We’ve done the reissues, so now let’s dive into the best new releases of 2025. Here’s part one.
20. Tyler Keith, I Confess (Black & Wyatt) This set came in late in the year, not exactly out of nowhere (there was an email announcing its arrival), but surely with short enough notice that its wild, wailing roots rock and soul purge delivered a surprise in raw fidelity. Giving it a handful of spins to see if it’s holding up resulted in an emphatic affirmative. It sounded even better than it did before. Recorded in a kitchen on a four-track, there’s enough echo to inspire assumptions that it was cut in a cranny of the Grand fucking Canyon. Immaculate scuzz.
19. Marshall Allen, New Dawn (Mexican Summer) and Marshall Allen’s Ghost Horizons, Live in Philadelphia (Otherly Love) Saxophonist Marshall Allen is the current director of the Sun Ra Arkestra, a large ensemble he’s been so dedicated to since joining way back in the 1950s that he just released his debut album as a leader in 2025 at 100 years of age (entering the world record book in the process). It’s a feel-good album for a year in which a whole lot of feel-bad shit has been happening. New Dawn came out in February, and Live in Philadelphia in May. With selections from nine performances, including guests as diverse as James Brandon Lewis, Yo La Tengo’s James McNew, and Wolf Eyes, it’s a beautiful burner.
18. Ayumi Ishito (feat. Kevin Shea and George Draguns), Roboquarians, Vol. 2 (577). This vinyl-friendly label has a tactic I like, which is breaking long sessions down into shorter, more digestible volumes. That’s not the story with this set, though. The scoop is that drummer Shea and guitarist Draguns isolated their instrumental contributions from a recording with an unnamed third party when it was clear that the trio wasn’t making the grade, and then asked 577 Records veteran Ishito to blow mightily in tandem with said recording. It went so well that they actually cut a session together afterward, Vol. 1 (released in 2024). Their sound? Punk-jazz of an exquisitely distinctive stripe. Gobble it up, if ‘tis your bag.
17. Shannon Wright, Reservoir of Love (Vicious Circle) Born in Jacksonville, FL, but currently a resident of Bordeaux, France, Wright made her solo debut in 1998 (after a long stretch with the band Crowsdell) and then released a string of full-lengths that came out every few years and were total winners up to Providence in 2019. Reservoir of Love marks an exceptional return after too long a break. Wright has been a powerful vocalist, guitarist, and pianist across her discography, and the eight tracks comprising her latest make clear she hasn’t lost a thing. Indeed, she’s come back with some of her very strongest material.
16. Tortoise, Touch (International Anthem / Nonesuch) It’s difficult to shake the strangeness of a Tortoise record on a label other than Thrill Jockey, but Chicago’s International Anthem is surely a suitable replacement. Touch is a typically expansive release for Tortoise, but it also feels very focused. Considering Tortoise’s stylistic breadth, that’s impressive. There’s also good taste to consider. That the Morricone-ish surf guitar licks in opener “Vexations” steer so far clear of the trite is a wonder, and also a joy. When those licks come back in closer “Night Gang,” it’s a stone gas.
15. Half Japanese, Adventure (Fire) That Jad Fair is still doing it in 2025 is simply an amazing thing to consider. And he’s not just doing it, he’s doing it at a very high level, and with essentially a lineup that’s been in place since Hot in 1995: John Sluggett, Jason Willet, Gilles Rieder, and Mick Hobbs (RIP). But if the contributors have brought consistency, the sound of Half Japanese has continued to develop while still connecting with the emotional purity and candor that have distinguished the band’s work since the early days. And if Jad hasn’t quit, that means we can’t either.
14. Chicago Underground Duo, Hyperglyph (International Anthem) After an 11-year break, Rob Muzurek and Chad Taylor are back at it, and the resulting album is a delight of dynamic interaction and inspired, unpredictable editing. Mazurek is one of the best bandleaders we have, but here, he thrives as an equal partner with Taylor in a scheme that often hits the ear like a post-rock, or maybe better said, post-category companion to Don Cherry and Ed Blakwell’s splendid Mu albums. As Hyperglyph progresses, both instrumentalists shine, and Mazurek in particular gets to step out and strut his stuff.
13. Stereolab, Instant Holograms On Metal Film (Duophonic Ultra High Frequency Disks Ltd / Warp) Stereolab took an even longer break than Chicago Underground Duo, although there has been some touring since they last released an album, Not Music, in 2010. There’s not a trace of rust to be found on this album as it unwinds as a total treat. Compositionally and instrumentally, everything falls into place, and Laetitia Sadier’s voice remains one of the treasures of modern music. Overall, this album compares very well to Stereolab’s earlier work.
12. The Necks, Disquiet (Northern Spy) Properly, if we’re being rigid about it, Disquiet, which takes up three compact discs, belongs in our list of the best box sets and expanded releases of 2025. However, the decision to include the album here in the standard new releases feels right, as The Necks are no strangers to the maximal. The trio offers four tracks across those three discs, with “Ghost Net” nearly the length of a feature film. Disquiet is utterly captivating as it moves forward. What The Necks do with duration is nothing short of astounding.
11. Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner, The Music of Anthony Braxton (Pi Recordings) Recorded live at ETA in Los Angeles, this smoking album from a longstanding working trio plus an estimable guest captures a deep dive into the small group music of Anthony Braxton to superb effect and commemorates the 80th birthday of the composer, who stands as one of the true masters of contemporary music. Lehman plays alto, Turner blows tenor, Matt Brewer tugs the bass, and Damion Reid hits the drums. Lovers of Circle and Braxton’s Arista run should step right up to this beauty, because it grooves like crazy.
