Top 25 Albums of 2025

Honorable Mentions

Top Albums of 2025

#25: FKA Twigs - Eusexua

The long awaited third album from one of the best pop artists of the past decade finally released this year, with Twigs exploring a variety of genres within the electronic scene that fuse it with her art-pop/alt R&B aesthetic that we’re used to. The opening/title track feels as if it’s introducing the audience to the idea of this fusion, favoring the art pop style that we’re all familiar with in the first half, slowly progressing more and more into the electronic aesthetics as it progresses. With this aesthetic established, the following cut Girl Feels Good plunges straight into the Trip Hop genre. Here Twigs vocals are on display, as tradition within the genre, but also has an entrancing backing beat paired with Fever Ray-esque sound effects scattered throughout that elevate it to one of the best tracks on the album. Drums of Death is another standout on the record, which is a take on Deconstructed Club. It begins, as indicated, with a barrage of drums to start, and then begins to mix in heavily distorted and chopped vocals, which eventually foil the clearer vocals that poke through the track. FKA Twigs is still able to show her roots on the record too, with cuts like Sticky and Striptease that have a heavier focus on her emotive vocals and bassy production, with a flair of chopped vocals on top of the former that embodies the electronic flair of the album. This is really a great collection of songs, and with the companion album Afterglow (as well as the alt version of the record) we’re getting a lot of great music from the art-pop legend this year.

#24: Cynthoni - Draining Love Story (In the Eyes of Cynthoni)

Cynthoni is an artist that I first became familiar with under their other moniker Sewerslvt, where they were my first true enjoyment of the Atmospheric Drum and Bass genre, netting some songs on my rotational playlist. This in part had me curious about this record, one that was a reimagining of the album of the same title under this alternate moniker. The intro to this record sounds as if you’re starting a journey in the depths of space, while the first true track following it, Lvstlove, propels you into the dancing DnB, PS2 intro type atmosphere that is present throughout the record. One of the greatest qualities of the genre, and this record in particular, are the entrancing beats. Lexapro Doesn’t Work arguably has the best on the record, with its addicting airy loop sample that is interspersed with house-like vocal sample flips to create that lush atmosphere. Femcels on the other hand is able to entrance you with just its atmosphere, starting off with whirling sounds that eventually morph into some sort of space vocal comms and then blows up into an exploding clash of drum and bass, one of the best moments on the record. This reimagining was a great introduction to what the Atmospheric Drum and Bass genre can offer, and I’d highly recommend checking it out if you’re in any way an electronic fan.

#23: Rose Gray - Louder, Please

Rose Gray represents one of many electronic infused pop records on this list, and is an impressive debut album providing bold ballads and bangers throughout its runtime. The first true banger on the record is Free, which features a simultaneously underwater but airy backing track that helps amplify the grand brassy instrumental and rising vocals from Rose on the chorus. Angel of Satisfaction later on feels like a huge mixture of many different iconic pop artists placed together. In particular, the muted speaker vocals feel straight out of an early 2000s Britney project, while the vocals throughout the track feel very reminiscent of any of Carly Rae Jepsen’s work leading to an impressive cohesive unit. The best banger in the tracklist Wet & Wild expands on these qualities, with addicting vocal interpolations of the track name that are scattered throughout the chorus that is paired with an absolutely bouncy beat that’ll make anyone want to move their hips. It’s exciting to have yet another artist that has broken through on their debut and I’m excited to see where this sound can expand as Rose continues her work into her next LP.

