60 Albums that Drowned Out the Voices in 2025

A tardy list celebrating the best music of last year

The sonic landscape of 2025 was overabundant with uncharted spaces worth exploring, from Palestinian Jazz to Thai Dream Pop. Not to taint this text with an overly sepulchral tone right from the start, but life is heartbreakingly short, and so much of it is wasted on waged labour that anyone passionate for music should aim to explore as much as they can while they can. And since human talent has yet to find its limits, listening exclusively to radio-friendly tunes might not be enough to see all that music has to offer.

Since self-indulgently long lists are already becoming a Punished for Sincerity staple (it’s part of the charm, or so the author tells himself), here’s another one. The goal is to curate a wide and varied selection of albums, though evidently leaning towards punk. Some of these LPs attracted large mainstream appeal, while others remain quite obscure, but they’re all worthy of a minimum of attention, even if only to confirm you dislike them.

Before getting started, a couple disclaimers:

1. A few artists are omitted from this list in spite of their excellent releases due to their advocacy and/or vocal appreciation of Zionist colonialism, such as Lady Gaga and CLIPPING. Pirating music is a hassle, so it’s sadly too inconvenient to listen to these artists without supporting them financially. Even if they only receive $0.003 per stream, that’s more money than Zionists deserve. That said, remember to also boycott Spotify!

2. Rather embarrassingly, there are no LPs from the African continent in this Top 60, as they all fell just under the threshold. However, they are to be fondly remembered in the -

Honourable Mentions:

Kiniata, Kin’gongolo Kiniata, Congo

DESVIO FULL THROTTLE, Bailefunk Kakeko, Japan

بنسى وبتذكر [I Remember I Forget], Yasmine Hamdan, Lebanon

A.O.E.I.U. (An Ordinary Exercise In Unity), Florence Adooni, Ghana

No esperan por nadie cóclea x canut de bon, Chile

Never Exhale, DITZ, United Kingdom

La Brea, Hesse Kassel, Chile

Baile à la baiana, Seu Jorge, Brasil

Die in Love, Greet Death, USA

DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Bad Bunny, Puerto Rico

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60. Hagen

Titanic, Mexico | Art Rock, Art Pop

This pair of classically trained Latin artists merges the ethereal vocals of Chamber Pop, the technical bravado of Progressive Rock and the colourfulness of Art Rock. The cello sounds colossal here, generating lively atmospheres out of thin air, like in the fantastic track La dueña. These stellar Avant-garde Pop songs have melodies which at times echo genre-defining artists like Julia Holter (specifically in the track Escarbo dimensiones). Hagen is a collection of forward-thinking and truly adventurous compositions that don’t feel attached to any ruleset of how songs should progress.

59. Perfect Evasion

Slowwves, Thailand | Shoegaze, Dream Pop

There’s something endearing about imagining these young Shoegaze musicians navigating the scene in Thailand. Slowwves synthesises the genre’s sonic identity and comes through with the ethereal lyricism to match it. Lines like “as you slowly fade away from my sight” are repeated over and over, pulling listeners into exactly the kind of dreamy spiral that they sign up for by pressing play on a Shoegaze album. While the instrumentals are good, the vocalist here is due all the credit for the LP’s charm - though it’s unfortunate that there’s no singing in Thai, a language so beautiful that it would instantly elevate the project.

58. Stardust

Danny Brown, USA | Experimental Hip Hop

The Detroit rapper’s latest LP sees him returning to the EDM-inspired production last heard in his 2013 project Old, now updated for a hyperpop-dominated ecosystem. The collaboration with Digital Hardcore sensation femtanyl is bound to be remembered as a fan-favourite. But it’s the 9-minute The End that serves as a perfect TL;DR for everything that makes Danny who he is; a man approaching 50 who can keep up with the most rebellious and idiosyncratic of music styles. If anything, Danny is only getting weirder.

57. Gem of the West

SENTRIES, Canada | Noise Rock

The second album by this Canadian solo artist has a much more pronounced and distinct Post-Punk sound, but without losing its somber noisy experimentation. It’s an impressive evolution from last year’s project given the short span of time since - the vocals are much stronger, and twice as adventurous. Take the incredible Nails, for instance, as illustration of the vocal range. Expanding their vocals could be a promising direction for SENTRIES, whose instrumentals and production works are already masterful.

56. Cowards

Squid, United Kingdom | Art Punk

Like other bands in the Windmill scene, Squid is peculiarly eclectic. Much of the album’s variety is indebted to its amazing strings, with violins and cellos elevating every song in which they’re featured. The sardonic post-punk vocals pair well with the quirky and animated instrumentals, such as on the opener Crispy Skins or the chamber pop-esque closer. Each track achieves a complete emotional marathon through instrumentals rather than relying on lyricism alone, though the writing is certainly puzzling and engaging too.

