddie\u2019s gravitas. \u2018Alfredo 2<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 takes Freddie Gibbs back to his roots, a sequel to his Alchemist-propelled 2020 \u2018Alfredo\u2019.<\/span><\/strong><\/a> One of the loftiest moments in either artist\u2019s catalogue, there\u2019s simply a sense of magic to this partnership \u2013 and this sequel doesn\u2019t disappoint. A record that feels intrinsically strong from start to finale, little is left to waste here. 14 songs and 48 minutes, it\u2019s a taut, finessed project; \u2018Shangri La\u2019 is gripping, \u2018Lavish Habits\u2019 employs some of Freddie\u2019s finest word play to date, and \u2018Jean Claude\u2019 detonates with a palpable sense of Alchemist\u2019s avant-funk. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

37. Oklou \u2013 choke enough<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018choke enough\u2019, the debut album from Oklou, creates a universe entirely its own. With Casey MQ, A.G. Cook, and Danny L Harle on production, it already feels like a cult classic. Tracks like \u2018harvest sky\u2019 are anthems for the internet-age, keeping Oklou at the centre of future-facing electronic pop. Childlike wonder runs through every track, showing her fearless, experimental vision. This one\u2019s for the daydreamers. Amelia Garrett<\/em><\/p>\n

36. Viagra Boys \u2013 Viagr aboys<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m a man that\u2019s made of meat \/ You\u2019re on the internet looking at feet.\u201d <\/em>That line, from the opening track \u2018Man Made of Meat\u2019, might as well be a mission statement. It perfectly sets the tone for the Swedish outfit\u2019s fourth album, \u2018Viagr aboys<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019. Absurd, visceral, and uncomfortably honest, the record lurches between the grotesque and the hilarious, painting a portrait of a crumbling, commodified culture with the tone of a Twitch stream beamed in from Hell\u2019s waiting room. If earlier releases flirted with surrealism, this one dives headfirst into a more twisted critique of consumerism, masculinity, and decay \u2014 both moral and physical. There\u2019s the same dark humour and love for warped Americana, but now it\u2019s distilled into a more targeted attack on our fractured, hyper-capitalist world. Josh Crowe<\/em><\/p>\n

35. <\/strong>billy woods \u2013 Golliwog<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018GOLLIWOG<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is an abrasive and demanding album. billy woods\u2019 afro-pessimist vision of a world fundamentally hostile to every facet of Black existence (family, history, spirituality) is a hell of a lot to chew on. However, it\u2019s also a beautifully singular vision, one that\u2019s delivered with thrilling intelligence and visceral force. By the time you reach closing track \u2018Dislocated\u2019 (which features woods\u2019 frequent collaborator ELUCID), its creator\u2019s final verse will have you close to tears. Once again echoing Invisible Man, woods imagines himself as the album\u2019s titular character; \u201cin the forest, face painted, fingertips black with charcoal\u201d. Accompanied by just his partner, he\u2019s resigned to \u201csleeping in the basement\u201d, where he \u201ccan\u2019t be located\u201d. Hug your loved ones tight, \u2018GOLLIWOG\u2019s\u2019 hostile world is one of nothing but \u201cshadows\u201d and \u201cmosses\u201d. Tom Morgan<\/em><\/p>\n

34. Little Simz \u2013 Lotus\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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June saw the release of Little Simz\u2019s sixth studio album, \u2018Lotus<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019. A star-studded lineup, including Michael Kinwanuka and Wretch 32, assists Simz in delivering a poetic yet precise confessional, as the wordsmith channels the pain of her public fallout with her former producer into heavy-hitting bars. Jazz and funk influences weave throughout the album, compelling a sophisticated sound that solidifies Simz\u2019s sonic maturity and \u2018Lotus\u2019 as another masterpiece from a rap visionary. Zahra Hanif<\/em><\/p>\n