#22: Addison Rae - Addison

TikTok star Addison Rae was poised for a potential breakout when she first appeared in the pop scene with her Charli XCX collab via the remix of Von Dutch, and then later appearing on A.G. Cook’s album Britpop with Charli again. Shortly after she dropped the single Diet Pepsi, garnering not just commercial success on the Billboard but also critical success with comparisons to early Lana Del Rey signaling her potential in the pop sphere. And with her debut album, there is nothing too out of the ordinary, but Addison delivers with her catchy lyrics and pristine production throughout the record. New York helps establish the tone of the record, with its alt pop sound and liberated lyrics that Addison wants to embody throughout its runtime. The aforementioned Diet Pepsi is a great example of the pop presence on the record with its prowess of the alty-synths that help establish the lustful, yet nostalgic vibes that allow the lyrics to pop. Fame is a Gun establishes itself as one of the best pop tracks of the year because of its progression from quiet first verse, to an addictingly boastful chorus that pairs with a high-pitched reverby sound that is spaced perfectly to add to the glam of the track. This record is one of the best surprises of the year and I’m hopeful that Addison will continue to establish her sound on her follow up.

#21: Hatchie - Liquorice

For just under a decade, Hatchie has been one of the premier artists within the dream pop scene, with her catchy tunes with addicting sound palates. Her latest release is no exception, one that is centered around her life as an “unhinged lover girl” in her early 20s, with a sound that is very much inspired by the likes of Cocteau Twins. This is evident with Only One Laughing, a cut with vocals that mirror those of Elizabeth Fraser and a mix of bright and jangly guitars on the track that is paired with lyrics about a relationship that doesn’t seem quite to be going as planned. There are also some impressive progressions on the record, in particular with Carousel, featuring Hatchie’s vocals at the center of the track. Carousel builds from a mid tempo dream pop beat, then layers in some really nice synth-gazey guitars and piano that help highlight her vocals that brighten the track. This continues to build to the end of the track, which features an incredible guitar solo and vocal layer that helps showcase the carousel trajectory that she was on. Supercharged shoegaze also makes an appearance on Sage, which immediately submerses the listeners in a wall of sound, coinciding with lyrics about falling in love to help grow the feeling of a relationship beginning to blossom. These themes come up again in Lose It Again, where Hatchie is infatuated with the chase for love which is propped up with the bright instrumentation that is present on the track. This is yet another impressive fuzzy, warm record from the dream pop queen that is a must listen for any fans of pop.

#20: Model/Acrtiz - Piroutte

Piroutte is one of the most unique records of the year, providing a mixture of the dance and industrial that generally don’t overlap in the music scene. Model/Actriz are able to make this combo work by providing dancey cuts that ooze atmosphere with the variety of soundscapes that industrial music can provide. Lead single Cinderella is a great example of this, with its clattering guitars and percussion that foil the bouncy bass that propels the song into this strange dancey mix. This clash of elements also helps emphasize the brightness that is trying to be portrayed through the lyrics, those of which are attempting to cut through the darkness. The atmosphere also takes a front seat on the track Diva, featuring brooding bass and scatter guitar tones that propel you into a dark city night. Despite this pretense of a moody atmosphere, the band foils it with some hilarious lyrics that live up to the name of the track on the second verse, my favorite being “Yeah, you could call me a small business owner”. Ring Road pulls us all the way into the industrial/noise direction of the tracklist, featuring very heavily distorted drums that absolutely pound the listener’s ears. This bass in tandem with the very skittish guitars create a hellish landscape for the track. Piroutte provides one of the most unique experiences of the year, and should be tried by anyone with any proclivity to industrial or dance music with a flair.

#19: Asian Glow - 11100011

Asian Glow initially established themselves within the Shoegaze scene with their solo release Cull Fircle, later on collaborating with fellow shoegazers sonhos tomam conta and Parannoul to become one of the most prominent within the scene. The latest release from the gazer of shoes continues to build on the shoegaze sound that they’ve established, creating some hauntingly beautiful tracks in the process. Feel All the Time is a great example of this with its waning backing guitars, out of sync percussive elements and hazy vocals that create a densely dark atmosphere. Instruments are also used to add emotion to tracks, in particular on Out of Time. Here the quickly rising, but muted synths add a feeling of longing that also make it seem as if you’re floating throughout the track. The album also offers no shortage of addicting sounds, the best of which is represented on Camel8strike. Here Asian Glow employs a baggy, George Clanton-esque atmosphere. After easing you into the track, it absolutely explodes with the hooky sample flip or synth that is sustained through the added layers of guitars on the track. This is a record that should not be missed by any shoegaze fan, even if just for the unique sounds presented on it.