55. //亵渎朋克摇滚 [//Punk Rock Blasphemy]

Riot in School, China | Post-hardcore, Emo

This Chinese album is a hidden gem for the lovers of DIY Emo. Its middle section is its most energetic, with really engaging guitar work and great vocals. The Post-hardcore instrumentation is uplifted by some great wind instrumentation, from a competent saxophone to the lovely flute melody in //Sunny Day Freestyles. The rapping is unexpected, but fits in well, if anything to prove how the project is a result of an eclectic and international taste (there might even be a sample of Kendrick Lamar’s scream in here). The indietronica climax of //Archipelago is fantastic, and indicates an interesting direction for the band to explore in the future.

54. Caro vapor vol. II: Qual a forma de pagamento?

Don L, Brasil | Conscious Hip Hop

The latest project from this iconic Brazilian rapper sees him bringing together several genres: MPB, afrobeats, R&B, Jazz, etc. His satirical lyricism is a highlight in the splendid tudo é Simulação/Conflito, a track which also represents the best of the album’s socio-political commentary, as Don L decodes a bizarre Brazilian zeitgeist in which coaches sell marketing courses for other coaches.

53. We All End in the Same Place

Linger Escape, Philippines | Shoegaze, Alternative Rock

The DIY angst of grunge and the poetic waves of shoegaze distortion - this Filipino band coalesces both worlds together in a consistent formula, while leaving some room for surprises. With a 26-minute running time, the tracklist is just right, and the band never spreads itself thin. From the bittersweet singing of Thorns to the fiery screams in Whisper, this album packs a punch.

52. Afeto e outros esportes de contato

Bella e o Olmo da Bruxa, Brasil | Indie Rock, Emo

The cover art alone is enough to conjure memories of 2000s Emo, and the opening track immediately proves that initial impression correct. That’s not to say the LP is formally obsessed or exclusively committed to indie rock, however - the closing track is a pagode song. Afeto e outros esportes de contato is teeming with mundane dramas and a bittersweet compulsion to look back at unresolved personal issues. Songwriting is superb, and lines like “I can’t bear to hug people for the last time anymore” stick around long after the album is finished.

51. Pain to Power

Maruja, United Kingdom | Post-Punk, Rap Rock

A rap-based Jazz Rock LP where the highlight is a stellar saxophone player, which elevates the instrumentation throughout. Look Down on Us is a powerful manifesto and brings out what there is of most politically interesting here. Though some of the lyricism can read as rather average songwriting, the performances are outstanding and render the words with far more emotional weight than what’s on paper - the track Saoirse being a great example. It’s definitely worth keeping an eye on what Maruja does next.

50. Conflict DLC

HEALTH, USA | Electro-Industrial, Metal

A band that proves time and time again why they have their genre cornered. ORDINARY LOSS accurately represents the group’s signature take on metallic electronics, the deceiving calm inside an abandoned factory while a storm roars outside. However, it’s in the vulnerable DON’T KILL YOURSELF that the album finds its most powerful and memorable track. Although arguably not the best LP in HEALTH’s discography, Conflict DLC easily surpasses so many projects struggling to recreate this sound.

49. Para quien trabajas Vol. I

Marilina Bertoldi, Argentina | Synthpop

This underrated Argentinian release infuses contemporary synth pop with some really fun New Wave elements. “Fun” is the keyword here, and there’s many moments that can’t be described as anything else. EL GORDO, for instance, is one of the most addicting pop songs of the year. Marilina’s hooks frequently hit the maximum sing-along-ability factor, and the synths combined with Pop Rock guitars keep the tracklist lively throughout.

48. How This All Ends

Nuvolascura, United States | Emoviolence, Screamo, Mathcore

That kind of Screamo that has listeners spitting blood by the end of the album. The momentum here is intoxicating, each track draws the listener into one-way streets filled with screaming, keeping tension alive in every corner. Each song functionally builds and releases its own secretion of violence, but their individual displays of rage fit together seamlessly like LEGO. The first half seems like one cohesive song, until the track if it all breaks that illusion and slows it all down with some post-industrial experimentation. A fierce LP.

47. Tanya

Juana Rozas, Argentina | Electro-pop

Tanya is electro-pop with a hell of an attitude. It’s an LP that plays with proverbial fire: industrial music, and tracks like ANTONIO make the risk pay off. While there’s plenty of experimentation, tracks like WANNA HOTEL don’t conceal the record’s main goal: making you dance. The high point has to be the track BESITO A LAS FLORES, which has one of the most gorgeous and hard-hitting instrumental progressions of the 2025’s Pop scene.

46. Try

Door Eater, USA | Electro-Pop, Industrial

Ada Rook and Lauren Bousfield’s newest project definitely doesn’t help undo the “trans people make the best electro pop” stereotype. These glitchy Deconstructed Club beats would cause anyone to burn a substantial amount of calories on the dance floor, though dancing to them likely comes at the risk of having one’s body distorted into some weird Cronenbergian geometrical flesh blob. In addition to the futuristic production informed by hyperpop trends, the ungovernable mania here is also conveyed through excellent screams. Textured, poppy and an absolute blast to listen to.

45. Let God Sort Em Out

Clipse, United States | Rap

Pusha T and Malice are back to flex their nasty flows and insane lyricism. The entire project is like a machine gun of amazing features - from Kendrick to Tyler the Creator, it’s a reunion of apex predators. Although Pharrell’s verses aren’t as exciting as they ought to be, his production is wonderful, and the remarkable sampling across the album shouldn’t be taken lightly. The rapping in Let God Sort Em Out isn’t simply flawless, it’s essentially as good as it gets.

44. Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory

Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, United States | Indie Rock

Sharon’s latest album flirts with many sounds that feel uncharted in her discography so far - be it the dream pop atmosphere on the opener or the New Wave quality of I can’t imagine why. It’s thrilling to see Sharon asserting herself across these episodic instrumental adventures, her gorgeous voice being the only constant in a sonic anthology. Lush, emotionally rich and a must-listen - as all of Sharon’s work.

43. Goyard Ibn Said

Ghais Guevara, USA | Conscious Hip Hop

When it comes to production alone, the Socialist rapper’s new concept album is his best yet. The Old Guard is Dead, with its astounding sampling, is as dramatic, thrilling and raw as contemporary rap gets. A few of the tracks blend together so well that the listener can’t help but go back to re-experience the transition, like when 3400 sets up the perfect “plug” tag drop for I Gazed Upon the Trap with Ambition. As always, Guevara brings his radical political commentary to the foreground, and the lyrical highlight goes to the track You Can Skip This Part, in which the artist comments on rap itself being a contraption controlled by whites, and how escaping their dominion seems unachievable. Goyard Ibn Said is yet another strong release from Guevara.

42. Camgirl

Crippling Alcoholism, USA | Gothic Rock, Noise Rock

This project interweaves such a humongous array of different sounds that it’s tricky to attribute its success to any one element. It’s as gothic as it gets, though it hops between several stand-ins for what gothic should sound like - from the heavy drums of MONET to the enchanting dark synthwave title-track with its catchy chorus. The form is incredibly flexible and the group peppers in modern spins that should attract younger audiences, but the spirit is always quintessentially gothic. One of the most atmospheric LPs of the year.

41. A Lucid Dream Last Night

An Empty City, China | Metalcore, Alternative Metal

A blend of 2000s nu metal and shoegaze that nods to the past, but doesn’t feel so enamoured by it to the point of cynicism. The track feather is more than a sincere homage to Deftones - it’s one the most exciting songs of the year. There’s a healthy amount of variety here, which reiterates the band’s intention to recreate what they love - from straightforward and sinister breakdowns like in the track Cure to a drum & bass/breakcore palate cleanser in You Still Believe in the Things… A really solid listen.

40. Rock Doido

Gaby Amarantos, Brasil | Tecnobrega

It’s crazy to think of how many English-speakers will be getting into tecnobrega after this, as it’s not everyday that you get gringos listening to music that Brazilian people genuinely enjoy. The electronic components are beautifully incorporated in tracks like Te Amo Fudido, with its lovely synths, but also between track transitions. Eu Tô Solteira would be the album’s catchiest tune were it not for the painfully short and spectacular Foguinho, which reappropriates a melody previously stolen by a foreigner. Gaby’s great humour and audacity motivate songs like Dá-lhe Sal, that fuse the berg sound with Arabic motifs. This a solid tecnobrega release, and it’s wholesome to see it getting international recognition.

39. SURFACE TENSION

Dev Lemons, United States | Hyperpop, Alternative Pop

This quirky and hilarious Internet figure is slowly but surely growing to be a really solid artist. In SURFACE TENSION, Dev finally consolidates the electronic and noisy motifs she’s been playing with since she first started making music. Long time fans will remember songs like Ghosted my Dentist and know how entertaining Dev’s nu metal inclinations can be, with songs like FACE only backing up that statement. But as iconic as her humour is, Dev’s musical personality comes full circle when her colourful personality is abruptly cut by sudden mood swings, which is why the wonderful Noise Pop track NOTHING CHANGES stands as the best song she ever produced.

38. A cara do enquadro

Kayblack, Brasil | Trap

The Brazilian rapper’s new project delivers intriguing political baggage, mainly through personal accounts of police brutality. The track Eu Sei Bem, for instance, explores grieving and survivor’s guilt. Good features are essential in rap albums like this, and A cara do enquadro leaves nothing to be desired (MC Hariel is exceptional). Production is competent, with beats consisting of loops that are simple, but perfectly sufficient to accentuate Kayblack’s rhymes. The versatility is what impresses the most - Pretona with its lush piano is followed by Cartas na Mesa with an electronic-dance focus. Hopefully Kayblack’s next project has a consistently politicised tracklist, as it was delightful to hear him speaking on important issues here.

37. Reckless Things

Niechęć, Poland | Jazz-fusion

This polish group offers an Avant-garde electronic exploration of Jazz sounds (with a little dark ambient mixed in). Reckless Things is deliciously nocturnal, particularly in its first couple tracks. The flawless Bezdech is the sonic equivalent of a sensual film montage stitched with dissolves; motifs blending together under a silky veil of mystery. Instrumentation is rich with tension, from the haunting saxophone to drums that soar like in a mausoleum. This LP paints vivid landscapes of intrigue and is one of the best Jazz projects of 2025.

