2025 has been yet another hectic year in the world of music. Seemingly every week, there’s a new blockbuster release or another indie darling to watch out for. With the over-inundation of great music, it’s getting harder and harder to keep an eye out for the real deal. But these ten records, spanning a multitude of genres, are truly worth spending time with. Give these albums a listen, and they just might make your year-end lists.
Anysia Kym & Tony Seltzer – “Purity”
For fans of – Sudan Archives, Rochelle Jordan, FKA twigs
Anysia Kym is one of R&B’s most innovative names, and Tony Seltzer is one of the most prolific and versatile producers working right now, which is why “Purity” makes so much sense for the both of them. It’s just far enough outside of their usual sound palettes to feel fresh—the closest we’ve come to hearing Seltzer go fully electronic is the footwork-adjacent tracks from “Pinball II” with MIKE, and Kym has never sounded this polished and club-ready—but it’s unmistakably them. Seltzer’s beats are more relaxed than ever, and they twist and turn around Kym’s whispery voice.
On some level, “Purity” feels like a project you aren’t supposed to be able to hear. Tracks like “Afterparty” and “Relaxxxxx” are dark and magically subtle, floating in and out of your consciousness while you listen. Other moments, like “Speedrun” and “Picture This,” are fast-paced and explosive, driven by heavy bass lines and glittery synths. Then, after 17 minutes, it’s gone as quickly as it came, lingering long after the silence sets in.
clipping. – “Dead Channel Sky”
For fans of – Death Grips, El-P, Danny Brown
How do Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson find time? Since 2020, Diggs has acted in everything from “The Little Mermaid” to “Snowpiercer,” Snipes has composed for Netflix and Adult Swim and Hutson has had a child. That’s probably why it took almost half a decade for them to return to clipping., the experimental rap band they’ve been a part of since 2010, but if “Dead Channel Sky” proves anything, it’s that they haven’t lost any of their charm.
“Dead Channel Sky” certainly stands out in clipping.’s discography—they’ve traded the harsh noise of past projects for retrofuturistic cyberpunk soundscapes and the grotesque horror of their last two records is swapped for less overtly terrifying concepts. But those Hugo Award nominations weren’t flukes—they’re still some of the best storytellers around today. “Dead Channel Sky” is filled with immersive tales, from the street hackers on “Code” to the worn-out veterans of “Welcome Home Warrior” with Aesop Rock. It’s sonically layered, lyrically potent and reaffirms the members of clipping. as some of the most imaginative artists in music today.
keiyaA – “hooke’s law”
For fans of – Solange, Kelela, Dijon
If anyone deserves that “big moment,” it’s keiyaA. The New York singer and producer released her debut album, “Forever, Ya Girl,” in 2020, which earned measured critical acclaim for its eclectic blend of heart-wrenching soul and avant-garde production. That sonic palette blossoms on “hooke’s law,” juxtaposing unwavering emotional clarity with some of the year’s most unique and genre-defying production. There are confident moments like “take it” and “k.i.s.s.,” angsty cuts like “get close 2 me” and “fire sign oath” and reflective flashpoints like “break it” and “devotions.” Throughout, keiyaA fights to stay present against all odds.
“hooke’s law” is a project all about elasticity—how much you can bend before breaking, and what it means to return to yourself after being stretched too thin. “I can start again,” she repeats on “until we meet again,” declaring that she’s worth healing—and worth paying attention to.
Lyn Lapid – “BUZZKILL”
For fans of – Conan Gray, Olivia Rodrigo, beabadoobee
There’s likely a large group of people who envy Lyn Lapid very much. After all, her story is quite unbelievable—six years ago, she was 17, writing songs in her bedroom, until “Producer Man” blew up on TikTok. Soon after, Lapid teamed up with producer Dan Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan) to
release a studio recording of the song, and fast-forward two EPs and one major label deal later, her debut album, “BUZZKILL” is proving all over again that Lapid is much more than another indie pop wannabe.
The project is filled with assured songwriting and magical production that matches Lapid stride for stride. Songs like “coraline” dance around your brain for hours with their catchy hooks and unforgettable riffs, and other cuts like “i’ll be happy when” burst into flames, exploding into bits and pieces around Lapid’s emotive vocals. If “BUZZKILL” is proof of anything, it’s that Lapid has already carved out her own space in the wide world of bedroom pop, and she’s not likely to leave soon.
Maruja – “Pain to Power”
For fans of – black midi, Swans, King Krule
With the amount of punk-adjacent bands to come out of the UK in the last half-decade, it seemed inevitable that a group like Maruja would come around. When they released “Knocknarea” in 2023, they immediately drew comparisons to bands like black midi and Black Country, New Road. But on “Pain to Power,” Maruja demolish every comparison to the groups before them from the first few seconds of “Bloodsport.”
“Pain to Power” is explosive and angry—angry at the world and angry at the suffering it contains—but it’s also soft and loving. At many moments, lead vocalist Harry Wilkinson flips between decrying the systems that reinforce pain worldwide and begging the citizens of the Earth to put aside their differences and embrace each other. Despite its sonic palette, “Pain to Power” is, at its heart, a hopeful record—one that looks ahead to a utopian society where poverty, bigotry and hatred are concepts of the past, and where togetherness reigns supreme. “Pray for love,” Wilkinson cries on “Reconcile,” asking the listener to maintain hope in a better future—the same hope that keeps the members of Maruja going.