33. Deftones \u2013 Private Music<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Having long-since shirked the trappings of nu metal \u2013 a label that never really sat comfortably with them in the first place \u2013 Deftones\u2019 tenth LP marked an end to the longest gap between albums since the group\u2019s inception, continuing to signal a tireless pursuit of new sonic possibilities within the brash soundscapes that they so frequently inhabit. Perhaps the most miraculous thing about \u2018Private Music<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is how quickly these tracks embed themselves in the band\u2019s canon alongside beloved favourites. For a group who stopped needing to prove themselves a long time ago, it arrives as an assured statement from an outfit that continues to find compelling reasons to do so. Deftly striking a balance between brutal and graceful, it\u2019s a welcome reminder that Deftones are still more than capable of delivering the goods while showing us something new and vital. Paul Weedon<\/em><\/p>\n

32. Lady Gaga \u2013 MAYHEM\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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On her sixth album, Lady Gaga is at her hungriest \u2013 a pop carnivore demolishing a feast of blood-strewn ideas. Not that her recent history is without those \u2013 there\u2019s a tendency online to say Lady Gaga has simply been treading water for a decade, which is absurd. The glittering acting CV? The pursuance of jazz, one of her first loves? The frequently astonishing \u2018Chromatica\u2019 era? Nothing in her glittering career should be discounted casually. \u2018MAYHEM<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 does, however, re-connect Lady Gaga with a sound \u2013 and approach \u2013 she deserves to own. With the world growing darker by the minute, one of the planet\u2019s biggest stars is ready to unroot pop\u2019s foundations once more, and we\u2019re totally here for it. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

31. Nourished By Time \u2013 The Passionate Ones\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Recorded between his Baltimore home, New York, and London, the 12-track record<\/a><\/span><\/strong> by Marcus Elliot Brown spotlights his world-building capabilities; a blueprint for building your own altar in the ruins of the American Dream. \u20189 2 5\u2019 feels open-ended, the work of an artist asking difficult questions of himself; boundary-shattering electronics with a profoundly physical feel, it\u2019s a riveting, genre-agnostic construction emblazoned with searing colour. Elsewhere, \u2018BABY BABY\u2019 explores themes of digital overload and hyperreality over spritely, stop-start production. A triumph on all counts. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

30<\/strong>. Maria Somerville \u2013 Luster\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Maria Somerville\u2019s \u2018Luster<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is a remarkable album \u2013 a beautiful, thrilling, fascinating experience, one that matches the tranquil and the bucolic to emotional complexity. Sensually stunning, it feels unified but also hard to pin down. A record that muses on the uncanny, fuelled by sights experienced from the corner of your eye, there\u2019s an apt halo of magic to what Maria Somerville has achieved here. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

29. Leikeli47 \u2013 Lei Keli ft. 47 \/ For Promotional Use Only\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Spanning 11 songs in total and a runtime of just 30 minutes, \u2018Lei Keli ft. 47 \/ For Promotional Use Only<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is Leikeli47\u2019s first album since wrapping up her \u201cbeauty trilogy\u201d with 2022\u2019s \u2018Shape Up\u2019. The album was executive-produced by Leikeli47 and Harold Lilly, and is her richest and most revealing work to date. Brimming with juiced-up affirmation anthems and tender ska-laced chronicles on survival and the ephemeral nature of the music industry, the New York artist demystifies her once inscrutable persona. The album affirms Leikeli47 as underground rap\u2019s most dynamic poet and performer. <\/strong>Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

28. aya \u2013 hexed<\/strong>! <\/p>\n

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Electronic producer aya\u2019s raised the bar on \u2018hexed!<\/a><\/span>\u2019<\/a><\/strong>. Overarching themes of addiction, mental grief, and survival permeate the record, with the production unafraid to depict ugliness in high intensity. Informed in part by aya\u2019s ongoing live show \u2013 she\u2019s performed at the likes of Barbican, No Bounds, Unsound, Berlin Atonal, Mutek, and many more \u2013 there\u2019s a thrilling muscularity to the record. And a sense of humour, too \u2013 a darkly bleak, gallows-style humour, but this irreverence lights up some of the more difficult passages. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

