[23-12-2025]

Just looking at my hard numbers on last.fm, I comparatively didn't listen to much music this year. Just under 13,000 scrobbles at the time of writing, over 9,000 less than the previous year, and even the lowest amount since starting to record my listening stats in 2017 by over 4,000 scrobbles. Which feels like the opposite of my experience, just last month I even described my listening habits as grindy. You could point to the fact that I listened a lot to artists with significantly longer songs this year, like The Mars Volta and Boris, but I don't think that's really it. The primary contributor to this is that I cut out a lot of filler shuffling, which previously I've frequently done for hours at a time. This year, I focused, at times very rigorously, on listening to full albums at all times that I felt like listening to music, and when I didn't actively feel like listening to anything specific, I just spent my time with other things. Very little passive shuffling to inflate my numbers. When it comes to listening to new albums though, I almost shot myself in the foot, as I was often obsessed with picking out an artist I wanted to get into and listening to their entire discography front to back, as I've done for example with huge discographies like Wire, R.E.M., Boris or They Might Be Giants, to a point I frequently neglected relistening to that new album I meant to get more familiar with a couple of times. I still eventually did it though, I worked hard, heard a lot, and finally, organized my thoughts and put them to (metaphorical) paper. I still have a sense I missed some stuff though. Oh well, I look forward to those future regrets.

This year had a lot of long awaited and unexpected grand returns, but also a number of big name disappointments. Just because one of the grand returns is not on this list doesn't mean it was a huge disappointment, but there definitely have been a couple of duds from artists that I very much expected more from. Speaking of disappointments, there was supposed to be a Streetlight Manifesto album this year. Did everyone forget about that? Hello? But okay, let's not focus on the negative or the nonexistent. This year definitely had much more to offer for me than last year did. 2024 had a lot of releases that ended up being very important to me, but it was more for personal contextual reasons, while this year's AotYs I feel have much more power to stand on their own, removed from any personal life events. Though at the same time, this year has certainly been dominated by atmospheric, crushing music. That'll come up a couple of times. Maybe that too is a sign of the times. Regardless, it's been a good year for music, so I'm very excited to finally present my picks to you here.

Much like in previous years, I don't wanna commit to an exact order, but I do wanna declare an explicit top 3; and unlike most of these year-end-lists, I will show you my top 3 first. This is simply because I don't expect many people to read this in full, all the way to the end. I'm just some guy, and you probably don't have a reason to care about my opinion enough to read this whole thing. So I am banking on a few curious people to click on it and maybe skim the page, and I want them to see the top 3 first. If my music taste or my writing style intrigues enough, you can then still move on and read the rest. But if you're just gonna take a quick glance, I wanna be sure you see my top 3. The rest will be in somewhat random order. I tried to go kind of by vibe, sort of like arranging a setlist or sequencing an album, but there's no system or ranking to it.

So now, without further ado,

The short list

Propagandhi - At Peace

Quite a lot has happened since a band of teenagers titled their irreverent, snarky skate punk songs shit like "Stick the fucking flag up your goddam ass, you sonofabitch" compared to the band they are today, but at the same time, the parts have always been there. The Canadians were always at heart more metalheads than skate punks, and even during their snarkiest moments, there was always a strong element of self-reflection in their lyrics. As shocking as their direction might seem to the 90s fan that just woke up from a 20 year coma, if you paid attention, it makes sense. Compared to their last decade of (occasional) output, At Peace seems less like a hard change in direction, and more of a reshifting in focus. A to me very welcome change compared to their prior album Victory Lap is the strong presence of songs written and sung by bassist Todd Kowalski, whose style wonderfully complements that of otherwise primary songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Chris Hannah. Musically, At Peace exists primarily in the mid-tempo range around rock and heavy metal riffs, all elements that have existed before in their music, but that until now has taken more of a backseat to their hardcore punk and thrash. Admittedly, I had a little bit of trouble with this album at first, simply because this is a style of heavy music I don't listen to very much, so my ear isn't trained to differentiate mid-tempo heavy metal riffage intuitively, but after a couple of listens, the first songs started drilling themselves into my head and unfold their impact. The music is, even if at a superficial level it is less flashy and more measured than previous output, quite adventurous and impressively performed, through on-a-dime tempo shifts in Cat Guy, impressive rhythm section soloing in No Longer Young, or the complex prog-metal riffage of Fire Season and Day by Day. The most musically shocking tracks are the doomy opener Guiding Lights, the slow dirge of Something Needs to Die, and, of course, the atmospheric, new wavy Stargazing, all to me very well executed excursions that open up the band for developing all sort of style experimentation in the future. Tough luck for fans of the exclusively fast and melodic, but they can, hopefully, at least find some joy in Vampires Are Real or the title track. The real reason why Propagandhi have the glowing reputation among their fans though are the lyrics. While they made a name for themselves by being aggressively outspoken and combative, their real power lies in finding the personal in the political, focusing on emotion and introspection, about how we relate to the events happening around us. On At Peace, Propagandhi are both deeply jaded about their continuous involvement in the seemingly ever worsening political landscape, while at the same time giving you hope through the unrelenting persistence of the human spirit, or even cracking a joke or two through an embittered smirk. Guiding Lights and Fire Season envelop you in doomy hopelessness and Cat Guy and Prismatic Spray construct absurd, satirical scenarios to illustrate our increasingly bizarre relationship with politics, but the central message of the album is in its title track. At Peace is, at its core, a song about coping with it all. It paints a picture of pain and exhaustion, but also one of persistence: "I power through the waves of disappointment, maybe not quite thriving, but I'm buoyant". The band knows that everything is too much to handle for one person, you can't be deeply invested in every atrocity, you can't sustain yourself getting outraged at every issue at once, forever. The project is to find balance, to be "at peace" with yourself, not to not care, but to keep it at bay so as to not have it crush you. It's good to care and be involved, but overexerting yourself and falling apart helps no one. This is brought to its conclusion in the closing track Something Needs to Die but Maybe It's Not You, ending the album abruptly on an open ended question: "You were sent here with a gift. What will you do with it?" Propagandhi are deeply resonant to me not only because of their ability to evoke the political zeitgeist, but also because their development matches my own interaction with political art. Punk music often lives off of its blunt political advocacy, but in recent years I've found that increasingly artistically uninteresting. Like everyone else, even if they don't admit it, I have my beliefs, and I enjoy having them confirmed to me by art I like, but we can do better than just having it repeated back to me. Show me the emotions and the life experiences connected to it. Don't just tell me "war is bad" or "down with capitalism", I've already heard that plenty and no amount of agreeing is gonna make that an interesting statement. The most impactful art to me is the one that shows me why these statements are what I believe and lets me experience it. And few bands are able to channel the injustices of the world into emotional experiences as well as Propagandhi do it. I am jaded and overwhelmed, but I'm still here, and so are Propagandhi to bring me to tears about it.

