Our Top 10 Lists have been named in honor of late Blog Director and DJ Clarence Ewing, who pioneered and published this annual feature for nearly a decade.
Our next list is from Eric Wiersema.
10. Moisturizer by Wet Leg (Domino)
On Moisturizer, the Isle of Wright post-punk band proved that they are not just one album wonders. This is a great follow up to their 2022 self-titled debut and further demonstrates Rhiann Teasdale and Hester Chambers’ uncanny ability to write fantastic indie rock pop songs for lack of a better term. As with their debut, the singles are catchy af and the strongest material so play the hell out of “Catch These Fists,” “CPR,” and “Mangetout” if you haven’t already! As for non-singles, check out the Dry Cleaning-esque “Pillow Talk,” and the jangly “Jennifer’s Body.”
Listen: Bandcamp
9. And Your Song Is Like a Circle by Skullcrusher (Dirty Hit)
L.A. ambient folk artist, Helen Ballentine, who records under the name Skullcrusher, put out my favorite album on the softer side of things. Ballentine adds in some electronic elements on her sophomore album in addition to the soft piano and acoustic guitar that provided the foundation for her 2022 debut, Quiet the Room. Some of my favorite tracks include the Cocteau Twins-esque “Dragon,” the trip hop of “Exhale,” and the lush soundscapes of “Changes.” This is definitely an album to get lost in!
Listen: Bandcamp
8. Lonely People With Power by Deafheaven (Roadrunner)
Deafheaven reintroduces the black metal elements to their sound after going full dream pop and shoegaze on 2021’s Infinite Granite. This is the band’s tightest album to date with noticeably shorter songs that have a more immediate impact. Lonely People With Power contains both some of Deafheaven's heaviest and most accessible material to date and combines all of the best elements of their previous work. For some black metal brutality, check out “Magnolia.” “Heathen” is the only track featuring clean vocals and the most dream pop oriented, while “Winona” brings the post-rock bombast.
Listen: Bandcamp
7. Viagr Aboys by Viagra Boys (Year 0001)
Swedish art-punks Viagra Boys are now four albums into their career and each album has been better than the last! Sebastian Murphy and co’s cultural commentary is both hilarious and absurd. Lead single “Man Made of Meat” includes some of my favorite lyrics of 2025 with, “I subscribe to your mom’s OnlyFans.” “Pyramid of Health” pokes fun at the wellness industry and borrows a riff from Marcy Playground’s “Sex and Candy.” Other highlights include “Waterboy" which is about someone barely holding things together, and “Best in Show Part IV,” a satire of what appears to be an ayahuasca trip.
Listen: Viagra Boys webstore
6. Sharon Van Etten and The Attachment Theory by Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory (Jagjaguwar)
I have been a fan of Sharon Van Etten for well over a decade and loved hearing her sound evolve with each album from the stripped down folk rock from her early days to experimenting with electronic sounds on her later albums. Sharon Van Etten and The Attachment Theory is her first album with a full backing band and is deeply immersed in the sounds of the ‘80s. You’ll hear goth-tinged synth pop on the opener “Live Forever,” some new wave and krautrock on “Idiot Box” and “Indio,” and even some jangle pop on “Trouble.”
Listen: Bandcamp
5. We Were Just Here by Just Mustard (Partisan)
My favorite shoegaze album of this year comes from this Irish band. This album is the perfect blend of noise and atmosphere and has a strong euphoric feel. Frontwoman Katie Ball’s sweet, cooing vocals perfectly compliment the band’s blend of noise and electronic elements. Check out “Dreamer” if you’re looking for a trip to cloud 9 but you are out of gummies, or title track “We Were Just Here” if you prefer to dance to your shoegaze. For something more rock-oriented, check out “Endless Deathless” or “Silver.”
Listen: Bandcamp
4. Percepticide: The Death of Reality by Pixel Grip (self-released)
My favorite album from a Chicago artist this year is the third album from this local darkwave and industrial outfit. This album utilizes more than its fair share of harsh club beats that will instantly give you a strong urge to hit the dancefloor at the closest goth club (RIP Neo). For something fast and aggressive, check out “Bet You Do,” “Stamina,” and “Reason to Stay.” For something with a chilled out trip hop feel, check out “Noise.” Finally, for something slower and a bit more atmospheric, give “Jealously is Lethal” and “Gonna Be Faster” some love!
Listen: Bandcamp
3. From the Pyre by The Last Dinner Party (Island)
The London baroque-pop band’s debut album Prelude to Ecstasy was my AOTY last year. The Last Dinner Party’s unique blend of goth, cabaret, and glam rock with strong pop sensibilities brings to mind artists as diverse as Kate Bush, The Dresden Dolls, Florence + The Machine, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. This sophomore album builds upon the sounds from their debut and results in an equally satisfying listen. Scratch your itch for the theatrics and give “Angus Dei," “Second Best,” “This is the Killer Speaking,” and “Rifle” a spin. Hell, just listen to the whole album!
Listen: The Last Dinner Party webstore
2. Dreams of Being Dust by The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die (Epitaph)
The fifth album from the Connecticut emo revivalists finds the band gravitating towards heavier sounds while retaining their prog and post-rock elements. “Se Sufre Pero Se Goza” and “Beware The Centrist” are the closest the band comes to a pure hardcore sound, while “Dissolving” and “December 4th, 2024” have a bit of a shoegazy Deftones feel. Still other tracks like “Captagon” and “Reject All and Submit” delve into metalcore. I am definitely excited to hear what direction they will take on the next album!
Listen: Bandcamp
1. Bleeds by Wednesday (Dead Oceans)
My AOTY pick is the sixth album from these Asheville countrygazers. Bleeds is an excellent blend of grunge, shoegaze, and alt-country that provides an equal balance of noise and twang. This is the first album following frontwoman Karly Hartzman and guitarist MJ Lenderman’s breakup last year, which fortunately did not impact their amazing musical chemistry. Every track on here is worth exploring, but if you’re craving some straight-up alt-country fare, give “Elderberry Wine” a spin. For something a bit more psychedelic, check out “Phish Pepsi." Finally, for a noisy slacker rock vibe with a bit of a twang, you can’t go wrong with “Townies,” “Candy Breath,” or “Pick Up That Knife.”
Listen: Bandcamp
Honorable Mentions
Private Music by Deftones (Reprise)
Last Leg of the Human Table by Cloakroom (Closed Casket Activities)
Double Infinity by Big Thief (4AD)
Pain to Power by Maruja (Music for Nations)
Late Great by Laura Stevenson (Don Giovanni)
Who Will Look After The Dogs? by Pup (Rise)
The Future is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed by The Armed (Sargent House)
New Radiations by Marissa Nadler (Sacred Bones)
Bugland by No Joy (Hand Drawn Dracula)
Send a Prayer My Way by Julien Baker & Torres (Matador)
Animal Hospital by Ganser (felte)
Fate Euphoric by Twen (Twenterprises)