27. Earl Sweatshirt \u2013 Live Laugh Love\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018Live Laugh Love<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is Earl\u2019s first full length statement in three years, and follows the 2022 album \u2018Sick!\u2019. If the title feels ironic, don\u2019t be fooled \u2013 this is a record that deals with fatherhood and family life, in a frank, always revealing way. A trim 11 songs \u2013 and 24 minutes of music \u2013 the palette lingers on woozy 70s soul samples, distorted through a maze of studio effects. The dense sonics recall Bristol trip-hop at times \u2013 particularly on the torpid machine funk outing \u2018TOURMALINE\u2019 \u2013 making it a parallel to FATHER\u2019s recent (excellent) \u2018Patricide\u2019 LP. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

26. Lily Allen \u2013 West End Girl<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ultimately, \u2018West End Girl<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 by Lily Allen is a record that works on multiple levels. As a personal treatise, it doesn\u2019t hold back, the agonised \u2018Let You W\/In\u2019 discussed the deep pain of a collapsing relationship in a way that easily ranks Adele\u2019s \u201830\u2019, for example. There\u2019s also a sense of an artist both reclaiming and out-pacing her past \u2013 the slowed down Lumidee sample on \u2018Beg For Me\u2019 toys with the ghosts of 00s pop, and the title of \u2018Fruityloop\u2019 riffs on the software beloved of grime producers.<\/p>\n

This is a record prompted by real-life pain, but Lily Allen ensures there\u2019s more than enough sugar to help the medicine go down. A hard-hitting pop exposition, it frequently feels daring, while also providing an endless supply of hooks. \u2018West End Girl\u2019 finds Lily Allen at the centre of a romantic implosion, making imposing shapes out of the rubble. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

25<\/strong>. Joanne Robertson \u2013 Blurrr<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Joanne Robertson\u2019s catalogue relishes the understated and embraces the subdued. The Glasgow-based musician is also a painter, and there\u2019s a potent, highly visual aspect to her work \u2013 the sketch-like daubs of sound frequently recall charcoal drawings, such is their spartan veracity. \u2018Blurrr<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 \u2013 how\u2019s that for a visual reference point?<\/em> \u2013 is her second album for AD 93, her sixth album overall, and dare we say it, her most impactful to date. Improvisatory incantations, \u2018Blurrr\u2019 excels on the tension between free-thinking creativity and more formal songwriting. Ideas chafe at the edges of their surroundings, threatening to burst out into clouds of sound. Eschewing the ostentatious, \u2018Blurrr\u2019 practically demands you listen intently, aware that each moment counts. A muted gem, Joanne Robertson\u2019s restraint sees \u2018Blurrr\u2019 reach fresh heights. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

24. keiyaA \u2013 hooke\u2019s law\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Conceptualised over five years, \u2018hooke\u2019s law<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is keiyaA\u2019s document of survival through intense self-interrogation. The album deconstructs and rebuilds keiyaA\u2019s ego on her own terms, offering a safe space to process the conflicting roles she\u2019s inhabited growing up as a queer Black woman. The labyrinthine record is caustic and disruptive, but also lively, carnal and club-centric. Cerebral music to rock and rage to. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

23. Big Thief \u2013 Double Infinity<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018Double Infinity<\/a><\/span>\u2019<\/a><\/strong>, Big Thief\u2019s sixth LP, offers an open-hearted, sprawling exploration of past, present and future. Fallen from consecutive time order, a span of intertwining moments and memories, people and places, dictate the pull and push of Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek and James Krivchenia across the album\u2019s nine tracks. It may be stripped back from the band\u2019s expansive, 20-song \u2018Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You\u2019, but is no less thorough in its observations; particularly of time, place, love and loss. Amelia Kelly<\/em><\/p>\n

