BEST ALBUMS OF 2025

From Argentina and Australia to Venezuela and Vietnam, enjoy our selection of music from 75+ countries from around the world.

Rosalia, Oklou, Tamino or Christine and the Queens are just a few artists we presented long before their global fame. Our Best of 2025 might also include some future stars, but for sure many great talents.

Special thanks to all of our contributors for sharing their discoveries!

► SPOTIFY PLAYLIST with singles from all albums + YOUTUBE PLAYLIST

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ARGENTINA:

Juana Molina – “Doga”

With “Doga”, Juana Molina adds another remarkable chapter to one of the most intriguing discographies in contemporary experimental music. Rather than polishing a concept into something neat and structured, Molina leans into ambiguity: “Doga” feels like a place you wander into.

The album emerged from a long creative process. Between 2019 and 2024, Molina and collaborator Odín Schwartz recorded more than thirty hours of improvisations. Together with producer Emilio Haro, she later sifted through that vast archive assembling it into form. That process leaves its mark: sounds overlap like memories, rhythms stumble on purpose, and melodies drift in and out of focus.

Rather than offering clarity, “Doga” invites listeners to sit with uncertainty. It’s a record that rewards patience, curiosity, and a willingness to get lost. (Rodrigo Piedra)

♪♫ Listen: “siestas ahí” + album stream

ARMENIA:

Gor Mkhitarian (Գոռ Մխիթարյան) – “Fragments and Frequencies”

“Fragments and Frequencies” is more than an album — it’s a 25-year journey distilled into music. Gor Mkhitarian, who started his musical path with the iconic band Lav Eli from Vanadzor, brings together songs written across decades, bridging Armenian and English, old friends and new collaborations, and moments of memory and reinvention.

Musically, the album blends acoustic rock, folk, and subtle electronic textures, creating a sound that is both intimate and expansive. From the intimate revival of “Nothing at All”, performed by Mher Manukyan on its 25th anniversary, to the cinematic “Foggy” and reflective “Motherless”, the album feels like a conversation across time.

Every track is a fragment, every collaboration a frequency, creating a living, breathing album that is both nostalgic and profoundly present. (Coutaud Théotime)

♪♫ Listen: “Foggy” + album stream

AUSTRALIA:

Stella Donnelly – “Love and Fortune”

An instant classic by a wonderful Australian singer-songwriter. Stella Donnelly overcame a period of disillusionment with music, as well as the breakdown of her relationship with a close friend, to return with her best album to date. Aching vulnerability permeates her third record, which is a deeply personal body of work that traces the musician’s journey back to herself.

“I got to the end of touring the last album and I was thinking about writing another record and I kept trying to make music, but I just wasn’t liking it,” Donnelly said. “I wasn’t enjoying what I was creating. I wasn’t resonating with it deeply.”

It’s lucky that she persevered, after her aforementioned period of self-reflection, because “Love and Fortune” is the work of a songwriter at the top of her game. If Donnelly’s previous album, 2022’s “Flood”, was arguably a setback for her, lost in the midst of the early pandemic years, her third album returns her to the top of Australian indie music.

If anything sums up just how rejuvenating “Love and Fortune” has been for Donnelly, it’s this: she’s already revealed she’s working on a follow-up record. (Conor Lochrie)

♪♫ Listen: “Feel it Change” + album stream

AUSTRIA:

Anna Buchegger – “SOIZ”

Anna Bucheggers sophomore album “SOIZ” stands out for its bold fusion of tradition and modernity, both musically and thematically. Sung in Salzburg dialect, the album demonstrates how regional language can carry contemporary, political, and deeply personal messages without losing universality.

Musically, the album blends elements of Alpine folk music—such as yodelling, traditional instruments like the Hackbrett, and folk melodies – with modern pop and experimental sounds, including electronic and global influences. This creates a soundscape that feels rooted in heritage while remaining forward-looking and innovative.

The album’s title “SOIZ” (Salt), functions as a central metaphor. Salt preserves and heals, but it can also sting when rubbed into wounds. Anna Buchegger uses this ambivalence to explore themes of identity, belonging, and discomfort. Her songs reflect on personal experiences while simultaneously addressing broader social and political issues and critically engage with the concept of “home” and tradition.

Rather than rejecting them, Anna Buchegger questions rigid or exclusionary interpretations and reclaims them as something open, evolving, and inclusive. Several songs confront topics such as narrow-mindedness, fear, power structures, and social division, while others focus on intimacy, family relationships, and emotional vulnerability. (Peter Schreiber)

♪♫ Listen: “SOIZ” + album stream

BELARUS:

Союз (Soyuz) – “Крок” (Krok)

The band Союз (Soyuz) began as a creative collective of people obsessed with music that lives outside of time and outside of successful formulas. Their first songs were soundtracks to non-existent films and a captivating journey through everyday life — the guys could turn a story about a late-night walk in the neighborhood, a cigarette, and a black eye into an unbelievably beautiful noir, and a tiny vignette about a lighter in a pocket into a dynamic, adrenaline-driven action scene.

It was clear from the very beginning that this was a story about love for music — about the constant search of the group’s creative leader, Aliaksei Chumak. Step by step, he found himself in sunny yet wistful Brazilian music, with its smooth, refined melodies, rich orchestrations, and that unmistakable taste of the salty ocean. You could already hear these motifs on the album “II”, but the stylistic experiment fully revealed itself on “Force of the Wind” — an unhurried, contemplative, endlessly beautiful record.

The new Soyuz album is called “Krok” (“Step”). The title holds several meanings. First, the recording took place in three locations — Warsaw, São Paulo, and Stockholm — and this naturally shaped the sound of the material. Second, the album blends bright yet melancholic Brazilian melodies, jazz influences, and touches of folk tradition. Third (and most importantly), on their fourth album Soyuz switch to Belarusian-language lyrics, revealing the phonetic richness and beauty of the language. Just listen to the lead single “Kali ty zapytaješ” — you’ll feel how soft, colorful, and warm Belarusian sounds here.

“Krok” is a fascinating, multilayered work. With tasteful, varied, and precise arrangements. With melodies full of air and effortlessness. With influences drawn from different traditions and geographies — if you ran a genetic test on this record, you’d discover the most unexpected roots. Aesthetic, yet free of pretentiousness. Cosmopolitan, yet deeply aware of its own origins. A step — but not forward; rather in its own direction, beyond the horizons and beyond our expectations of how things are “supposed” to be. (Aliaksandr Charnukha)

♪♫ Listen: “Калі ты запытаеш” (If You Ask) + album stream

BELGIUM:

Dressed Like Boys – “Dressed Like Boys”

Dressed Like Boys is the intensely personal solo project of singer-songwriter Jelle Denturck, known from the band DIRK. His self-titled debut album is a profound exploration of his life as a gay man, weaving together themes of love, grief, past homophobia, and belonging, positing that art and societal issues are intrinsically linked.

Musically, the record is both nostalgically lush and refreshingly modern, blending sophisticated ’70s piano ballads and arrangements (evoking Elton John and Randy Newman) with indie folk and sunshine pop. Denturck’s sound, which uses experimental techniques, lush strings, and soaring choral vocals, showcases remarkable maturity as a storyteller and musician without ever becoming overly ornate or dated.

The record is marked by several powerful, confessional tracks. “Nando” is a tender declaration of love to his partner, while the standout ballad “Pride” functions as a fierce protest song, recounting experiences of physical assault and queer bigotry. Its core message – “Please don’t pick a fight / Swallow your pride” – is a desperate plea for protection recognized by many queer individuals.

Beyond these personal confessions, Denturck delivers sophisticated indie pop on tracks like “Lies,” which uses strings and a compelling guitar solo to explore acceptance and guilt. Reflective moments like the ballad “Pinnacles” question societal conformity, while “Jaouad” pays tribute to the multidisciplinary queer icon Jaouad Alloul, delivering sharp sociopolitical commentary that skewers hypocrisy, including a reference to the “Drain pipe Orban” scandal.

The album also touches on historical context with “Stonewall Riots Forever,” a magnificent art-pop anthem honoring the 1969 Stonewall Riots, featuring delicate piano and cello work by Tamino. The finale, “Gregor Samsa,” draws inspiration from Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”, exploring themes of alienation and not fitting into society’s constructed frameworks.

With unflinching honesty and musical sophistication, Denturck transcends typical singer-songwriter fare. Dressed Like Boys is hailed as a rare debut – intimate yet universally resonant – cementing Denturck as a vital and essential voice in contemporary songwriting. (Brett Summers)

♪♫ Listen: “Lies” + album stream

BOLIVIA:

Los Thuthanaka – “Los Thuthanaka”

Following Elysia Crampton’s career hasn’t been an easy task. Her musical career has gone through many aliases, identities and sounds, with each project feeling like a rupture, with Crampton seeming to disappear and re-emerge somewhere else. In her latest release, the critically acclaimed “Los Thuthanaka”, this time with her brother Joshua Chuquimia Crampton, she continues that path of reinvention—quietly, radically, and on her own terms and timings.

Available only on Bandcamp (physical copies have been sold out for long), “Los Thuthanaka”, the duo’s self-titled debut, brings us eight tracks — five of them beyond the eight-minute mark — where the music unwinds slowly and almost defiantly. Traditional Bolivian rhythms like huayño, caporales, kullawada and salay are pulled apart and reimagined through electronic textures and distorted rhythms, with a dense an immersive sound design. This feels less like fusion and more like memory reshaped by time and technology, something ancient and futuristic at the same time.

Los Thuthanaka’s self titled album is not a easy listening experience, but, definitely, a rewarding one, specially after repeated times. Equally overwhelming, original and attractive, it patiently reveals a deeply compelling sonic world, abrasive, hypnotic, and strangely intimate at the same time.

In recent history, few artists of Bolivian descent have reached the level of international recognition achieved by Crampton (aka as Chuquimamani-Condori) and her many projects (media outlets like Pitchfork can’t seem to have enough of her), following a path once carved by figures like Luzmila Carpio (Bolivian born). With “Los Thuthanaka”, that lineage is acknowledged and also transformed, pushing Bolivian musical traditions into new experimental territories without diluting their cultural weight. (Pato Peters)

♪♫ Listen: “Salay Titi Ch’iri Siqititi” + album stream

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA:

[machina] – “Folklor”

When two young metal musicians, with only a handful of concerts behind them, left war-torn Bosnia and Herzegovina for Germany and decided to stay there after the war, it is unlikely they imagined they would be “reborn” as musicians in their homeland two decades later. Even less so through a project they had been using for years as a platform for implementing their experimental, alternative conceptual ideas — released exclusively online and under a consciously chosen anonymity, as Edvard Vulgarius and Tony Mahagony, two main authors of [machina].

The duo’s return to the live stage in 2024 — now accompanied by five friends from different parts of the world, all outstanding instrumentalists — turned out to be a truly enlightening experience. Sold-out shows in three cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as a concert in Belgrade, and an audience reacting as if witnessing the actual resurrection of long-internalized idols, gave [machina] a powerful boost. This momentum inspired them, now in their fifties, to embark on a new creative adventure: working on their fifth album, this time in a bit more conventional way than during the long period of deliberately cultivated anonymity.

[machina] has since emerged from the underground. After four concerts the previous year, they doubled that number across the Balkans in 2025, reaffirming to themselves — and demonstrating to others — that this is a remarkably mature project. Today, [machina] successfully synthesizes musical experimentation with an unusually strong lyrical presence, moving freely between deep philosophical themes and open satire and irony, further reinforced by carefully selected collaborations with important authors from the regional scene.

