Albums of the Year 2025 // Comps & Reissues
Artwork by Nathan Hardyman
From vanished Japanese folk, Libyan cassette tape beats, or 80s fourth-world dream pop obscura, this year kept unearthing musical miracles that remained in rotation. Benefit compilations materialized overnight to support our communities battered by fires or floods that proved the power of music. We mustn't forget these titles wouldn’t exist without the blessed souls of the small labels who poured years of research and maxed out credit limits into reviving forgotten visionaries and half-mythic subcultures. Shamelessly, our favorite compilation is one we pulled off ourselves, New Commute Forever, that marked 10 years of this crazy site.
Show some love, grab a copy from your favorite local record store or direct from these fine folks.