Black Eyes - Hostile Design

Black Eyes to me always seemed like the kind of band that wasn't meant to last. On their initial run, lasting less than 4 years in the early 2000s, they released two albums in quick succession, the band not even surviving long enough to see the release of the second. To this day, I consider self-titled and Cough, which spin dance punk and post-hardcore in such an unhinged, chaotic and boundary pushing direction it nearly redefined my understanding of music the first time I heard them, to be some of the most expressive music I have ever come across. In their performances I heard such a genuine urgency, such extremes in emotional expression, that it was no wonder they wouldn't even last two albums. And I never questioned that, either. From the moment I heard them, it was clear to me why they would exist for just a short period of time before disappearing and becoming tales of underground legend. It's like one of those highly unstable elements at the end of the periodic table, it collapses the moment it was willed into existence. Unlike the scientific process though, Black Eyes' sound had a clear sense of spontaneity and authenticity, something that its members had to get out of themselves before it was gonna burst them open. And once it was released, that was it. You can't keep this state of extremes up forever. That's how I always thought about this band. As a result, when I heard of their reunion in 2022, nearly 20 years removed from their initial impact, I was more worried than excited. Certain artists become legends through their impermanence, and I had a hard time imagining this would not water down this extremely powerful, near mythical legacy. Even if the music could be recreated on a technical level, can the emotion and urgency that served as its foundation? Given where you're reading this, luckily, the answer is yes. On Hostile Design, they return with their familiar sound, but giving the additional 20 years of age room to unfold rather than merely recalling the past. So much about this band is unique, dual vocals between high-pitched screeching from Daniel and low spoken word from Hugh, dual bass, even dual drums from Dan and Mike with dance beats that are supplemented with wild percussion of large drums and cowbells. Their line-up flips many of the rock conventions on its head, putting the lone guitar primarily in a noise and feedback-creating supporting role for texture, leaving the main instrumental hooks to the bass guitars, as well as an occasional wailing saxophone courtesy of bassist Jacob. Although Hostile Design is with just 6 songs generally considered an EP, it is barely shorter than either of their two albums, which brings us to the stylistic development since their reunion: The songs are quite long and given a lot of room to breathe, develop, and for the listener to be locked into its beats. Although Black Eyes are a band that live off of noise and dissonance, very little of this new album actually gives you the full force of their instruments, usually stripping it down to a few base elements that then are peppered gradually, putting in another layer, or taking on out, keeping the songs dynamic even with persistent, repeating rhythms. The opener Break a Leg starts with just a single drum beat and vocals, gradually adding in a bass guitar, vocal harmonies, a sax, percussion, but still keeping the density relatively low and waiting for its full sonic explosion until its last minute. Burn, too, even with its ear-splitting screams in the chorus that appear to bury all else under it, takes nearly two minutes of percussion and dissonant ambiance to fully get settled into its first verse. Under the Waves is possibly the most melodic song, giving the vocals entirely to Hugh, which leaves Daniel free for some bluesy guitar riffage, making this the only song in which the guitar takes up its more traditional melodic role, although it still appears buried mostly under the band's relentless rhythm section. The two shortest songs, Pestilence and Yeah, Right, amp up the angular noise and dissonance, calling back more closely to their original albums, before ringing out with the atmospheric and danceable TomTom. The lyricism is as sharp, urgent and evocative as ever, even if, or especially because it's not always clear what is meant, drawing from a deep well of associations, personal experience and philosophy, and flexing their education, quoting traditional Greek, Palestinian and Haitian songs in their original language. This album is fantastic and is a prime example that maturing one's sound does not have to mean that you water it down. Black Eyes sound as exciting as ever, recall their unique sound without repeating themselves and developing themselves without losing track of who they were. Doing this successfully with music as volatile is honestly a miracle.

