My 2025 listening highlights
Happy (anticipated) New Year!!
This is part of my 2025 retrospective on keeping a rambling, human space in this weird net of nets of ours. You can read about the general state of this website this year here:
This year I’ve listened to 118 new albums. Not bad!! Also quite broad in genres, moods and vibes, so yay! good year musically speaking. It helps that I got into the Fediverse, where people are kind enough to share their favourite music. Also, since I got into a band I’m getting lots of recommendations from friends, which is so cool as well.
I took one break (it was a rough start of the year personally), but overall I could have had many more given the circunstances. I attended 4 concerts, including Kamasi Washington!! Most of them were local, so that’s cool. Funnily enough, I gave more concerts than I attended (6!!).
I received way more recommendations than usual this year! (maybe about 16 or so?). Thank you all so much for the recommendations!! Few things make me happier than nerding out about music.
I did notice less notes here, since I’m commenting mostly on the Fediverse, but I don’t think that’s necessarily bad.
What did I listen to?
The most repeated artist was Devo, because we did a one-week monographic of their discography in the fediverse (very fun stuff!).
Other than that, the usual mix of jazz, funk, hip hop, some metal here and there, a couple broken beat and electronic albums, and such.
Any recomendations?
Many!!
Best albums released on 2025: MYT from the Moses Yoofee Trio was great, and I have Genevieve Artadi & the Norrbotten Big Band’s album in loop. But by far my favourite has been Lambrini Girls’ Who let the dogs out. It’s just fun and snarky and unapologetic.
Most surprising and unexpected: Moa Anbessa, with Getatchew Mejuria & the Ex. I mean: ethiojazz and a Dutch punk band. It wasn’t in my bingo this year! Also maybe Rossz csillag alatt született by Venetian Snares, because: 1) it’s in hungarian for some reason, 2) it samples classical music within a jungle contexts and it rocks, 3) it’s weirdly about… pidgeons. I think.
Oldie but goldie: This year I’ve listened to mostly modern (>1980) music. Cumbia & Jazz Fussion by Mingus is maybe the exception, but I was a bit disappointed by it.
This deserves more listens: Quite Sane continues to be extremely niche, despite my constant evangelizing. Shame on you if you haven’t listened to them yet!
Favourite song: off, so may this year. It’s a hard tie between Uncle Phranch by Team Dresch and For Miles by Thrice.
I totally don’t remember listening to: 32 by Jacob Mann. And I love Jacob Mann, so not sure what happened there. Sorry!!
Valoration
Superb year! Happy to keep going with this obsession of mine.
Goals for next year?
None particular, we’ll see what works.