36. Who Let the Dogs Out

Lambrini Girls, United Kingdom | Punk

The straight-forward approach to political sloganeering in this LP is 101 punk - and this is meant as both description and compliment. Instrumentals are honest, charming and appropriately simple for the genre. Make no mistake though, the lyricism is quite good, with standout lines (or rather questions) such as “Officer, what seems to be the problem? Or can we only know post-mortem?”. This good sense of humour meets sharp social commentary in tracks such as Cuntology 101, and the album has that pissed off energy of early Idles, most notably on the song Filthy Rich Nepo Baby. A very fun listen.

35. Fragility

bulletsbetweentongues, United States | Emoviolence

The screamo band’s newest LP is enthusiastically frontal, and made addicting by its attitude and pacing, abrasive from start to finish. The instrumentals on tracks like My Dearest Faith hit that itch for the technical and inquisitive urge that only mathcore can satisfy. The soft closer is a bold, yet successful choice to finish off an otherwise brutal record. Tracks like Skin to Skin encourage the listener to decipher the vocals in order to scream along. Fragility is like primal lightning in a modern bottle. Great for pushing the PRs at the gym too.

34. Pirouette

Model/Actriz, United States | Dance-Punk, Industrial Pop, Art Rock

Who ordered the industrial queer album with the punk ethos? Pirouette is decidedly sexier than Model/Actriz’s previous LP, and danceability was clearly a primary concern for them here. Cinderella and Poppy have instantly become standouts in their short but compelling discography. The gorgeous Acid Rain features Cole Hayden’s best singing yet. Model/Actriz seems to have everything in place to become a household Dance-Punk name.

33. Soft Spot

Honningbarna, Norway | Post-hardcore

An incredibly exciting punk record. This feels like the garage project of some kids in their last year of university - with all the bottled up hunger for life, except they found out they’re not graduating, so they decide to vandalise the 100-year old university building. Despite the language barrier, the unapologetic sense of rebellion leaks through every aspect of this project - particularly through the deliciously noisy instrumentals. An amazing LP.

32. Maryam

Faraj Suleiman, Palestine | Jazz

Suleiman puts together a mosaic of distinctively Arabic warm Jazz melodies and pop/electronic undertones. The wind instrumentation adds a lot of life, and even a Cabaret-esque humour - these lighthearted flares can be heard in tracks like Bye Bye Love or A Hell of a Dream. Their playfulness contrast sharply with the darker half, where touching tracks like I Run, Scream, Mariam evoke earnest and non-rushed pleadings from a simple man with nothing but a piano and a chest full of sentiments that can’t be drowned out. Without any doubt one of the best Jazz projects of 2025. Free Palestine.

31. OUT THERE

Hiromi & Sonicwonder, Japan | Jazz Fusion

The Japanese artist’s signature piano work is at the forefront here, as phenomenal as ever. The keys run untamed, but the other instruments pace alongside it, and all get a moment to shine; the track Balloon Pop features stellar interplay between drums, trumpet and bass. The standout song has to be Yes! ramen!!, which sounds sophisticated and dynamic, but also genuinely fun, with a distinct nod to Japanese melodies. OUT THERE is the best and most colourful Jazz project of 2025.

30. precum

Ayesha Erotica, United States | Hyperpop

A thrilling release by the same brilliant mind that created the hit Yummy. Ayesha’s multilayered production skills can be heard in the song BITCH and also in the closing track, which sounds crushed beyond recognition. WHORE IDOL is one of the year’s greatest pop openers, STAR69 sounds like a cyberpunk clubbing classic, and GIDDY UP is as intoxicating as the substances listed in its lyrics. Precum is a criminally horny album that arguably deserves the name brat more than Charli XCX’s own project.

29. 日常消滅 [Daily Life Vanishes]

kinoue64, Japan | Shoegaze

An album that sounds like its cover, which is to say: magical. The vocaloid and noise rock/pop sounds merge in a satisfyingly harmonious way here, sweet vocal synthesizers singing on top of sugary shoegaze instrumentation. This interplay between the friendly digital vocals and the band’s distortion-rich performance results in striking compositions, as heard in the noise pop jam that is white brain. The track who are you opens with the strongest first 10 seconds of any disc in all of 2025, and is more than enough of a reason to be listed here.

28. God Does Like Ugly

JID, United States | Hardcore/Conscious Rap

Many who follow JID since he first arrived at the rap scene have been waiting for a Conscious Hip Hop project like this, and it’s no surprise that is has turned out to be his best work yet. God Does Like Ugly is packed with fantastic features, and it’s particularly lovely to see EARTHGANG and JID working together again. Some of the bars in this album have quickly entered contemporary rap history, like the nasty “I’ll put a bullet on Bob the fucking Builder” or the provocative “I be thinking maybe Martin was wrong, Malcolm was right”. JID has the pen game to become one of the greats, so here’s to hoping he continues writing politically charged bars.

27. Lux

Rosalia, Spain | Art Pop

The Spanish artist’s latest LP gathers her most impressive set of songs since El mal querer introduced her to casual listeners and music nerds alike. Lux presents not only a slight departure from her flamenco pop roots, but Rosalia’s most ambitious venture yet, as she seeks to merge approachable pop sounds with grandiose classical instrumentation. There aren’t many features, but Rosalia makes them count, and the track Berghain, featuring Björk and Yves Tumor is the Spanish singer’s magnum opus. Rosalia is expanding the definitions of what pop can sound like for mainstream audiences, and her enthusiasm for experimentation should be commended.