The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Dreams of Being Dust

Heaviness isn't inherently interesting to me, but whenever a band that usually operates on much gentler sounds suddenly breaks out and becomes loud and abrasive, it causes me to listen up. The performances in the music immediately feel more intense if contrasted with a mellower back catalogue, and the emotions conveyed feel more real, as there surely must be a reason for this sudden shift in tone. Not that the band with the much too long name (I will use the shortform TWIABP for the remainder of this) is moving in completely unfamiliar territories here, as the predecessor Illusory Walls had plenty of metal influence, with a very dense wall of guitar on its lead single Invading the World of the Guilty as a Spirit of Vengeance. The difference on Dreams of Being Dust though is noticeable right from the very first note, as the opener Dimmed Sun starts with a nasty guitar distortion leading right into a blast beat. Even at their heaviest, the band known previously primarily for playful and dreamy midwest emo, usually stayed in a rather atmospheric and melodic style of alternative or post-metal. This is largely still the case, but the very prominent excursions into much more frenzied and chaotic styles are hard to miss. The aforementioned opening track and its follow-up Se Sufre Pero Se Goza draw heavily from cold and angular modern progressive metal, djent and metalcore, substituted with plenty of playful math rock flourishes, Captagon surprises sampled electronic breakbeats and a mathcore breakdown, which bring an otherworldly sci-fi feel to the album. On Beware the Centrist, TWIABP bring a straight up hardcore punk song to the table. While much of what I mentioned so far is very outwardly expressive, the trudging No Pilgrim settles down the intensity for the first time in the album, while keeping a strong sense of tension that carries on through the remainder of the album, even though most tracks are considerably less abrasive than the album opening. Auguries of Guilt, which shows up towards the end of the album, is probably the closest we get to the classic sound of the band, but even here it sounds noticeably more intense and uncomfortable. The reason for this shift in tone is clear: TWIABP are pissed the fuck off. The world is crushing your spirits and it's finally time to crush back. What is created through abstract means in the music becomes more explicit in the lyrics, which conjures up apocalyptic images of a dystopian present and soon-to-be future. The war machinery that wreaks havoc upon humankind and nature alike to leave nothing but rubble, death and misery, the corruption of the ruling class that strips public services and gambles with the wellbeing of everyday people for profit, the omnipresence of the tech industry that wants nothing more than to strip humanity off of you, the futility and performativity of political discourse, the decay of everything you've ever known and loved. Everything is dressed in very poetic language that often makes reference to religion and spirituality, creating a sense of doom at a cosmic scale. Everything culminates on the the greatest moment of this album in the final track For Those Who Will Outlive Us: After a couple of mellow, trudging verses and a climax, the song fizzles out. They could have ended it here and no one would have complained. But just when you expect the final guitars to ring out, a new beat kicks in, for a final verse that seems to have all of the previous tension condensed in just a couple of lines as the song builds itself up for another intense tension releasing breakdown and I am left in tears and out of breath.

The long list

Deftones - private music

One of the central things that draws me to Deftones' music is its texture. Texture is already a very present element even before you've heard a single note of music. The beautiful, white snake on the album cover is resting on a grainy, green surface, textured so meticulously well that you think you can almost taste the soft, bumpy surface of the cardboard by just looking at it on your screen. These simple sensations of sensory satisfaction is something that Deftones always did really well, the buzzing of their distorted guitars is one of my favourite sonic textures in music and having it contrast Chino Moreno echoey, dreamy vocals never fails. But even beyond that, private music is the most a Deftones album gabbed since listening to their magnum opus White Pony (which admittedly I was very late to). While yes, the soundscape they create is, as always, equally satisfying, hypnotic and crushing, this album also has the songs to make me choose this album in particular over their others. Deftones have a strong sense for good hooks with the single milk of the madonna leading the way and infinite source's bouncy guitar riff making it sound like it could be an all time pop punk anthem in an alternative universe. The album also provides plenty of variation, as tracks like locked club and ~metal dream bring back glimpses of rap metal that bring a bit of aggression to the album, and on the flip-side are lengthy gentle, atmospheric passages like the outro to souvenir and the intro to the drony i think about you all the time. As an armchair drummer, the album also has plenty to offer to me, as Abe Cunningham brings many unique drum beats to the table to give the flow of the songs very unique accentuations, like in the lead single my mind is a mountain and the chorus of the aforementioned souvenir. As a whole, this album is Deftones at their absolute peak and I can't get enough of it.

