2025 Quarter 2 Notable Albums
Same as before, here’s a rapid-fire list of music that I’ve both written about (which I’ll link to for expanded thoughts) and which I haven’t (and I still might highlight any of those for further discussion in the future). And, of course, I made a playlist with a single song from each of the records of this list as a bit of a thumbnail on the year. To make it a bit more worthwhile, I’ll exclude selecting tracks I’ve already recommended on the blog. Listen along below or here.
Sky_A - Labyrinths (March)
Wow. This album came out of no where and really knocked me for a loop. Taking elements from math rock, prog and mixing in some electronic flourishes, Sky_A’s full-length is a real special listen. It’s exhilarating off-kilter and I wrote more about it here.
Recommended Song: “Running Out of Water”
B. Hamilton - B. Hamilton (March)
In the press release for this album, band member Ryan Christopher Parks describes having to build the album out of scraps of material recorded both pre and post-lockdown during the chaotic early pandemic years. He goes on to discuss how different band members have come and gone, how he didn’t realize until deep into the process how the lyrics reflected his own struggles with grief. And, then, ultimately, how the band felt like they just needed to get these songs out: “We tried to figure out if we should just throw them on the internet or turn them into something smarter. We did neither. It’s rock and roll music, and I’m not very smart. I’ve never wanted it to be anything else.” Certainly a self-depricating comment as the entire record, front-to-back, is a pretty astounding listen. The band bounce between styles, sometimes leaning on groovy, horn-backed hooks (“Good Foot,” “Back in the Line”), other times depressive hard-rockers (“Sunny Day,” “Downey”) and even some sweet sounding–but lyrically sour–ballads (“Douglas”). It’s an impressive piece of work for some simple “scraps.”
Recommended Song: “Good Foot”
SKLOSS - The Pattern Speaks (March)
Fantastically sludgy psych rock where each track takes its time to unfold (there are only 8 in 45 minutes) but not a single one overstays its welcome. Let this one blast you into oblivion.
Recommended Track: “Imagine 100 Dads”
Population II - Maintenant Jamais (March)
Massively fun psych rock from Canadian group Population II. I wrote more here.
Recommended Song: “La Trippance”
Postcards - Ripe (March)
Moody goth rock with just enough shoegaze touches to keep it moving and dynamic. I wrote more here.
Recommended Song: “Poison”
pond 1000 - daffodil (March)
Extremely charming indie shoegaze. Read more here.
Recommended Song: “that mall was mine”
Babe Rainbow - Slipper imp and shakaerator (April)
Another great record of pop-psychedlic rock from the chillest dudes down under. I wrote about “Aquarium cowgirl” here, but the whole record is a blast.
Recommended Song: “LONG LIVE THE WILDERNESS”
Midnight Generation - Tender Love (April)
Come for the delightful vocoder, stay for the finely honed groovy smooth jams.
Recommended Song: “Shinin’”
Renku Corporation - procedural_nuance (April)
Like someone opened a portal into the the mid to late 90’s Warp Records executives and pulled out an “ideal” IDM release cicra 1999, here we have Renku Corporation and procedural_nuance which is a staggeringly good slice of classic glitch-hop tinged electronica. But it’s not all copycat of early Clark and Autechre records, Renku Corporation puts enough of a spin on the proceedings to make the music feel in conversation with those old stalwarts rather than imitation and sounds he’s able to pull from real modular synth hardware is impressive.
Recommended Track: “Xmarks And Checkplus”
Black Country, New Road - Forever Howlong (April)
A wonderfully surprising folk-rock jaunt that I wrote more about here.
Recommended Song: "Socks"
Miki Berenyi Trio - Tripla (April)
Immaculate dreampop that I can’t help but call “lush” (sorry, it’s an easy descriptor to make knowing that Miki Berenyi was part of that historic shoegaze group).
Recommended Song: “Vertigo”
Bon Iver - SABLE, fABLE (April)
It’s kind of too bad there’s already a self-titled album in Bon Iver’s catalog because if not, this might have been the best one to carry that title as it is kind of the apotheosis of everything Justin Vernon’s been creating for the past 15 years. I wrote more here.
