Hello from the land of spotty internet connectivity! I’m typing this on my macbook using the hotspot from one of my mobile devices because my home broadband connection has gone kaput to the extent that they’re sending a team to check matters (and give me a new modem). Nevertheless, I’ve been enjoying a lot of really good music lately and so it’s time to share some recommendations again!
Purity Ring’s music always takes me back to the first two years of my return to Malaysia and so I get quite nostalgic. This new album is really great and I can’t count how many times I’ve listened to it. I’ve been infatuated with Peel Dream Magazine’s music since last year and discovering they had a new EP out was like discovering I had another birthday! Cate Le Bon (no relation to Simon although she’s obviously a fan) is always sublime and this album makes me very happy! And I’ve been waiting for Tunde Adebimpe’s album since last year! Ditto Geese’s album — another band I discovered last year and who never disappoints!
2025 Indie/Popular Music Releases
- Purity Ring — Purity Ring
- Taurus — Peel Dream Magazine
- Michelangelo Dying — Cate Le Bon
- Thee Black Boltz — Tunde Adebimpe
- Getting Killed — Geese
Other Albums
- I’ve gone down a Hundred Waters listening rabbithole and am so enamoured with their music.
- Still listening to Mitski’s entire discography because it’s such great writing music.
- All of the Depeche Mode. All of it.
Ambient/Electronic/Classical Music
- Hélène Vogelsinger’s entire discography
- Tender/Wading — M. Sage (2025)
- All the Ravel and Debussy, as always
- Hania Rani’s tease release of her Non-Fiction: Piano Concerto in Four Movements (ahead of the full release)
- Songs from My Living Room — Alaskan Tapes (2025)
- The Bloody Lady — Claire Rousay (2024)
- Harold Budd, as always.
Singles
- Tropics — Rainbow Kitten Surprise
- One of the Greats — Florence + The Machine
- Giving Up Air — The Temper Trap
- In The Stars — Melody’s Echo Chamber
- Itsumo — Mei Semones
- Mansion — Horse Jumper of Love
- Red Brick –– The New Eves
- Hit My Head All Day — Dry Cleaning