The first of my three end of year lists is here - and we start with all things musical.
I'm sticking with the policy of just selecting my favourite songs, but will dedicate a few lines to some of the better albums that they arrived on.
Dev Hynes' latest as Blood Orange was as superb as everyone's been saying; the first Stereolab record in 15 years was well worth the wait; I also really liked De La Soul's triumphant return to form; the latest Lindstrøm LP is beach house bliss; while Barker's second long player is the platonic ideal of trance music.
I loved the weird and wonderful experiments of Djrum; as well as the odd futurism of Tyler the Creator, the modern pop of Soulwax, contemporary R&B of SAULT and reliable noise of Mogwai.
With those out of the way, here's the top 50:
50. Quantic - Theme from Selva
A delightful little ditty from Will Holland, all lush strings, bright horns, wah wah guitar and a rambunctious rhythm section.
49. Robyn - Dopamine (Jamie XX remix)
I’m torn between this and the original, but either way, they’re both excellent and it’s lovely to have her back making music.
48. Slam - Kulture Version
I had the pleasure of chatting to them about the album this is from earlier in the year, and as I wrote at the time, it’s an industrially-banging record, which makes this slightly more melodic cut all the more enjoyable.
47. Max Cooper - The Sun in a Box
There’s always something to choose from at year end from the ever-prolific Northern Irishman, and this epic is my favourite from 2025.
46. Django Django and Man Power - Home
I didn’t have this collab on my bingo card, but I’m glad they got together, because this is an accomplished slab of vocal house.
45. Baby Dave - San Pelligrino
A bit like Jimothy Lacoste a few years back, this is a comedy track so catchy it’s well worthy of the main list, rather than just sharing on socials for the lols. Hat tip to Matt Muir and his consistently link-laden Web Curios email newsletter for the tip.
44. Floating Points - Dexion
The first of two tunes on the list taken from the soundtrack to some animated series on Adult Swim called Lazarus - which I probably should watch, given how much I like how it sounds.
43. The Horrors - The Silence That Remains
Skippy drums, a hooky bassline and just the right amount of jangly keyboard.
42. Soulwax - Gimme a Reason
Classy synth pop from the Belgian masters - the pick of the bunch from the new record.
41. Slick Rick and Nas - Documents
Given all he’s been through, it’s heartening that Mitcham’s finest still has bars to match the mighty Nas. The backing track gets a bit repetitive, but if you’re watching the video there’s distractions aplenty.
40. Tom Rowlands - Floria
Plenty of powerful numbers to be taken from Tom Chemical’s soundtrack to the drama about Mussolini’s rise to power, but this one really goose-steps its way along.
39. Jack White - Number One With A Bullet
May Jack keep on wielding an axe in anger for many more years to come.
38. E-Dancer - Emotions (Extended edit)
Kevin Saunderson’s electro alias is back, this time with his son Dantiez, making music as good as he’s ever done.
37. Aesop Rock - John Something
My favourite Aesop is when he really leans into his skill as a storyteller. This is an odd little tale, but one that will grab your attention for a few fun minutes.
36. Steffi and Virginia - Touching U (Instrumental)
These two ladies made a lovely record during 2025, the only thing was I didn’t care for all the vocals, so when they stuck out a bunch of instrumental versions I was happy as proverbial Larry.
35. Midland - And You Are?
Straightforward, propulsive dancefloor bizness from Harry.
34. Blockhead - That Olde Time Sorcery
Tony Simon might be the most consistently-featured producer on these lists, given he seems to release at least an EP or single every year, and they’re usually of pretty high quality. 2025 was no different, with this one catching my ear particularly.
33. Decius - Arctic Spring
Slinky, acidic, wonky house music from a beguiling band of misfits.
32. Rival Consoles - Theme from MindsEye
This guy soundtracking a computer game makes perfect sense, and even without having played or knowing anything about MindsEye, I really like the scene-setting mood music.
31. Jeff Mills - Theme from Star Child
He’s been promoting the classic Live at Liquid Room set of late, which is about as pummeling as I can take from techno - and something which makes the contrast of this long, loopy piano house number all the more pleasing.
30. Sugababes - Jungle
The ship of suga-theseus has been reassembled and they’re back with a banger.
29. Burial - Comafields
A soaring, trance-like, 12-minute opus from Will Bevan, which soothed my psyche at several stages during 2025.
28. Nathan Fake - Bialystok
A delightful early cut off his forthcoming album - due in February - all warm melodies and intricate drum patterns; sounding a bit like some of his Border Community beauties.
27. Barker - Reframing
Beatless trance par excellence, building intensity with layers of hypnotic synth stabs and other electronic trickery.
26. Cut Chemist and Chali 2na - Melt Like Plastic
Arguably the two most talented members of Jurassic 5 reunite for an exemplarily-funky release.
25. The Grid - Floatation (Special Request remix)
Something to stick on towards the end of an afterparty - 13 minutes of bliss and breakbeats as two rave veterans combine.