Sulynn Hago - Faith in the Doghouse

I know Sulynn as the supporting guitarist of Propagandhi. They are and have been in a number of other bands, too, but admittedly, I have yet to listen to any of them. From what I have heard, they don't do any songwriting with Propagandhi, which is a shame, cause if this is the caliber of songwriting and arranging Sulynn can bring to the table, they're really missing out. Stylistically, there's very little connection, but given the sounds Propagandhi have explored on this year's album, I would be very excited to see them being more involved in the band's creative process and have a bridge forming between these two styles. I'm typically not huge on solo projects, and the singles released ahead of time didn't immediately grab me. But when the full album was released, I was absolutely shocked not only how much those singles were elevated hearing them in the flow of the album, but how much I liked the album as a whole. Faith in the Doghouse manages to strike a very impressive and delicate balance between dreamy indie, dirty rock'n'roll and bouncy bass driven post-punk. Somehow both retro and fresh, familiar and unique, varied and of one piece. The production feels very warm and full, and the songwriting and arrangements are personal and adventurous. The album has an unmistakable retro rock sound to it, something that feels familiar, like I've heard it a thousand times, but simultaneously had me caught off guard with the turns songs were taking and the elements it brings in. The beginning couple of songs on the album have a strong dancy post-punk feel, similar to what I would hear on bands like Shopping. The opening track Pocket God though has a strong dreamy indie feel where Sulynn's vocals really shine and an unusual song structure, while Hot Drunken Steps brings in a pinch of rock'n'roll sleaze with lyrics somewhere between performative overconfidence and awkward self-doubt. The third single Night Summer Heat has become one of my favourite songs on the album with an unbelievably catchy chorus with fantastic self-harmonizing. Can you tell I absolutely love Sulynn's voice? One element I also love about the album though is that it also takes its time with extended instrumental sections, like What Now What Never, which brings a great foreboding Western atmosphere to the album, and my personal highlight, Dark Country. The song starts as a bouncy, furthermore Western inspired instrumental that really takes you on a journey, wonderfully developing through various different moods. Then it cuts and starts becoming a vehicle for a spoken word performance by Sulynn, a stream of consciousness vignette of various personal experiences, partly disconnected and nonsensical, but vulnerable and with a strong sense that they mean something to their performer. Once it feels like Sulynn has trusted us with their entire live story, the song kicks back into the same beat from before, faster this time, before developing into a noisy climax. Other songs to highlight are the feisty one-two-punch of the just 46 second long Think, which bares a resemblance to late career Against Me!, which then moves seamlessly into the highly energetic Explode, which even features some thrashy guitar shredding. The album has an incredible variety while simultaneously feeling so effortlessly natural, it makes you feel like you know Sulynn personally from listening to it, and it never runs out of beautiful sights to behold. Easily the most unexpected album on this list.

Cardiacs - LSD

I was kind of afraid of including this album and almost didn't simply to make my life easier. Not only did I not trust my ability to break through the at least 16 layers of theater kid bullshit (affectionately) that are piled on top of each other in this album, but I also do feel anxious publicly commenting on a band with such a big history, so much lore and such a massive cult following that I didn't even knew existed just two years ago. Then, the tragic story of the lengthy process of the creation of this album, its history going all the way back into the early 2000s and its development tragically interrupted by frontman Tim Smith's terrible incident that left him in a state of dystonia for the last decade of his life, is something I am frankly not equipped to give its due. If you already know you know, you don't need me for that. If not, please read up on that on your own time. But ultimately I decided that it would be wrong to simply ignore this album here in this list. It's too much of a milestone of experimental and eccentric music, too bombastic, and too outlandish not to mention, too storied to ignore, too fun and exciting to pretend it didn't do anything for me; it deserves recognition. With all the love in the world, Cardiacs are simultaneously absolutely brilliant and the most annoying music in the world. Nothing sounds like it, nothing is as extravagant and eccentric, nothing has this level of disorienting whimsy, and while every single moment of listening to this band is enjoyable, surprising and mindblowing, after finishing one of their excessively long albums, I am absolutely exhausted. It's so much. Cardiac's final grand statement LSD is mournful and jubilant, whimsical and intense, and full of heightened emotions like a cheesy melodrama. Much of the album is lyrically concerned with mortality and Tim Smith's coping with his debilitating health condition, but the band works damn hard to bring it across through a jubilant celebration of life and the human spirit. They're loud and energetic, change style at a moment's notice, the arrangements are dense and maximalist, full of instruments I couldn't even name. They play in weird rhythms that often manifest through melodic lines that sound perfectly harmonic but stumble halfway through as if a beat is missing, but also sometimes through disorienting math rock passages. The songs are full of short transitionary flourishes in between sections that happen so quickly you don't even notice them. The chorus of the extremely catchy lead single Woodeneye is a good representative of the sound of the band, as the pitch gets more and more jubilant and heightened, singing along, your voice already reaching the breaking point, and then they add another layer on top. And then another. Layers upon layers of whimsy and grandiosity to a point of near nausea. Lovely Eyes and the second single Downup operate in a very similar fashion. Woodeneye is an excellent first example though as it would be wrong to assume that all the sounds this album had to offer is simply melodramatic musical theater on steroids: The verses of Woodeneye are punchy punk rock with a biting vocal performance, which creates an excellent motor for the momentum of the song and a strong counterbalance for the very catchy and overtly grand chorus. And while the first couple of tracks already nearly overstimulate you with their unrelenting energy and density, Spelled All Wrong comes to the rescue as the first slower and more melancholic piece, which nails its rather downtrodden mood beautifully. While Cardiac's melodic arrangements are largely very smooth and harmonic, an instrumental section towards the end of Lovely Eyes shows their skill at dissonant walls of noise. Skating is, compositionally, by far the weirdest song on the album, which "skates" along with a Mr. Bungle level of musical deconstruction, as the listener is being dragged through ripped shreds of theater, punk, choirs, surf rock, and disorienting math rock. The second half of the album is noticeable for its number of longer instrumentals, like the 9 minute long Busty Bees, which opens that side of the album with muted carnival melodies, before breaking into a grand stadium rock suite. Similarly, Ditzy Scene opens with a lengthy brass composition and breaks into a powerful rock opera. The eccentric theater energy comes to a final high point on Downup, A Roll from a Dirty Place and Made All Up, which features Tim Smith's final vocal performance, before Pet Fezant closes out the album, with a beautiful gentle but grand brass elegy as a final farewell. Although this band is something that I'm not in the mood to listen to very often and that I feel is going over my head at times, I'm so glad this band exists and that Tim Smith's final masterpiece finally made it out into the world thanks to the support, collaboration and hard work of many of his long-time collaborators and loved ones.