26. Eusexua Afterglow

FKA twigs, United Kingdom | Art Pop, Electronic

A sensual arrangement of electronics and R&B, from futuristic synths to pulsing drums. Much like its predecessor, Eusexua Afterglow captures the craving for spontaneity and ephemeral pleasures, but manages to bolster all the ideas previously established. It evokes images of mysterious underground European techno parties and 90s nocturnal movie ending credits - which is to say the sonic scenery is varied, but quite cohesive, mainly due to twigs’ consistently excellent vocals. The closer Stereo Boy is one of the best songs of her entire career.

25. West End Girl

Lily Allen, United Kingdom | Pop

A crystal-clear painting of infidelity, heartbreak and vulnerability. Lily Allen’s concept album is so brutally personal and exhaustive in detail that listeners might feel guilty for dancing along to Pussy Palace. Despite the delicate subject, West End Girl is surprisingly light on the ballads and outright “sad” songs. The sarcastic narrative, although not devoid of yearning and sorrow, still makes for really agreeable and easy to listen pop music. The tracks Madeline, with its imaginative use of gun shots, and the addicting Beg for Me, are two of the production highlights in what is overall a great pop record.

24. Magic, Alive!

McKinley Dixon, United States | Jazz Rap, Hip Hop

It can’t be easy to create a follow-up to his previous LP, but rapper McKinley Dixon pulls it off here. His flows and rhymes stand out in the small yet competitive micro cosmos of Jazz-infused Hip Hop. The 3-song sequence of Run, Run, Run Pt. II, We’re Outside, Rejoice! and All the Loved Ones (What Would We Do???) is an incredible achievement. While the record evokes the sunny imagery of black joy, with birds singing and hypnotising back vocals, it also features blast-out-of-the-car rap bangers like F.F.O.L. Magic, Alive! is Dixon’s most creative album yet.

23. O Mundo Dá Voltas

BaianaSystem, Brasil | Afoxé, Samba, Rock

Few groups translate Brazilian essence like BaianaSystem. Here, as Pote d’Água shows, that essence is overflowing. The aesthetic variety that is typical of the band persists, and this time the eclecticism is also felt in the features - after all, in what other project can you listen to Pitty and VANDAL in the same song? Meanwhile, A Laje features Emicida’s best verse in years, and has quickly become a standout song in the band’s discography. Though the hooks aren’t as addicting as the ones found in Duas Cidades, that’s an unfairly high bar to meet, and every BaianaSystem album is a pleasant experience.

22. HYPERYOUTH

Joey Valence & Brae, USA | Pop Rap, Nerdcore Hip Hop

Beastie Boys for the 2020s, and if the appeal of the premise isn’t already self-explanatory, a track like BILLIE JEAN says all that has to be said about the duo’s revival of nerdcore rap. HYPERYOUTH is a more contemplative follow-up to the excellent NO HANDS, and in tracks like the touching LIVE RIGHT the rappers express their fear of growing old. But if the frenetic electronic production here is a sign of anything, it’s that Joey and Brae’s tastes are still young and full of energy. Sampling work is fantastic too, and HAVE TO CRY is a standout track of the year. Although a love for the past certainly plays a part here, what’s most admirable about this project’s charisma is how it relies much more on the duo’s personality than on cheap nostalgia.

21. Getting Killed

Geese, USA | Art Rock

Frontman Cameron Winter seems to be omnipresent in conversations about generational talent, and it’s easy to see, or rather, hear why. The contemporary disquiet of late stage capitalism survival bleeds right through his anarchic vocals and the equally chaotic instrumentals that accompany him; all aligned in a march against “proper” form, and what singing or guitars “should” sound like it. Kenny Beats’ production is so intricate that the most loyal fans will be finding new details about each song for years to come. Getting Killed is guitar music made exciting once again for those who are lost and wandering, unable to afford a home or car, permanently anxious without quite understanding why.

20. I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven

The Callous Daoboys, USA | Mathcore, Metalcore

The American band consolidates the arithmetical precision of mathcore instrumentation with Emo vocals that call forth flashbacks of getting piercings at Claire’s in the 2000s. From the solid drumming in the emotional track Lemon to the foul riffs in the fabulous Full Moon Guidance, marvellous instrumentals are the norm here. There’s a good balance between abrasive metalcore screams and shockingly good clean singing. It’s not hard to imagine the addicting Two-Headed Trout becoming a hit song on TikTok, for instance, and it’s this consistent push-and-pull between extreme and unexpectedly approachable that makes I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven such a compelling record.

19. Fairyland Codex

Tropical Fuck Storm, Australia | Art Punk, Noise Rock

The long-awaited new album by a band whose sound feels impossible to replicate. Nothing else sounds quite like Tropical Fuck Storm, with their noisy cocaine-fueled Blues melancholy, and their “out-of-tune guitars screeching as a circus slowly burns to ashes” signature sound. Fairyland Codex leans a little more on the slow burners than any of their previous projects, underlining the band’s formidable songwriting. The cover art here echoes their flawless debut LP, but Fairyland Codex has its own original ideas, all of which are vivid, both sonically and lyrically.