Recommended Song: “There’s a Rhythm”
The Mars Volta - Lucro sucio; Los ojos del vacío (April)
I just love this album so much. Ringleaders Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez really level up their already impressive musicianship and deliver a true headphones record that rewards complete and dedicated listening.
Recommended Song: “Celaje”
Baleine - II (April)
It never ceases to amaze me how much (and how wide a variety of) music a single drummer and guitarist can create if they’re talented and put their minds to it. Enter French duo Baliene with II, which features some good ol’ meat-and-potatoes surf-inspired instrumental rock alongside detours into proggy psychedelic rock. Also, you gotta love that album cover.
Recommended Song: “Tournevis”
Fomies - Liminality (April)
Skillfully mixing garage, stoner and psych rock into one tasty concoction, Fomies’ album from April really delivers the goods. I wrote about a terrific 3 song run in the middle of the record here but the whole thing is really worth your time.
Recommended Song: “Reflections”
Messa - The Spin (April)
Hauntingly good metal-tinged goth rock that I described here as equal parts Chelsea Wolfe and Black Sabbath and I stand by that description.
Recommended Track: “Fire on the Roof”
Tunde Adebimpe - Thee Black Boltz (April)
TV On the Radio frontman Tunde Adebimpe’s new solo record not only scratches that TVOR itch if you, like me, having been missing them from the scene for years, but it also allows the musician to stretch out and explore different angles of his sound. I wrote more here.
Recommended Song: “Magnetic”
King Garcia - Hamelin (April)
Greek instrumental hard rock group King Garcia really fucking bring the goods with their debut record, Hamelin. The drums pummel, the bass is thundering, the guitars rip. It’s a blistering set of rockers for sure and I’ve left out one element and that is that nearly all 8 devastatingly heavy tracks also feature the clarinet. Yeah, you read that right. The bane of your middle school band is the centerpiece of this incredible slab of music. It kind of has to be heard to be believed so, yeah, you know what to do.
Recommended Song: “Sweat”
lullahush - Ithaca (April)
Irish producer lullahush mines traditional folk sounds, melodies and instruments for elements to reassemble in numerous thrilling electronic combinations throughout Ithaca.
Recommended Songs: “Maggie nabhFlaitheas” and “Raglan Road”
JakoJako - Tết 41 (April)
There was an old interview with Björk where she described intentionally trying to create the beats on Vespertine in a way that they sounded specifically good on tiny laptop speakers. And while technology has gotten to the point where even mid-range speakers on a laptop or bluetooth speaker are miles ahead of that technology around the turn of the century, I have always loved the idea of making “little beats’ for “little speakers.” Anyway, I couldn’t help but think of that while listening to this enchanting record from electronic producer JakoJako and hope, when you take a listen, you’ll understand why.
Recommended Song: “Kumquat”
STERÖID - CHAINMAIL COMMANDOS (April)
Hell yeah! Lo-fi, hi-energy punk(ish) rock from Australia that just grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go for the entirety of its 11 track, 30 minute run time. Somehow the band sounds both tiny and huge at the same time and if you aren’t throwing the horns up within the first minute then you need to fix your internal rock and roll settings.
Recommend Song: “AFTER DAWN’
Ibex Band - Stereo Instrumental Music (April)
A re-release of a record made in the 70’s under pretty harrowing conditions by one of the foremost bands in the Ethiopian scene at the time, you’d do well to read the entire 1500 word write-up on the album’s bandcamp. It’s fascinating and eye-opening history (especially in reminding listeners mostly ignorant of this stuff, like me, how deep and complex modern-era Ethiopian music is) and the music itself is nothing short of remarkable. I’d hesitate to apply Western labels (like “surf,” “funk,” “garage”) but there’s certainly some elements of those sounds for a quick reference point. But, really, the best thing to do is just put this thing on and let it take you for a fantastic ride.
Recommended Song: “Yezemed Yebada”
Pyramids - Pythagoras (May)
I certainly struggled to describe the music from this band when I wrote about it and weeks of additional listening haven’t made it any easier for me to grasp the addicting mix of reggaeton, black metal, pop and electronic that Pyramids concocts here.
