Words by Harper Mahood
Harper Mahood is a London-based journalist, creative and music lover. Originally from Portland, Oregon, she spent her childhood immersed in the musical world of her father, Dewey Mahood, tagging along to band practice, learning guitar from him and vending records at his music store. She is currently a contributing writer for Off Shelf and East London Lines, has previously written for Aquarium Drunkard, and was a lead interviewer for the music documentary, No Quiet Hours. Here are her top ten albums from 2025 in no particular order.
Geese – Getting Killed (Partisan Records)
Debuting as teenagers, playing free street shows in the heart of Brooklyn and rapidly gaining international success, Geese may just be this generation’s quintessential rock band. New York born and bred, they have gained praise for their genre melding sound, drawing influence from an eclectic mix of artists like Radiohead, Led Zeppelin and Deerhoof. Getting Killed marks a shift in the band’s ever evolving discography, embracing a looser experimental art-rock sound in contrast to the safer 3D Country. The raw, strained quality of Cameron Winter’s vocals combined with classic rock structures, rhythmic explorations by Dominic Digesu, Max Bassin and Emily Green and offbeat lyrics like “If you want me to pay my taxes, you better come over with a crucifix, you’re gonna have to nail me down” make for an album drenched in exploration. As Geese leans further into their own idiosyncratic sound, the bigger they get. They aren’t here to play it safe, but that seems to be the whole point.
Wednesday – Bleeds (20 Buck Spin)
Karly Hartzman’s bleedingly raw, country-twinged vocals backed by dreamy pedalsteel leads and convincingly 90s fuzz guitar make for the ultimate “countrygaze” album, Bleeds. Reminiscent of Sonic Youth, Pavement and at moments Kurt Vile, Wednesday’s Southern roots and honest storytelling place them in a unique category of their own. The album is soulful, emotive and deeply personal, a testimony to Hartzman’s thoughtful songwriting approach. MJ Lenderman, who Rolling Stone has crowned ‘Indie Rock’s Favorite Guitar Hero,’ shreds unapologetically at moments, but knows when to pull back and let Hartzman shine. Despite being Wednesday’s sixth studio album, Bleeds is vehemently fresh, a lusty, undiluted addition to the band’s discography.
Die Spitz – Something To Consume (Third Man Records)
Austin-based band Die Spitz’s debut album, Something To Consume, bursts into the scene with all guns blazing. Combining heavy, sledgehammer riffs with dreamy vocals and fuzzed out shoegaze instrumentals, it evokes a rawness that makes you want to dance, shout and cry all at the same time. Heavily influenced by 90s grunge, Something to Consume pays homage to some of the greats like Nirvana, Unwound, Mazzy Star and Black Sabbath. Bandmates Eleanor Livingston, Ava Schrobilgen, Chloe De St. Aubin and Kate Halter often swap instruments, sharing songwriting credits and vocal duties. Their versatility is guided by a collective unrest and disillusionment with the traditional domestic roles of women in society. The unpredictable, energetic album kicks those ideas in the face, proving that girls can rock, just as hard.
Sudan Archives – The BPM (Stones Throw)
What could a self-taught violinist possibly know about the club? Turns out, a lot and Brittney Denise Parks (better known as Sudan Archives) shows us on her latest album, The BPM. Sudan blends the ostensibly polarized violin and electronics seamlessly, mixing gritty, stripped down techno beats with her self described “fiddle-punk sound.” Her minimal set-up includes a vintage Roland SP 404 and a Digital Audio Workstation to emulate the sounds of old school Chicago House and Detroit Techno. As the title may suggest, BPM’s strength is in its heavy emphasis on the beat. It’s an album to blast as loud as you can, roll down the windows and soak up every note.
Wet Leg – Moisturizer (Domino Recording Company)
Wet Leg, who boast one of the most oddball origin stories: a “Should we start a band?” conversation whilst sky-high on a ferris wheel, have continued to rise in the indie-rock ranks since the release of their second album, moisturizer, in July. Lead singer Rhian Teasdale alludes to their bizarre beginnings in her classic deadbeat style on the album’s outro track “u and me at home.” She sings, “Maybe we could start a band as some kinda joke… ‘Well, that didn’t quite go to plan,’ I say on the radio…Now we’ve been stretched across the world.” moisturizer builds off of their classic style, brimming with playful lyrics, catchy melodies and a strong post-punk influence. At moments, the band offers listeners a glimpse of vulnerability with several quasi-theatrical references to falling in love. While it doesn’t deviate tremendously from their 2022 self-titled album, moisturizer is a charming follow-up heavy on the quirk.