#18: Danny Brown - Stardust

Stardust marks a slight pivot for Danny Brown, making way for a blend of both hip hop and electronic music. This makes for some of the most interesting production of the year, and perhaps the best production of Danny’s career, Atrocity Exhibition included. Starburst is perhaps the most impressive in this regard, with its punchy percussion and eerie but hooky sample flips on the track. The beat switch midway through the track is nasty, shifting into a more spacey, but still punchy and industrial beat that Danny destroys with his verses on the cut. There are also a myriad of features on the tracklist, most notably being on Copycats, with the infectious pre-chorus and chorus vocals from underscores, paired with yet another punchy beat. Another one of my favorite features is on the penultimate track, where Cynthoni provides their signature Drum and Bass sound on the second portion of the track. This provides a nice boost of energy for the longest cut of Danny’s career. The cut Lift You Up also shows these new branches into electronic, incorporating the hip house genre with the earwormy “Life Me Up” sample and bouncy beat on the track. Stardust also proves to be an insanely introspective record, with the opening cut and What You See diving into Danny’s addiction, discovering his life’s purpose and taking advantage of others in the past. This is a very positive change that you love to see from previous records like XXX and Atrocity Exhibition, tangibly seeing a difference in demeanor record to record. Stardust leads us into this new era for the eccentric hip hop artist and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next.

#17: Colin Miller - Losin’

Losin’ is an album largely dedicated to Gary King, a key figure in not just Miller’s life, but also with the band Wednesday’s members, who became friends with King as they lived on his property and essentially became surrogate grandchildren to him. This leads to a lot of grief that Miller parses through, not just for Gary, but also for the property that they lived on. Throughout the project he’s able to beautifully place together a collection of songs about King or stories that he’s told. Porchlight in particular is a story that King told of a trucker who was cheated on by his wife. Miller creates a sweet tune, with heartwarming, but also heartbroken lyrics about this relationship that didn’t work. The character in question keeps this porchlight on for his lover, despite being with another man, and hoping that they could get back together. The most touching tune is Cadillac, a tribute to Gary and dealing with his grief. This especially hits hard with the pungent line “Put me in the brights and laugh at me through fake teeth from the other side”. There are also some beautiful and infectious arrangements on the track Lost Again, featuring the bright strum of an acoustic guitar and a waning steel guitar that helps highlight the heartbroken lyrics. This is easily one of the best folk records of the year, and breathes life into the influence that Gary King had on the North Carolina music scene.

#16: Aesop Rock - Black Hole Superette

Underground legend Aesop Rock is at it again with his 10th solo studio album, providing an entirely self-produced album that dives into the small intricacies of life. Aesop is able to utilize simple but effective beats like on Secret Knock, creating atmosphere with the initial dialogue and mixing in a hooky “Walk with Me” sample that draws you into the album. Another great use of production is on the cut Ice Sold Here, featuring a sample flip that feels as if you’re in a desert surrounded by aliens, acting as a foil to the icy themed bars throughout the track. The following track Costco is straight up one of the best beats of the year, starting with a simple spacey anchor that allows for Aesop to just tear up the beat. Aesop also displays his ability to create uncanny hooks on 1010Wins, spitting “10AM in the fog feeling anxious, 10PM in the same exact fog feeling dangerous” to create an unprecedented swagger on the track. This is paired with some cold bars from fellow underground legends Armand Hammer, my favorite being “The GPS just on for show, I know where the fuck we going”, to create one of the best hip hop cuts of the year. Aesop continues to prove why he continues to be relevant in the game, continuing to deliver some of the most interesting hip hop album by album.