Bob Mould - Here We Go Crazy

I only really got into Hüsker Dü this year, but they have become one of, if not my central new discovery of the year. I was happy to find out that a third of the band, and half of their songwriters, was still around and actively making music, although usually I'm only mildly interested in solo acts. Most of the time, I feel, it's just a less interesting version of the band I know them from. But not Bob Mould: The first song I heard was Neanderthal ahead of the album, and I was immediately surprised how punchy and energetic it sounded. The rest of the album followed up fairly soon and didn't disappoint either. The songs are incredibly catchy, especially the title track, Thread So Thin and Fur Mink Augurs. The latter also really brings out the power of his unique voice, which sounds fantastic on the whole record. Lost or Stolen, now with an acoustic guitar and his voice at its smokiest, reminds almost a little bit of New Model Army. Here We Go Crazy is an infectious and radiant piece of driving and melodic alternative rock. While it certainly doesn't reinvent the wheel, I always had a fantastic time listening to this album and it just makes me happy to know that Bob is around, doing well, and doing great work. Makes me happy seeing him post his near daily, near identical looking dad selfies on tour. The gay original alternative rock star icon is still around, still kicking ass, and thriving. Sometimes, the world's not so bad.

Catbite - Doom Garden

Catbite have never been my favourite of the Bad Time Records lot. While my taste in ska primarily gravitates towards the more aggressive punk genres or the more electronic variants as they are more common in the UK scene, Catbite's style is a lot more inspired by traditional ska and power pop. I always kept up with them though, as their lighthearted and bouncy sound and general likable demeanor was always enjoyable to have around, even if it didn't speak to me much beyond that. With their new EP Doom Garden though, Catbite have put out their, to me, most compelling release with the greatest stylistic variety. I wouldn't call it a change in style though, more of an expansion, so fans of previous releases will have plenty to enjoy. Particularly Put 'Em Away and Remediate show irresistibly catchy songwriting in the familiar, bouncy ska pop outfit. The same can be said about opener and lead single Die in Denver, although this is in my opinion the weakest part of this EP, as the sound feels most familiar and the composition and songwriting don't quite hook me as strongly here. The second single Tired of Talk has a dark and haunting tone, with particularly the verses harkening back to the Special's classic Ghost Town. The track's Patrick Stump feature is fine and his unique voice adds an additional depth to the song, although I find that, in typical Patrick Stump fashion, he is very prone to oversinging, to a point that at times it feels like he's trying to impress the judges on a casting show. While with what I've mentioned so far we've stayed in the realm of what I would expect from Catbite, this EP has a few surprises in store: The haunting atmosphere of Tired of Talk is picked up again in the completely ska-free and drumless Deteriorate, in which singer Brittany Luna is really able to shine. And with Eyes Wide, Catbite have easily released their most punk track to date (with exception of the Catfite side-project, of course). This song surprises with loud guitars, powerful, aggressive vocals, a driving, double-time beat, even a bit of a breakdown, without sacrificing any of its bounce and catchiness. I always had the impression that Catbite were an extremely fun and likable band and I always wished I liked them more than I do, so I am delighted that Doom Garden has, finally, fully sold me on them.