All of this naturally led to the album “Folklor”, a release that does not feel like a momentary creative impulse, but rather the logical outcome of a long, unconventional, and persistently built journey. For that reason, “Folklor” transcends the framework of a typical album-of-the-year pick — standing instead as a testament to how time, patience, and trust in one’s own process can still result in music of genuine weight. (Samir Čulić)

♪♫ Listen: “Mrli Novi Svijet” + album stream

BRAZIL:

Luedji Luna – “Antes Que A Terra Acabe”

In a year defined by musical surprises, Brazilian artist Luedji Luna delivered one of the boldest moves of 2025: releasing not one, but two deeply connected albums within just weeks of each other — a conceptual double take on love, desire, and human contradictions. “Antes Que a Terra Acabe arrives” as the more grounded, hedonistic counterpoint to its predecessor, “Um Mar Pra Cada Um” — peeling back the layers of longing with honesty and raw sensuality.

Here, Luna blends elements from lo-fi, bossa nova, afrobeat, amapiano, neo-soul, and jazz into a cohesive listening journey that feels both intimate and universal. Collaborations with icons like Seu Jorge, Arthur Verocai, Milton Nascimento, Alaíde Costa, MC Luanna and Rapsody expand the album’s sonic palette and global resonance, while Luna’s lyrics explore desire not just as idealized feeling but as lived, imperfect experience.

The result is a record that not only reflects the rich diversity of contemporary Brazilian music but also marks a fearless artistic statement — one that makes “Antes Que a Terra Acabe” a standout on the nacional stage this year. (Peagá Pinheiro)

♪♫ Listen: “Apocalipse” + album stream

BULGARIA:

Mono and the Stereos – “She’s a Bird”

Mono and the Stereos released their debut EP just a few months after first stepping onstage, bringing new dynamics to the songs of frontman and guitarist Mono Nikolov who had been testing out solo in Sofia’s dimly lit venues before forming the band.

Featuring members drawn from some of the most promising local acts of the past two years, Mono and the Stereos have found a sweet spot between folk rock and Americana. Their sound is indebted to the legacy of Bob Dylan and the Beatles, while sharing a similar spirit with contemporary bands like Geese in their more noisy moments.

Especially in a live setting, the group’s chemistry is unmistakable. A string of new releases is lined up for 2026. (Svetoslav Todorov)

♪♫ Listen: “Yellow Dusty Road” + album stream

CANADA:

Antoine Corriveau – “Oiseau de nuit”

On his fourth album, our slightly depressed prince of darkness seems to have found a refreshing musical freedom, collaborating left and right, playing with his song’s structures, letting the surprises flow, not taking into account the current trends and basically doing whatever the fuck he wants. And it works.

“Oiseau de nuit” is an incredible album, an effusive, deeply original collection of iconoclastic songs. Each listening makes you discover new details, the songs layered thick with rhythms, unusual instruments, wild percussions, and tons of personality. There is even a short film for one of the songs, “Pastorale”.

After that punch to the guts, one can’t help but wonder where Antoine Corriveau will take us next. (Pierre-Alexandre Buisson)

♪♫ Listen: “Suzo” + album stream

CHILE:

Candelabro – “Deseo, Carne y Voluntad”

“Deseo, Carne y Voluntad” (meaning “Desire, Flesh and Will”) is Candelabro’s second album, already considered the revelation of Chilean rock.

Its 14 songs explore themes of loss and spiritual searching, speaking directly to new generations seeking refuge, often through crises.

This band has embraced the renewal of the indie scene with a distinct style, incorporating more progressive structures and jazz-rock influences, drawing on the legacy of bands like Los Jaivas, Congreso, and Jorge González. (Marcelo Millavil M.)

♪♫ Listen: “Tumba” + album stream

CHINA:

Riot In School (返校日) – “Punk Rock Blasphemy” (亵渎朋克摇滚)

Grungy alt-rock outfit Riot in School shoot for the stars on their bold, ferocious, and explosive sophomore LP – “Punk Rock Blasphemy”.

Simultaneously tapping into something more elemental lyrically whilst throwing one curve ball after another genre-wise – the band deftly mixes roaring rock with brooding alternative pop – evolving into something bigger as they blend in ambient textures, hip-hop verses, jazz breakdowns, and other such deviations. It comes at you like a freight train – you can’t help but love the audacity.

A breakthrough album that defined a year flushed with EMOtional music. (Will Griffith)

♪♫ Listen: “//刻奇秀” + album stream

COLOMBIA:

Briela Ojeda – “Andariega”

Briela Ojeda’s debut album, “Templo Komodo” (2021), was conceived as a mystical fable set in luminous landscapes. Its compositions featured minimalist instrumentation inspired by the sounds of the Latin American Andes, with occasional hints of surf rock.

“Andariega” (2025), her second album, replaces inward contemplation with a deliberate reflection on her context as an artist, a traveler, and someone responsible for her own care and feelings.

The album moves through anger and doubt in a singular way: Briela plays with words and images to create a language of her own. She turns her dyslexia into a creative resource, crafting images more precise than those found in the dictionary. She sings about care, travel and safe spaces. Musically, she looks decisively toward Latin American rock, introducing more prominent bass lines and guitars.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak Spanish: Briela’s voice and music are overwhelming, even when they give form to anger or conflict. (Fabián Páez López)

♪♫ Listen: “Andina” + album stream

COSTA RICA:

Buen Camino – “La Única Otra Cosa es Nada”

“La Única Otra Cosa es Nada” is a quiet, end-of-the-world record. On this album, Costa Rican project Buen Camino turns alternative acoustic rock and bedroom pop into a space for waiting, doubt, and emotional survival. The songs move slowly, deliberately, as if time itself has been stretched by uncertainty.

Across the record, everyday images — floods, forest fires, disconnected phone lines, long nighttime drives — become metaphors for a world that no longer feels stable. In “Nada Será Como Antes,” repetition works like a mantra, capturing the uneasy feeling of knowing that everything familiar is changing, whether we’re ready or not. “Mineral” and “Saber Perder” reflect on endurance, humility, and the strange clarity that comes from accepting loss as part of growth.

There’s a strong sense of place throughout the album, rooted in San José but resonating far beyond it. “Patos en el Lago de la Sabana” blends generational anxiety with quiet observation, turning a simple scene into a reflection on cycles, repetition, and emotional detachment.

“La Única Otra Cosa es Nada” doesn’t rush to offer answers. Instead, it sits with the discomfort — softly, patiently — finding beauty in restraint and meaning in simplicity. It’s a record for slow listening, for moments in between, for living through the uncertainty rather than escaping it. (Pablo Acuna)

♪♫ Listen: “Mineral” + album stream

CROATIA:

ABOP – “Masters of Afters”

After je bolji od party (The afterparty is better than the party), or simply ABOP, is an electronic band that raises the bar with every new release.

Their latest album, “Masters of Afters”, is the crown jewel of their career so far. Everything you hear on the records is even wilder and better live.

When electronic music is played live on real instruments, it sounds fantastic and ABOP are exactly that kind of band. (Siniša Miklaužić)

♪♫ Listen: “Zwei Kilo Zucker” + album stream

CZECH REPUBLIC:

Tomáš Niesner – “adventus mmxxv”

The best Czech album of the year as an Advent (essentially Christmas) collection? It may seem like an unexpected move, but in a time overwhelmed by loud, often kitschy seasonal songs, the new album by Czech musician Tomáš Niesner feels like a truly welcome gesture. “adventus mmxxv” offers silence, focus, and a genuinely contemplative Advent atmosphere, qualities that have become increasingly rare.

Tomáš Niesner is a prominent figure on the Czech independent music scene, known for his solo work as well as for the minimalist duo with Jakub Šimanský and his involvement in louder projects such as Vlněna and Unna. On “adventus mmxxv”, however, his music reaches its most distilled and quiet form to date. Released on November 30, the album is structured as a cycle of twenty-five pieces, inviting listeners to experience it slowly, one track per day throughout the Advent season.

The primary source of inspiration comes from Rorate chants, medieval Eastern European liturgical songs traditionally sung during early morning Advent masses. Niesner translates their melodies into minimalist guitar compositions, occasionally complemented by delicately transformed Christmas carols. Rather than reconstructing tradition, he gently rephrases it for the present day, preserving its spiritual core.

“adventus mmxxv” is also the first album Niesner recorded entirely in an analogue way, using a four-track cassette recorder with only minimal post-production. This approach emphasizes intuition, subtle imperfections, and the natural flow of sound. The result is a calming, deeply immersive recording that never demands attention, yet quietly earns it.

As such, the album stands as a counterpoint to seasonal noise: a space for slowing down, breathing deeply, and preparing for the light that is yet to come. (Anna Mašátová, Czech Radio Vltava)

♪♫ Listen: “i.xii.mmxxv” + album stream

DENMARK:

Skt. DeLarge – “Ritualer er det eneste vi har at holde om…”

Denmark isn’t a big country. And industrial hip-hop isn’t a big genre. As a Danish language music writer obsessed with e.g. Clipping, Death Grips, Backxwash and Moor Mother, it was simply inevitable that I would cross Skt. DeLarge’s path. From the very instant we were in the same room, I was terrified of getting to know him personally, since I wanted to use my position in Danish music commentary to expose his daring, gut-wrenching music to a wider audience. And it is of course considered bad form to write articles and reviews of art by musicians you know personally.

After for years erring on the side of caution regarding my ability to write without bias regarding Skt. DeLarge, I was asked to pick the greatest Danish album of 2025. And after wrapping my head around it for weeks, I concluded that it would be dishonest to pick anything other than Skt. DeLarge’s larger-than-life debut album, “Ritualer er det eneste vi har at holde om …”. Especially after witnessing a 2025 where it didn’t make as big of a splash in Denmark as it deserved – other than (quite peculiarly) in hardcore punk circles, where it has received the embrace, it has been denied in the hip-hop scene. One cannot help but think of how Dälek is a far hotter ticket at Roadburn Festival than they would ever be at Rolling Loud.

Maybe the ecosystem for industrial hip hop isn’t quite there in Denmark. Had Skt. DeLarge’s music been made equally skillfully in a language with a larger pool of potential listeners, I have no doubts that he would have aquired a devoted cult audience similar to acts such as Billy Woods, Danny Brown or Earl Sweatshirt.

Yet it would be a shame if this album were in any other language. Skt. DeLarge’s rage is often targeted directly at Denmark and Danish culture – whether it be racism masquerading as national pride, a narrow-minded music industry, rampant transphobia, gendered barriers for emotional expression or just the simple fact of having to live and breathe each day in a society that seems built to tear down its own subjects. All of these topics are pondered through poetically ferocious lyrics that are equally parts harrowing in their own self-destruction, and freeing in their righteous anger towards an unjust world.

Any enjoyer of noisy, energetic music, regardless of their mother tongue, may find themselves captivated by the soundplay on “Ritualer er det eneste vi har at holde om…”. Many songs downright reject a basis in typical hip hop traditions in favour of exploring clanking, screeching electronics, thunderous layers of noisy feedback. The vocal stylings similarly vary from spoken word-esque inflections to hardcore-influenced screaming and even dabbling in nordic folk singing with the sombre, disquieting ballad “At falde sammen”.

With full disclosure that I have on more than one occasion had friendly conversations with the artist behind it, I cannot think of a more musically exciting and emotionally resonant Danish album from 2025. It is an album crammed with symbolism worth diving into and excillerating, noisy passages that still pack a thrill on the third or fourth listen. Never have I heard a industrial hip-hop album of this quality from my home country. (Kjartan F. Stolberg, Soundvenue)

♪♫ Listen: “[De/Der] [De/Dem]” + album stream

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:

Gaby De Los Santos – “Buenas Intenciones”

Gaby De Los Santos emerges as one of the most compelling voices in the new Dominican rock scene. On “Buenas Intenciones”, she leaves behind the acoustic intimacy of “Tropezando” (2020) and steps into a sharper, more electric terrain. The result is a debut that feels like a necessary rupture: gritty guitars, emotionally charged arrangements, and lyrics that approach relationships with disarming directness rather than nostalgia.