#15: Deftones - private music

Being the first release since their blow up on TikTok (not to say that they weren’t big before), this release has garnered the most commercial success that the band has seen and it’s totally deserved. This album brings the pristine production, nasty riffs and great hooks that Deftones have trademarked over the years and the band did not sacrifice any quality for this commercial success. Locked Club in particular showcases these nasty riffs that are part sinister with their doom metal roots, supporting the narrative of the tribalism that exists within religious groups today. There are also some swirling, speedy riffs on Ecdysis, mirroring the lyrics on the chorus of descending the plagued earth that humans have destroyed. Some of the hooks on the record also happen to be the best of the year, in particular on cXz. Here Chino delivers muffled, but still pristine vocals throughout the end of verses with “One is up, one is down, one is lost, one is there”, with an addition of the chaotic guitars that evoke the feeling of spiraling down with him. These vocals that are top notch throughout the record are perhaps at their peak on Milk of the Madonna. Chino’s vocals on this cut rise, repeating “Holy Spirit I’m On Fire” throughout the track, emphasizing the divine nature of the track. It’s a testament to their work that they’ve been able to keep their core sound, but continue to innovate their riffs on this record.

#14: Erika da Casier - Lifetime

Erika da Casier’s latest record is a compact mixture of Trip Hop, Alt R&B and Downtempo that places atmosphere and vocals at the centerpiece of this record. Notably these are shown on the cut Seasons, with its machine-like beat and scattered synths that allow for Erika’s vocals to take over the track, feelings straight out of a 2000s cyberpunk spy thriller. Two Thieves is also grand in nature, feeling like I’m within a galactic chamber of vocal rhythms that guide you to an outro that could easily be placed into Mezzanine. These trip hop tendencies record come to the forefront the most though with The Chase’s sensual nature. Here Erika allures the listener through her unfortunate attraction to the chase of a potential lover, which is amplified by the dial tones and alarms scattered on the track. It’s especially impressive to see what Erika has done on this record, given that this was solo produced by her, and would be an ideal production from a boardroom of producers, much less one. This is easily one of the best sounding records of the year and should be in heavy rotation for any of those curious about the fusion of trip hop and alt R&B.

#13: Skrillex - F*ck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol But Ur Not!! <3

This record right here just might be the most stimulating record I’ve ever heard. Littered with producer tags (especially DJ Smokey’s iconic Nuke Radio), it consists of mostly 1 to 2 minute cuts that are fairly continuous throughout the record. Skrillex uses these cuts to essentially create a mini-DJ set spanning various genres mostly in the dubstep space that he helped popularize to create the records’ soundscape. One of my favorite cuts in the first few minutes of the tracklist is Recovery, a brostep cut featuring an effervescent vocal sample that’s combined with an air blower sound that anchors the track to create a feeling as if drifting a car through the city lights. The following cut is great as well, almost acting as a version of chipmunk soul with its sample, builds into a more grating dubstep beat, and then evolves again into vocoded vocals that ascend through the track. This album also contains an abundance of collaboration, with Skrillex getting help from over thirty artists throughout the record, my favorite of which is on Zeet Noise. Dylan Brady on the track helps produce a techno cut, with some entrancing sample flips and a great underlying beat that make it one of the most danceable cuts on the record. The following cut that Brady also worked on feels like a laid back continuation of the previous cut, with its distorted beat carrying you through like the waves on a beach. There are also some vocal features, the best of which is from Zacari on Momentum, helping contribute to the ethereal feel of the track. Skrillex’s ability to control chaos throughout this 46 minute runtime leads to one of the most interesting and invigorating electronic projects of the 2020s so far.