The Mars Volta - Lucro sucio; los ojos del vacío

Earlier in the year I got much more invested in this band I previously only had a tangential interest in, particularly in their second full length album, Frances the Mute. Although the current incarnation of The Mars Volta can barely even be described as a rock band anymore and on the surface there's not much that connects their 2005 magnum opus and this new release 20 years later, some, albeit more abstract, but nonetheless central key elements are here that manage to recapture the old magic in this completely new garment. Firstly, The Mars Volta has always been a band that serves as the creative playground for Cedric and Omar, irrespective of any genre or scene expectations. At the time, the outlet of their artistic expression was progressive rock, and now it's... this, whatever this is. But it's still unmistakably their own wild and authentic expression. Secondly, the main thing that hooks me into Frances the Mute is the feeling of being taken on a journey. I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed every moment of it in isolation, but I'm along for the ride, and I love the adventurous ride it takes you on. Like sitting on a river raft, and sure, some moments may be boring or unpleasant in isolation, but you also come by beautiful, breathtaking sights that wouldn't feel nearly as impactful and rewarding if it weren't for the journey in its entirety. This new album is smooth and gentle, but that doesn't mean it's not exciting. Many elements come together here, from latin jazz, to psychedelia, to trip hop, to pop, to probably at least half a dozen of influences I can't even recognize. As some with little to no experience in these genres I can't say much about how these elements are executed in isolation, and as just a fan of rock and punk music, there isn't much to find here. But as a fan of creative and unique art, I love this. The songs are structured often not in any recognizable way and build up on each other, flowing smoothly from one into the other, and creating a holistic experience that may not give me the short-term, dopamine fueled satisfaction that more accessible, heavier or faster music does, but it creates a journey that brings me past many places of serene beauty, captivating beats and fascinating novel composition. Although the album largely breaks with the more traditional song structures of the previous self-titled album, there are moments of pop catchyness and even fully fledged pop songs in there, but finding where exactly they start and end isn't so easy. Like watching the clouds, you may see one coherent mass break apart, dissolve into nothingness, for something to form in its place. The songs are like mist, nearly formless, but beautiful and recognizable regardless.

Kae Tempest - Self titled

Self-titled albums are so common, it doesn't really read as a statement anymore. Bands and artists do them all the time, for seemingly no reason. It may just seem like they couldn't think of a title, or at worst, as YouTuber Todd in the Shadow put it, it's a desperate claim to a definitive statement when you can see your career is about to tank. Kae Tempest's new album is not actually called "Kae Tempest", though. It is called "Self Titled", making the name choice explicit and deliberate - rather than this being any untitled album, the album title unmistakably points to his name: Kae Tempest. Kae has first been introduced to me as a novelist and essayist in a Master's seminar on queer literature, for which we also listened to his debut album Everybody Down and his understated but affirmative style of performance, strong sense for good hooks, minimalist but punchy instrumentation and introspective, personal lyricism quickly drew me in. Since then, Kae has gone through a lot of personal changes, but all his musical qualities are still as good as ever. Self Titled is a deeply personal piece of writing about his identity as a trans man and his journey of getting there, at times deeply pained and mournful, other times defiantly triumphant. While some tracks on the first half of the album have a certain confident ease to them, the album gets heavier as it goes. From the get go, I love the soft yet busy R'n'B beat with gentle atmospheric synths and the very catchy chorus on the opener I Stand on the Line. The lead single Statue in the Square continues in a similar vein, but with a darker, more foreboding tone in its beat. The album changes to a noticeably softer tone when approaching the middle section: Sunshine on Catford sticks out with a very Pet Shop Boysy chorus, that may come across as cheesy at first but that you can't help but appreciate for its gentle earnestness. More beautiful vulnerable spoken word performance follows, until the mood gets more tense again with discussions of mental health and addiction as we approach the final section of the album. All this is culminating on the penultimate Breathe, a singular, continuous verse detailing many of his life experiences, about 1,000 words, unrelenting and steadily intensifying, giving the impression of just barely making it back to the water surface just as your air was about to run out. The album ends with a look back at his younger self and an appeal to a more empathetic world to allow us to heal from our traumas. Altogether a wonderfully honest, personal, vulnerable and deeply touching album with a strong sense for atmosphere, beats and hooks.

Model/Actriz - Pirouette

Hearing the bands debut album Dogsbody for the first time two years ago felt like a revelation, and if you told me at the time that just two years later this band would come out with genuinely potent pop hooks, I wouldn't have believed you. I saw them live this year, and it was plenty abrasive, but the album does make the industrial noise rock much more palatable and atmospheric, to a point where I would hardly call it noise rock anymore. The second album Pirouette has all of the familiar elements from the debut, pulsating dance beats, loud, metallic clanking, and an abundance of gay yearning. Nonetheless, it sounds a lot gentler than their debut. Instead, we get much more moments of ambiance, and strong, catchy melody writing that wraps up singer Cole Haden's personal storytelling. The most memorable hooks show up on the opener Vespers, the lead single Cinderella, and the centerpiece Acid Rain, but plenty more reveals itself upon repeat listens. Unfortunately, similarly to the debut album, all of my favourite tracks are in the first half of the album, making the back end comparatively weak, but that does not mean there's no fun to be had. Especially Ring Road makes for a very effective jolt in the flow of the second half of the album with an earsplitting stomp beat and a mercilessly blown out distorted sound. This album is not perfect but on it Model/Actriz demonstrate succesfully that the abrasive and deliberately off-putting sound of their debut album not only does not lose any of its impact but provides plenty of fertile grounds for developments that can even include pop hooks.

