Here is my annual rundown of things I managed to give more than a cursory listen to in this year of political nightmares. As always, this is NOT meant as my “Best of” list or anything other than an experiment in exhibitionism and voyeurism. I do it because I enjoy reading about what others are listening to and so I’d like to reciprocate. There were many happy and welcome returns to action after extended absences, including new music from Spock’s Beard, Styx, and Tortoise.
As always, YMMV.
Ambient
Brain Eno & Beatie Wolfe / Lateral
Brian Eno & Beatie Wolfe / Liminal
Americana
Shinyribs / Leaving Time
Blues
Buddy Guy / Ain’t Done With The Blues
Celtic Rock
Dropkick Murphys / For The People
Chamber Pop
Beatie Wolfe & Brian Eno / Luminal
Dirty Projectors / Song of the Earth
Classical
Alice Sara Ott / John Field: Complete Nocturnes
Onyx Brass / Transatlantic
Contemporary Classical
Anne Akiko Meyers & LA Philharmonic / Glass: Violin Concerto No.1
Claire Chase & Katinka Kleijn & Cory Smythe & Seth Parker Woods / Thorvaldsdottir: Ubique
Gabriel Prokofiev / Dark Lights
Philip Glass & Tenzin Choegyal / Be The Sky
Third Coast Percussion / Glass: Aguas da Amazonia
Third Coast Percussion / Standard Stoppages
Contemporary Instrumental
Hammock / Nevertheless
Hundred Waters & Nicole Miglis / Re: Communicating
David Helping & Eric “The” Taylor / The Precious Dark
Immersion & SUSS / Nanocluster Vol. 3
Yann TIersen / Rathlin from a Distance & The Liquid Hour
Electronic
Cosey Fanni Tutti / 2t2
Deru / rhythm tapes
Kieran Hebden & William Tyler / 41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s
M83 / A Necessary Escape
Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke / Tall Tales
Matmos / Metallic Life Review
International
W.I.T.C.H. / SOGOLO (Zambia)
Jazz
Chicago Underground Duo / Hyperglyph
Exploding Star Orchestra & Rob Mazurek / Holy Mountains
Kurt Rosenwinkel & Jean-Paul Brodbeck / The Brahms Project
Oscar Rossignoli / Levitations (Live)
Paquito D’Rivera & Madrid-New York Connection Band / La Fleur de Cayenne
Various Artists / Chet Baker Re:imagined
Pop/Rock
Bob Mould / Here We Go Crazy
Chrissie Hynde / Duets Special
Colin Hay / Men@Work Vol. 2
Envy of None / Stygian Wavz
Kinski / Stumbledown Terrace
Lissie / Promises
Mammoth / The End
Marc Ribot / Map of a Blue City
Mogwai / The Bad Fire
Pink Floyd / Pink Floyd at Pompeii (re-issue; remastered)
R.E.M. / Radio Free Europe 2025 (re-issue; remix)
Shrunken Elvis / Shrunken Elvis
Spock’s Beard / The Archaeoptimist
Steven Wilson / The Overview
Styx / Circling From Above
The Mars Volta / Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacio
Tortoise / Touch
tUnE-yArDs / Better Dreaming
tUnE-yArDs/ Tell the Future with Your Body (EP)
Rap
Aesop Rock / Black Hole Superette
Aesop Rock / I Heard It’s A Mess There Too