Co-produced with Surya Cabral, the album balances home recordings and studio sessions, preserving an organic edge that resists over-polish. Tracks like “Juego Mental” channel restrained anger through a memorable riff and a climactic release, while “Vértigo” and “Nuevo Día” explore emotional instability and cyclical anxiety with textured guitar layers and controlled tension. “Feliz”, brief and explosive, offers a moment of catharsis, before “Todo Bien” closes the record in a haze of quiet acceptance.

Imperfect but confident, “Buenas Intenciones” thrives in the space between rock’s rawness and an increasingly refined pop sensibility. It’s a record that understands that noise can be expressive and vulnerability, loud. (Max ‘Drlacxos’ Cueto)

♪♫ Listen: “Buenas Intenciones” + album stream

ECUADOR:

Ricardo Pita – “La tierra en el alma”

“La tierra en el alma” consolidates a period of exploration in the work of Guayaquil-born Ricardo Pita. The album weaves Latin American rhythms with electronic layers to engage with the recent social context, shaped by the national strike and the experience of the pandemic.

Samba, Brazilian choro, charango, electric guitars, and synthesizers coexist in a body of work conceived as a continuous journey, where each track stands on its own yet gains meaning when heard as part of the whole.

From a personal and regional perspective, Pita presents an album that reflects on the continent’s cultural diversity, invites empathy, and frames music as a space for collective encounter and reflection. (Alejandro Puga)

♪♫ Listen: “Somos” + album stream

EGYPT:

Abyusif – “Genent El Ba’ar”

If SoundCloud rap had a Mascot, Abyusif would be it. Starting as a drummer and experimenting with rap as early as 2008 — when the genre was neither familiar nor popular in Egypt — it’s fair to say that Abyusif helped shape the local scene and push it into the mainstream, all without ever softening his sound or compromising his sharp, unconventional lyricism for wider appeal.

Abyusif’s style and career arc can be loosely compared to Lil Wayne’s: constant experimentation across genres, punchy one-liners, clever wordplay, and an endless stream of Gen-Z cultural references that make his work witty, relatable, and often mischievous. Yet, unlike many rappers who lean fully into a gangster persona, Abyusif has never confined himself to that image.

Understanding his lyrics in Arabic is essential to fully appreciating his craft, but it’s also part of what limits his global recognition. Abyusif isn’t just one of the best rappers in Egypt; he stands out as one of the strongest voices in the genre, period.

In what feels almost like a Christmas-miracle release — RTJ fashion — Abyusif dropped one of his quickly mixed and produced albums, built on the same signature formula. As one commenter perfectly put it, the album “Genent El Ba’ar” feels like a summary of his entire career, with each track exploring a different genre he has mastered.

It effortlessly outshines nearly every other release this year. (Charles Akl)

♪♫ Listen: “Hal Di Kat Hayatak” + album stream

ESTONIA:

Duo Ruut – “Ilmateade”

The Glastonsbury-conquering and Guardian-approved Duo Ruut are on their way to becoming as much of a sensation internationally as they are at home.

The duo have to be seen live to experience the whole breadth and depth of their quiet, unassuming yet transcendent magic, but “Ilmateade” captures the beauty and the purity at its core.

An assured, mature work by artists on the cusp of greatness. (Andrei Liimets)

♪♫ Listen: “Udu” + album stream

ETHIOPIA:

Meklit – “A Piece of Infinity”

Born in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, but raised in the US where she arrived as a 2-year-old refugee, Meklit Hadero remains dedicated to her African roots. “I grew up listening to old tapes of Ethiopian music that were like our touchstone to home, at the same time as listening to American radio and then later falling in love with jazz music and singer-songwriter music,” she recently said in an interview with NPR.

On her magnificent new album “A Piece of Infinity”, certainly one of her best yet, she further explores the legacy of traditional Ethiopian music or rather multiple distinct legacies. Even the fact that she sings in several local languages – Kambaata, Amharic, Oromo (and English) – speaks for itself.

While Meklit clearly has a tremendous respect for her heritage, she has never wanted to be a mere musical museologist. Thus, you should consider “A Piece of Infinity” both a traditional and experimental album, one that evokes memories yet is strongly situated in the 21st century. As Meklit says, “culture is alive.” (T. Mecha)

♪♫ Listen: “Abebayehosh” + album stream

Other recommended albums:
• Mulatu Astatke – “Mulatu Plays Mulatu”
• Ukandanz – “Evil Plan”
• Kutu – “Marda”

FINLAND:

Ø – “Sysivalo”

“Sysivalo” is the posthumous, final album by Mika Vainio (1963–2017), a maverick of experimental, minimalist electronic music. The title, coined by Vainio for the record that he nearly got finished, is a portmanteau, a play on the Finnish compound word for pitch black, with “dark” replaced by “light”.

Compiled by his partner, artist Rikke Lundgreen, and Sähkö label founder Tommi Grönlund, the album consists of 20 short tracks recorded in 2014–2017. It opens with a series of études, ambient studies that perhaps hint at paths he was exploring at the time of his sudden passing.

There are also flashes of the past. “T-Bahn’s” deconstructed techno and “Dual’s” throbbing bass recall his earlier output, both solo and with Ilpo Väisänen as Pan Sonic. In between, “Kohtalo” (“Fate”) plays a familiar Christian hymn on a music box, and Anthem samples grainy fragments of records – and a dog barking in the distance.

The mood is contemplative and introspective, of darkness pierced by shimmers of hope. The album closes with “Loputon” (“Endless”), an eerily beautiful coda for an illustrious career in the shadows that was cut abruptly. (Erkko Lehtinen)

♪♫ Listen: “Sysivalo” + album stream

FRANCE:

Oklou – “choke enough”

From the very beginning, Oklou’s music has captivated listeners with its ability to convey so much with so little. Through minimalist arrangements and airy structures, each carefully crafted sonic detail fills the space like an a cappella liturgical chant echoing through a cathedral. A “less is more” approach to production that serves her melodic sensibility and immersive soundscapes, and that has few equals in today’s pop and electronic music scene. This was already striking on the delicate “Galore” – a “mixtape” that had all the depth of a fully realized album – cited by beehype as one of the best French releases of 2020. That same rare talent is at work again on “choke enough”, though this time with a slight shift from synthpop to dance music.

This refinement, a way of preserving only the essential, extends to the structural approach of each track. Oklou’s obsession with the perfect melodic phrase – rooted as much in her classical training as in her love for so-called “repetitive” electronic music – leads her to build many of her songs around a handful of hypnotic notes and synthetic arpeggios. One might think of the melodic genius of Panda Bear’s loops during his Tomboy/Grim Reaper era, or even the structures of medieval nursery rhymes and lullabies. Sonically, it both recalls the synthpop clarity of Grimes’ “Visions” or retro RPG games—using brass instruments (“Obvious”, “ict”…) and crystalline textures (the Zelda-like “plague dogs”, with its “fairy fountain sounds”), and the hyperpop/clubbing world of her PC Music friends like A. G. Cook and Danny L Harle (electronic anthem “Harvest Sky”).

These loops, rarely lasting more than 2-3 minutes, create a kind of intelligent frustration. The listener feels compelled to play them over and over again, or to imagine their continuation in their own mind. This approach, paradoxically reflecting both a certain restraint and a deep confidence in the finished piece, gives her music a mental and obsessive quality. It highlights how Oklou’s work simultaneously taps into the essence of the pop hook and electronic trance, sometimes finding these pop sensibilities even in the most minimalist and experimental productions. The addictive track “Obvious”, with its subtle trumpet and pulsatile bass lines responding to a memorable – and yet sparse—singing, is a dazzling example of this.

For those accustomed to more conventional pop or indie scenes – both of which, in their own ways, can feel formulaic – “choke enough” might be a disorienting listen. But one song should be enough to win over any listener. Stripped of her usual sonic magic tricks, the album’s stunning closing track lays bare Oklou’s compositional talent in its purest form. “blade bird” unveils an almost flawless melody, built on simple guitar chords and a strikingly percussive beat, punctuated by subtle sound effects – birdsong, deep electronic bass—that are beautifully highlighted in the mix. A marvel of pop songwriting and sound design, whose simplicity is all the more moving as it contrasts with the overall sophistication of choke enough.

Placed at the very end, it ensures that the album – one of the very best French releases in recent years – will stay with the listener for a long time. (Gil Colinmaire)

♪♫ Listen: “obvious” + album stream

GEORGIA:

Skazz – “Maxe”

Skazz’s latest album, “Maxe”, is raw, uncompromising, and unmistakably Georgian. With three new band members joining Saba and Nodo, the core of Skazz delivers a record rooted firmly in punk, with sharp post-punk edges. Yet what truly defines Maxe is not its genre, but its feeling.

This is music that feels inseparable from its place of origin and could only emerge from Georgia. Maxe could not have been made anywhere else, nor by anyone else. It is shaped by Georgia’s cities and suburbs, by concrete streets, restless youth, and lives marked by social and economic pressure. Rather than explaining its context, “Maxe” lets the environment speak through sound and emotion.

Sonically, “Maxe” is rough in the best possible way. Guitars scrape and bite, the bass and drums are heavy and physical, and the vocals are direct, emotional, and unfiltered. Skazz balance modern Georgian alternative energy with echoes of older underground scenes, creating a sound that feels both contemporary and deeply rooted.

The lyrics deepen the album’s impact. Built on layered references to everyday survival, politics, culture, and human behavior, they avoid clear statements or slogans. Instead, they invite close listening, encouraging the audience to find their own reflections within the songs.

“Maxe” feels purely Georgian. It reflects the experience of growing up in hard times without romanticizing it or seeking approval. There are many reasons to listen to this album. But if there is one that matters most, it is this: Maxe is honest. (Mebo Nutsubidze)

♪♫ Listen: “Talga” + album stream

GERMANY:

Rosa Anschütz – “Sabbatical”

It is an irony of history that many people know Rosa Anschütz primarily for her techno remixes. The 2019 Rush mix of her track “Rigid” by Berlin DJ Kobosil has now been listened to almost 27 million (!) times on Spotify alone. But the 28-year-old Berliner doesn’t actually see herself at home in techno. At least not primarily.

She comes more from a post-punk and darkwave background. Her icons include heavy metal singer Doro Pesch and country queen Dolly Parton, Nico (from The Velvet Underground) and Siouxsie (from Siouxsie and the Banshees). Anschütz started playing the piano as a child. Then she added the flute. Later, she played trumpet in a big band and guitar in a rock band. At some point, she added a bass, which she treated herself to in Japan. And then modular synthesizers. Not to mention her hypnotic voice.

“Sabbatical,” magnificent avant-garde pop, completed in Strausberg, Brandenburg, just east of Berlin, is her international debut album. Unlike her previous albums, it is not being released on a German label, but rather on the Californian label Heartwarm Press in Los Angeles. Anschütz rightly sees this as praise for the quality of her English lyrics – and her album as “the conclusion of a youth in Berlin”. Because: “A Berlin youth can also be pretty extreme.” And she should know.

What we know: Rosa Anschütz’s album is enchantingly beautiful and definitely worth listening to. (Stefan Hochgesand)

♪♫ Listen: “Chase Pioneers” + album stream

GHANA:

Florence Adooni – “A.O.E.I.U.”