22. Sabrina Carpenter \u2013 Man\u2019s Best Friend\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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If \u2018Short n\u2019 Sweet\u2019 was Sabrina Carpenter\u2019s global breakout, then \u2018Man\u2019s Best Friend<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is a huge moment, perhaps the most integral to her career to date. The run-up to this diminutive blockbuster was dogged by speculation. Is it a break-up album? A tell-all cycle of pop revenge? Is it her country moment? In the end, it\u2019s all those things and more. Shrugging off expectations, Carpenter delivered impeccably observed lyrics that linger on the universal. \u2018Never Getting Laid\u2019 and \u2018Don\u2019t Worry I\u2019ll Make You Worry\u2019 may bristle with spite, but it\u2019s cartoonish, pop-as-entertainment, at the end of the day. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

21. Amaarae \u2013 Black Star\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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On her third studio album \u2018BLACK STAR<\/a><\/strong>\u2019, Amaarae more zealously leaned into Pan-African fusion \u2013 honouring the sub-genres birthed and popularised by disenchanted youth \u2013 and the cross-continental nighttime scenes she experienced in Miami, Los Angeles and Brazil when crafting the album. For an artist who has tapped into diaspora-hopping club styles since 2020\u2019s \u2018The Angel You Don\u2019t Know\u2019, \u2018BLACK STAR\u2019 is easily Amaarae\u2019s most pointed exercise in high-octane dance music. Liquified momentum courses through a thirteen-track sustained mix of house, techno, baile funk, woven in with homegrown genres from her native Ghana: azonto, hiplife, asorkpor, and highlife. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

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20. Dijon \u2013 Baby<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Dijon\u2019s highly-anticipated second album \u2018Baby<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 <\/em>pushed the bounds of genre by fusing splintered soul music into explosive new expressions. Reflecting on the seismic shifts that come with fatherhood, \u2018Baby\u2019 <\/em>bursts open at the seams reflecting the world shifting around Dijon. Weaving sounds of the world into his intricate sonic tapestry, \u2018Baby\u2019 <\/em>feels intentional, sparse and full \u2013 all at once. On \u2018Baby\u2019, Dijon\u2019s ruminations on desire and joy feel like a fever dream you never want to wake from. Rachel Min-Leong<\/em><\/p>\n

19<\/strong>. Sam Fender \u2013 People Watching<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018People Watching<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 doesn\u2019t see Sam Fender neglect his natural aptitude for social commentary, explored on previous albums\u00a0\u2018Hypersonic Missiles\u2019\u00a0and\u00a0\u2018Seventeen Going Under\u2019.\u00a0Instead Fender adapts a state of sentimentality when retrospectively drawing from his upbringing in North Shields.\u00a0As the title implies, Fender lyrically distances himself from his first-hand experiences on \u2018People Watching\u2019, adding a new dimension to his already accomplished repertoire. This is a quintessential Sam Fender experience \u2013 a heartfelt, homegrown immersion of the mundane and extraordinary people and places this dweller was lucky enough to know.\u00a0Lauren Hague<\/em><\/p>\n

18<\/strong>. caroline \u2013 caroline 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

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If London eight-piece caroline warned of their potential on 2022\u2019s riveting, under-the-radar self-titled debut, then logically titled follow-up \u2018caroline 2<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 took this to a whole other level. Magnificent, maximalist songwriting that revels in detail, it represents a torrent of information, a flood tide of data. Aptly titled opener \u2018Total euphoria\u2019 is like a car revving into gear; the glacial \u2018When I get home\u2019 is a stunning exercise in minimalism; \u2018Coldplay\u2019 transforms post-post-post-post irony into something achingly heart-on-sleeve. There\u2019s even a bonus vocal from Caroline Polachek, who is utterly gripping on \u2018Tell me I never knew that\u2019. Easily their best to date, caroline seem to conjure entire sonic worlds. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