18. Only Dust Remains

Backxwash, Canada | Experimental Hip Hop

Some of the best industrial hip hop around, bubbling with righteous black and trans revolutionary fury. The writing is superb, and some of the moments here are rather heartbreaking, like the remarkable 7-minute long Wake Up, one of the many songs evoking feelings of wrath, depression, self-hatred and hopelessness. From the buildup to the drums on Undesirable to the excellent Brazilian sample flip on 9th Heaven, the production here surpasses any of Backxwash’s previous projects. Easily her best work to date.

17. Antes que a Terra acabe

Luedji Luna, Brasil | MPB, Soul

It’s like Luna’s voice was meticulously engineered in a lab to sing MPB, her vocal character instantly inspiring confidence in the album’s stylistic direction. This LP is bristling with the dynamic and eclectic instrumentation so characteristic of MPB, as well as the first-rate choruses that are so essential to guiding such a project - the stellar Farol da Barra best exemplifies this combination. The feature-stacked tracklist is genuinely impressive too - opening an album with Seu Jorge and Arthur Verocai is no small feat in itself, but immediately following with a track in which MC Luanna and the American rapper Rapsody coexist shows enviable curatorial talent. A tremendous record.

16. Ekkolaptómenos

Haru Nemuri, Japan | Art Pop, Noise Pop, J-Rock

Nemuri’s most exciting project since her debut. Tracks like haven show her enthusiasm for expectation-defying J-pop progressions, while the poppy and adventurous panopticon brings guitars and flutes together in a catchy and surprisingly approachable tune. There’s distinct atmospheres here, from the dramatic anointment - her best album opener yet - to the chiming sound of cosmic egg. The tracklist’s sequencing and flow are brilliant too, as the symbiotic duo indulgência and symposium reveal. Nemuri’s vocals are as strong as ever, and Ekkolaptómenos is one of her most delightful LPs.

15. Eh noiz ki tá

MC Hariel, Brasil | Funk Paulista, Trap

A titan of São Paulo’s funk scene. The beat selection is quite strong, and some instrumentals are genuinely surprising, such as the exceptional Limite do Extremo, which flirts with Experimental Hip Hop and lavishes in thematic substance. MC Hariel always demonstrates good taste with his pick of features, like AJULIACOSTA. Cuts like Cifrão and Sem Sentir Saudade, with its warm saxophone, bring a mix of attitude and sensuality. The politically conscious lyricism could have been more predominant, since Hariel excels at it, but as a whole, this is a great album from one of Brasil’s best MCs.

14. private music

Deftones, United States | Alternative Metal

The notorious band’s tenth album gifts audiences with some of the best Alternative Metal out there. This LP is heavily drenched in Shoegaze reverb and nostalgia alike, perhaps even for listeners with little to no nostalgic affection for Deftones, given their popularity on TikTok. The late 90s/early 2000s nu metal sound is palpable in tracks like cut hands, but the project holds its own as a cohesive experience, no Y2K obsession required. Private music knows how to balance moments of quiet with metallic splendour.

13. 45 Pounds

YHWH Nailgun, United States | Experimental Rock, Art Punk

This American band was unanimously celebrated as one of most creative forces of 2025. 45 Pounds is an extremely exciting and odd album which operates like a twisted version of Talking Heads, blending groovy rhythms and great percussion with a bizarre and unpredictable industrial sound. Deranged instrumentals rich with raw experimentation and are somewhat reminiscent of Death Grips’s remix of Björk’s Thunderbolt. Zack Borzone’s nonsensical punk vocals sound suffocated by his own instability, as if he’s channeling some entity he shouldn’t be messing with. The tracklist is very cohesive, with almost no room for redundancy. A record that sounds like speedrunning several states of madness.

12. Helíade

Javiera Electra, Chile | Art Pop

The queer Chilean artist stitches together the personal and cozy experience of the folk singer-songwriter world with the frontal warmth of Latin pop. Lagrima del sol should be mentioned in every discussion about pop jams of the year. As the tracklist advances, Javiera audibly warms up to the audience, and the song El tiempo y la distancia entregan mucho más de lo que yo podría is the turning point for intimacy between listener and artist. During its second half, the art rock component becomes much more pronounced, and that’s when Javiera’s vocals get to shine - to put it simply, her voice was made to lie on top of layers of guitars. If this debut LP is anything to go by, Javiera has a promising career ahead of her.

11. Forever Howlong

Black Country, New Road, United Kingdom | Art Rock

The band’s first album since its frontman’s departure may well be their best. Forever Howlong is magic and sunny days captured in sonic waveforms, like the soundtrack to a Jacques Demy musical. Lush tunes, all of them weaved together by vibrant creativity, remarkable technical prowess and great vocals. Tracks like Two Horses slowly climb towards bright climaxes of wonder and freedom. Nancy Tries to Take the Night is simply astonishing, and one of the best art rock songs of decade yet. Forever Howlong paves an exciting path ahead for the band.