Florence Adooni’s “A.O.E.I.U.” (An Ordinary Exercise In Unity) comes across as a calm but deeply meaningful work, one that speaks strongly about continuity, care, and who we are. Drawing from highlife and the Fra Fra traditions of northern Ghana, the album does not try to reinvent anything for effect. Instead, it shows a strong confidence in identity and a willingness to go deeper into it.

Adooni’s voice is warm and steady, never trying too hard to impress, and it carries the songs with patience. The music is allowed to breathe, with rhythm, call-and-response, and gentle instrumental conversations doing most of the work. The production gives respect to space and texture, bringing together traditional sounds and light modern touches without polishing away their natural roughness.

“A.O.E.I.U.” asks you to listen closely and, in return, offers something communal, grounded, and very human. It gradually reveals itself as something quietly radical, simply because of its honesty and sincerity. (T. Mecha)

♪♫ Listen: “Vocalize My Luv” + album stream

GREECE:

MOb – “MOb II”

Though it was released in late November 2025 via Veego Records, “MOb II”, the second full-length studio album by MOb, managed to capture the attention, hearts, and minds of most of the music lovers and critics who participated in our custom year-end exploration and annual Best-Of gathering here at beehype. The forward-thinking trio from Athens, following their 2023 debut, evolved from a well-hidden secret within local music circles into a well-known name in the underground scene, also earning a strong reputation for their powerful live performances.

Blending jazz with punk, electronic sounds, and touches of old-school hip-hop, MOb offer an impressive kaleidoscope that reflects different shades and images across the album’s seven tracks. As stated in the press release, “MOb II” was produced by the band themselves and mixed by Bruno Ellingham (Massive Attack, UNKLE, New Order) and Malcolm Catto (The Heliocentrics, DJ Shadow, Madlib), further highlighting the band’s signature energy and creative depth.

The trio consists of Marios Valinakis (saxophone, synthesizers, live electronics), Alexandros Delis (bass, effects), and Panagiotis Kostopoulos (drums). Together, they create an almost otherworldly atmosphere, where boldness, raw power, and vitality alternate with calmer, more complex structures and cinematic soundscapes. Improvisation and experimentation run throughout the album’s nearly 33 minutes – and it works remarkably well.

The closing track, “The Listener” (feat. Yusef Lateef), along with the opening “Tipping Point,” stand out as the album’s most awe-inspiring moments. Still, “MOb II” truly rewards a full, uninterrupted listen. It is a complete musical experience, one that momentarily pulls us away from the often shallow nature of everyday life and current affairs.

As for the rest of our list, you can dance to the darkwave grooves of Π.Ι.Ε.Β. & VIKTORAS, travel through Pan Pan’s romantic urban pop, drift along with AEON’s beats, where modern rhythms echo alongside traditional sounds from Crete, immerse yourself in Yako Trio, Harris Lambrakis & James Wylie’s jazz explorations, or embrace the melancholic beauty of Kalliopi Mitropoulou’s dreamy post-pop. There is something here for every listener and every mood. (Ares Buras)

♪♫ Listen: “Tipping Point” + album stream

Selected by: Angelos Kyrousis (avopolis.gr), Ares Buras (beehype), Eve Papagianni (avopolis.gr), Evi Choursanidi (Άκου Αυτό), Haris Symvoulidis (Athinorama), Marianna Vasileiou (Mic Music Portal), Michalis E (Rodon Fm), Michalis Kouris (LUNG Fanzine).

HONG KONG:

GDJYB 雞蛋蒸肉餅 – “<=P:r0J3CT 2222/>“

From early on, all-female quartet GDJYB have been mixing the precision of math rock with great vocal melodies and dynamic sound. Over time more and more elements joined, offering records that always felt like a progress and never losing the effect of surprise.

Their latest work called “<=P:r0J3CT 2222/>” – recorded with some help from their fans via an ongoing crowdfunding campaign – came out at the very end of 2025 but immediately felt like another classic in their catalogue, with expansive sound, their trademark guitars and layered vocals seamlessly switching between languages.

And if you give a moment to ponder on the lyrics, you’ll discover there’s a timely message in this record too. (Ed Lo)

♪♫ Listen: “Last Train” + album stream

HUNGARY:

Дeva (Deva) – “Avar”

Дeva was already presented to the beehype community back in 2021. This year brought her second album, which also increased her popularity. As a much more established artist, with a bigger audience, she is still undoubtedly her artistic self, with her unique and recognisable sound.

“Avar” follows up on the themes of the first album, but feels more mature and maybe a bit more universal. It still implements a lot from Hungarian folk music traditions, but the production is a bit darker and, in many aspects, more international. The down-tempo elements are stronger and more present, and there are new trance motives and instruments like the harp that make Дeva’s music even more experimental.

After her successful first LP, the second one was in a hard position. This one is, though, similar; the darker new voice that she articulates makes it sound like an older, more serious sister to the first album. In an interview, she mentioned that while her first album was looking for answers in the highs, this one is more down-to-earth, and goes to the deep seeking the answers to its questions.

I am just happy to follow her anywhere she leads, a light optimistic sound like her previous project suits her just as much as this darker, deeper lonelier new one. (Márton Biró)

♪♫ Listen: “Sárkány” + album stream

ICELAND:

Birnir – “Dyrnar”

His first album in four years, Birnir’s “Dyrnar” follows his critically acclaimed record “Bushido” which swept music lovers, from die-hard rap fans to hip-hop skeptics, into a unified admiration of the young artist.

With a run time of an hour and 18 minutes, “Dyrnar” is a massive piece of music. While it fluctuates between its highs and lows, “Dyrnar” is simultaneously sporadic and laser-focused, mixing disparate influences, atmospheres and subject matter into an almost effortless flow.

Almost overshadowing the album itself is its cover art, featuring a real, bronze-cast sculpture by artist Ragnhildur Stefánsdóttir. Conceived by creative director Doddi Digital, the artwork is a testament to Birnir’s commitment to the culture of hip-hop. In accompaniment to the album release, Birnir’s hometown Kópavogur acquired the bust for the purpose of showcasing it in a public area. (Jóhannes Bjarki Bjarkason, The Reykjavík Grapevine)

♪♫ Listen: “Vopn” + album stream

INDIA:

Rounak Maiti – “Brute Fact / Home Truth”

Rounak Maiti’s album “Brute Fact / Home Truth” came outta nowhere, and reminded me why he’s one of the country’s most singular and unique voices in a landscape of label-pushed, marketing heavy release cycles.

The album stands strong, with distinctive Maiti-esque traits harking to his past work, and yet absorbed me into an embrace like a familiar friend. With equally inspiring production, collaborations and the like, Maiti cements himself and this record as a force to be reckoned with, as years pass by.

While I wish the album, and the artist, had a wider listener base, perhaps it is good if some things are gatekept, much like this album. (Naman Saraiya)

♪♫ Listen: “Self-Medicate” + album stream

INDONESIA:

Jason Ranti X Dongker – “I Don’t Know and I Dongker”

This album is a collision of two restless forces. Jason Ranti, the folk troubadour celebrated for his satirical wordplay and sharp social commentary, meets Dongker, a punk unit born out of art school corridors and fueled by a deep reservoir of anger and dissent. When irony clashes with raw rage, the result is not compromise, but escalation.

The collaboration does not merely blur genre lines; it tears straight through them. From thematic ambition to arrangement choices, “I Don’t Know and I Dongker” pushes both parties far beyond their familiar territories. Ranti’s biting diction turns more confrontational when framed by Dongker’s abrasive urgency, while Dongker’s fury gains narrative precision through Ranti’s lyrical wit. What emerges is music that feels volatile yet deliberate, chaotic yet tightly controlled.

More than a successful crossover, this album stands as a marker of where Indonesian music is heading. Progressive, fearless, and fully open to contemporary spaces, it never lets go of its core identity. It is a reminder that Indonesian musicians have long been, and remain, socially alert. They question power, mock absurdity, and articulate collective frustration. In 2025, “I Don’t Know and I Dongker” does not just sound urgent; it feels necessary. (Shindu Alpito)

♪♫ Listen: “Disarankan Di Bandung” + album stream

IRAN

Avin Ahmadi – “Liminal”

“Liminal” is a deeply personal and immersive musical journey that blends jazz and Persian fusion into intimate soundscapes. The album invites listeners into a reflective space where past memories and present emotions converge, capturing moments of vulnerability, growth, and artistic exploration. Released on October 24, 2025, it is both a product of its generation and a quiet rebellion against it—a Gen Z album that defies the conventions of the Gen Z music norms.

Born in Tehran in the winter of 2004, Avin Ahmadi is an Iranian Oud player, vocalist, composer, and improviser based in Vienna. Her music navigates the intersection of Persian classical motifs, Middle Eastern rhythms and maqams, jazz and improvisation, creating a unique, cross-cultural artistic voice.

On “Liminal”, Ahmadi leads with Oud, vocals, and her original compositions, collaborating with Reza Tavakoli on piano and co-writing, András Dés on percussion, Kristina Lind on double bass, and Haider Khan on tabla. Her vision drives the project: she is not only the singer and composer but the guiding force behind the album, shaping its sound, structure, and emotional landscape.

This is particularly significant considering the challenges faced by female artists in Iran, especially singers. Ahmadi’s presence at the helm of the project represents more than her personal artistry — it is a voice for struggling Iranian female musicians, a statement of resilience, and a bold assertion of female creative leadership in a space that often silences it.
Regarding the album, Ahmadi explains:

“Liminal, to me, means existing in the space between; between who I was and who I’m becoming; between the intimate act of creation and the vulnerability of it.” This perspective permeates the album, guiding listeners through its evocative soundscapes and layered storytelling.

Throughout “Liminal”, Avin Ahmadi weaves stories from distant and imagined landscapes, blending her Persian musical heritage with contemporary improvisation. The result is a compelling, cross-cultural listening experience that is both deeply personal and generational—a work that speaks for a new generation while boldly challenging its norms. (Ali Eshqi)

♪♫ Listen: “My Inner Mount Everest” + album stream

ITALY:

Giulia Impache – “In: Titolo”

Back in February, we were instantly thrilled by Giulia’s Impache debut album. Fast forward to the end of the year, and “IN:Titolo” is still on top of our 2025 Italian albums’ list. Its ability to create experimental and ambitious music while never going off-track remained unmatched, and we’re very happy to crown this young musician from Torino with the number 1 spot.

It presents musical pieces that are always perfectly focused in their lack of adherence to pre-established patterns. These ten tracks, totaling thirty-eight minutes, convey everything about how beautiful it can be to create and listen to music without boundaries.

The vast range of musical languages, vocal tones, cleanliness, intensity and saturation of the sound and melodic definition, contribute to a fascinating, enveloping, and compelling work of art, that surprises not only because it showcases a lot of different ideas, but, mainly, because they are all successful and condensed with an uncommon balance and effectiveness.

The average quality of Italian releases was great this year. Here, we can only mention 5 more albums, and we’re happy to do it, but we advise our readers to go even deeper, and they’ll find lots of shiny jewels if they do it. The poetic psychedelia from Andrea Laszlo De Simone, the merge between sophisticated arrangements and warm and deep hip-hop style vocals from Studio Murena, the thunderous and thought-inspiring melodic rock from Gazebo Penguins, the elegant retro-modernism from Elli De Mon and the watercolour intensity from Lucio Corsi…

These are just the top of the iceberg for an Italian music scene which is truly healthy at the moment. (Stefano Bartolotta & Indie Roccia)

♪♫ Listen: “Occhi” + album stream

JAPAN:

Khaki – “Hakko”

Avant-garde rock band Khaki seems to embrace everything from modal jazz to classic and progressive rock from around the world. On the other hand, they seem to draw influence from contemporary Japanese bands as well.