Bar Italia – Some Like It Hot (Matador Records)
Named after the 1950s classic featuring Marilyn Monroe, London indie rock band Bar Italia stray from their mysterious reputation with Some Like It Hot, their fifth studio album. More polished than previous works, the tracks are poised, without feeling too intentional, maintaining their seductive “indie-slacker” nonchalance. Nina Cristante’s hypnotic voice mixed with Sam Fenton and Jezmi Tarik Fehmi’s sometimes conversational, male vocals converge in a playful, 2010s post-punk sound. A mix of garage rock, twee vocals, punk influence and dreamy psychedelia, Some Like It Hot is a sharpened take on their iconic sound.
Lael Neale – Altogether Stranger (Sub Pop)
Lael Neale’s self proclaimed “child of Los Angeles,” Altogether Stranger, is an internal exploration of environment, and ultimately, a fond farewell to LA. “With people just like me, trying to get from here, killing our time, with our magazine minds,” sings Neale in her hauntingly hazy folk style. The track, titled “There From Here,” is adorned with minimal piano, and marks the end of the 32 minute album. Other songs like “Down On The Freeway” and “All Is Never Lost” feature sparse instrumentals, Motorik beats and Omnichord reveries, staying true to Neale’s DIY endearment and the intimacy of home recording. Inspired by Joni Mitchell, Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, her thoughtful songwriting approach delivers a mix of raw intimacy and existential edge reminiscent of her prior releases. Altogether Stranger, her fourth album, is the most conceptual yet, culminating in a deeper and more intimate sonic exploration.
Yazz Ahmed – A Paradise In The Hold (Night Time Stories)
British-Bahraini trumpeter, flugelhornist and composer Yazz Ahmed released her boundary-transcending jazz album, A Paradise In The Hold, last February. It’s a sonic transcendence, combining the narrative elements of Bahraini wedding poems with melancholy work songs, fidjeri, sung by pearl divers in Bahrain. A Paradise In The Hold marks the first time that Ahmed has incorporated vocalists, who sing in both Arabic and English. Other musical additions include George Crowley’s bass clarinet, Ralph Wyld’s vibraphones and a central rhythmic section comprised of Dudley Phillips, Dave Manington and the late Martin France. An evocative take on Bahraini traditions fused with contemporary jazz explorations, A Paradise In The Hold is yet another triumph by Ahmed.
Titanic – HAGEN (Unhead Of Hope)
Titanic is a collaboration between one of the biggest names in experimental music, Mabe Fratti, and multi-instrumentalist Hector Tosta (I la Catolica). The duo combine jazzy experimentations with Fratti’s fluid vocals and cello harmonies, catapulting listeners into a dreamy dance inducing daydream. Hagen is heartfelt and focused, swelling between thundering cello and heavy blast beats from Nathan Salon. Other contributors include Daniel Lopatin, an American producer and composer better known as Oneohtrix Point Never and Eli Kezler, American percussionist and composer. Hagen exemplifies Fratti and Tosta’s brilliance, cementing Mexico City as an illustrious boundary-pushing, experimental music scene.
Earl Sweatshirt – Live Laugh Love (Warner Records)
Live Laugh Love, the catchphrase that had millennials in a choke hold circa 2010, is the chosen title for Earl Sweatshirts’ fifth studio album. Marked by optimistic lyrics and an assured self-acceptance, the album signals a shift in Sweatshirt’s tone. With Live Laugh Love, he transcends from resident pessimist rapper to self-assured family man, a reflection of his new found role as husband and father. “I released, I released, I released, I released it,” he chants on “Heavy Metal aka ejecto seato!” signaling this transcendence. The production pays homage to his earlier work, classically lo-fi and avant garde. Overall, Live Laugh Love feels like the heartfelt mixtape you keep in the glove box of your car, personal, transcendental and full of purpose.
Great stuff! So cool!