Mei Semones – “Animaru”
For fans of – Laufey, Liana Flores, Clairo
“Let the dust settle on me / I’ll stay still just to spite it,” Mei Semones breathes on opening track “Dumb Feeling.” That feeling embodies her debut album, “Animaru,” a record defined by its frenetic precision. Here, Semones is a genre-blending chameleon, combining bossa nova, indie rock and J-pop without it ever seeming forced. Instead, every moment on “Animaru” feels as natural as can be.
Semones’ beautiful songwriting breathes love into the most mundane of things, like catching the train or watching squirrels look for acorns. She’s all about appreciation here—appreciation for her world, her community and her craft. That’s why, overall, it feels like one of the most special albums you’ll ever hear, and one that nobody else could come close to making. “I’m going to do this the way I want to do it,” she proclaims on “I can do what I want,” and “Animaru” is the work of someone who never once compromises on that promise.
MIKE – “Showbiz! (Deluxe)”
For fans of – Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples, Isaiah Rashad
MIKE has never shied away from honesty. Throughout the last decade, the common factor in his music has always been his willingness to explore the deepest recesses of his own mind with startling specificity. On “Showbiz! (Deluxe),” that honesty is still there, but it’s pierced with tender moments that feel more like he’s reconciling his grief and learning to live with it. Now, the 27-year-old multi-hyphenate can appreciate the struggle and duality of the human experience.
The standard album flips back and forth between some of the most confident and braggadocious tracks MIKE has ever made (“Artist of the Century,” “Da Roc”) and sharp self-reflection (“Belly 1,” “Zombie pt.2”), but the warm production and love-filled lyricism make it obvious that MIKE has grown to love life, despite all the hardships that come with it. If those studio cuts weren’t enough, the second disc on “Showbiz! (Deluxe)” features MIKE alongside his Band of the Century running through some of his greatest hits from NPR’s Tiny Desk, breathing new life into one of the strongest discographies in modern hip-hop.
Oneohtrix Point Never – “Tranquilizer”
For fans of – Floating Points, Tim Hecker, Brian Eno
“Ambient” has always been a somewhat poor descriptor of the music Daniel Lopatin produces under the moniker Oneohtrix Point Never. On “Tranquilizer,” his compositions don’t fade into the background, but rather envelop your mind in full. It’s an album filled with subtle grooves, explosive synths, jaw-dropping moments and slow and soothing stretches. And while the influences of collaborators like The Weeknd and Charli xcx are obvious, it’s the closest he’s come to sounding like he did 14 years ago on “Replica” in a very long time. He’s traded the pop sensibilities of his recent projects with intense and mind-boggling progressions on songs like “Rodl Glide,” or subtle songs like “Fear of Symmetry” that blossom around a singular loop. Like Lopatin’s best work, “Tranquilizer” is an album that is truly living and breathing, one that embodies the nostalgia and fading collective memory that he has long strived to recreate with the Oneohtrix Point Never project.
Venna – “MALIK”
For fans of – Tom Misch, DOMi & JD Beck, Madlib
There’s a distinct and comforting warmth that runs through Venna’s debut album, “MALIK.” The GRAMMY-winning saxophonist has always kept his inspirations and community around him, which is why past collaborators, like multi-instrumentalist Marco Bernardis and skilled drummer Yussef Dayes, make so many appearances on this project. He’s brought new names into the fold as well, like Jorja Smith and Leon Thomas.
Despite the immeasurable star power all over this record, Venna is always front and center. His saxophone doesn’t seek your attention as much as it sets the mood, guiding the lush compositions on “MALIK” to where it needs them to go. The homely instrumentation, built on liquid percussion, groovy basslines and ethereal vocal harmonization, weaves throughout your consciousness, creating an experience that both soothes and excites. All throughout, “MALIK” is a love letter to the art that inspires Venna, from hip-hop to soul, as well as a singular solo statement that lets you know that Venna is more than just UK hip-hop’s favorite saxophonist.
Wednesday – “Bleeds”
For fans of – Big Thief, Geese, Wilco
Classifying Wednesday is hard. They’re not quite slacker rock, not quite alt-country, not quite indie pop. Karly Hartzman and her band stand in that space in between that no other bands occupy, and that’s part of what makes “Bleeds” so impressive. The album is full of emotion, built on heavy riffs, explosive drums and Hartzman’s unique songwriting, telling stories of her hometown in North Carolina that are so vivid, they make you feel like you’re right there with her.
There’s also something different about “Bleeds” that makes it stand out from the rest of Wednesday’s work. Maybe it’s the feeling that you’re intruding on something private—much of this record was made in the midst of Hartzman’s break-up with bandmate MJ Lenderman. On tracks like “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” and “The Way Love Goes,” Hartzman and co. wrap you into their intimate conversations, making you feel like you’ve walked into a room you weren’t supposed to. But despite the struggle, “Bleeds” is still a truly singular album—the type of album that’s meant to soundtrack American lives for years to come.
Have some top albums you think we missed? Email us at [email protected].