#12: Panchiko - Ginkgo

Panchiko’s story is one of legendary status. Originally formed from childhood friends in 1997 the band started as a cover band, then later on creating an EP, receiving no traction and dissolving as a group. Much later on in 2016, the internet discovered them via a thrift shop buy and gained popularity as the discoverers of the music tried to hunt down where they were today. It wasn’t until 2020 that one of the original band members heard of the growing popularity, ultimately getting the band back together to remaster their old songs and began to write music again. This latest release is their second studio release since reforming the band and provides a nice rendition on neo-psychedelic music, specifically with the instrumentation provided throughout the record. This is shown on the title track, which features a pristine piano piece that helps foil the clashing percussion on the track. Honeycomb further shows this aptitude with its blissful backing psychedelic instrumentals, muted vocals, and acoustic guitar that makes you feel as if you’re transporting straight into a Flaming Lips record. Panchiko also displays their ability to really build a song on Chapel of Salt. This track starts with calm, composed instrumentals and vocals that expands into an upbeat shoegaze backdrop that’ll make you feel like you’re soaring. It’s a triumph that this album is even able to exist, and even more so that it’s one of the best rock records I’ve listened to this year.

#11: Pinkpantheress - Fancy That

Going into this mixtape, Pinkpantheress stated that she wanted to make an album with that classic UK dance music feel, and she certainly delivered. With influences of early 2000s funky house, dance-pop, and UK garage Pink serves up some of the boppiest tracks of the year. This is apparent from the very beginning with the opening track Illegal, which features a backing garage beat layered with airy synths that highlight the whimsical tone of this apparent weed diss track. The following song Girl Like Me samples the dance classic Romeo by Basement Jaxx, centering around the “Let it all go” lyric, further driving the clubby tone of the record. Later on the track Romeo coincidentally also samples Basement Jaxx, this time using one of the riff interpolations on the track as a basis of the beat. Where she places these influences together the best though is on the penultimate track Stateside, which is essentially Pink’s 2025 version of the 2008 classic American Boy. Here she pays tribute with the same hook of getting her illustrious American Boy, but is layered over her quintessential DnB backing track that builds into an ascending, peak Y2K beat that perfectly encompasses the boppiest album of the year.

#10: billy woods - Golliwog

Billy Woods is back with yet another album that is filled to the brim with poetic, rich bars layered over creepy yet engrossing production. This production goes to work immediately with the intro of a distorted lullaby, as well as touching on many topics that appear throughout the album, including colonialism and golliwogs, setting the tone of the record. The follow up STAR87 features a myriad of phone samples from Conductor, including multiple of receiving suspect calls to help illustrate the scattered tone of Woods’ verse when coming back from Zimbabwe. Another chilling beat is introduced with Waterbeat Mascara, containing a crying woman loop and the haunting bar “half-hoping you-know-who would die… then he did”, emphasized with the piano keys crashing a few lines later. This helps us explore the pungent feelings that Woods has about his father dying at such a young age, but who also caused such trauma in his life. The production continues to be fantastic on All These Worlds Are Yours, boasting cluttered percussion and drifting vocals as if you’re trapped in a spaceship with aliens. These instrumentals are supported by lyrics on the horrors of combat being fought primarily via drones, further illustrating that trapped feeling on the track. Cold Sweat provides a bit of juxtaposition to the main themes of the album, with the second half exchange between himself and his landlord. Here he tells the story as being the last remaining tenant in a building they want to sell, and provides a hilarious and creative way to produce a pointed message on the reversed roles of a master / slave relationship. This project stands as one of Billy’s greatest among his legendary discography, an achievement to his dedication to continually improving his craft.