10. 头7 [Head 7]

DJ小女孩, China | Post-Industrial

This Chinese release weaves together an eclectic palette of noisy electronic subgenres: Deconstructed Club, Glitch Pop, Electro-pop and so much more. The track 鸡婆, for example, sounds like funk carioca crafted by a Chinese musician who never directly listened to the genre - like Talking Heads recreating Joy Division exclusively through third party descriptions of their music. There’s so much texture and experimentation (some of which borders on power electronics), but above all - so many hard-hitting bangers.

9. Violet

L.S. Dunes, USA | Post-hardcore

For post-hardcore fans, Violet is the equivalent of finding a 50% off discount code for pizza at the end of a tough week at work. For newcomers to the genre and the band, the opener Like Magick summarises everything this record has to offer. The androgynous, angel-like quality of Anthony’s Greens vocals is the main attraction in what is an otherwise perfectly conventional Post-hardcore album. Songwriting is strong throughout, bringing some of the catchiest hooks of the year - from Fatal Deluxe to MACHINES, there’s plenty of songs to scream along to while riding a bike in the rain.

8. Never Enough

Turnstile, United States | Post-hardcore, Hardcore Punk

Turnstile’s latest album is a maximalist burst of colours. It’s both a sequel and an expansion to the stylistic approach of Glow On. The band has become its own microgenre, a kind of “Dream Post-hardcore”, with saturated instrumentals that can replicate the joy of sunshine, and spectacular vocals that can make entire crowds smile. While the production has a polished sheen, it is always open to exploring new ideas, like the flute outro on SUNSHOWER. Never Enough is a series of incredible optimistic stagediving hymn, and yet another vigorous project by Turnstile.

7. Deseo, carne y voluntad

Candelabro, Chile | Art Rock

In 2023, Candelabro’s debut record Ahora o nunca made a deep mark in the already rich Chilean indie scene. Now, with their second studio album, the band returns to show they’re not a one-trick pony, and Deseo, carne y voluntad overstates it. It’s no surprise that the Chilean group’s instrumentation is impressively sophisticated - it’s a prog rock tinted sound, after all. But the song progressions are well above average, reaching towering emotional heights, like in the spectacular Fracaso, which is a serious contender for best Art Rock song of the year, with a saxophone-led climax that will leave many in awe. Deseo, carne y voluntad is incredible.

6. viagr aboys

Viagra Boys, Sweden | Art Punk

The Swedish punks’ latest album is about as sarcastic and colourful as firing a confetti shotgun into your own mouth. As in any Viagra Boys project, the vocals and songwriting are terrific. The record opens with discussions on the cost of living and Al, and while it isn’t as politically sour throughout, its dark sense of humour never goes away. Plenty of highlights: the wind instrumentation on Uno Il, the longing of Medicine for Horses, the Frank Zappa-esque cult insanity of Best in Show pt. IV. One of their most addicting releases yet.

5. Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party

Hayley Williams, United States | Indie Rock, Pop

How does one write about Hayley Williams without sounding like a cult member? This record only gets better as the tracklist advances - from the angsty opener Ice in my OJ to the vulnerability of Negative Self-Talk. Passages like “the South won’t rise again til it’s paid for every sin” mark the album’s candid political nature. True Believer is a poignant critique of religion written by a Christian woman challenging the contradictions in white America. Although Paramore has defined her career, in Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party Williams’ proves she can successfully lead an extensive project on her own, and having the freedom to do seems to allow her to touch on topics in which her voice is more than welcome. A great LP.

4. Lonely People With Power

Deafheaven, United States | Blackgaze, Black Metal, Post-Metal

The latest LP from a band whose name has become synonymous with blackgaze as a genre. The matrimony between Black Metal and Shoegaze in Lonely People With Power is more successful than most people’s parents’. Tracks like The Garden Route or The Marvelous Orange Tree reach beautifully touching and often vulnerable heights, and there’s a distinctively bittersweet aftertaste to the guitar distortion here. Revelator and Doberman remind listeners of the group’s Metal credentials, while the spoken word in Amethyst adds a delicate and refreshing touch. This is a gorgeous album, and Deafheaven at their absolute best.

3. The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed

The Armed, United States | Noise, Post-hardcore

An all-encompassing punk album that sounds absolutely gigantic with its dense electro-mathy instrumentals. This is digital cacophony of such an intense degree that it reaches a form of apotheosis, like God Himself is struggling to appear through whatever tiny gaps He can find between the notes; however, the chaotic production is so mathematically precise not even He can enter this fortress of noise. Tracks like Grace Obscure and Purity Drag reveal a bold stylistic approach that dares to bury conventionally catchy hooks under incalculable mayhem. Lyrical passages such as “barred of sleep yet trapped in bed” make the project relatable when least expected. From the fantastic Prostitute feature to the beautiful Heathen, there are so many remarkable songs here that attempting to name them inadvertently leads to listing out the full tracklist. Extreme, noisy and simply exceptional.