17. John Glacier \u2013 Like a Ribbon<\/strong><\/p>\n

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East London rapper\u00a0John Glacier\u2019s\u00a0<\/strong>debut album \u2018Like A Ribbon<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u2019 is a balm for a world on fire. A layered saga, it unflinchingly portrays John\u2019s origin story growing up in Hackney; her rise, the struggles that coincide with it, and the existential growth that supersedes it. Split into three parts that represent the movement of a ribbon as it falls, flails and revives itself, the album is unquestionably Glacier\u2019s most honest, and revelatory, work to date. Ben Broyd<\/em><\/p>\n

16. Wet Leg \u2013 Moisturizer<\/strong><\/p>\n

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This second effort<\/a><\/span><\/strong> by the Isle of Wight five-piece is driven by a newfound willingness to explore emotional vulnerability, particularly in the form of love songs, territory co-founder Rhian Teasdale once regarded with scepticism. Here, Wet Leg skew that well-trodden terrain through their now-trademark sardonic outlook. Under the ongoing stewardship of producer\u00a0Dan Carey, Wet Leg reacted to any pressure with reassuring insolence. It wasn\u2019t broke so they haven\u2019t fixed it, keeping things concise without losing their innate sense of fun. Punchier, prettier, and more playfully perverse, \u2018Moisturizer\u2019 proved Wet Leg are here to stay. Richard Bowes<\/em><\/p>\n

15. Nazar \u2013 Demilitarize<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Amsterdam-based, Angolan artist\u2019s second album \u2018Demilitarize<\/a><\/strong>\u2019 sounds like shards of prismatic light piercing the murky ether; violence is wrought from the inside, the live organism, the consciousness. Conceived and recorded in the aftermath of a crippling sickness that left Nazar incapacitated just as his relationship with his now fianc\u00e9 bloomed in isolation, \u2018Demilitarize\u2019 chronicles insular fears, the unspoken truths and trauma of a family living in the throes of factional war, and long suppressed feelings surrounding sexual identity. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

14<\/strong>. Pulp \u2013 More<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Pulp knew we wanted \u2018More\u2019<\/a><\/span><\/strong> before they even asked the question, but quite aside from having a handy title for publicity, the Sheffield legends\u2019 eighth album surpassed all expectations. The majestic \u2018Spike Island\u2019 lit the glittery fuse before the euphoric \u2018Got to Have Love\u2019 paved the way for an eclectic album fusing Jarvis Cocker\u2019s unique lyrical observations, refined by the passing of time (\u201cI am not ageing \u2013 no, I am just ripening\u201d) with a more experienced (and therefore better) band in Doyle, Webber, Banks et al. \u2018Slow Jam\u2019 aped \u2018Young Americans\u2019 Bowie, \u2018Grown Ups\u2019 was as catchy as hell and \u2018Partial Eclipse\u2019 stirred every melancholic heart. Steve Mackey would be proud. Richard Bowes<\/em><\/p>\n

13<\/strong>. Rochelle Jordan \u2013 Through The Wall\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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On \u2018Through The Wall<\/a><\/span>\u2019<\/a><\/strong>, Toronto\u2019s Rochelle Jordan is protecting something historically sacred yet dormant in the industry, using big hair and even bigger vocals to electrify the world\u2019s sacral chakra. A dance record that takes it as far as it can go, \u2018Through The Wall\u2019 is colour coming to life and sound taking shape as movement. It\u2019s the manifestation of released inhibition, exposing all the ways in which you\u2019ve trapped yourself within yourself. <\/em>A project that successfully reclaims electronic music for Black women, \u2018Through The Wall\u2019 <\/em>solidifies Rochelle Jordan as a magnetic force the industry has been in desperate need of, a diva who knew who she was before anyone else got the chance to dilute her. Jazmin Kylene<\/em><\/p>\n

