It’s almost halfway through the year and I have a birthday coming up. I normally post a question like this every year.
So far, three “world” albums have floated my boat: Essam by Imarhan, Hoggar by Tinariwen and, best of all, Assikel by Tamikrest.
I love Jakob Hrusa and Bamberger Symphoniker’s Martinu ‘s symphonies, Raphael Lisbon with Ensemble Pygmalion’s take of Johannes-Passion and Alina Ibragimova and Cedric Tiberghien’s playful Beethoven violin sonatas.
Jazz has been amazing with so much to digest. Immanuel Wilkin’s quartet has issued three volumes live at the Village Vanguard, Tyshawn Sorey has moved from a trio to a raucous band set, Jeff Parker ETA IVtet continues to plough its unique little furrow, Gabrielle Vanessa is fulfilling the role of jazz diva in a very modern way and Tomeka Reid & co-conspirators bring guitar jazz to the dance floor on dance! skip! hop! Let’s not forget Shabaka as well.
In other news, Vince Staples’ peculiar world view is set to a live band for Cry Baby and Lee Perry is resurrected by Mouse On Mars in remarkable fashion for Spatial, No Problem.
Which albums have excited you so far this year?
Macca, Squeeze
Great acts, good latest LPs but not exciting me much. 🙁
The days of me getting really excited by new music are probably over (sadly).
Agreed. I’m just not terribly interested on the whole. One or two bands/artists make it past my radar but vanishingly few these days. If I can’t hum it I take a pass. I have possibly become the resurrection of that grumpy old grey whistle tester at the BBC all those years ago.
I’ve listened to both of these quite a lot but neither are really grabbing me that. They are a fairly pleasant listen though I suppose.
A recent discovery, which I need to devote more time to is Esperanza Spalding, who seems to have been around for some time so new to me, but not new.
Another thumbs up for the new Martinů set mentioned by Tiggs – also late Brahms piano played by Piotr Anderszewski. Irmin Schmidt’s Requiem – oh, and Soft Machine 13!
Thumbs up for Piotr!
Some of the best late Brahms piano playing I’ve heard in many a long year…
Also, apropos the discussions further down thread about excitement:
I should point out that I was genuinely excited to hear Soft Machine 13 – and it didn’t disappoint…
I’ve enjoyed Squeeze’s Trixies and The Coral’s 388, and of the very latest releases I’m a little underwhelmed so far by Hollie Roger’s Everything’s Fine and love Louis Brennan’s self-titled 3rd album (I was at the launch gig at the Betsey Trotwood in Farringdon on Sunday and it was a lot more fun that a collection of meditations on addiction, mental illness and the deaths of his parents sounds).
Can highly recommend the Lee Scratch Perry album with the German electronic duo Mouse on Mars. A heady mix of dub and kosmiche. I expect it will end up in my end of year nominations.
Also the Coral 388 and the new Kevin Morby album.
Blimey! That Lee Perry/MM album is only just out. Well done on getting to grips with it so fast – well shy of the six listens here.
I may have mentioned Heavenly’s Highway To Heavenly once or twice. It’s an age-defyingly zestful collection from an almost-forgotten 80s troupe and, IMHO, the most impressive comeback since Slowdive in 2017.
And I’m still recommending The Just Joans’ Romantic Visions Of Scotland.
Not a whole album, but the run of new songs Tessa Violet has collected on her Grow E.P. have me eager for an album to arrive..
Not sure if any of ‘em are Tiggertastic, mind..
I think you’ll find Lee Perry makes my list in the OP. 😉
Reminds me of The Infinity Dub Sessions by Deadbeat & St. Hilaire, dub techno if you will, recently reissued on its tenth anniversary.
There are times I am in the mood for Slowdive but their latest doesn’t excite me.