2. No One Was Driving The Car

La Dispute, United States | Post-hardcore

It’s difficult to translate the sheer enormity of this record’s emotional scope. This is a decade-defining achievement in songwriting. La Dispute shares long contemplations on how to balance the conflicting joy of being alive with the anguish of having been born unrequested in a harrowing world. The lyrics deploy compelling narrative devices, like describing scenarios and their exact framing through cinematographic language to make the imagery that much more vivid. Good humour plays a large role too, and the band asks the listener to imagine a God that asks His children to invest smartly in the stock market. There’s a myriad of stunning analogies here for feelings that most of La Dispute’s demographic audience are likely grappling with at the moment, such as ageing. In the behemoth of a track Environmental Catastrophe Film, being carried by a stream is evoked as a symbol for growing older, unable to relive what has been. No One Was Driving The Car is a monumental album with lyrical passages that will you speechless.

1. Iconoclasts

Anna von Hausswolff, Sweden | Neoclassical Darkwave

The Swedish organist’s latest album is a complete sentimental odyssey, one which is thorough in its portraiture of feelings one would rather not face. The title-track is among the best Hauswolff has ever composed. Features weren’t expected, but work quite well - Ethel Cain’s contribution in the powerful Aging Young Women is particularly beautiful. A slight element of Dark Jazz probes into the disc thanks to the prominent saxophone, whose powerful use is best illustrated in the ambitious Struggle with the Beast. Hausswolff’s music is the perfect companion to grief - something this writer can attest to personally, having lost an aunt on the year Dead Magic was released, and an uncle shortly after Iconoclasts became available. Listening to these songs performed live is submitting oneself to the therapeutic effects of music that is concomitantly healing and destructive, the kind of art that leaves you emotionally sore for weeks, with burning tears that never quite fall, and instead just dangle invisibly in your eyes. To the surprise of no one that was paying attention, Hausswolff’s music displays once again an unsurmountable sense of both scale and finitude. Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable.

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Full List

1. Iconoclasts, Anna von Hausswolff, Sweden

2. No One Was Driving The Car, La Dispute, USA

3. The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed, The Armed, USA

4. Lonely People With Power, Deafheaven, USA

5. Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, Hayley Williams, USA

6. viagr aboys, Viagra Boys, Sweden

7. Deseo, carne y voluntad, Candelabro, Chile

8. Never Enough, Turnstile, USA

9. Violet, L.S. Dunes, USA

10. 头7 [Head 7], DJ小女孩, China

11. Forever Howlong, Black Country, New Road, United Kingdom

12. Helíade, Javiera Electra, Chile

13. 45 Pounds, YHWH Nailgun, USA

14. private music, Deftones, USA

15. Eh noiz ki tá, MC Hariel, Brasil

16. Ekkolaptómenos, Haru Nemuri, Japan

17. Antes que a Terra acabe, Luedji Luna, Brasil

18. Only Dust Remains, Backxwash, Canada

19. Fairyland Codex, Tropical Fuck Storm, Australia

20. I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven, The Callous Daoboys, USA

21. Getting Killed, Geese, USA

22. HYPERYOUTH, Joey Valence & Brae, USA

23. O Mundo Dá Voltas, BaianaSystem, Brasil

24. Magic, Alive!, McKinley Dixon, USA

25. West End Girl, Lily Allen, United Kingdom

26. Eusexua Afterglow, FKA twigs, United Kingdom

27. Lux, Rosalia, Spain

28. God Does Like Ugly, JID, USA

29. 日常消滅 [Daily Life Vanishes], kinoue64, Japan

30. precum, Ayesha Erotica, USA

31. OUT THERE, Hiromi & Sonicwonder, Japan

32. Maryam, Faraj Suleiman, Palestine

33. Soft Spot, Honningbarna, Norway

34. Pirouette, Model/Actriz, USA

35. Fragility, bulletsbetweentongues, USA

36. Who Let the Dogs Out, Lambrini Girls, United Kingdom

37. Reckless Things, Niechęć, Poland

38. A cara do enquadro, Kayblack, Brasil

39. SURFACE TENSION, Dev Lemons, USA

40. Rock Doido, Gaby Amarantos, Brasil

41. A Lucid Dream Last Night, An Empty City, China

42. Camgirl, Crippling Alcoholism, USA

43. Goyard Ibn Said, Ghais Guevara, USA

44. Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, Sharon Van Etten, USA

45. Let God Sort Em Out, Clipse, USA

46. Try, Door Eater, USA

47. Tanya, Juana Rozas, Argentina

48. How This All Ends, Nuvolascura, USA

49. We All End in the Same Place, Linger Escape, Philippines

50. //亵渎朋克摇滚 [//Punk Rock Blasphemy], Riot in School, China

51. Conflict DLC, HEALTH, USA

52. Pain to Power, Maruja, United Kingdom

53. Afeto e outros esportes de contato, Bella e o Olmo da Bruxa, Brasil

54. Para quien trabajas Vol. I, Marilina Bertoldi, Argentina

55. Caro vapor vol. II: Qual a forma de pagamento?, Don L, Brasil

56. Cowards, Squid, United Kingdom

57. Gem of the West, SENTRIES, Canada

58. Stardust, Danny Brown, USA

59. Perfect Evasion, Slowwves, Thailand

60. Hagen, Titanic, Mexico

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