Among the bands who shared new albums this year, Khaki also possesses the lyricism of Art-School and the grand musicality of betcover!!, evoking jazz or film scores.

Kanekoayano, who is close to betcover!!, has also released a splendid album, and two rock bands with longer careers than Art-School, Sunny Day Service and Grapevine, have also released new masterpieces this year.

Returning to Khaki, the title of their second full-length album “Hakko” means “Shine a Light”. It is a ray of light that illuminates the future of music. Indeed, with them and various rock bands around, the Japanese rock scene will remain bright and lively. (Toyokazu Mori)

♪♫ Listen: “ 裸、道すがら” + album stream

JORDAN:

zeyne – “AWDA” (عودة)

With her Jordanian-Palestinian origins, Zeyne draws on familiar Middle Eastern melodic sensibilities, blending them with alternative R&B and electronic pop in a way that feels natural and unforced – something Rosalía did with flamenco and Latin American inspirations.

“AWDA” (عودة) is a striking, bold debut, constantly moving between moments of introspection and emotional release. The production remains quite minimal and atmospheric for a pop record with potentially global ambitions – some of her songs have already appeared in international R&B charts.

“AWDA” unfolds like a personal journey: intimate and reflective, it introduced Zeyne as an artist with a a clear artistic direction. (Lina Rim)

♪♫ Listen: “Hilwa” + album stream

LATVIA:

Domenique Dumont – “Deux Paradis”

Don’t be misled – Domenique Dumont is neither a French singer nor a band. Behind the francophone name are two talented Latvian musicians – Artūrs Liepiņš and Anete Stuce. Still, the name of the band does not lie, because the duo consciously plays with a sound that resembles frenchness. But there is one word that most closely links Domenique Dumont’s music to frenchness – charm.

Unlike earlier Domenique Dumont releases, “Deux Paradis” feels lighter and aesthetically more cohesive. This is lightly rhythmic electro-pop, a perfect dance music for introverts and solitary wanderers. The dreamy vocals and retro-groovy textures create a feeling of a pleasant world that seems safe, calm, and threatless.

Sadly, this album gives refuge for a brief time, because “Deux Paradis” is unforgivably short. Still, the time spent in this music is a truly magical experience. (Raivis Spalvēns)

♪♫ Listen: “Amants Ennemis” + album stream

LEBANON:

Ziad Naboulsi – “Connex”

Ziad Naboulsi is a Lebanese producer from Tripoli, in the North of Lebanon. His debut EP, “Connex”, takes its name from the bus company that links the North to Beirut: a fitting metaphor for the constant movement and tension between the two cities that shape his daily reality. The record opens with an intro built around a sampled voice enthusiastically praising the Mughrabiye sandwich, a staple of Tripoli’s street food culture. It’s a playful but precise entry point, anchoring the EP in lived, local reality.

Across the project, track titles and carefully layered production reinforce one another: shaabi fragments intersect with hip-hop rhythms, sketching a sonic portrait of Tripoli subtly marked by Beiruti influence. Moving between the traditional and the lightly experimental, “Connex” unfolds as a journey; from neighborhood streets to the spice market, through the main northern checkpoint, and into Beirut’s accelerated pace. Moments of pause, including a brief tea-time interlude, offer breathing room before the EP fades into silence, suggesting the need for withdrawal after the weight of constant movement.

Beyond its geographic references, “Connex” functions as a mental escape from the anxiety of urban life. This tension surfaces in the abrupt shifts between laid-back passages and more intense sequences, sometimes occurring within seconds, mirroring the instability of the environments Naboulsi navigates.

Still early in his career and largely overlooked, Naboulsi delivers a confident and thoughtful debut — one that makes a strong case for closer attention. (Yara Mrad, Beirut & Beyond)

♪♫ Listen: “Sou2 el 3ettarin” + album stream

LITHUANIA:

Livija Gemma – “Dangus jau rausta”

Livija Šiaudvirtaitė, better known as Livija Gemma, sings with a voice wrapped as if in a silken quilt. Her musical compositions form a vivid journey through electronic, indie, ambient, and folk landscapes, accompanied by gentle melancholy and sensitivity. All of this comes together in her debut album “Dangus jau rausta”, released in March – a record that speaks of loneliness, loss, and a quiet, luminous hope, a feeling deeply encoded in Livija’s own character.

The album was deeply inspired by her folkloric roots, her grandfather’s birch grove, and her relationship with melancholy – a place where Livija feels at home. Between the nature of her native Kuliai and the hurried rhythm of Vilnius, Livija found her voice, one that has already captivated more than a few musicians and critics alike. Now is the time for that voice to travel further.

On “Dangus jau rausta”, Livija sings herself and plays both piano and guitar. She also produced the record on her own. All that remains for us is to listen and drift through a dream where calmness, release, and loss intertwine with unexpected electronic compositions and live instruments. Such purity, simplicity, and sincerity are something I have not encountered in Lithuanian music for a long time. (Rūta Giniūnaitė)

♪♫ Listen: “Dangus Jau Rausta” + album stream

MALAYSIA:

Commemorate – “Commemorate”

Less than two years after being formed, Kuala Lumpur shoegaze five-piece Commemorate released a self-titled debut album that sounds like a work of some seasoned band – no-one’s new to music here, with different other projects behind their backs.

Having a female singer and playing shoegaze immediately makes you remind people about My Bloody Valentine, and while they’re clearly among Commemorate’s favourites, they seem to be drifting closer to (dream) pop, and they’ve managed to shape their sound the way it avoids obvious clichés.

Lush guitars, ethereal vocals, and simple yet emotionally resonant songwriting, their music feels both deeply personal and like a shared emotional experience. (A. Y.)

♪♫ Listen: “Lights” + album stream

Other recommended albums:
• Ramayan – “Ini Adalah Ujian Transmisi!”
• lucidrari – “teletext”

MALI:

Songhoy Blues – “Héritage”

“Héritage” shows Songhoy Blues looking back to where they come from. On this fourth album, the band steps away from the heavy electric drive of their earlier work and moves closer to an acoustic, tradition-based sound. Desert blues sits comfortably alongside folk textures, with instruments such as kora, balafon, and flute adding colour and depth. It feels natural, not forced, like music returning home.

“Héritage” comes across as a sincere tribute to Mali’s rich musical traditions, full of life and feeling even without relying so much on rock energy. Tracks like “Toukambela,” “Norou,” and “Dagabi” highlight the band’s melodic sensitivity and their deep respect for traditional sounds, while the lyrics speak clearly about displacement, community, and cultural pride.

“Héritage” marks a mature stage in Songhoy Blues’ journey, celebrating musical ancestry without losing the joy, spirit, and openness that have always defined their sound. (Oumar Dembele)

♪♫ Listen: “Gara” + album stream

MEXICO:

Cuauh – “Amanecí en el Cielo”

With 11 tracks running just over half an hour, Cuauh’s debut album mixes gritty trap energy with introspective lyrics and experimental details that stretch the limits of the genre without losing its edge.

On “Amanecí en el Cielo”, Cuauh captures the mindset of a generation dealing with anxiety, and constant inner conflicts. He touches on life, death, hope, with intense, almost cathartic build-ups.

Cuauh’s delivery comes across as honest and unfiltered, making “Amanecí en el Cielo” an impressive step that shows Cuauh has the ambition to leave a real mark on contemporary Latin trap. (Camila Oliva)

♪♫ Listen: “Solo” + album stream

MOROCCO:

Brahim Laghfiri – “Bar Arawan”

Brahim Laghfiri’s new album “Bar Arawan” (باب اراوان) is a quietly powerful work that invites you into the poetic heart of Amazigh musical tradition. Deeply rooted in the traditional sounds the of Morocco’s southern mountain region, the record relies on a stripped-back approach, with subtle rhythms, through which stories are carried with great sensitivity.

Laghfiri’s singing is full of feeling, giving space for the words and melodies to reveal their depth over time. Rather than seeking modern polish or easy fusion, “Bar Arawan” feels intimate and timeless, shaped by atmosphere, memory, and a strong sense of cultural continuity.

It is an album that asks for patience and close listening, and in return offers a sincere and moving encounter with a living musical heritage. (Lina Rim)

♪♫ Listen: “Bar Arawan” + album stream

NETHERLANDS:

Droom Dit – “Het Hart Bestaat Niet En De Rest Ook Niet”

In recent years, we’ve witnessed an increasing number of acts performing in Dutch, ranging from commercial pop to indie and electronic music.

With their debut album, “Het Hart Bestaat Niet En De Rest Ook Niet” (“The Heart Doesn’t Exist and the Rest Neither”), Sam de Laat and their band Droom Dit elevate the Dutch music scene to new heights.

This heartfelt album features a captivating blend of synth pop and spoken word, exploring themes of love, fear, and identity. Without a doubt, it’s our favorite Dutch album of the year. (Jort Mokum)

♪♫ Listen: “Ik Weet Het” + album stream

NEW ZEALAND / AOTEAROA :

Marlon Williams – “Te Whare Tīwekaweka”

Over the last decade, the Māori musician Marlon Williams (Kāi Tahu, Ngāi Tai) has solidified his stature as one of the most celebrated voices in a new generation of singer-songwriters speaking from the South Pacific to the world. In a similar tradition to the outdoorsy, range-roving sensibilities of his previous three records, “Te Whare Tīwekaweka” (The Messy House), represents an antipodean blend of country and western, folk, rock and roll, and mid-to-late 20th-century pop, connecting the musical dots between America, Australia, and Aotearoa/New Zealand.

This time around, Williams made the decision to step away from English and sing in his indigenous tongue, te reo Māori. Therein, his guiding light was a traditional Māori whakatauki (proverb), “Ko te reo Māori, he matapihi ki te ao Māori,” which translates into “The Māori language is a window to the Māori world.” As displayed by the album’s lilting lead singles, “Aua Atu Rā,” “Rere Mai Ngā Rau,” and “Kāhore He Manu E” (which features the New Zealand art-pop star Lorde), he’s onto something special.

In October, Williams and his co-writer KOMMI (Kāi Tahu, Te-Āti-Awa) were awarded the most prestigious songwriting accolade in Aotearoa/New Zealand, the 2025 APRA Silver Scroll Award, for “Aua Atu Rā”. I’d be willing to wager “Te Whare Tīwekaweka” will pick up similar nods soon enough. (Martyn Pepperell)

♪♫ Listen: “Aua Atu Rā” + album stream

NIGERIA:

Obongjayar – “Paradise Now”

Inspired and genre-crossing, “Paradise Now” by Obongjayar draws from Afrobeat, soul and electronic sounds, feeling constantly in motion, and turbocharged by Obongjayar’s unmistakable voice.

The lyrics move easily between personal truths and broader social realities, reflecting the tension between individual experience and collective life that many of us recognise.

The production is clean and modern, yet it always leaves room for feeling and meaning. “Paradise Now” comes across as a confident, forward-looking and expressive, looking into the future with curiosity of not blatantly. (T. Mecha)

♪♫ Listen: “Sweet Danger” + album stream

NORTH MACEDONIA:

Zhivotni (Животни) – “Na Balkan, sam” (На Балкан, сам)

The long-awaited new project by Martin Djorlev, a central figure of Macedonia’s new wave in recent years, more than lives up to expectations. What began as a one-man concept has grown into a fully realized sound, brought to life by an all-star lineup of Macedonian musicians.

More than just another side project, the album “Na Balkan, sam” signals something larger: a collective statement that has already captured attention well beyond the studio. Their first two live performances drew significant interest within local circles, confirming that this is not only a studio triumph, but a living, evolving project.

As the band themselves describe it: “Zhivotni (“animals”, “life’s”) were born in the Balkan Spring, ready to sing about it and shed (at least a little bit of) light on it. Against genocide, the global apartheid and the poisonous, rotting political parties in this country and everywhere else. We are all animals, with a wish for a home. Wishing that we don’t have to leave.”

