Best music of 2025 (so far)

Last year, I published monthly "best of" music recaps on Substack, featuring the music I listened to the most each month. I wasn’t exactly consistent with my writing, so sometimes the monthly recaps turned into bi-monthly or even quarterly ones, but I somehow managed to keep it up. This year I've been a bit lazy and haven’t written much, but I’ve decided to change that - so I’m back with a new roundup. This article was originally meant to cover the best new releases of the first three months of 2025, but it ended up being a four-month overview.

Once again, a lot of great music was released around the world, and I offer you a selection of 30 albums that I personally listened to the most, released between January 1 and April 30. There’s a lot of excellent music on here, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I’m already starting to prepare the next part, which will focus on the best releases from May...

Aïta Mon Amour - Abda (Shouka 2025)

Khalil Epi and Widaad Mjama are Aïta Mon Amour, a duo from Morocco. They are inspired by aïta music, a musical tradition from rural Morocco that historically was one of the few ways for female voices to be heard, even though it was played by men. However, the aïta musicians were always accompanied by women, who were allowed to take part in the festivities, drink and smoke. Aïta Mon Amour brilliantly fuses this tradition with electronic rhythms, resulting in one of the finest Arab-Maghreb electronic albums of recent years.

Ale Hop & Titi Bakorta - Mapambazuko (Nyege Nyege Tapes 2025.)

The combination of the Peruvian musician Ale Hop, who is known for her experimental electronic interventions, and the Congolese guitarist Titi Bakorta, whose foundation lies in traditional Congolese rhythms, sounds wild even as an idea. The realisation is even wilder, but it is a brilliant example of how powerful the fusion of modern and traditional music can be.

Amayo - Lion Awakes (Selfreleased 2025.)

It’s hard to find a better non-African afrobeat band than Antibalas, the American group that has released a string of brilliant albums since 1998 - recordings that even Fela Kuti wouldn’t have been ashamed of. In addition to the many talented musicians, one of the band's signature elements has always been the distinctive voice and vocal style of Duke Amayo, a Nigerian singer who originally came to the U.S. on a university football scholarship. But instead of playing football, Amayo turned to music, and after decades of performing, he has finally released his first solo album. Unsurprisingly, it’s a first-class afrobeat record — an album that leaves no one indifferent. I've had it on repeat for days, and even after this marathon listen, I'm still enjoying it. No matter how many times I listen to the song “Happy Lion", I end up dancing to it - no matter where I am when it’s playing.

Anoushka Shankar - Chapter III: We Return to Light (Leiter Records 2025.)

Two years ago, Anoushka Shankar announced a series of mini-albums in which she would explore different geographical regions musically, paying tribute to both her roots and the colleagues she has worked with. Now the final part of this trilogy has been released, and I can confidently say that it is the best in the series. All sitar lovers will undoubtedly be delighted with this mini-album.

Anthony Joseph - Rowing Up River To Get Our Names Back (Heavenly Sweetness 2025.)

Anthony Joseph, a poet from Trinidad & Tobago, has been releasing music albums since 2013, blending his brilliant verses with outstanding music. Always relevant, always phenomenal in his verbal expression, this time he spoke his poetry with lots of afrofuturism rhythms in the background.

Black Flower- Kinetic (Sdban 2025.)

The Belgian band Black Flower has released its sixth album. In the 11 years since their debut "Abyssinia Afterlife", Black Flower have established themselves as one of the more interesting European jazz groups. They have always incorporated a wide range of influences into their music — most notably ethio-jazz and dub — and they continue this approach on this album, which sees Nathan Daems steps back from the saxophone and play most of his parts on the flute and similar instruments. “Kinetic” might not grab you on first listen, but it grows with each play, and eventually it becomes hard to take it out of your player.

Brigan - Luna, Cera e Vino (Liburia 2025.)

Brigan continue their characteristic blend of southern Italian music and darker electronic rhythms on their new album. This time, the majority of the material consists of original songs with traditional influences, as well as two purely traditional pieces. "Luna, Cera e Vino" shows the trio’s creativity at a new level.

Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek - Yarın Yoksa (Big Crown 2025.)

Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek are my personal favorite representatives of what you could call the revival of Anatolian psychedelic pop. "Yarın Yoksa" is just a continuation of all the wonderful albums that came before it. One of the best releases of the year.

Dunja Knebl & Roko Margeta - Fauna (Selfreleased 2025.)

The tireless Dunja Knebl has recorded an album titled “Fauna” with Roko Margeta. As the album title suggests, the theme of the songs revolves around the animal world, with Dunja uncovering intriguing pieces from the Croatian musical tradition on the subject. However, this is by no means an album about animals. Rather, fauna merely serves as a motif to explore human and other types of relationships — and once again the synergy between Dunja and Roko proves to be outstanding.