Thirded on the Martinů along with all the jazz releases Tigg mentions. I’ve found much to enjoy in the most recent release from Trio Wanderer a selection of trio pieces by Lalo, Debussy, Mel Bonis and Ravel called Art Nouveau also loving a disc of octets from Mendelssohn and Enescu played by what amounts to a chamber supergroup comprised of Quatuor Ébène and Belcea Quartet called unsurprisingly Octets. I’ve been spinning the latest from Aldous Harding – Train on the Island a fair bit and a couple of very recent releases Copland Symphony No.3 a live recording from the LSO under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano and Respighi’s Sinfonia Drammatica conducted by Robert Trevino and played by Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale Della Rai the latter was only released into the wild last Friday. My hard copy from Presto arrived today.
Lots to chew over there, starting with Octets, I think.
Yep – looking forward to hearing that. I have the recording by Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble (coupled with the Raff Octet), but that’s the only recording I’ve heard.
Agree re Aldous Harding – very enjoyable.
digging the new Tara Clerkin Trio album atm
Contender for album of the year, Michael Weston King – Nothing Can Hurt Mer Now, addressing both the tragedy that hit the King family in the summer of 2024 and their recent relocation to countryside. as his Bandcamp page aptly describes it ” an outstanding album of wonderfully-crafted, emotional and atmospheric songs – often dark and painfully honest, but not without moments of wry humour, stoicism and compassion.” If you haven’t heard, I recommend you do!
Dry Cleaning – Secret Love, great album, evolving yet staying the same, what more can you ask for.
Cumsleg Borenaii – The Powerful Stories Of Forgiveness, 99% will think this is just bobins, I think its rather wonderful, it’s been said that CB ‘blends things together that otherwise sane people would never attempt and it does so in a way that doesn’t sound too out of place.’
Virginia Astley – The Singing Places, pastoral spellbinding beauty
Virginia Astley is still recording!
I haven’t heard anything from her for about forty years – From Gardens Where We Feel Secure.
I will look that up, Thanks.
That pretty much summarises my thoughts too!
Got the original vinyl of that, and it still sounds beautiful after all these years. Stunning album. Must check out the new one.
I saw MWK last month with My Darling Clementine, they said they’d each got a solo album coming out and would do some songs from both.
When they spoke of the tragedy there was a sharp intake of breath from everyone.
Just bought the Astley on Bandcamp – Garden is one of my all time faves.
Exciting – no, but I’ve enjoyed the new Squeeze, Kacey, Lemon Twigs, Gorillaz and Four Tet
I just listened to the MWK title track. I’m lost for words, really. I will be investigating the rest.
Same here – just ordered the CD as a result.
This is just spine-tinglingly magnificent.
My God. That’s remarkable. I’m in awe of people who can somehow come back from utter tragedy as he has and express their feelings through their art like this.
‘I’ve stood sentry at the tower of song for far too long
So let me in; let the healing begin’.
All power to him.
I’m another one with the original vinyl of ‘Gardens’ who had no idea she was still releasing music. I must check it out. Thanks for the heads up.
I have the Imarhan, Tamikrest and Tinariwen. All three are fabulous. The Boys of Dungeon Lane is the best McCartney for a long time, and I like Kurt Vile’s Philadelphia’s Been Good to Me.
Here in the folkie corner, The Firelight Trio’s second album has bite. Cocanha’s follow up to Puput is not quite as excellent, but still very good.
I was going to say Spear of Destiny, ‘Janus’ – but I checked and it was late 2025. The same for ‘Focus Symphony’ by the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra, albeit I bought it this year.
I’m struggling to think of anything ‘new’ that’s been released this year that I care about.
A couple worth mentioning:
The Molotovs Wasted On Youth
Lemon Twigs Look For Your Mind
Joe Jackson Hope And Fury
Paul McCartney Boys Of Dungeon Lane
Honourable mention:
The Damned Not Like Everybody Else
(a covers album, so not challenging or mind blowing or adding to the cannon, but dandy nonetheless)
That Damned LP is rather good…
I quite like that Damned album.
Indeed, I commend it to the House.
Thumbs up for The Lemon Twigs – it’s a wild ride! I love it.
Yes, The Lemon Twigs album is the most joyous thing I’ve heard all year. I quite like The Coral album too.
Twigs – I must be listening to someone else: to me it’s nothing more than a, admittedly very good, tribute band.
