My Favorite Albums of 2025

In their third release since their inception in 2016, Mamalarky has developed their sound into something relaxed, super funky, and effortlessly groovy with tons of charm. Their songwriting is so engaging and fun; it’s full of complex instrumental interplay and solos that bloom and sway. Hex Key is head bopping, trippy, jammy, and handily my favorite of the year.

Cass McCombs is one of those writers who seems like he can’t stop the songs from pouring out. He has a huge discography, and Interior Live Oak ties different aspects of his catalog together, from the rollicking, crunchy country guitars of Big Wheel and Others to the more introspective finger-picking style of Mangy Love into an album that feels at once eclectic, timeless, and singularly his.

Halo on the Inside feels like Circuit des Yeux by way of Trent Reznor. It’s dark and dank nighttime music that almost entirely discards the acoustic textures and string arrangements of 2021’s -io in favor of shrieking synths and blown out basses. But lurking beneath the terrifying surface is the same complex and beautiful songwriting as always; this was confirmed when I saw her perform some of these songs without electronics, backed with two acoustic guitars.

The Heat Warps marks a change from Modern Nature’s past work: they’ve added structure on top of their improvisation-lead past and ended up with their most mature and well-constructed songs to date. The palette leans more electric than acoustic on this outing — two electric guitars, bass, and drums — but manages to not feel like an abrupt change. They retain some of the meditative tempos and introspection of their previous work, while adding more traditional verse/chorus arrangements, and a gorgeous layer of vocal harmonies across the album.

Nation of Language return for their 4th record in the last 5 years, and continue to supply their own brand of synth pop — danceable tunes for late nights or the downcast (or the downcast on late nights). While the vocals have a disaffected delivery, the songs are introspective and vulnerable. The band certainly has a brand and they are sticking to it, but it is as enjoyable as ever.

Bleeds is sort of a breakup album about the lead singer Karly Hartzman’s relationship with MJ Lenderman (who still plays guitar in the band). They didn’t tell the rest of the band during recording, and the songs are more about a generic “certain type of guy,” but the tension is palpable in the songwriting. The tunes stretch musically from rock with a pretty edge, to country, to hardcore, and is incredibly mature; though this is Wednesday’s 6th album, it feels like they have been writing and working together for even longer. The songs feel lived in and raw at the same time, supported by the very present recording and full mix.

SAYA is a genre blurring, art-pop take on R&B that verges into electronic-tinged guitar pop, all with a dreamy, echo-y sheen. Steel guitar even pops up in the strangest places, but it fits the album’s spacey feel. It’s slightly reminiscent of Bon Iver’s breakout “For Emma, Forever Ago” and even The Flaming Lips at parts.

Goon returns with another gorgeous, spaced out album. It’s psychedelic, uptempo, shoegaze-adjacent, and sometimes even breaks into heavier rock reminiscent of Catherine Wheel. Bandleader Kenny Becker brings interesting compositions that are drenched in a comforting layer of reverb. And while the lyrics cover a breakup and depression, the delivery is so gentle that it washes over you in gorgeous waves.

Hannah Frances transmogrifies grief and family issues into expansive, intriguing, and sometimes complicated music that feels very composed but still remains accessible. With a voice that’s a little reminiscent of Adreanne Lenker, she sings with intent and a rhythmic complexity that reminds me of the Dirty Projectors’ experiments in hocketing.