12. Perfume Genius \u2013 Glory\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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American singer-songwriter Michael Alden Hadreas has set a very high bar under his guise as Perfume Genius over the years. However, even by his own lofty standards, 2025\u2019s \u2018Glory<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 ranks amongst his finest work to date. Bold and captivating yet tight and intimate, Hadreas explores anxiety, loss and social disconnect through the eclectic funnels of stripped-back chamber folk, alt-pop and rustic country rock. He\u2019s helped along the way too, forming a band for this experience that includes his longtime partner and collaborator Alan Wyfells, and talented producer\/multi-instrumentalist Blake Mills. This cadre of talented co-creators, the genre-fluid sonic textures and Hadreas\u2019 own singular vision, melds together for one of the most enthralling listening experiences in 2025. Karl Blakesley<\/em><\/p>\n

11<\/strong>. Blawan \u2013 SickElixir\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Positioned as a homecoming for the Doncaster producer, \u2018SickElixir\u2019 faces its demons head-on. Over fourteen tracks, this is a record that gets under one\u2019s skin and turns its focus inwards. Grief, trauma and life-shifts frame the album\u2019s creation process, holding up a mirror to the artist\u2019s decade-spanning catalog. It\u2019s an uncomfortable work that asserts its strengths through challenging its listener, presenting a series of barbed, industrial productions that slip and contort through club sound systems. Blawan\u2019s journey is one full of twists and turns \u2013 one that\u2019s endured maggot farms, Berlin stints and rehabilitation centres \u2013 and \u2018SickElixir projects that subversion with little-to-no compromise. Ana Lamond<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

10<\/strong>. Clipse \u2013 Let God Sort Em Out\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2018Let God Sort Em Out\u2019 feels like a time warp and a rebirth all at one. Sixteen years later, It\u2019s Clipse sharpening their trademark grit with the hard-won perspective of years lived off-record, exploring faith, grief and identity through precision-tooled lyricism. The album moves with a haunted confidence: production cloaked in shadow and luxury, verses sharpened to a point, every bar heavy with memory and intent. \u2018LGSEM\u2019 is a rare return that transcends nostalgia by refining what made Pusha T and [No] Malice singular in the first place. In an era dominated by fleeting singles, Clipse move with veteran confidence, delivering a fully realised body of work that breathes, reflects, and demands attention. Irene Monokandilos<\/em><\/p>\n

9. CMAT \u2013 EURO-COUNTRY\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Between going viral on TikTok, earning her second Mercury Prize nomination in two years and arguably winning Glastonbury with her show-stealing performance on the Pyramid Stage, there is no denying that the Dunboyne Diana, Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, ruled over 2025. For all those accomplishments alone \u2018EURO-COUNTRY<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 deserves a spot on this list, but there is another reason it should be here: this is simply an excellent collection of songs.\u00a0Whether it\u2019s the string-tinged folk of \u2018When A Good Man Cries\u2019, the ultra-catchy, socially-conscious pop anthem \u2018Take A Sexy Picture of Me\u2019, or the gut-punching grief of \u2018Lord, Let That Tesla Crash\u2019, CMAT\u2019s infectious personality, tongue-in-cheek humour and dialled-in songwriting elevates this album above mass-produced radio fodder. Karl Blakesley<\/em><\/p>\n