I wrote elsewhere, I feel like I should love them, but somehow I don’t quite get them
Very catchy songs and, yes, they wear their influences on their frilly sleeves but I reckon it’s a tribute to the best of a certain kind of pop music (which just so happens to be the kind of pop music I love). I like the fact that they are unpretentious and fearless fans. They’re also very charming and funny in interviews. And, finally (and most crucially of course) they are young (why are so many ‘new’ bands so OLD these days?) have lovely hair and look good whilst clutching a guitar.
Yes, the Twigs are totally joyous and are, like all great artists, using traditional pop tools to craft brilliant new songs. They have soaked up The Monkees, The Beatles, The Beach Boys et al, and their last three albums have given me more pleasure than any other band in the last five years. They are are slightly heavier in concert, but manage the best live 3 (and sometimes 4) part harmonies you’ll hear outside a recording studio. Bliss.
There’s supposed to be a new Church album soon. Called Lacuna apparently. I’m not excited excited sadly but I’m looking forward to it, should it actually arrive.
I’ve been enjoying the new one by Eileen Rose, Insanitia. It isn’t exactly breaking new ground but if you like her previous stuff, you’re going to like this one. After a six-year gap, I’d kind of given up hope.
Only artist that has floated my own peculiar boat this year
Two that stand out for me:
Lord Huron – The Cosmic Selector Vol.1
Altin Gün – Garip
From the electronic scene I would be putting forwards Octo Octa, Jump Source, musicentrydelete, Avalon Emerson and the new one from The Field.
When we did a best album of the noughties, I nominated Stramash, by Colin Steele, a bebop/trad Scottish/chamber fusion piece, from 2009. When the same set of musicians performed it live, at Celtic Connections in 2024, I was in heaven, that state of mind reproduced today by knowledge that Stramash II comes out on Friday, an advance DL suggesting it well up to the same standard. I will report back after deeper immersion. Trumpet, piano, sax, bass, drums, 2 fiddles, bagpipes and cello. Su-bloody-perb
By Storm/Injury Reserve
Amanda Bergman
Fazed On A Pony
Friko
Boards of Canada
Kim Gordon
Nine Inch Noize
heavensouls
DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ (what an incredible record 🤯 – nearly five hours of pure sunshine)
Avalon Emerson
Widowspeak
I’m also massively enjoying the Manchester Orchestra live album that just came out (Live At Union Chapel). Fabulous voice.
Looking forward to Overmono, MONO and The Strokes.
I’ve not spent much time with the latest Widowspeak yet but I intend to do so. I thoroughly enjoyed their last release.
The Widowspeak is on my TBH pile.
These were on heavy (vinyl) rotation past few months:
– Stine Janvin & Morten Joh “Or Gare” Funeral procession music from Ryfylke, Norway (folk archaeology through layers of voice, synths and tape manipulation)
– Kinact “Kinshasa in action” (performance and ritual music by Kinshasa street art collective)
– Jazz Brut 002 (improvisations by respected Paris studio musicians)
– Knats “A great day in Newcastle” (musical documentation of the North East working-class experience)
– Marisa Anderson “The Anthology of UnAmerican folk music”
– Pioneers (RSD 2026, todays female electronic artists inspired by their pioneering heroines)
– Domhain “In perfect stillness” (Northern Ireland post-black metal band)
– Tara Clerkin Trio “Somewhere good”
And looking forward to new albums later this year by Mike D (of Beastie Boys), Floating Points (ballet score), Mary Wallopers and Matt Berry Trio.
Most excited about the new Mono album “Snowdrop” that is out tomorrow…….!
The 2026 release album I have probably played most is the new Joe Jackson “Hope & Fury”.
I’m still very much enjoying the Ed O’Brien album.
Me too, although I wish that the last song was split into two. I like both halves of it, I just don’t think it’s the same song (if you get what I mean).
Oh God, please stop me from reading these threads.
Two that have got me excited are:
~ The Twilight Sad – It’s The Long Goodbye.
