Listens: January 2026

Thanks to all of you who engaged with my end of year album list in December.

My aim for that list, as well as with these monthly ones, is two-fold: to share music with you that I think you will like, but also to drive reach, attention, engagement and ultimately sales into the grassroots of the music industry.

Over 8000 people have read that end of year piece so far, which I hope has created at least some impact. Thank you so much for reading!

Album recommendations

The best 100 albums of 2025

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December 2, 2025

There’s just so much good music in the world. This year, like each year before it, has presented a swathe of sonic magic week after week; much more than I could ever even begin to keep up with.

In the meantime, here’s my first set of album recommendations for 2026. As usual, I hope you can find something in here for you.

To make your digging as straightforward as possible, you’ll find the following sections beneath each album:

Feels like: how will this music make me feel? what mood will it put me in? will it suit the environment I’m currently in?

For fans of: if you like these people, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this recommendation

Genre: what genres does this album cover?

An electrifying, refreshing and wholly new-sounding Chilean jazz rock album to kick the year off with a weird and wonderful bang. In the wake of the death of black midi founding member and guitarist Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin earlier this month, this album feels like a fitting tribute from across the continent.

Feels like: the Windmill has gone global

For fans of: black midi, Slint, Swans

Genre: Jazz Rock

A mesmeric Glitch-Hop masterpiece from American duo heavensouls & stickerbush. The two Gen Z savants have been collaborating since 2024, and this latest project is a barrierless head-fuck of experimental, Southern rap, ambient and IDM. So cool.

Feels like: Blawan & Earl Sweatshirt had a confused but cool love-child

For fans of: Earl, Oneohtrix Point Never

Genre: Glitch-hop

Another Gen Z album that sounds lightyears ahead of its age. Aus-hailing James Barry is 24, and his link3 project feels like the beginning of something potentially special in the slowcore space. It’s intimate, interesting, probably a little bit rough around the edges, but one to watch.

Feels like: floating through the clouds

For fans of: Duster, Death Cab For Cutie

Genre: Indie, Slowcore

I’ve been onto this Detroit-hailing experimental rock group for a while now, and their new album is great. It’s progressive, sludgy, psychedelic rock. All consuming, heady, super lovely.

Feels like: the hazy throes of a slow-moving festival daytime

For fans of: Slint, Throbbing Gristle, Silver Apples

Genre: Kosmiche, psychedelic rock

Very cool one this. It’s a series of 2-minute ambient breakcore induced loops in the form of UI themes for the Ninendo 3DS and PS Vita. As well as being a killer album in its own right, you can also buy it as wallpapers, alert sounds and other gamified formats. Despite its inherent digi-ness, AI comes nowhere near this work.

Feels like: childhood

For fans of: Soichi Terada, TURQOISEDEATH, gaming

Genre: ambient, DnB, vaporwave, breakcore

The Scandi trip-hop-pop train is still very much in motion, and the latest debutant is Oslo’s Sassy 009, whose album provides a comfy tempo’d dancy beginning to 2026. It’s studded too: Blood Orange, yunè pinku & BEA1991 join the party.

Feels like: early evening nightlife drifting in Oslo

For fans of: Oklou, Ouri, james K

Genre: trip-hop, pop

A silky stream of consciousness collaboration between the spirals of a zither and the glowy, stabby clunks of a piano. It’s meditative, ambient, experimental, progressive, cosmic, patient.

Feels like: you’re swirling round the inside of a colourful smoothie

For fans of: Alice Coltrane, Laraaji

Genre: ambient, minimalism, psychedelia

This one’s big, bad, murky and deep. Plucked from somewhere well below our plateau, this melding of dnb, dub, techno & UK steppers is killer from front to back. Squashy, evil, grumpy dance music to supplement the January blues.

Feels like: industrial harmony

For fans of: Carrier, Autechre

Genre: Tekno, DnB, dubstep

Luscious, soul-quenching piano solos that will give you the biggest, most complete hug of all time. Perfect if you need calming or warming up.

Feels like: you’re inside the innards of a Steinway

For fans of: Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Chihei Hatakeyama, Phillip Glass

Genre: modern classical

Shackleton is a master of his craft, shaping the course of bass, industrial and spiritual jazz/ambient music for donkeys years. His latest album is another proof point of his untouchable nature. This is music you won’t find anywhere else.

Feels like: your third eye is opening

For fans of: Batu, Low End Activist

Genre: bass, industrial, dub something?

You can save all of these, plus hear more music I enjoyed this month here:

To read more of my album recommendation pieces, head here.