8<\/strong>. Erika de Casier \u2013 Lifetime<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Since the harpsichord-inflected RnB of 2019\u2019s \u2018Essentials\u2019,\u00a0Erika de Casier\u00a0has exalted the syncopated grooves of Y2K monomania in her work. Her latest full-length, \u2018Lifetime<\/a><\/strong>\u2019, emerged like a relic from that era. Its lost tape reveals harks back to the youth-driven movements of \u201890s MTV and post-millennia TRL; when music was tangible and televisual, consumed slowly and deliberately \u2013 foldouts and fanzines strewn across the floor, lyrics pored over and deciphered.\u00a0On \u2018Lifetime\u2019, Erika de Casier leans fully into her own instincts as a producer. Like a slow burn romance, \u2018Lifetime\u2019 is a collection that spans years and that means the pay-off isn\u2019t immediate. Erika de Casier has never been one to paint in transformative brushstrokes, but on \u2018Lifetime\u2019 she masterfully connects her eras, looping back, editing and upgrading the sound of rapture she\u2019s cultivated through time. On \u2018Lifetime\u2019, she\u2019s finally arrived at the sound of sweet surrender. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

7. FKA twigs \u2013 EUSEXUA\/AFTERGLOW<\/strong><\/p>\n

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In an interview with Rolling Stone,\u00a0FKA twigs\u00a0mused on the burst of inspiration and creativity that follows an album release. It\u2019s a surge, a pulse; an epiphany that a work isn\u2019t finite but fathomless. That flow state underscored twigs\u2019 atomized club music masterstroke \u2018EUSEXUA<\/a><\/strong>\u2019 and informed companion album \u2018EUSEXUA Afterglow<\/a><\/strong>\u2018. Where its predecessor explored the full spectrum of dancefloor desolation and euphoria, \u2018Afterglow\u2019 zeroed in on the hours after the rave, when you\u2019ve left a place of communion and a disembodied sensation remains. It\u2019s to FKA twigs\u2019 credit that \u2018Afterglow\u2019 feels like a continuation, a parallel exercise and an addendum to \u2018EUSEXUA\u2019s\u2019 prolonged take on rave.\u00a0There\u2019s a surfeit of transcendent dance music across this multiverse, deftly undercut with a sensual, inventive, hi-definition approach that always gestures towards the future. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

6. Turnstile \u2013 NEVER ENOUGH<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Baltimore\u2019s hardcore icons this year shared their most complete work to date in \u2018NEVER ENOUGH<\/a><\/span>\u2019<\/a><\/strong>, a project showcasing group synergy in full bloom, and their cogent versatility. Turnstile\u2019s fourth album incorporates new synth-driven sonics exhibited on \u2018LIGHT DESIGN\u2019, brass-blasted melodies on \u2018DREAMING\u2019, and ambient euphoria in \u2018SEEIN\u2019 STARS\u2019, all whilst enhancing their emphatic, combative sound throughout. The album strengthens Turnstile\u2019s technicolour approach to production, allowing the band to push their art in new, thrilling directions, whilst simultaneously honouring the band\u2019s ever-growing community. \u2018NEVER ENOUGH\u2019 is a captivating album for the ages. Ben Broyd<\/em><\/p>\n

5. Jim Legxacy \u2013 black british music (2025)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Adjacent to the booming UK underground scene, Jim Legxacy has shown enough nous \u2013 both as artist and producer \u2013 to be considered the frontrunner of this generation. The Southeast London artist\u2019s use of sampling ranges from Skepta to Jon Bellion, coming to the fore on standout track \u2018father\u2019 with its clever manipulation of a George Smallwood sample making up the hook. Jim\u2019s production plays on nostalgia with \u2018\u201806 wayne rooney\u2019 feeling like a throwback to \u201900s indie, while his interpolations on \u2018sun\u2019, \u20183x\u2019, and \u2018d.b.a.b\u2019, are demonstrative of the eras of Black British music that shaped him. After showing promise on early mixtapes \u2018CITADEL\u2019 and \u2018HNPM\u2019, \u2018black british music\u2019 is easily the most complete representation of Legxacy\u2019s artistry to date. Joe Simpson<\/em><\/p>\n