Every song is excellent
~ Robyn – Sexistential
I dislike one song on this album, but the other 8 are fantastic & I can’t wait to see it live at the end of this month
I’m not sure anything new has truly excited me so far this year but I have enjoyed these:
Juni Habel – Evergreen in Your Mind
Spare, intimate performances from this young Norwegian singer songwriter
Saoud Massi – Zagati
Not her best I don’t think, with a bit too much of the standard Justin Adams production treatment, but some good stuff nonetheless
Simone Dinnerstein and Baroklyn – Hourglass
Only played a couple of times but so far really enjoying this piano and string ensemble album of two Philip Glass pieces including a suite from the The Hours soundtrack
Alena Baeva and Vadim Kholodenko – Beethoven violin sonatas 3,5 and 9
Beautiful music beautifully played; the the new classical release I have played most this year.
Time by Taj Mahal &The Phantom Blues Band.
Every track in a different style informed by his long exploration of black music (he’s 84!).
All played impeccably by an excellent band and all filled with his zest for life.
You really should listen to it – and then you will definitely buy it.
I shall check that out.
Very fond of our Taj, having seen him perform at a solo gig; he has a great line in appallingly filthy anecdotes as well as huge musical talents.
I discovered the other week that James Maddock had a new record out. Another one who isn’t breaking new ground but I am really enjoying it, if you like him then I’m sure you’ll like this. I’m hopeless at describing music so I wont. This is the only review I can find, from a website I have never heard of before:
https://greatmusicstories.com/2026/05/17/james-maddock-forever-june/
Includes a song about Peterborough and it’s not often you can say that.
I’ve been cataloguing my album listening this year for the first time, a curious exercise. The only 2026 albums I’ve listened to are:
Wuthering Heights – Charli xcx
The Mountain – Gorillaz
Trixies – Squeeze
The World Is To Dig – They Might Be Giants
Long Long Road – Ringo Starr
Vol.II – Angine de Poitrine
The Boys of Dungeon Lane – Paul McCartney
Inferno – Boards of Canada
They all have something to recommend them … where do you all find the time for listening to so much..?
I forgot about Now That’s What I Call 70s Soul. There’s nothing unpredictable about it but 4 CDs, 88 tracks, of top notch songs with no clunkers apart from Three Times A Lady and only £12.99. I’ve probably got most of them already but it’s nice to have them all together.
I’m waiting for Sanctuary, the new album from Evanescence, to turn up, but other than that I seem to be buying hardly any new albums. Reissues and box sets? Yes please. New material? Not so much.
Anyway, here’s the group’s Who Will You Follow?, which is an absolute stormer, and the video’s pretty dramatic too.
Hurray for the riff raff – live.
Bluebells – This is the Bluebells.
Police dog hogan – The light at the top of the stairs.
Joe Jackson – Hope and fury.
I’m surprised there’s not more but I guess I’m listening to tracks rather than albums these days.
To play with @tiggerlion OP he used the word ‘excited’.
though I’ve enjoyed a bakers dozen of new albums this year, was I excited by them? Did I instantly find out where they were touring, order the physical product, etc. etc. Not really.
So that got me thinking who would I genuinely be excited by a new album from:
Bang on to anyone who would listen that they had a new album out.
Note the release date (if not one of these modish stealth drops).
Buy the physical product on the day of release.
Bang on to anyone who would listen about it and how they had to hear it (even if it was massively disappointing). So…
Excluding people who are dead.
Kate Bush
Kraftwerk (can you imagine)
Radiohead
To name my top three of artists who have not split up and could plausibly announce another album is being released.
Yeah probably 2 out of those 3 for me too. There won’t be another Kraftwerk album I think, still a chance for the others. Wilco would be the other one. It’s been 3 years since Cousin, although we did get a 6 track EP 2 years ago and a (superb) triple solo Tweedy album last year.
New Kraftwerk music would be astonishing. Even a track or two – in fact a strong track or two would be preferable to a patchy album. But maybe we’ll get a live package later this year/2027
An album I’d be really excited about would be if Giles Martin did a Beatles ‘Love 2’
That tune that @Bingo-Little posted by the Manchester Orchestra (I’d never heard of them prior) is very good and I’ll be investigating further.
“Old No1 Revisited” is a fabulous Various Artists remake of Guy Clark’s “Old No1”. I’m sure its my most listened to album of the year so far. It may be heresy but I think it may be better than the original.