Ebo Taylor, Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Jazz Is Dead 22 (Jazz Is Dead 2025.)

Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad have reached the 22nd release in their Jazz Is Dead series, this time featuring Ghanaian legend Ebo Taylor. That means the jazz on this album has transformed into highlife and afrobeat, making it one of the best releases Ebo Taylor has put out in years —and that's despite the fact that he's had several strong releases of late.

Hyldon & Adrien Younge - Jazz Is Dead 023 (Jazz Is Dead 2025.)

The Jazz Is Dead series has had its ups and downs, but this year they’ve been sailing smooth waters. First they released an album with Ebo Taylor, then one with the Brazilian singer Hyldon. In the 60s and 70s he was part of the 'Black Rio' movement that played a crucial role in the development of Brazilian music, and later he recorded a series of excellent albums. Now Adrian Younge has set itself the task of recording a psychedelic soul album with Hyldon that harks back to the legendary singer's early work. They have more than succeeded- an album that you can't stop listening to.

Kin'Gongolo Kiniata - Kiniata (Helico Music 2025.)

Kin’Gongolo Kiniata is not the first group from Congo to play on instruments partially made from scrap materials, nor are they the first to remind us of the brilliant music from that country associated with the 'congotronics' movement. Nor are they the first to skillfully combine modern musical genres and traditions in a punk-inspired way. Nonetheless, their debut album is incredibly exciting and makes you want to dance.

Libérica - ALÉ - Iberian Chants (Segell Microscopi 2025.)

Libérica is a project led by Spanish bassist Manel Fortia, which brings together traditional music from the north and south of the Iberian Peninsula, from Catalonia and Valencia, on this album. "ALÉ - Iberian Chants" is an excellent fusion of traditional music and jazz that will sometimes surprise you with its directions.

Los Pirañas - Una Oportunidad más de triunfar en la vida (Glitterbeat Records 2025.)

A veritable supergroup consisting of Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers), Mario Galeano (Frente Cumbiero) and Pedro Ojeda (Romperayo), Los Pirañas, the Colombian Avant-Latin experimentalists, return with their most formidable and forward-looking album yet.

Mdou Moctar - Tears Of Injustice (Matador 2025.)

"Tears Of Injustice" is an acoustic version of last year's album "Funeral For Justice". All songs were re-recorded with acoustic and traditional instruments, and the album was created as a reaction to the repression the band members were subjected to. Following the overthrow of Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum by the military junta in 2023, the country's borders were closed, meaning that Mdou Moctar and his bandmates, who were in the USA at the time, were unable to return home. The acoustic versions of the songs bring a different energy, and the title of the album conveys a clear message.

Mohammad Mostafa Heydarian - Noor-e Vojood (Centripetal Force/Cardinal Fuzz/Radio Khiyaban 2025.)

Mohammad Mostafa Heydarian is an Iranian master of the tanbur, which is practically the only instrument to be heard on the album. Occasionally, the sound of the dohol — one of the Persian percussion instruments — appears and fits perfectly with the aesthetic of the album, which is both meditative and euphoric. Mohammad Mostafa Heydarian is a virtuoso who places the songs themselves above his virtuosity.

Nidia Góngora - Pacífico Maravilla (Positivo Records 2025.)

It's a bit unbelievable that this is Nidia Góngora's first solo album. This great Colombian singer has been present on the world stage for years through collaborations with various musicians, including Quantica, Ondatrópico, Mista Savona or The Bongo Hop, and she has also released a few albums with her Grupo Canalón de Timbiquí. But only now has she released her first album, and anyone who has heard at least one song by Nidia knows what to expect on "Pacífico Maravilla". It is a great musical journey along the Pacific coast of Colombia, confirming once again that Nidia Góngora has one of the most beautiful voices in the world.

Park Jiha - All Living Things (Glitterbeat 2025.)

Park Jiha comes from South Korea and has consistently released new works every two years since her brilliant 2016 album “Communion”. Her latest album, “All Living Things”, once again showcases the beauty of the music she creates with traditional South Korean instruments— - even if it has little to do with traditional music itself. It is difficult to define Park Jiha’s musical style; perhaps it is best described as beautiful music that you want to return to again and again.

Raúl Monsalve y Los Forajidos - Sol (Olindo Records 2025.)

Venezuelan musician Raúl Monsalve emphasises that he draws inspiration for his music from traditional Afro-Caribbean rhythms. His 2020 album "Bichos" demonstrated his ability to blend South American and African rhythms with funk and jazz, while "Sol" went one step further. Monsalve describes it as an album that combines the deep roots of African and indigenous Venezuelan traditions with a forward-thinking embrace of modern influences.

Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali - At the Feet of the Beloved (Real World 2025.)

Almost 20 years have passed since the last album by Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali. The nephews of the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan have now returned with an album that represents the qawwali tradition in its most beautiful form. “At The Feet Of The Beloved” is euphoric and fantastic - just as it should be.

Salif Keita - So Kono (No Format! 2025.)

An absolute global music legend has returned with a brand new, completely acoustic album. To the previous sentence, I can only add that this is the best album Salif Keita has released in the past twenty years.

Samba Touré - Baarakelaw (Glitterbeat Records 2025.)

Samba Touré began his musical career alongside the legendary Ali Farka Touré, to whom he dedicated the album "Songhai Blues": Homage To Ali Farka Touré" in 2009. Even then, he proved to be a worthy successor to the legendary Malian guitarist, which he continues to prove with each new album. "Baarakelaw" is his eighth studio album and once again delivers classic desert blues. Even if it may seem like you've heard similar songs before, Samba Touré's music is so beautiful and soothing that "Baarakelaw" will linger in your players for a long time.

Şatellites - Aylar (Batov 2025.)

Şatellites are another group that cultivates their style through Turkish psychedelia. Unlike many bands who use this music and interpret it in a rather uninteresting way, Şatellites already impressed with their brilliant approach on their debut album from 2022. Now they have returned with the album “Aylar”, which has only reinforced their status as one of the most exciting groups in the genre.

Songhoy Blues - Héritage (Transgressive 2025.)

After more than 10 years of making music, Songhoy Blues have shed their status as a young band, and in the best possible way on this album. "Héritage" is their fourth album and definitely their best to date. It shows the maturity of the quartet and at the same time returns to their roots in a certain way.

Soolmaan - Kashgul (Zephyrus 2025)

Soolmaan is a music project centered around Belgian musician Tristan Driessens, who is joined by Natham Daems, Christos Barbas, Annemie Osborne, Andrea Piccioni and Levent Yildirim — all musicians we have already met in various other projects. Soolmaan’s music is inspired by Ottoman makam music and Indian raga influences, while “Kashgul” is a journey through an imaginary folklore infused with jazz music.

Stranded Horse with Boubacar Cissokho - The Warmth You Deserve (Talitres 2025.)

You won’t easily find such a perfect symbiosis of singer-songwriter indie rock and traditional music as that of Stranded Horse and Boubacar Cissokho. The French singer-songwriter with the beautiful, gentle voice delivers intimate songs, while the Malian kora virtuoso accompanies him masterfully with intricate solo parts. “The Warmth You Deserve”, their second album, offers a meditative, calming musical journey.

Trio Da Kali – Bagola (One World, 2025)

It is interesting to note that "Bagola" is the first solo album by Trio Da Kali, a group that has been active in the scene for ten years. So far, they had only released a single solo EP and a collaborative album with the Kronos Quartet. However, that was enough to keep us eagerly awaiting "Bagola", an album that comes a full eight years after their last release - and one that proves Trio Da Kali have lost none of the magic they’ve shown from the beginning. The brilliant vocals of Kassé Mady Diabaté in conjunction with the minimalist instrumental backing (balafon, ngoni) once again prove to be a successful combination. All fans of West African griot music should definitely give this album a listen.

Ukandanz - Evil Plan የክፋት እቅድ (Compagnie 4000)

Ukandanz is one of those bands that made me think "what the fuck" when I first heard them. A wild mix of brutal jazz-rock fused with Ethiopian songs, performed by the brilliant singer Asnake Gebreyes, left me breathless on their album Awo, which I declared the best album of 2016. Since then, Ukandanz have released three more albums, but none have been able to match that level — until Evil Plan was released a few weeks ago. Once again, Ukandanz delivered a fierce and energetic album, with a wild bonus: a crazy cover version of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs”.

Yazz Ahmed - A Paradise In The Hold (Night Time Stories 2025.)

The British jazz trumpeter Yazz Ahmed has recorded her new album as a tribute to her Bahraini roots. The idea for this album was born 10 years ago, and the long gestation period has resulted in her best work to date. "A Paradise In The Hold" interweaves jazz with two forms of traditional Bahraini music - cheerful wedding songs and the more melancholy songs once sung by pearl divers. Yazz Ahmed has structured the album brilliantly - it flows seamlessly from beginning to end, without too many deviations.

Youssou N'Dour - Éclairer le monde - Light The World (TBI Publishing 2025.)

Youssou N'Dour joins the ranks of African music veterans who have released outstanding albums in recent years. The Senegalese star recorded the album with producer Michael League, who is best known for his work with the group Snarky Puppy. "Éclairer le monde – Light The World" goes in many different directions, all of which are skillfully woven into a coherent whole.

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