Ho99o9 - Tomorrow We Escape

While in the age of blurred or even entirely abolished cultural boundaries around music genres combinations of punk and hip hop are hardly a novelty anymore (hell, this particular boundary has been broken down as early as the 90s), I still consider the band pronounced as "horror" a powerful and necessary amalgamation of alternative, countercultural music history. Taking old-school punk rock aesthetics and blending it with experimental rap and a very modern approach of abrasive genre fluidity, Ho99o9 hit the nail on the head perhaps the best when it comes to creating an image unmistakably punk without falling into the trappings of repeating tired cliches that no longer have the firepower to seem genuinely boundary pushing or dangerous like many legacy or retro-styled punk bands do. The genre mashes here work effortlessly; hearing the groups aggressive rapping style in a punk context that gives it a strong likeness to hardcore shouts has you wonder why those two genres have ever even been considered separate in the first place. Now comfortably in their second decade of highly prolific activity, Tomorrow We Escape is only their third official studio album, although that is hardly representative of the duo's oeuvre as they've released heaps more music on other formats. While the overall recipe for their style hasn't changed much, it feels like a process of gradual refinement which delivers their to me most compelling album yet. The album knows how to move effortlessly between genres, from ambiance to intensity, from breakdowns to thrash, from shouts to hooks, tracks naturally merging into another and creating a very cohesive flow. Despite all the variation, clear stylistic throughlines exist, as it creatively reuses similar elements in different contexts to create very antithetical songs: Incline and Upside Down, for example, both make use of a compressed artificial instrumental sound but they couldn't be more different in mood, as the former is driving and subdued, while the latter blasts nu metal riffs at full force. After an atmospheric opener with distorted guitar drones, Escape is the first ripper of a track with melodic verses over a driving guitar backing and a strong vocal contrast into a shouted chorus. Target Practice brings harsh electronic noise industrial beats to the table before seamlessly merging into the chaotic Ok, I'm Reloaded, while Psychic Jumper takes a much more soulful approach and sticks out with a strong r'n'b pop hook. Having built up quite a reputation by now, Ho99o9 frequently collaborate with other artists, and such is the case on this album, which includes, among others, Chelsea Wolfe on Immortal, former Nimputs AotY alumni Nova Twins on Incline (though they didn't quite make the cut this time around), and on a definitive personal highlight for me, Greg Puciato, current lead singer of Better Lovers and formerly the Dillinger Escape Plan, on Tapeworm. Tapeworm is basically as close to a new Dillinger Escape Plan song as we're gonna get; it opens with a breakbeat sample that brings back memories to Slipknot's nu metal classic Eyeless and then bounces back and forth through merciless thrash and a strong rock chorus in just the same way my favourite DEP songs do, supported by Greg's trademark nasal snarl and vicious screams. LA Riots is another personal highlight, as it brings an unbelievable energy to the table with hard cuts between rap verses and an insane, straight forward hardcore punk propulsion, harkening back to the track Street Power off of their first album that got me into the band back then. This album is so aggressive and abrasive, but at the same time melodic, soulful and atmospheric at just the right moments, and works incredibly well as a coherent piece. Definitely my favourite Ho99o9 album yet.

Pinkshift - Earthkeeper

Pinkshift have, at this point, basically left behind the pop punk label they have been lumped in with early on in their career. While the music certainly had a lot of pop punk characteristics, I always thought they had a much more powerful and heavier guitar and driving urgency in their sound that set them apart from their peers. This is what they further leaned into on their second full length Earthkeeper, to a point where they would more accurately be described as a metal or hardcore band. But they didn't just amp up the guitars to a crushing degree, their songwriting is also more varied and inventive than ever, even if perhaps the immediate catchiness of their more pop punk focused output is lost a little. Opener Love It Here is a vicious hardcore song with infectious and catchy gang shouts in its chorus. Similarly, Evil Eye combines a brazen momentum with nu metaly aggressive verses and leads it into a disorienting breakdown that could give any metalcore band a run for their money. On the other side of the heavy coin, Anita Ride and Don't Fight slow down the tempo but amp up the heaviness, creating powerful and atmospheric alternative metal behemoths, the former complete with the vilest sounding screams Ashrita could muster and the latter with dreamy verses sung by guitarist Paul. Heaviness aside, another important pillar of this album are the quieter moments and exploding, soaring choruses, with perfect stadium rock capabilities, such as Patience and Reflection. The band clearly shows their potential for capturing a wider audience on these tracks. Not that that's where I want them to go necessarily, but mainstream appeal too is an important skill to possess in your toolbox, which is especially notewprthy on an album with this many alternative metal rippers. The track Spiritseeker serves as a really good middle ground, as it is more closely related to the stadium rock ballads but sticks out through tense verses and heavy bridge section. The band does return to their more pop-punky roots though, most noticeably on Freefall, but also the closing track Vacant and Something More. That being said though, while there is nothing formally wrong with any of these tracks, they do eventually stick out as my least favourite part of the album. The songs are powerful, bouncy, catchy and anthemic, but I do think they throw the pacing of the whole album a little out of whack for me, as they clash a little with the other sounds on the album and especially because they're all positioned towards the end. Even with these minor setbacks though, overall this is still a very strong album, the performances are powerful, emotional, honest and urgent, and I'm sure that whatever niche Pinkshift will settle into in the future, this release will mark as an important milestone for their development. While it is a little carried by its heavy standout tracks in the first half for me, the highlights of the album are too goddamn strong to ignore.