I’m sure you will know of this tribute to Guy, but just in case
@johnw
I’ve only recently been aware of it. Thanks. I like it, and it includes my favourite of his “Home Grown Tomatoes” so what’s not to like?
Sorry to be a pest, but Steve Earle has a compilation of his songs too. It’s called ‘Guy’. I bought the double vinyl from Amazon but sent it back, as there was a fault(jump) on ‘She Ain’t Going Nowhere’. I would love to own the vinyl, but I’m scared to buy it from somewhere else in case it has the same(pressing)fault. I have the cd anyway. It’s a gatefold sleeve, which would fit in well on the ‘Gatefold’ thread. As well as a songwriter/guitar player, Guy was also a luthier. The inside of the lp gatefold is a picture of his workbench. Beautiful! I wish I could post a picture of it.
So many…among them a lot of “back to form” from artists I had gone off a bit, but still bought out of habit – which was lucky. I have to admit to a shameful lack of new-to-me artists on my list…I did take a couple of punts on stuff that looked interesting unheard…but none of them were for me, as it turned out.
So these are a bunch of old favourites having a great year (in no particular order):
Alela Diane – Who’s Keeping Time?
Amanda Bergman – Embraced for a second as we die
White Denim – 13
Courtney Barnett – Creature of Habit
Imarhan – Essam
Aaron Lee Tasjan – Get Over It, Underdog
Iron & Wine – Hen’s Teeth
Courtney Marie Andrews – Valentine
Aldous Harding – Train on the Island
Jesca Hoop – Long Wave Home
Robyn – Sexistential
Gorillaz – The Mountain
Kevin Morby – Little Wide Open
The Deslondes – Don’t Let It Die: Vol. 1
José González – Against the Dying of the Light
Thåström – Flytta isbergen, vattna svärmorstungan, ta med soporna ut
And a special mention to three great albums from 2025 which didn’t appear on CD until -26, two of which made my best of list of 2025 (Hayley Heynderickx & Maxa Garcia Conover – What of Our Naure, and Lily Allen – West End Girl) but I had sort of missed the wonderful De La Soul album Cabin in the Sky, until I bought the CD this year.
And yes; I find them all exciting!
Hurray! Someone else excited by new music. 🤘
Americana is having a strong year so far – Kevin Morby, Kacey Musgraves (def a return to form after a couple of duffers), Hiss Golden Messenger and Ratboys are all on my best of 2026.
And I agree with @locust about the Courtney Marie Andrews as well; it’s a fine record and a real grower.
I really like the new Kacey album, but her previous one ‘Deeper Well’ is very far from being a ‘duffer’ – I think it’s magnificent.
I agree. If any of her albums are duffers it would be Golden Hour. I really don’t understand the praise heaped on it.
I’m loving Tabitha Meeks and her album “Can’t A Girl Dream?” She’s being touted as the new Nancy Sinatra, which she acknowledges in this live version of “Bang Bang”
Here’s one of the songs from the album, “Cherry On Top”, again a live performance.
The new Olivia Rodrigo album is out today & this is the cause of excitement in our house for me (43) & my daughter (10).
First signs are very good indeed. The best Pop for me is uplifting but has a hint of melancholy to it, something Olivia is remarkably good at
Agreed.
Also out today, a new single by The Fall with an album of unreleased treasure/barrel scrapings to follow
@sewer-robot
That’s out today is it? There’s been a bit of scrimmaging on various Fall sites about the why’s and wherefore’s of it.
Not sure if it’s available in physical format just yet @freddy-steady, but here it is..
https://thequietus.com/news/new-fall-song-emerges/
Yikes! That’s going to make a few Fall purists discombobulated.
I’m not sure what I think.
Very MES vocals but the music is a bit too polished?
I’m with you on this @FreddySteady. it sounds too clean – i can’t work it out. I think i like it, but it isn’t sitting right
@seanioio
Yes . “I think I like it but it isn’t sitting right”
Extremely well put.
I’ve only had time to play Olivia’s album once, but my snap judgement is that it’s a belter.
