It was challenging trying to put together a best of list this year. I don’t think I bought 10 albums released for the first time this year. I’ve no doubt there’s been lots of great music out there but my willingness to look for it hasn’t been there this past year.
I did however, buy a lot of 2025 reissues. To make this years look back more interesting, this will be done chronologically and cover the new albums as well as those reissues.
Winter:
January, as is often the case, saw Mogwai release an album, The Bad Fire. They’re not the Young Team anymore, but it was yet another solid Mogwai album. Live Drugs Again by The War On Drugs got a vinyl release as did the, effectively a demo, 1991 by Drop Nineteens, being pressed on vinyl for the first time. I always loved it but it was rough back in the day. It cleaned up well into a very good album in its own right.
February and March produced albums by Sinner DC with Sonic Boom and bdrmm. Maps, musically, was fabulous, but I could’ve lived without Sonic’s vocals. It pains me to say that as a Sonic fan. bdrmm Microtonic was one of my musical highlights of the year. Their blend of shoegaze and electronica works for me.
Spring:
Springtime started early. It was shorts season the moment the clocks changed. Held by Trees released their 2nd full length album Hinterland. I finally got to see them live in July and it was as good as I hoped it would be. They are a very special outfit. Probably my favourite reissue this year was Amorphous Androgynous Alice In Ultraland which landed for Record Store Day. It was my only purchase from RSD but one I always wanted to own. Lovely double orange vinyl to boot. The album is a trip start to finish. I do love this version of Future Sound Of London. Doves Constellations For The Lonely was an early birthday present, and remains one of the better albums this year. During this time I picked up a few reissues such as Slowdive’s Pygmalion but 1993s Quique by Seefeel was one that I’ve played the most since. Darkly hypnotic stuff and well ahead of its time.
Summer:
Most of the gold often happens over the summer. Everyone seems to have loved More by Pulp. It’s no different in our household. It was also the 45th anniversary of Cafe Del Mar so they released a, better than recent efforts, compilation to commemorate this years milestone. My good friend bought me Stars of the Lid Music for Nitrous Oxide )35th anniversary pressing) for my birthday. Best described as jaw clenching, edge of the seat ambient, it’s an immersive experience. Nils Frahm released Night and Day together. At points, it’s barely audible music. Gentle as you like.
The highlight and best album of the year was Still Out by KiF. It’s a homage to Chill Out and includes John Martyn, Steve Hillage, Pink Floyd and Virgina Astley as well as bits from the original album. I first heard it in May and I finally received my record late July. It’s very true to the original whilst still remaining sufficiently different. Between you and I, I can’t believe the album exists but I’m so glad it does. This was the soundtrack to my summer and inspired me to do something similar, more later.
Autumn/Winter:
I’ll be honest, Autumn has been a disappointment. Last year so many good albums were tail end of the year releases. This year it was Richard Ashcroft and his album Lovin’ You. A massive disappointment and my end of the line with Ashcroft purchases. Robert Plant and his Saving Grace project got an album release and it was good to hear his project have something tangible to show. The American Analog Set’s album The Fun Of Watching Fireworks reissue was a delight to pick up. 30 years late to the party but at least I made it to the party.
I asked my mate to recommend a Fall best of as I was starting to listen to them more. He recommended the Cherry Red 50,000 Fall Fans reissue. I preordered it and ended up loving it. It includes all the tunes I really like apart from Eat Yourself Thinner and Oswalds Defence Lawyer. Seems you can’t have it all.
Top 5 Albums:
- Still Out – KiF
- Microtonic – bdrmm
- More – Pulp
- Hinterland – Held by Trees
- Constellations for the Lonely – Doves
Top 5 2025 Reissues:
- Alice In Ultraland – Amorphous Androgynous
- 50,000 Fall Fans Can’t Be Wrong – The Fall
- Quique – Seefeel
- 1991 – Drop Nineteens
- Music For Nitrous Oxide – Stars of the Lid
Something new I learned:
Every year there’s a punt that pays off. A second hand album that grabs your attention in some way so you buy it. Both the cover art and tune Cosmic Kangaroo Juice did that with the 1976 album Alpha Waves by Locust. It’s stoner funk and a total revelation. It just stays the right side of elevator music. It’s not on Spotify but I’m sure it’s kicking around on YouTube. Well worth the 33p paid for it.
The inspiration:
I mentioned the inspiration that Still Out gave me. From late May until early September I worked on my own interpretation of Chill Out. Starting with the original album I used samples and tunes that aligned with each stage of it and built it out from there. Where there was Elvis In the Ghetto there was Strange Fruit by Billie Holliday, waves replaced sheep and so on (the sheep still featured heavily). The mix needed a central theme and that was Caddyshack. I realise using the 1980s movie classic as the central theme in the mix, isn’t exactly Chill Out, but it is an interpretation, my interpretation. I always planned to remove the original album at the end of the process but it worked well as part of the mix, so it remained. A few months on, and I’m still very proud of the outcome. If you’re interested you can find the mix here 👇 See you next year.
Jaykits 