#9: Oklou - Choke Enough

Debut album Choke Enough is one of a myriad of albums this year that embody the Y2K aesthetic, and delivers as one of the best representations of that era. There are various vapor influences, as well as airy vocals throughout the record, shown with the first two cuts on the record. The second track in particular has an Ocarina of Time like sound with its inquisitive flutey background instrumentals that are a huge nostalgia bomb. The production is also fantastic throughout the tracklist, creating a rich atmosphere for the listener. The interludes on the tracklist specifically add heavily to this atmosphere, my favorite being forces with its eerie alarms and hazy organ instrumental. The latter half of ict’s grand production also demonstrates this, feeling like it’s straight out Sophie’s soundscapes from Pearl’s Un-Insides, with Oklou’s vocals adding addicting airy rhythms to the track. These addictive vocal hooks are also shown on the harvest sky, with a great guest verse from underscores that’s almost Dido-esque and a backing instrumental ear worm that is sure to be stuck in your head days after listening. However the most addictive track is the closing cut, which features a combination of all the best elements of the album. There are beautiful strings and guitars to start, then expands with distorted electronics and drums throughout the first two renditions of the chorus. This builds to the bridge, where her layered vocals are the absolute centerpiece, finishing with some beautiful strings to cap off this fantastic debut.

#8: Blood Abscission - I I

Blood Abscission is a band comprised of unknown members to their fans, coming together with a unique post-rock influenced record that intertwines with the black metal genre. Atmosphere is what this record shoots for, its most post-rocky trait. The first act sets the scene of the record with its quick drumming, consistently droning guitars and guttural yet wailing vocals that propel you into a whirlwind, almost as if approaching a sandstorm. The guitars and drums quicken pace in the second half, only to be halted, as if waiting within the eye of the storm, before placing us right back into the heart of it to end the first act. Pacing continues to grow into the second act that continues with a barrage of drums, upping the tempo even more from the previous cut. This cut also features some industrial effects without instrumentals, as if to signify a slight halt in the battle of the storm. Act three signifies a more deliberate approach in instrumentation, starting with slow, drawn out guitars and drums that pick up the pace as they’re paired with the absolutely visceral vocals from the lead singer. The fourth act is a slight change in pace, with some light synths that are added into this atmospheric piece that prep the listeners for the final act. In this final act, it opens with yet another barrage of drums and visceral vocals, but also includes some brighter more triumphant guitar tones. These guitar tones continue to bleed more and more into the track, until a bell is hit. Everything converges at this moment with an increased tempo, then finally grinds to a halt as the epic has now completed. Despite this potentially being a hard record to get into based on the genre, this record could be a good starting point for any post-rock or atmosphere enjoyers to get into the metal sphere.

#7: Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer

I Love My Computer is an album that is the absolute embodiment of growing up during the boom of the digital age. Littered with energetic, internet infused electro-pop and house cuts, Nina creates one of the most infectious records of the year. Opening cut London Song dives you into this landscape, with a catchy bassline, vocal riffs and an apt Windows Click effect. Here Nina details her first experience with wanting to pursue music via the computer, noting that there were unlimited possibilities on it. This leads into iPod Touch, the most earwormy tune on the record that casts a nostalgia bomb on anyone who grew up in the same era. References to the aforementioned iPod Touch and yellow Pikachu case speaks to all of those engrossed in the Y2K era, with the FL Studio line hitting for those who started to create music on their computer. The anthem All I Am is another one of the catchiest on the record, with its straightforward but entrancing vocal sample that centers the track and a great early 10s Zedd-esque drop to boot. Nina also provides some narrative structures that are very online in the track Delete. Here she provides a house cut, where she sings about trying everything she can to get her crush's attention, whether that is through creating a song for them or posting thirst traps on her socials. These help emphasize some of the themes of the record of an inherent loneliness that can come with being so attached to your computer/digital presence, those of which are also touched on Fuck My Computer. This album really speaks to me on a spiritual level, as it should for anyone who’s so engrossed with growing up alongside internet culture.