Also loving the Maisie Peters album Florescence, a very nice departure from her usual sound.
Oh i need to check out the Maisie Peters one – I will do so today.
Your snap judgement on Olivia is correct i think – Stupid Song may well be the best thing she has done
There was a song on the radio last Friday morning early while I was still half-asleep. I thought it was very good and ‘Shazammed’ it to find it was the bould Olivia and a song called ‘The Cure’. I was impressed. My youngest daughter tells me that Robert Smith appears on the album, not sure if it’s that song. Maybe The Cure should record a track called Olivia Rodrigo ?
The Robert Smith song is called “What’s Wrong With Me?”. Mais naturellement…
In the (presumed) absence of a new Taylor Swift album then my nomination for the ‘no pressure’ weight of expectation to deliver is the new Phoebe Bridgers. I saw her at the Academy on the last tour and her new Birmingham date has jumped straight to the NEC…
Great shout. Support from Isaac Brown, ex of Black Country New Road, which should be interesting. Don’t think there have been many records better than Punisher in the last few years.
Taylor has a lovely song out for the soundtrack of Toy Story 5…
But Phoebe is a good choice too.
My 10 of the best so far this year….
Lemon Twigs
Broken Chanter
The Just Joans
Joe Pernice
Suncharms
Squeeze
Carla J Easton
Danny George Wilson
Cut Worms
Corner Laughers
Slightly underwhelmed by the offerings from Butler, Blake & Grant and The Delines.
Interesting…
I really like the Joe Pernice and Cut Worms albums as well.
I was really taken by Ibrahim Maloouf’s ‘Trumpets of Michel-Ange’ earlier this year and would you know it, he’s just released Volume 2, so that’s me sorted for a while!
Great energy!!! I love the off-kilter tune.
One album that I like a lot is “Blizzard” by the young Irish artist Dove Ellis. The album was released digitally last year, but on CD (which is what I have) in May 2026. He has a terrific voice, I think. Has Dove Ellis been discussed on any Afterword thread? If so, I’ve missed it.
https://doveellis.bandcamp.com/album/blizzard
If you like a bit of balafon-based acoustic music from Mali, you couldn’t do better than the 2026 album “A Djinn and a Hunter Went Walking” by Neba Solo and Benego Diakite.
https://nebasolobenegodiakite.bandcamp.com/album/a-djinn-and-a-hunter-went-walking-2
If you’re jazzily inclined, I can recommend the 2026 album “Pacifiques Biches” by the Florian Pellissier Quintet. A bit of a find, this. Lovely.
https://hotcasarecords.bandcamp.com/album/pacifiques-biches
Finally, I’d echo two recommendations that have already been mentioned on this thread, which were first brought to my attention by Locust:
Hayley Heynderickx & Maxa Garcia Conover – “What of Our Naure”, and
Imarhan – “Essam”
Both albums are crackers.
Hooray! I was beginning to think that my endless recommendations of (especially) Haley & Max had been universally ignored…
THIS JUST IN!!!!!
OK, so my jazz album OTY has been confirmed above, in Colin Steele’s Stramash 2, but I think I may’ve found the soul album OTY now! Pray silence for Joan Wasser, aka Joan As Police Woman, he has chosen to revamp and reprise her Real Life album of 2026 into a Real Life Evolution model. An album I had near forgotten about, it actually stands up very well of it’s time. But this new album has a richer, deeper and more lush production that gives the slight spikiness of two decades ago a potent confessional sheen, the sound a classy construct of Philly fumes, fresh from that Abandoned Luncheonette that Hall and Oates frequented. Glorious.
Bit of a late addition, but it only came out last week…
So Help Me God, the new one from Kelsey Lu, is really very good. Production from Jack Antonoff, guest spots from Kim Gordon, Sampha and Kamasi Washington.
With apologies for not letting the thread die, I’ve been doing a lot of listening to The Canyon, the side album released by the leader singer of alt-J a few months back under the name “JJerome 87”.
It’s really, really good and I would recommend it: lovely, woozy California vibe with a Soul flourish here and there. The below has more drums on it than the rest of the album, but it gives a flavour.