They’re singing: “Justice for Kočani, justice for the students in Serbia. Stop the nationalism and the fratricide in the Balkans. Free Palestine. Free everyone, everything and every place from the horrible hands of capitalism and its most avid supporters and maintainers. No whataboutism!”

Songs for us are grown by love itself. By love alone. (N. A.)

♪♫ Listen: “Ние” + album stream

NORWAY:

Fucales – “Airhead”

The Norwegian pick this year is the seaweed-drenched band Fucales with their debut album “Airhead”.

I keep being blown away by this record. The way they fuse rock, jazz, and shoegaze makes up for a unique and addicting sound that varies greatly in its dynamic ranges. “It Was Decided” and “Golden Star” are great ambassadors for the album as showcasing the band’s overall qualities, and the former is a truly special track. Fucales never rush through a song, they allow their ideas to fully develop.

Fucales love to make music together, and that shows. Three out of four members switch on having main vocals (and being the main songwriter) allowing different ideas to surface, while still managing to stay cohesive. I want to keep swimming in the ocean that is “Airhead”, and my recommendation is allowing it to grow on you. When it hits, it hits hard. (Hans Fredrik Dolven Oterholt)

♪♫ Listen: “It Was Decided” + album stream

PAKISTAN:

Miracle Mangal – “MM007”

While Pakistani artists like Hasan Raheem, Abdul Hannan, and Young Stunners have become household names, the architects behind their sound often go unrecognized. Miracle Mangal is the collective of producers responsible for these massive hits.

Born from a small Discord server in 2020, the collective filled a vital gap in a country lacking formal music infrastructure, essentially building their own. “MM007” serves as a homecoming for these producers after exploring their own creative paths. It is the most sonically experimental album to come out of Pakistan this year, staying true to the electronic spirit that launched the collective.

While Umair is perhaps the most recognizable name as a prodigy whose productions top Pakistani charts year-round, “MM007” highlights the unique signature of every member. The album spans a vast spectrum: from MALIK.’s electro-industrial style and Rithmetic’s melodic hip-hop beats, to Rovalio’s airy atmospherics and Shameer Raza Khan’s laid-back, guitar-infused electronica. Consequently, the project offers a diverse palette with something for everyone.

Despite its experimental core, “MM007” is Miracle Mangal’s most accessible body of work, largely due to the involvement of vocalists like Annural Khalid. By weaving in original features and sampling their own past hits, such as “Agency”, “Wishes”, and “2hi2”, the album pays homage to their individual histories. These prior collaborations were crucial, as they not only shifted Pakistan’s soundscape but also anchored complex electronic beats to familiar voices.

Ultimately, this proves that rather than following trends, Miracle Mangal is defining the future of Pakistani music. (Laila Dodhy)

♪♫ Listen: “EU4iA!” + album stream

PERU:

JordyLongSocks – “El Chaski”

“El Chasky” by Peruvian artist JordyLongSocks is a sonic manifesto that brilliantly and chaotically fuses experimental hip-hop with strong samples from Peru’s folk roots music.

The album is built on masterful plunderphonics, where of Chicha and Peruvian Cumbia intertwine with Phonk and Horrorcore, creating an identity-rich and aggressive instrumental hip-hop sound.

“El Chaski” captures the raw grit and slang of Peru’s neighborhoods with a defiant attitude. This blend of traditional and urban elements, though frenetic, maintains a powerful cohesion, resulting in a landmark album that reinvents Peruvian hip-hop with authenticity. (José Luis Mercado)

♪♫ Listen: “CHSK” + album stream

PHILIPPINES:

&ND – “Quarters”

Hailing from a place dubbed the city of smiles and sugar, Bacolod’s &ND delivers an EP that lives up to its hometown’s reputation: disarmingly sweet and inviting. The six-year wait before Quarters suggests that the band spent its time sifting through emotional debris before emerging with a record that felt like a long-overdue embrace.

The four songs here are swollen with feelings, so much so that they often need to be buried underneath layers of drones and haze. That suppression, however, never quite works as Bea Dolloso’s voice cuts through regardless (case in point: “Best of Luck” and “Forrest”). Each word slips in a series of glacial coos, as if carrying disclaimers of an unhurried rupture.

That intensity is set against Kevin Ingco’s signature small-room production. Known for his guitar work with Megumi Acorda and Memory Drawers, Ingco kept all the textures unpolished, drizzling the tracks with addictive lo-fi rush. The contrast with Dolloso’s expansive voice against such intimate framing becomes the EP’s secret mojo. Needless to say, the softest records usually leave memorable scars.

Part of the story is the tragic thrill that only a thousand ears have discovered their debut’s existence. Then again, streaming numbers aren’t the currency of good music, and &ND’s selection as the featured Philippine release for 2025 makes that point blatantly. (Ahmad Sohiel Tanji, Shoplifters United / We Are Imaginary)

♪♫ Listen: “Forrest” + album stream

POLAND:

Nene Heroine – “4”

It’s had to find a year that wasn’t great for Polish jazz. 2025 was no different, as we had fantastic releases from bands like Ciśnienie, Omasta, Niechęć, hoshii, Lunamë, Klawo, Błoto… where do we stop? Consider then Nene Heroine just as the representative of this very diverse, ever-searching scene.

On their new album “4”, Nene Heroine perfectly balance jazz with their other influences – from post- and progrock to dub, analogue electronic music and possibly even metal. Excellent performance – also live, go to their show if you ever have a chance – brings mesmerizing effect of their music. And that sax is just incredible.

If you’re not much a jazz fan even in such cosmopolitan and catchy rendition, you might instead try the first piano concerto of our neoclassical pianist and export star Hania Rani, refreshing indie rock of Alfah Femmes, a Polish-sung EP from alternative trio hai, minimalist singer-songwriter Minim and maximalist avant-garde metal of Uulliata Digir.

As for Nene Heroine, it’s worth mentioning that their name comes from an Albanese term “Nënë Heroinë”, which means “Mother Heroine” – it was “an honorary title given to mothers” in socialist Albania. The band emphasizes it’s got nothing to do with forbidden substances, even if their music offers similar effects. (Mariusz Herma, Artur Szarecki)

♪♫ Listen: “Post-Royal” + album stream

PORTUGAL:

Vaiapraia – “Alegria Terminal”

Overflowing is the word: with vitality, urgency, boldness. Punk at heart, but telling any etiquette manual to go fuck itself. A declaration of war on everything small-minded and neatly arranged.

I discovered Vaiapraia at the beginning of this year, at a concert in Damas, even before “Alegria Terminal” came out. I wasn’t familiar with Rodrigo Vaiapraia’s work, now I’m after many listens to the album and with three delicious concerts. It was very easy to become bewitched by Vaiapraia’s lyrics. The guy seems to write with the ease of Sérgio Godinho, playing with words and diction.

Beyond overlapping stories, the lyrics mix languages, characters, and subjects. What exactly is he singing about? That ambiguity is delicious — that space for our imagination. Those in-between lines where we can place pieces of our own lives and turn his songs into our songs.

Musically, “Alegria Terminal” is the ultimate expression of scruffy, crazy, fun rock-punk! A new punk that escapes formulas and favors “messiness and a provocative attitude.” As with the lyrics, influences, aesthetics, and eras mix and overlap. Is this finally the synthesis of punk and prog? No — I must be hallucinating – but it actually could be!

The production is austere, yet perfect for hearing the melodies, time signature changes, and every detail with clarity. Rodrigo’s modest but incisive keyboards join the delicious guitar lines of Francisca Ribeiro, which wander between pure punk, indie rock, and the beautiful ’80s goth sound, all orchestrated by a schizophrenic rhythm section courtesy of Beatriz Diniz’s bass and Ana Farinha’s drums.

At the top of this homemade salted-caramel muffin, the gleaming cherry: backing vocals the likes of which we haven’t heard in a long time! (Altamont.pt)

♪♫ Listen: “Eu Quero Eu Vou” + album stream

PUERTO RICO:

Bad Bunny – “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”

I gotta be totally honest with you. Back in 2017 or whenever it was that Bad Bunny was starting to pop up on my radar, I was most definitely not on board. I don’t recall how or when precisely (let’s give credit to the algorithm here because boy did it do its work), but one night, while cruising the Internet for my daily dose of dopamine hits as one does, I fell ass first into a YouTube music video rabbit hole starring a then-new crop of reggaetoneros (or latin traperos, rather) singing about having fucked your girlfriend and what not.

Annuel AA was there, of course. Brytiago too. Bryant Myers, remember him? Anyways, the experience drove me to flashbacks of my first Playero cassette experience some 25 years earlier. This was music passed around by precocious pre-teens – taboo on a tape – and listened to with headphones clutched down tightly, hidden from parents. Now it was exploding worldwide, to the tune of hundreds of millions of views on Youtube.

Underground music was back above ground, and I felt like clutching at some pearls. Not to say that I can’t fuck with some dirty-ass music (I’m fully on board with Tokischa’s foul-mouthed assaults and will go to bat for Villano Antillano), and I do love me some dumb fucking lyrics (Limp Bizkit forever). But something about this clique rubbed me the wrong way at a celular level and Bad Bunny was just plain guilty by association.

It did make sense to me, however, that after a solid decade of Calle 13’s urbano-planning, throughout which the boricua musical juggernaut had effectively paved over the basest of reggaeton’s tendencies with that band’s more academic leanings, fuckboy traperos were getting impatient for their time in the limelight. Plenty tried to imitate Calle 13’s live band sound and wry conscious hip-hop lyrics, but really how could anyone rise to the occasion, when their music was so deeply personal?

It was curious then to witness how Bad Bunny’s meteoric Taylor Swift-busting ascent to fame seemed to follow or at least go hand in hand with a personal political awakening that had the so-called “Conejo Malo” cancelling concerts to join Puerto Ricans in 2019’s ousting of a morally (and not just) corrupt governor from office. There he was, with Calle 13’s René Pérez, coming together at a historic crossroads in Puerto Rican politics, to help usher in a new era of patriotic seal, now tied to more progressive and anti-colonial ideals. Daddy Yankee and Tito Bambino could never.

Which leads us all the way to “Debi Tirar Más Fotos”, an album that can be succinctly described as a love letter to the Puerto Rican experience. A musical event several orders of magnitude beyond anything else we’ve collectively experienced as a country. How big, you ask? It has done more for the local economy than any single government policy in the last quarter century. That big.

It has rekindled a passion and curiosity for our history and roots that goes beyond mere nostalgia. Trust me, this album has sold Puerto Rican history books! In 2025!!! And it has achieved all of this without feeling insular, without shutting out the rest of the world – on the contrary, both the record and its historic La Residencia series of concerts held throughout the summer in Puerto Rico, invited the rest of the world to come dance with us, to come visit and sing, love, hope, cry, fight, resist, and cherish.

Look… this kid, Bad Bunny, I have to tell you – he gives me hope for the future. I can’t give a higher recommendation than that. (Alfredo Richner)

♪♫ Listen: “NUEVAYoL” + album stream

ROMANIA:

Cojo – “Erupt”

“Erupt” hits listeners right in the feels with its rollercoaster blend of conscious hip-hop with introspective lyricism. It is a bouquet album mixing therapeutic confession and social commentary.

Cojo’s flow varies between brutally honest and theatrical. He is an actor after all. One verse he’s spitting harsh metaphors, the next he’s fragile, wearing out his soul.