#6: Black Country, New Road - Forever Howlong

Forever Howlong is the first full-length studio album since frontman Isaac Wood left, with the core of the group still remaining intact. While the style may be different without Wood, it’s still very much noticeable that it is still BCNR because of the vast arrangements that are present throughout the runtime. Besties immediately shows this with its vast string, brass and harpsichord arrangement that help amplify Georgia’s beautiful vocals, telling the tale of a narrator loving her best friend, but not wanting to destroy that friendship in the process. However with this opening cut, we see a noticeably happier shift in tone of instrumentation that does not sacrifice the emotional depth that we’ve become used to on previous albums. There is also a variety of vocals that are present throughout the album with not just swaps in lead vocalists, but also in the arrangements of the vocals in the backing of the tracks. The best example of this is shown on Salem Sisters, where the three main vocalists harmonize on the chorus, adding to the upbeat medieval atmosphere on the track. The album also has no shortage of the trademark BCNR builds, shown best on For the Cold Country. This track starts with low-tempo banjo and saxophone through the first two verses. Pace picks up in the third verse, with added percussion, then slows down towards the end of the verse to focus on the vocals. This leads to an increasingly strenuous set of instrumentals at the end of the fifth verse that culminates in a crescendo and rising vocals, as if ascending through the air. Here Black Country, New Road proves that this new era provides a fresh, bold take on what the band can provide in a still recognizable sound.

#5: The Callous Daoboys - I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven

I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven is yet another unique metal release this year, combining many different elements from various pockets of the metalsphere and beyond. The album features a loose narrative structure, where this album is showcased at a museum, with the opening track building anticipation to what listeners should expect to hear. After this intro, the listeners are immediately dropped into a metalcore cut, with some of the most insane guitar tones of the year. This cut then slows down into Panic at the Disco! type vocals, interspersed with heavy guitar riffs, switching between the calm and collected to panicked vibes throughout the track. Midway through the track there’s also a Maruja-esque breakdown with the sax, yet another layer to just this opening cut, and gives a glimpse into what the band is capable of. Two-Headed Trout samples the same song featured in too much for zblock that are incorporated with the metal riffs on the track, immediately giving me a rush of nostalgia on a first listen. There are also some insane guitars and drumming to start on Tears on Lambo Leather, but then contrasting those with some kind of hilarious little guitar riffs and DnB breakbeats on the track. The last track that I’ll highlight is The Demon of Unreality Limping Like a Dog, featuring a whipping guitar that is scattered on the track, as well as another that feels like it’s mimicking a plucking a comb, and then some ferocious barks at the end of the song to cap off the track. This is honestly just one of the most fun records that I’ve heard in a very long time, which is quite the accomplishment given the tone of most metal-adjacent records.

#4: Celestaphone & Dealers of God - Cult Subterranea

Cult Subterranea is an album intended to be a spiritual successor to the game Drowned God, a game which plants the conspiracy theory that all of human history is a lie and that the human race’s rise was due to extraterrestrials, which is just about the perfect preface to this truly underground record. Right from the start you can hear this inspiration, with an eclectic and bouncy production on the opening track, a quite hilarious rendition of the infamous Bill Clinton quote “I did not have humanoid relations with that scum”, as well as introducing the major overarching themes of the propped up “elite” class. These themes are perpetuated further on the third track Moscovium, where Celestaphone just raps bar after bar about oligarchs and their intentions to keep the populace controlled. These themes are the most prominent on Draconian Starseed with the lines “All the elites are into eugenics today, Death of human entropy, taking your individualism away, Don’t approach the media droids as yourself”, a pungent observation of the growing control that the rich have through all channels of media. Despite these negative themes, the album is able to balance this with the rich, creative production from Dealers of God, shown notably on the penultimate Seismic Sounding. The track starts with a clash of guitars, Rick James-like screaming, and distorted vocals that ironically up the tone of the record and allows for Lil Meatus of Dealers of God to absolutely destroy the beat while continuing to exhibit the themes of the album. This record embodies what it means to be truly underground and deserves a listen by any fan of the underground rap scene.