4.<\/strong> Hayley Williams \u2013 Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Encompassing both an expertly-curated release strategy that leant heavily on public radio and fan engagement, and a career defining label shift \u2013 making this her first independent release \u2013 Hayley Williams\u2019 \u2018Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 is the Paramore vocalist at her very best, wrestling with spiritual hypocrisy (\u2018True Believer\u2019), generational trauma (\u2018Kill Me\u2019), and the complexities of relationships (\u2018Parachute\u2019). Never one to shy away from authenticity \u2013 Williams\u2019 legacy painted with the boldest of colour palettes \u2013 \u2018EDAABP\u2019 is the witnessing of an intergenerational artist and performer achieving yet another milestone in what is already a defining career. Emma Way<\/em><\/p>\n

3. Blood Orange \u2013 Essex Honey<\/strong><\/p>\n

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On \u2018Essex Honey<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 \u2013 Dev Hynes\u2019 fifth studio album as Blood Orange \u2013 the English musician returns to the bucolic land that made him. A rootsy homage to his mother who passed in 2023, and the urban sprawl and pastoral panoramas of his isolated adolescent years, the collection underscores Hynes ability to draw out the best in the artists that orbit him; whether they deliver lines of affirmation front and centre, or enhance songs by way of scenic immersion in the background. The guitar lines, vocal and string arrangements are inspired, as are the many citations, interpolations and tempo shifts Hynes imbues in a living, breathing entity.<\/p>\n

In a time when nationalistic fervour grows ever more violent and vociferous, \u2018Essex Honey\u2019 is the restorative tale of home, haunts and the people that make them. Something that can\u2019t so easily be defaced or sullied. Shahzaib Hussain<\/em><\/p>\n

2. Rosal\u00eda \u2013 LUX\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Rosal\u00eda\u2019s 2022 album \u2018Motomami\u2019 was a cultural shift, a massive feat many were unsure she\u2019d be able to surpass. Yet the magnitude of the operatic \u2018LUX<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 has eclipsed all expectations. The 33-year-old bled completely into all four movements of the project, a grandiose effort that centered God, unbecoming, and self-salvation. From notes of traditional Spanish flamenco to avant, orchestral pop, \u2018LUX\u2019 is a sonically unbound record that sounds nothing like what anyone else has dared to do. With an elite vocal agility sung in 13 languages, each corresponding to a different female saint, \u2018LUX\u2019 is in full devotion to the entire spectrum of femininity: from a woman in her most complete expression, to a woman withered down to bare bones. Rosal\u00eda had to survive the darkness in order to be reborn through \u2018LUX\u2019, and it\u2019s one of the most impressive albums this last decade has seen. Jazmin Kylen<\/em>e<\/p>\n

1. Geese \u2013 Getting Killed<\/strong><\/p>\n

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2025 has been a year in which consensus has been hard to find. That said, one record seemed to act as a lightning rod, uniting people from multiple tastes and backgrounds. \u2018Getting Killed<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019 by Geese is a magnificent achievement: floral, theatrical songwriting that holds you firmly in its grasp, it represents a quantum leap forward from a vastly talented group, one that is rapidly out-stripping their peers. At times lush and refulgent, at others hushed and opaque, \u2018Getting Killed\u2019 truly\u00a0went there<\/em>, risking it all in the process. A year in which the Brooklyn band dominated the cultural conversation, 2025 closed with frontman Cameron Winter\u2019s stunning, revelatory solo shows, spotlighting his equally-majestic LP \u2018Heavy Metal\u2019. Where they go next is up to them \u2013 the world belongs to Geese. Robin Murray<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the future, 2025 may well represent a watershed year. Our ongoing digitally-driven fractal lives are increasingly separated, with the intrusion of AI now making it hard to discern fact from fiction. In music, we\u2019ve already seen \u2018clone\u2019 songs speed across our feeds, leaving the human innovators in their algorithmically-processed wake. It\u2019s an era when<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":885823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1412],"tags":[13089],"class_list":{"0":"post-885822","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-albums","8":"tag-albums"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=885822"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885822\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/885823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=885822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=885822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=885822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}