It’s not just hip-hop. There are bits of spoken word, art-pop, hardcore moments, almost-surreal theatricality. It’s intense, honest, and a bit messy, in a good way. You might also feel some puffs of dark humor. (CriticEyez)

♪♫ Listen: “Astă seară mâncăm în familie” + album stream

SENEGAL:

Kadialy Kouyate – “Toña”

The word toña means “truth” in Mandinka, and this album truly lives up to its name, as it feels like a journey into both personal feeling and ancestral memory.

Across the ten tracks, Kouyate lets the kora speak with its clear sound, supported by his sincere vocals. He explores the themes familiar to many people in the region, like migration and missing home – Kouyate’s been living in London since his twenties.

“Toña” is a thoughtful album, resembling a conversation between the past and the present, between the original and the current home. It was clearly made with care, and truth. (Oumar Dembele)

♪♫ Listen: “Kibaroh” + album stream

SERBIA:

KOIKOI – “O sreći u snovima”

With their second full-length release, KOIKOI takes a decisive step forward, delivering an album that feels more confident, more expansive, and far more self-aware than their debut. Where the first record hinted at potential, this follow-up confirms it.

Drawing from multiple musical worlds, the group seamlessly fuses contrasting influences into a cohesive whole. Elements of alternative, electronic textures, rock energy, and experimental passages coexist without feeling forced. Rather than jumping between styles for novelty, the band uses genre as a toolkit, selecting what best serves each track’s emotional and sonic purpose. This approach gives the album a dynamic flow, constantly surprising the listener while maintaining a strong sense of unity.

The band sounds noticeably more powerful. The production is thicker, bolder, and more refined, allowing every instrument to breathe while still hitting with impact. The rhythm section feels tighter and more assertive, providing a solid backbone that drives the songs forward. Guitars are more confident in their presence, switching effortlessly between atmospheric layers and aggressive riffs.

Maturity is another defining trait of “O sreći u snovima” (“On happiness in dreams”). Lyrically, the themes feel more introspective and grounded, moving beyond surface-level ideas toward deeper emotional territory. There is a sense of reflection throughout the record — on growth, tension, uncertainty, and self-awareness. Even when the lyrics remain abstract, they carry weight, suggesting a band that has learned how to communicate more with less.

Vocally, the performances are stronger and more versatile than before. Whether delivering restrained, intimate moments or rising to explosive climaxes, the vocals feel fully in control. There is a clear understanding of when to hold back and when to push forward, adding to the album’s dynamic range.

In the end, “O sreći u snovima” represents a significant evolution for the group. It captures a band stepping into its strength, refining its sound, and proving that their debut was only the beginning. More focused, more daring, and undeniably more mature, this release positions them as artists ready to leave a lasting mark and sets high expectations for what comes next. (Nemanja Nešković)

♪♫ Listen: “Ponovo Stran” + album stream

SLOVAKIA:

SJU – “ANIMERA”

2025, thank you for being extremely difficult to pick up only one best album. I guess “ANIMERA” by SJU spoke to me the most and worked every time I got back to it.

You might ask who she is, which galaxy she came from and is she coming from a close or further future? All valid questions. On her second album “SJU” continues to bring current topics through her own eyes from her angle.

The way SJU serves her pop, electronica and dreampop might sound familiar but there’s also something extra that makes you want to listen to the songs again. Her strength is to write a (simple yet not basic) pop song with a catchy tune. Effortless is probably a great word to describe SJU’s music – the tracks do sound simple and minimal but are they?

Also her voice feels like it’s naked and exposed but not vulnerable. It brings the touch of innocence but she still precisely knows what she wants to deliver and what her message is. “ANIMERA” is a complex album but there’s a whole range of songs: an anthemic Red Flag, a playful Vertigo as well as an etherial Animera.

You might also notice a fashion element in how SJU presents herself. You’re not wrong there either, she is also a designer creating her own hats. (Viera Ráczová)

♪♫ Listen: “RED FLAG” + album stream

SLOVENIA:

Etceteral – “Kimatika”

Third album from trio Etceteral consisting of well renowned artists and musicians Boštjan Simon on electronics and saxophone, Marek Fakuč on drums and Lina Rica with visual performance (VJ). They are exploring the grooves and soundscapes of contemporary jazz and improvisational jazz, combining analogue and digital, for example using drum machines and drums, synthesizers, electronics, and saxophone.

The combination of electroacoustics they use is allowing them to make explicitly explorative and dynamic arrangements. Every time we think we are caught up and on a familiar path, we are pulled out of our direction and we are chasing their imagination once more with the elements like storytelling of the saxophone, polyrhythms, ambiental and distorted sequences.

We need to also mention live performances which are not only about sound but rather a complete audio-visual experience where we are following communication between artists and see different translations of ideas through two complementary art forms, consequently feeling immersed into the world they are building. (Ula Kranjc Kušlan, selection by team of Radio Študent).

♪♫ Listen: “Gesualdo” + album stream

SOUTH AFRICA:

Yugen Blakrok – “The Illusion of Being”

Born in the Eastern Cape and later based in Johannesburg, Yugen Blakrok has built a reputation as one of the most rigorous voices in contemporary rap in South Africa.

“The Illusion of Being” is even denser than her previous releases, built on dark production and creating a ritual-like atmosphere. Yugen Blakrok’s lyrics apparently pull from anything – from personal identity and political awareness to philosophy and mythology.

“The Illusion of Being” is not an easy listen, but the reward is waiting out there at the end of this dark tunnel. (Junior Naidoo)

♪♫ Listen: “Being There” + album stream

SOUTH KOREA:

Arles (아를) – “Those Rays Which Never Die”

Sometimes I wonder about the most overused words to describe music, and the word “ethereal” is one of them. If the music contains even a slight piece of ambient or atmospheric section in the music, I see the term ― no matter if the work is orthodox ambient music or some “leftfield” tracks of global pop behemoths. As a music writer, I also repeat some expressions, so grumbling too much about this would be nothing more than petty nitpicking. But still ― shouldn’t the word “ethereal” be used for something truly transcending the upper realm?

Fortunately, quite a few artists are capable of delivering the ethereal quality in their music. Arles is one of them as well. “Those Rays Which Never Die”, a debut full-length presented by South Korean singer-songwriter, resembles delicate and fragile light scattering in mist. Her vaporizing voice, airy guitar, and noises collected from other parts of the world draw a thin, faint line together. It feels like the sound is fading away or filling the room at the same time.

The obscure oscillation between the serene folk music and the mesmerizing soundscape of ambient and field recording is what makes the record special ― it’s true especially when you’re a fan of visionaries like Grouper or Ichiko Aoba. Amid the dispersing sound, Arles slowly stacks complex emotional layers of melancholy, sadness, and hope. They are so intimately intertwined that it’s hard to recognize the exact identity of these affections, but maybe it is the most honest representation of human emotions ― a mystery that one cannot discover.

Some may feel this music will evaporate immediately, while others may feel it will last forever. Either way, Arles’ amorphous light continues to shine slowly, hovering within “Those Rays Which Never Die.” That is the true representation of the word ethereal ― of or pertaining to the ether, the sky, Heaven, or upper air. (Jeong Guwon)

♪♫ Listen: “Seraphim Heart” + album stream

SPAIN:

Rachid B – “Al Ghorba”

Like a Dominique A pierced by a very particular sadness, that of the loneliness of the emigrant, like a North African (Smog), that’s how Rachid B sounds throughout “Al Ghorba”.

He himself explains that “the Arabic word ‘Ghorba’ encapsulates that unique melancholy, that deep nostalgia felt by those who emigrate,” and that mood permeates every corner of his excellent songs. Like when he sings in “Naas Ghalien”, “I have nothing left of that wonderful past, its people, its parties, everything has been swallowed up by the ghorba,” and we could perfectly well be listening to a track from Knock Knock.

Or when his electronic and acoustic singer-songwriter persona fits him perfectly. Everything seems bare, because there are few arrangements, but everything here is so accurate, so easy to feel inside.

There is some blues (not very Saharan), a lot of sad music and, in between, a couple of lyrical outbursts of happiness (“Sadekki,” close to Nick Drake); a few bursts of optimism (the title track and also “Holmm”); a couple of eccentric reggae tracks (in one of them, “Al Ohm”, he remembers his mother in a forceful way: “They say it’s easy to forget. I don’t think so, my memories of you devour me every moment, I miss you constantly.

They say that being a foreigner is really cool, that leaving your home is a source of pride… (“I’ve found it difficult to accept. I miss your voice, your hugs, I miss…”) and many, many, many reasons for it to be excellent in our hearts. (P. Roberto Jiménez, Hipersónica)

♪♫ Listen: “Al Ghorba” + album stream

SWEDEN:

Anna von Hausswolff – “ICONOCLASTS”

Anna von Hausswolff swept over us in 2010 with her debut album “Singing From The Grave”. Since then, she has become an artist in perpetual motion, branching out in all directions, driven by an unrelenting search for new forms of expression. Her work has been fiercely experimental, deeply sacred, tinged with jazz — and regardless of form, it has always been extraordinary. Some parts have been challenging, while others have been more accessible.

With the album “ICONOCLASTS”, she delivers something in between. Although the album contains several seemingly conventional pop songs, this is anything but a conventional pop album. It is something else. It’s cinematic and eclectic without becoming overly theatrical or affected. There is rhythm and melody at one end, and suggestive atmospheres at the other. At times, we are drawn downward, into the gravity of a gothic funeral rite; at others, she lifts her gaze toward the light

The soundscape is enormous. Her voice is even bigger. The rhythms carry depth, and the keyboards carry height. If you accept her vision, I find it hard to imagine how it could be any better than this. Just listen to the saxophone work by Otis Sandsjö.

This is an album to sink into from beginning to end, yet it also contains songs that stand powerfully on their own. The duet “The Whole Woman” with Iggy Pop is great while the opening of “Stardust” is quietly intoxicating. The single “Aging Young Woman” reveals a fragitle glow and a light that fractures the album’s brooding darkness.

Certain moments are close to madness; others plunge fearlessly into abstraction — but all of them push forward, carrying the listener toward what feels like the next inevitable musical monument. Like a train journey through shifting musical landscapes, where every stop feels perfect. (Fabian Forslund)

♪♫ Listen: “Stardust” + album stream

SWITZERLAND:

CAPSLOCK SUPERSTAR – “ZWEI”

Jessica Jurassica and Mia Nägeli allow euphoria and anger to flow freely, making a huge impact with their Eurodance as CAPSLOCK SUPERSTAR – which leaves room for rage.

Nothing on “ZWEI” is safe from the duo’s beats, sounds and words, but they do offer safe spaces in their tracks. Conventionality is attacked until Knorrli has to fear for his pension pillar. And that’s a good thing, because Switzerland doesn’t just belong to patriarchal idiots, it belongs to all of us.

Queer, loud, colourful and different – that’s what “ZWEI” is all about. CAPSLOCK SUPERSTAR don’t give oppression a chance with their synths and bass lines. “ZWEI” is for eternity, especially as a fanzine CD edition. (Michael Bohli, Phosphor Kultur)

♪♫ Listen: “High School Musical” + album stream

SYRIA:

Kazdoura – “Ghoyoum” (غيوم)

Kazdoura is a duo formed by Syrian singer Leen Hamo, who had to flee Syria because of the bloody the war, and Lebanese musician John Abou Chacra, who met at a fundriser in Canada after the 2020 Beirut port explosion. All those circumstances make the project an example of “resilience and cultural connection”, as they put it themselves.

Their debut album “Ghoyoum” (غيوم) bridges Arabic music with jazz, heave bass, and even club rhythms, with Leen Hamo’s layered vocals moving between vulnerability and defiance.