#3: Ethel Cain - Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You

Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You serves as a prequel to the events of Ethel’s debut album, a project that despite being not a traditional pop record was able to enter into the public stream of conscious netting a top 10 place on the US Billboard. This sophomore album utilizes the same drawn out songs as the debut that draw you into its atmosphere, also providing a gripping narrative to engage with. This engaging narrative starts on the opening cut Janie, where Ethel tells a narrative about her only friend Janie getting a boyfriend, now feeling excluded from her and already yearning for what once was, serving as essentially a prologue to the main focused narrative. The first true narrative surrounding Willoughby is on Fuck Me Eyes, a return to the forward synthy cuts like Crush that initially propelled Ethel into the mainstream. This features Ethel’s ethereal vocals that peak at the post-chorus, completely engrossing you into the track. The emotions on the vocals are also pungent throughout the tracklist, specifically on the track Nettles. Here Ethel is thinking of all the ways that her beloved could die, and you can feel it with her broken vocals, pairing well with the melancholic fiddle and steel guitar to help emphasize these feelings. Aside from the narrative, the three purely instrumental tracks are also top notch, adding to the atmosphere of the record. In particular, Radio Towers offers an eerie feel, as if lurking in a dark storm, trying to traverse through. This foreshadows following track Tempest as it almost acts as an opening in the storm, fitting the narrative of Willoughby, whose only fears are the storm and wanting to confront these fears. Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You is yet another cohesive and dense album that deserves even more time than I’ve given it, and should prove to be one of the best albums of the decade once all things are said and done.

#2: caroline - caroline 2

caroline’s sophomore album keeps to the post-rocky nature of their debut, and improves on the quality of the emotions that are brought through their pieces. The band in particular sets some beautiful arrangements on the tracklist, those of which are delicate in fashion and focus on the build of emotions of each track. The opening track shows these notions with a weaning violin and Low-esque fuzziness that weave midway into the track after a gracious build for an insanely sentimental feeling. The strings, percussion, and vocal layering on Song two burst for another explosion of fuzziness on the album, that then relieves into a simmering trombone making for a much more serene feeling. I also love the simple vocal arrangement on Coldplay cover (a deceptive title) on the chorus, just emitting a positive vibe throughout. These elements come to their peak though with their sole feature Caroline Polachek, or what I like to call caroline². Here Polachek’s vocals perfectly complement the bright instrumentals and vocals of the band. These elements mesh so well together creating an incredibly sentimental and nostalgic piece, one that bleeds early Broken Social Scene energy. It really feels as though each instrumental from the group is meant to yield the maximum amount of emotion possible on this record, and is a testament to the band’s ability to compose beautiful arrangements.

#1: Jane Remover - Revengeseekerz

The follow up to the shoegazey Census Designated is a return to Jane’s roots in hyperpop/digicore with some ventures into the hip hop genre, making for one of the most interesting sonic palettes of the year. This project features an insane amount of samples for an album, with Jane showing her talents previously displayed under her leroy moniker. Professional Vengeance and Dreamflasher in particular have 13 samples each, both sampling her own work on 3 separate samples. These samples are not used in vain, but rather help establish the soundscape that populates the album. This is shown on the former track, using various samples from Pokemon and Mario and Sonic Olympics to add to the initial lighthearted feeling of the track, later using the Duke Nukem and Drowning Pool to add to the vengeful, irritated feeling of the second half. There’s also an insane amount of swagger present on the album, shown on opening cut Twice Removed. Here Jane boasts about being like Avril Lavigne, flexing that she’s shaken hands with music execs that are now jealous they didn’t cash in on her. This continues into Psychoboost, her main venture into the hip hop genre with legend Danny Brown. Here she effortlessly combines her digicore sound with hip hop, taking turns with Danny to destroy their verses, with grating house builds and boisterous bass drops in between. There are also some call backs on the record to her other 2025 release venturing on Star people, sampling her solemn backing guitar. These help accentuate the third verse, one that is about having all the money that’s needed, but still not enough emotional satisfaction to be happy. Jane’s continued commitment to expanding her sound has been impressive and should be what all artists should seek after. Her effort here showcases why she is one of the best working artists today, whose body of work puts her easily in contention as one of the best artists of the decade.