24. Kelly Moran - Echo in the Field
One of several enjoyably-upbeat tracks from her third album on Warp.
23. Cut Copy - When This Is Over
A game of two halves this one, but when the youth choir comes in just after the two-minute mark, the track really soars for the heavens.
22. Doves - Cold Dreaming
One of the earliest songs on the annual playlist, which piqued interest for their latest album, but ended up being just about the best thing on it. Sounds an awful lot like their previous hit Jetstream, but then I really liked that one, so perhaps it’s no bad thing.
21. Tame Impala - Piece of Heaven
Kevin Parker’s latest LP was a disappointment, I think we can all agree on that. Sort of sounded like a Tame Impala remix album by a bunch of middling tech house DJs. Anyway I did quite like this one track, which reminded me a bit of Enya and Eurythmics.
20. Lauer - Miamisync (Prom Night piano rave tool)
Perhaps the only person that could challenge Blockhead for end-of-year-list inclusion consistency is everyone’s favourite German, big Phil Lauer. Again, I could have chosen about three of his releases this year, but this peak time belter was best.
19. Boof - Breakfast in Collingwood
Maurice Fulton back under an alias and delivering one of the most understatedly sexy piano house tracks you’ll ever hear.
18. Orbital - The Girl with the Sun in her Head (Lone remix)
Maybe my favourite Orbital track, because it’s basically flawless. But one of the few people with the musical CV worthy of attempting this remix is Matt Cutler. He’s duly turned in one of the few recent modern edits of the brothers Hartnoll that bears repeated listens.
17. Bonobo - Prophets
Until we have a new album proper, things like this will have to do, and to be fair, this - and several others like it on the soundtrack album - are vintage Bonobo.
16. Thundercat - I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time
Canny wait to see him live next year, with great new songs like this meaning we won’t be standing about waiting for the bigman to ‘play the old stuff’.
15. Lindstrøm - Cirkl
Superlative sunny-times house music by one of the true masters of the genre.
14. DjRUM - A Tune for Us
One of the most interesting electronic musicians at the moment - this is just gorgeous - as is most of the rest of the latest record.
13. Daniel Avery and Alison Mosshart - Greasy Off the Racing Line
Dan’s really leaned into his scuzzy indie side with the latest album, much of which just isn’t for me, but this combination of a heavy bass and drone, with The Kills singer’s sultry vocals, works an absolute treat.
12. The Weeknd and Justice - Wake Me Up
This doesn’t quite reach the pop perfection of Blinding Lights, but it’s a groovy little number in the same sort of Thriller vein, nonetheless.
11. Mogwai - God Gets You Back
Those grumpy weegies know how to make a big, building instrumental rock song don’t they?
10. De La Soul - The Package
Even without Plug Two, it’s great to have Del La back, and even better when their 10th album is actually among the best they’ve ever made.
9. Jonny Greenwood - One Battle After Another
A really good film without the music - a brilliant one with that score. The main title theme is one of the best things Jonny’s ever done.
8. Blood Orange, The Durutti Column and Caroline Polachek - The Field
So much great stuff on Dev’s latest, but this star-studded collab is the pick of the bunch for me.
7. DJ Koze and Marley Waters - Brushcutter
I wasn’t blown away by Koze’s latest LP, but this track does get me going every time I hear it. Rolling breakbeats, glitchy bleeps and Marley’s mangled vocal, all combine for something really potent.
6. Kaytranada - Drip Sweat (Instrumental) / Space Invader
Space Invader is the properly new song, and it’s got a great video, so we’ll go with that, but this year’s stripped down version of Drip Sweat is the one I’ve been turning to for a pick-me-up of late.
5. Tunde Adebimpe - Drop
TV on the Radio’s talented frontman does it again. Just wonderfully inventive, wonky pop music.
4. Factory Floor - Between You (Extended mix)
A pure Phantasy pumper from the man like Gabe Gurnsey. Not much more to say really, other than this really slaps.
3. Stereolab - Electrified Teenybop!
A triumphant return from the Anglo-French nineties upstarts. Hard to choose a favourite from this delightful album, but this song is just an absolute blast from start to finish. Four-and-a-bit minutes of fun.
2. FKA Twigs - Room of Fools
From that ascending arpeggio start, to Tahliah’s ecstatic voice and all the other excellent production flourishes inbetween; this is rightly up there on many 2025 lists I’ve read.
- Danger Mouse and Black Thought - UP
A very fine producer, one of the finest rappers and, well, Rag’n’Bone Man. Fair play to the latter collaborator though, his chorus performance fits with the heart-tugging strings perfectly. I’m not sure if it’s the best thing I’ve heard this year, but it always lifts my spirits when I hear it - and Michael Ford's new one isn't on YouTube - so here we are.
Until I can extract myself from its vastly grasp, a playlist with all these and more, resides here.