“Ghoyoum” allows discomfort to be part of its power, making this album feel deeply rooted in life experiences but constantly pushing forward. (Lina Rim)

♪♫ Listen: “Ya Banat” + album stream

TAIWAN:

Cold Dew – “Taipei’s Cultural Landscape” (臺北人文地景)

Cold Dew derives its name from “Hanlu,” the 17th of the traditional 24 Solar Terms. They are a low-profile band, difficult to pin down to a single genre, often circulating only through live performances and the whispers of core fans. Yet, it is precisely that distorted flavor—woven from blues, psychedelia, and noise guitar effects—that symbolizes the most primal essence of rock and roll.

In the past, Cold Dew reawakened listeners’ passion with their long-form psychedelic rock. Their music evokes the destructive power of Eddie Hazel’s guitar in Funkadelic’s classic “Maggot Brain”, while also channeling the ritualistic, extended space rock of Hawkwind. Within the intense sound pressure and trippy resonance generated by their wall of guitars, vocalist Che-An’s voice floats elegantly and freely. This proves they are far more than just loud noise; they are a team possessing solid rhythmic variation and impeccable chemistry.

With their second album, “Taipei’s Cultural Landscape” (臺北人文地景), Cold Dew demonstrates their most complete conceptual execution since their formation. No longer content with merely resting on their mastery of long-form psychedelic jams, they have turned their gaze toward the diverse stories of sojourners in Taipei, weaving together a musically rich “masterpiece of the year.”

While titled “Taipei,” this is an album that is “Taiwanese” to its core. These band members, who share an innocent yet profound synergy, never take the crowd-pleasing route; instead, they constantly ignite new sonic spaces and tension within their arrangements. The album features retro “guitar hero” interpretations and dreamy, extended effects, but also surprisingly incorporates Nakasi synthesizer accompaniment. Listeners might experience its romantic sentimentality, combining exquisitely poetic lyrics with a unique, local Taiwanese rock flavor.

Cold Dew’s live performances are bound to deliver an even more intense sensory shock than the recording; but until then, “Taipei’s Cultural Landscape” is undoubtedly an outstanding work from this year that demands to be collected. (Cheng-Chung Tsai)

♪♫ Listen: “六神無主” + album stream

TANZANIA:

Msafiri Zawose – “Kinywa”

An ambassador of the Gogo tradition, associated with instruments like zeze and ilimba, Msafiri Zawose brings to the world the musical and cultural heritage of Central Tanzania.

This minimalistic, cozy record blends traditional instruments with call-and-response vocals, with Zawose’s expressive vocals asongs that speak to and about community, daily life, and the wisdom of grandparents and their grandparents.

“Kinywa” feels communal and joyful, offering a portrait of cultural continuity shaped by the current generation. (T. Mecha)

♪♫ Listen: “Afrika Zeze Kubwa” + album stream

THAILAND:

spill tab – “Angie”

“Angie” is a long-awaited debut full-length from Bangkok-born singer-songwriter Spill Tab, currently based in the US. An honest record with diaristic lyrics, musically it mixes indie pop, R&B, and electronic influences, with catchy (but not over-catchy) melodies.

Spill Tab’s songwriting is sincere but never too inward, as she weaves her explorations into self-understanding and looks for her own place in a complicated world. When the album ends, it leaves an impression of an artist who has a clear vision of her own sound but is still curious to to try new ideas. (A. Y.)

♪♫ Listen: “Hold Me” + album stream

TUNISIA:

AMMAR 808 – “Club Tounsi”

On “Club Tounsi”, Tunisian producer AMMAR 808 (Sofyann Ben Youssef), now based in Denmark, brings together cultural roots and the energy of today’s club music. At the centre of the record is mezoued, a traditional Tunisian folk style, reshaped through heavy bass and electronic beats driven by the classic TR-808 drum machine.

The album invites you to the dancefloor with hypnotic rhythms, while staying firmly connected to the stories and sounds of Tunisia’s musical heritage. Guest singers Mariem Bettouhami and Brahim Riahi help create a natural balance between tradition and a modern sound.

“Club Tounsi” is an exciting meeting of past and present, honouring Tunisian heritage while opening new, dancefloor-ready paths. (Lina Rim)

♪♫ Listen: “Douri Douri” + album stream

TÜRKIYE:

Gökçe Coşkun – “Bir Ada”

Let’s welcome Gökçe Coşkun’s second album, “Bir AdA” (An Island). It is a full-length album with nine songs, released in an era dominated by singles, EPs, and even one or two-minute tracks made mainly for TikTok. For this alone, Gökçe deserves genuine applause, but this is far from the only reason why I chose this album from the Turkish music scene of 2025.

First of all, Gökçe is an outstanding singer, songwriter, and storyteller. Rather than focusing on superficial themes, her songs carry emotional depth, and this sincerity can be felt clearly in both her music and lyrics throughout the album.

Secondly, the team behind the scenes is equally impressive. The album is produced by Berkay Küçükbaşlar and Umut Burkay Coşkun, who also arranged most of the tracks, four by Berkay and three by Umut. In addition, Nilipek. and Can Aydınoğlu contributed as guest arrangers, each working on a separate song.

All of the songs were written around Büyükada and Heybeliada, as Gökçe has shared, two of the Princes’ Islands of Istanbul. This geographical inspiration is strongly reflected in the album’s atmosphere. You can sense the desire to escape the chaos of a big city and retreat to a peaceful place, while still keeping an emotional distance, close enough to observe and feel. (Emir Aksoy)

♪♫ Listen: “Sabahın 5’i” + album stream

UKRAINE:

Hyphen Dash – “LATE”

LATE is proof that Ukrainian music in 2025 isn’t just surviving – it’s innovating, organising, and sounding world-class. Start it front to back, and let the record teach you its own vocabulary: tension, release, mischief, and momentum. A Kyiv-based instrumental band with jazz-trained reflexes, rock-level intensity, and a taste for playful, genre-resistant ideas, Hyphen Dash clearly know how to build a scene with their own hands.

Hyphen Dash formed around 2019, growing out of a wider network of young Ukrainian musicians who meet, experiment, and build projects through FUSION JAMS – a Kyiv community that treats improvisation as both a musical method and a form of cultural infrastructure. Beyond their own project, the band members are seasoned professionals: they play as session musicians in major Ukrainian pop acts, then channel what remains of their time and energy into developing an alternative, contemporary instrumental scene.

“LATE” is the band’s second full-length after “Basement 626” – and its deliberate opposite. Where “Basement 626” was captured quickly and raw, “LATE” is the long game: music written across 2019–2024, refined on stage for years, then finally fixed in album form. The title is self-aware – the band often describe it as “late on time,” a refusal to treat delay as failure. Here, time itself becomes part of the composition.

Crucially, much of the material was conceived before 2022, but recorded after the full-scale invasion. The band insist the album isn’t “about the war” in a conceptual sense, yet they acknowledge a reality Ukrainian artists can’t escape: context leaks into performance.

Musically, “LATE” refuses to sit politely in one genre. It lives at the intersection of contemporary jazz, fusion, prog-leaning structures, electronic textures, and heavy guitar-driven climaxes – often within the same track. The album feels expansive not because it’s maximalist, but because it’s precise: rhythms shift under your feet, small motifs bloom into widescreen passages, then collapse back into groove. Even the artwork reflects this systemic thinking.

The cover was built from 3D elements, including a car destroyed by Russian forces, transformed into a stark digital monument. (Dartsya Tarkovska)

♪♫ Listen: “Hyphentallica” + album stream

URUGUAY:

tallo – “CRIOLLO”

Tacuarembó is one of the most storied places in Uruguayan music. Presumably the birthplace of tango legend Carlos Gardel (as with many other things, Uruguay and Argentina fight over his “ownership”), and the home of a group of poets and musicians than in the 60s and 70s renewed popular music and folklore, in the last few years this city of about 60.000 inhabitants in Northern Uruguay has seen the rise of a new independent scene that fuses traditional sounds of this lands with modern sensibilities and sonic resources.

One of the names in this new wave is Joaquín Menchaca, best known as tallo, who with “Criollo” offered his best until now. This Tacuarembó-born but established in the capital city, Montevideo, since about a decade ago, released an album that sets its roots in milonga and other folkloric genres, with acoustic guitars arpeggios and samples setting the ground to hip hop inspired beats, and “breaking apart” those traditional sounds to make them anew and kick forward the music made in this country.

Melancholic lyrics (as Uruguayan tradition and national mood mandates), filled with tenderness and contemporary aestethic and themes, introspective but with hope peeking through the dark, tallo presents here ten songs that form a powerful and moving concept.

tallo follows the giant-sized steps of local legends like Alfredo Zitarrosa and Eduardo Darnauchans (himself a Tacuarembó native), with the intention of making something new. And he succeeds brilliantly. Songs like the opening track that shares its name with the album and “Dos almas” are some of the best examples of that fusion and expermiental mindset, that opens the door to influences of pop and trap but could perfectly be played in a guitar-and-voice format.

Even though rooted in the past, this is the sound of the future, and that future is already here. (Nicolás Tabárez)

♪♫ Listen: “Criollo” + album stream

VENEZUELA:

Monsalve y los Forajidos – “SOL”

Afrobeat, jazz, funk, electronic music and Venezuelan traditional music have an orgy in Monsalve y los Forajidos’ most recent effort, “SOL”.

The Paris-based bass player Raúl Monsalve leads an amazing crew also formed by talented Venezuelan singer Carlos Tález and Venezuelan percussionist Gustavo Ovalles, who are joined by the likes of flute player Nando Guerrero, vocalist Lya Bonilla, keyboardist Edgar Bonilla, Colombian saxophonist Andrés Vela, drummer Mario Orsinet, percussionist Andrés Vela, UK artist and producer Emanative, Congolese guitarist Kiala Nzavotunga, with production by Heliocentrics’ Malcolm Catto, and Yann Jankielewicz, who all ensemble a record made in diaspora by the diaspora.

Here, Monsalve and company not only pay homage to afro music in general, specifically the one made in the Venezuelan coast, but also reimagine the music of the likes of John Coltrane, George Clinton, Herbie Hancock, Jeff Parker, Prince and Nyege Nyege Tapes, who serve as inspiration along with the afro-venezuelan musicians who found in music a way to resist oppression.

“SOL” is an album that defies the boundaries of making music whilst speaking of tradition, in which Monsalve finds himself again working with amazing musicians to interpret his version of the afro-caribbean music after many years of studying it and perfecting his craft, also mutating from a studio band to a touring ensemble that is capable of translating this music to a live performance.

It is proof of the vast richness of Venezuelan music and it should position Monsalve as one of the greatest musicians of Venezuela who has found, like many others, that it’s hard to be a prophet in one’s land, but there’s always someone out there who will value what you do. (Alejandro Fernandes Riera)

♪♫ Listen: “Fuego al campanero” + album stream

VIETNAM:

Phùng Khánh Linh – “Giữa Một Vạn Người”

After a long period of being considered a “flop” despite consistently releasing high-quality pop songs, Phùng Khánh Linh decided to shed her catchy, easy-listening sound and venture into the realm of dream pop, alternative, and indie rock on “Giữa một vạn người” (“Among ten thousand”) – genres rarely seen in Vpop. And, miraculously, the album became Linh’s biggest commercial milestone.

Her new image gained widespread recognition, and the single “Em đau” (I’m Hurt) unexpectedly spread. In reality, Phùng Khánh Linh was already great from her first album; what she lacked was a bit of luck and a bit of opportunity.

Phùng Khánh Linh’s success with “Giữa một vạn người” shows that Vpop has begun to open itself to niche genres, no longer confined solely to melancholic pop ballads. Of course, the album’s quality is excellent, but its impact and the milestone it created are what make it a representative Vietnamese album of the year. (Nam Tran)

♪♫ Listen: “Em Đau” + album stream

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