Recommended Song: “Mira Mirame Brillar”
Sinemis - Farewell (May)
When I wrote about Sinemis earlier, I referenced the sounds of both Black Dog and Craven Faults and, especially on its more beat-forward tracks, I think I can throw in Tri Repetae-era Autechre too.
Recommend Song: “Us vs Them”
Pink Floyd - Pink Floyd at Pompeii - MCMXXII (2025 Mix) (May)
For such a popular band with a wide swath of fans and multiple best-selling albums spanning a 30+ year career, I just sometimes think that the members of Pink Floyd aren’t quite given enough credit as working, playing musicians. The newly remastered Live at Pomeii captures the psychedelic pop-turned prog-ish-turned arena filling/has-been genre experimenters at a crucial turning point in their early career, pre their era-defining Dark Side of the Moon, but post Meddle (ultimately my favorite Pink Floyd project) and for a band known for their studio tinkering, this new mix of their classic Live at Pompeii performance shows how well they grooved as a live band.
Recommend Song: “One of These Days”
Milkweed - Remscéla (May)
This album apparently uses text from an old Irish epic poem, Táin Bö Cuailnge which revolves around a cattle raid. I didn’t know any of this until a few minutes before writing it while looking up the bandcamp for a link to post, so, obviously, one doesn’t need context to get meaning but even that little bit of background helps contextualize this listen a little bit. I’m not sure if Milkweed are in any way connected to alt-folk outfit Stick in the Wheel, but the woozy mix of combining modern elements (field recordings, drum patterns, beat splicing, vocal effects, etc.) with explicitly traditional instrumentation and themes is quite intoxicating.
Recommended Song: “How Conchobor was Begotten”
LAITR - Aphoir (May)
Spiky, spacey, bass-heavy, glitchy goodness all in a brisk 28 minutes.
Recommended Song: “Vrae Elect”
Grails - Miracle Music (May)
Few things have quite sounded like this to me this year so instead of me trying to use broad descriptors like “experimental” and “shoegaze-y” just go listen to this one.
Recommended Song: “Silver Bells”
First Rodeo - Rode Hard and Put Away Wet (May)
Apparently a bit of a supergroup (depending on how locally you analyze specific regional scenes) with Nathan Tucker (of Cool Original) and Tim Howe (of Vista House), First Rodeo’s album here certainly sounds adjacent to Vista House with its alt-country trimmings (and Tim Howe’s unmistakable lyrics and voice–the Vista House record from last year was one of my favorites) but it also is clearly its own thing as it stretches out wraps its musically expansive arms around guitar pop, gospel and even hip hop (a bit). One of my favorite so far this year too!
Recommended Song: “Pride in the Fall”
Tune-Yards - Better Dreaming (May)
Better Dreaming finds Tune-Yards feeling loose and willing to pursue any musical lead, wherever it goes. Most of the tracks lean a bit dancey but there’s still some room for some of that occasional fire from bandleader Merrill Garbus (see the recommended track).
Recommended Track: “See You There”
Carmel Smickersgill (May)
I wrote more about this incredible EP here.
Recommended Song: “Know You’re Loved”
Celestial - I Can Hear the Grass Grow (May)
Chill out ambient music but with the most organic, guitar-forward touch possible. A beautiful listen and while the title may allude to boredom, it’s best to treat the record as meditation and as refuge. Let yourself get lost inside this one and you’ll be rewarded.
Recommended Song: “Mermaid Boulevard”
Pelican - Flickering Resonance (May)
Funny how they put the word “flicker” in the album title there as this is the most fiery thing legendary instrumental post-hard rock group Pelican have put out in years. I, for one, am super happy that many of our legacy bands that share the big tent space with Pelican (your Godspeeds, MONO’s, Mogwai’s, etc) are not only still around but have all been putting our career-best work. Rock and roll will never die if we don’t let it!
Recommended Song: “Cascading Crescent”
Matt Berninger - Get Sunk (May)
I don’t want to get too negative in my recommendation blog so I’ll suffice it to say that, notwithstanding a couple tracks here and there, I haven’t been the biggest fan of the last three National records. Maybe it was being spread too thin with other projects, maybe it was working with (sigh) T. Swift, maybe it was just general exposure and fatigue? Regardless, Matt Berninger’s latest solo record finds the singer reinvigorated and with it he turns in his best music in nearly a decade.