Actionmen - Speed of Life

As a teenager and young adult I had a bit of an obsession with skate punk, particularly the very melodic and melancholic kind with soft, slow and soothing vocal lines that would just as well fit into a ballad or campfire song, but are underlined with lightning fast punk drums. Stuff like mid-career No Use for a Name, for example. Actionmen from Italy manage to perfectly capitalize on this old love of mine, but where bands like NUFAN score with masterfully catchy pop songwriting, Actionmen take the opposite approach. They smash through an entire 18 songs in just under 36 minutes at absolutely mind boggling speed, built on disorienting, linear song structures. No repeating sections, no hooks, no choruses. The songs flow into each other with not much of a sense of where one ends and the next one starts. Where they're lacking in hooks, they instead count on bouncy riffs, bizarrely fast drumming, a constant, rumbling bass that sounds like an old low-RPM car engine, and tons of unexpected twists and turns at every corner to keep you on your toes, all with a speed, precision and technical proficiency rivals that of bands like Belvedere or Cigar. Vocals often take up only a minor part of the songs, leaving you with mainly just a dazzling frenzy of rhythm and skate punk riffage. While the unconventional, linear songwriting makes it difficult to latch on to particular individual songs, the experience of listening to the whole album is like getting pulled through a mail delivery tube, fast, out of your control, you have no idea where you'll end up, but the ride is exciting and smooth.

Thrice - Horizons / West

I love when I enjoy an album so much it makes me go back and reevaluate another album I had previously written off. Truly, if this is that good, I must've missed something there previously. This album's predecessor Horizons / East came out in 2021, at a time when I myself was still warming up to the band's sound and had logged it as a bit of a dud. I think I have a better grasp of what this band is now and how to connect with their sound, and revisiting it now, I can get much more out of it. Yet, I still think this year's followup Horizons / West is overall the much better package. I can't exactly point to anything specific that East does wrong, but West just has this little extra something that turns it from a good album into an excellent album. It feels more energetic, more dynamic, more emotive, tighter. The production is incredible, with a very clear sound with strong dynamics, between quiet atmospheric moments and powerful walls of guitar, the rhythm section is incredibly tight, and lead singer Dustin Kensrue's smoky, soulful voice sounds better than ever, delivering gut punch after gut punch. If you're unfamiliar with Thrice's previous output, the infectious hype-up shouts in the opener Blackout might set up your expectations for a more traditional hardcore album, but for at least the past 20 years, Thrice have generally operated on more subtler tones. Nonetheless, the album has plenty of power to show for: The second track Gnash with its electronically distorted lead riff brings plenty of aggression to the table and quickly breaks into a chorus powerful enough to smash mountains. The power and satisfying texture of the guitars reaches an almost Deftonesian level and Kensrue's shouts are powerful and cathartic, while the rhythm section punches through every individual syllable. Things get a little gentler from here on out though, but the album is only just getting started. Albatross jumps out with a playful leading bass line and a busy tom groove before breaking into a strong melodic chorus. Later in the album, Crooked Shadows plays a similar trick, furthermore shows the power of Eddie Breckenridge's fantastic lead bass lines, but despite being similar on paper, the band still executed it to have an entirely different feel from Albatross. Distant Suns, too, brings a constant driving beat, but creates such a beautiful atmospheric soundscape through it, supporting Kensrue's strong yearning vocal performance. The album just has an absolutely incredible knack of making me feel the emotional core of these songs. Even the most straightforward punk rock song Holding On sounds soaring, emotive and mournful. Another highlight for me is The Dark Glow, which masters the dynamic between quiet, foreboding verses with an acoustic lead and sampled percussion and a grand, explosive chorus. The song is heavy, slow and trudging, but it makes you sure you feel every word that is being sung, even if, when you think about it, you don't really know what is meant. Songs like The Dark Glow and Albatross are a good microcosm to describe the general dynamics of the album, as it finds plenty of room for gentle atmosphere and bouncy rhythm sections, but when the guitars hit, they hit with a crushing intensity. Pieces of ambiance, like the transitionary track Dusk, or the outro to the The Dark Glow or the closing track Unitive / West furthermore do a fantastic job controlling the pacing of the overall album and setting up a mood. When it all comes down to it, presently, Horizons / West is my favourite Thrice album, and with over 25 years of history and a discography this large, this is truly impressive.