Recommended Song: “Times of Difficultly”
The Budos Band - VII (May)
Instrumental big-band rockers The Budos Band are back with their seventh full-length of reliability melodic groovy bangers. And while they don’t fully stay in this mode, I always appreciate when you can picture them donning big robes, lighting pipes and soundtracking a fantasy D&D session (see also 2014’s Burnt Offering for the best distillation of this).
Recommended Song: “Sharky’s Delight”
Ammar808 - Club Tounsi (May)
Incredibly forward-thinking futuristic club music with deep bass and featuring Tunisian singers and instrumentation, the whole thing is an exhilarating ride.
Recommended Song: “Ah Yallila”
Adult Mom - Natural Causes (May)
When you realize that the two most common words associated with this albums title are “died of” you can get a bit better idea of the concerns of this piece of your music. Lyrically weighty, the songs tackle subjects of abuse, self-hatred, addiction, illness and round after round of chemo. And yet, while not bright per se, musically the album is filled with the kind of big, sweeping, open heart indie-rock that helps make those tough themes bearable.
Recommended Track: “Crystal”
Wavves - Spun (June)
You love to see a band stick the landing in the transition from young upstarts to scene veterans and by golly, Wavves have done just that. Not to say that Spun sounds tired–far from it, it’s their most energetic in years–but rather that it sounds assured. 11 tracks of near-perfect summer beach garage rock? Thank you Wavves.
Recommended Song: “Goner”
36 & zaké - Stasis Sounds for Long-Distance Space Travel III (June)
The original volume of this (now) ambient trilogy was released in February of 2020 and I heard it for the first time a month later and, in retrospect, having these three records to anchor the last five years of post-lockdown (but still very much inside of a pandemic) ennui seems almost too appropriate. Regardless, it was what first introduced me to the work of 36 and this final chapter is another example of his mastery of the form. It’s filled with telescoping synth pads, traces of melody, faint field recordings of terrestrial life and just so much space. A whole world to get lost in.
Recommended Song: “Blue New World 4”
Little Simz - Lotus (June)
Little Simz returns with another record filled with her impeccable flow, great guests and fantastically groovy production.
Recommended Song: “Lion”
Haress - Skylarks (June)
Gothy, stripped-down, slow-motion postrock is what’s on tap with Skylarks and it’s an incredibly rewarding listen but also one that really sneaks up on you with how it continually tightens its sonic grip even with sparse instrumentation.
Recommended Song: “Blood Moon”
Florence Road - Fall Back EP (June)
With five tracks of impeccable indie-rock with the occasional anthemic pop flourish, newcomers Florence Road really plant their flag. Even if they don’t put out a full-length this year, this EP will still stand out as some of the best 15 minutes this year.
Recommended Song: “Goodnight”
GoGo Penguin - Necessary Fictions (June)
A refreshingly unpredictable listen, GoGo Penguin are a piano-forward post-rock/jazz group that had me guessing at each track.
Recommended Track: “Living Bricks in Dead Mortar”
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Phantom Island (June)
After (for them) a relatively long break, our boys from Australia have returned with a new album and it’s another stunner. In another stylistic experiment, King Gizzard word with a small orchestra to flesh out the tracks here and it’s all to fantastic effect. Rather than overwhelming with bombast (as I imagine has to be the temptation), the orchestra instead seem to sit in with the band as seasoned session players, adding bits of ornamental filigree when appropriate but more often than not, contributing in the same way that each of the seven band members seem to in that they always add up to more than the sum of their disparate parts. The album is certainly related to last year’s B-741 (which was my favorite record, by the way) as it shares themes of flight, performance and expectation but it explodes the sound out in all directions and leans even more heavily into that “pass-the-mic” feeling from that album’s best moments. And while it might be one of the most "accessible" albums, there’s still tons of that trademark KG tightrope balance of gonzo experimentation, tight musicianship and propensity towards digression that has made them so beloved. I’ll have lots more to say about this album come end of the year I’m sure and in the meantime, I’m glad to spend more time plumbing its depths.
Recommended Song: “Aerodynamic”
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