The New Year brings with it shoots of hope – although winter is still very much all around us, the days have begun to lengthen, and with the broadening light comes increased possibility. If December is a month to take stock, then January is a time to cast your sight forwards, and to realise the prospects of the coming year.
Music is no exception. The pandemic led to a glut of creativity, and the release schedules remain packed – filtering this down to The Good Stuff remains a crucially important task.
Kicking off the New Year, the CLASH team have put their heads together to pin down 20 albums that could come to define 2025.
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Ethel Cain
Following a lengthy tour across Europe and North America, Ethel Cain compliments the winter chill with the release of her sophomore LP, ‘Perverts.’ Set to land on January 8th, the Tallahassee singer-songwriter opens up her forthcoming work with the ghostly ‘Punish,’ a wounded listen that riles in its repentance and turmoil. Weaving a separate storyline to her defining debut, Cain continues to immerse herself amongst the evils of mankind, a poignant artistry that is soon to uncover a new era. (Ana Lamond)
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Franz Ferdinand
For the past decade, Franz Ferdinand have always strived to keep things fresh. A supergroup formation with Sparks was followed by a radical line-up change and an electronic/disco-infused focus on 2018’s ‘Aways Ascending’. Seven years on, sixth studio effort ‘The Human Fear’ arrives on January 10th – one that searches “for the thrill of being human via fears”. Drummer Audrey Tait has replaced original member Paul Thornton and it’s hoped this new blood can help keep the ‘00s indie icons revitalised once more. (Matthew McLister)
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FKA twigs
Birthed from her time spent amongst Prague’s underground techno scene, FKA Twigs is inching towards her third, full length body of work ‘Eusexua’. An effort to pinpoint moments that transcend human existence, the title opens up a new era for the polymath, inheriting the spirit of global rave culture. So far, the tracklist has unveiled collaborations with Koreless and others, a diverse collection of singles that flit between percussive magnetism to elastic garage tropes. An artist who is willing to expand and throw herself into her craft, ‘Eusexua’ traces FKA Twigs’ latest sonic adventures. (Ana Lamond)
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The Weeknd
A sought-after round-off to his chart-trumping trilogy, The Weeknd is ready to drop his sixth album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’. Over a decade-spanning career, Abel Tesfaye has established himself as a master of world-building, immersing his listeners in nocturnal, hedonistic sceneries. Ramping up towards his next phase with a number of versatile collaborations with rap enigma Playboi Carti and Brazillian pop figure Anitta, the vocalist foreshadows an eclectic, hit-studded finale, set to land on January 25th. (Ana Lamond)
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Central Cee
Well, it’s been a long time coming. From the title down, ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’ is aware of the expectations placed on Central Cee’s shoulders, and the West London rapper has spent time finessing every single note on his eagerly awaited debut album. Broadcaster and UK rap advocate Semtex has already waxed lyrical on the roll-out behind this release on these digital pages, but it’s worth stating again how far Central Cee has come since we first met him – a bona fide global success story, his debut album should re-affirm the London star as a generational voice. (Robin Murray)
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John Glacier
Unveiled during a milestone performance at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts, ‘Like A Ribbon’ pieces together the last year of John Glacier. A mixture of grunge acoustics, alt-rap ventures and fuzzy, electronic flecks, the self-professed ‘fashion girl from Hackney’ steps towards one of her most illustrative projects to date, a moody concoction of tracks that delve into her inner truths. Establishing her creative flair through cross-genre collaborations, high-end labels, and visuals, John Glacier constructs a fascinating world that surrounds her art, both enigmatic yet deeply connecting. (Ana Lamond)
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Saya Gray
Following her clipped collage work ‘19 MASTERS’, the Toronto experimentalist maps out a post-relationship travelogue of melodic folk, country and scrubbed-raw alt-rock on her self-titled debut album. Thus far, we’ve heard the songs ‘SHELL ( OF A MAN )’ and ‘H.B.W’, where intimate restraint meets Saya’s haunted vignettes. The album was inspired and informed by a cross-country road trip through Japan towards the end of 2023. More focused and leaner than her previous work, Saya Gray smooths the rough edges of her repertoire whilst retaining her penchant for artful abstractions. (Shahzaib Hussain)
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Tate McRae
After seeing her at eventim Apollo, I’ve well and truly joined the Tate Mcrae hype chain – with her songs topping my Spotify wrapped after the release of her strong debut ‘I Used To Think I Could Fly’. Her second album ‘THINK LATER’, it’s safe to say made her mark on the pop scene with short, simple, but snappy and catchy pop songs. ‘Greedy’ and ‘exes’ are two that have taken the charts by storm, but she also has an emotive side to her music, such as in ‘calgary’, which I hope to see more of in her new album. Her follow up, ‘SO CLOSE TO WHAT’, out in February, has already been teased to a great reception on TikTok, with ‘revolving door’ and ‘dear god’ definitely tracks to look out for. And with the singer, who is also a professional dancer, known for creating songs fit for a great performance, I have no doubt that the accompanying tour for the record will be a must-see next year. (Amrit Virdi)
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The Horrors
It’s been eight years since the last album by The Horrors, albeit punctuated by a couple of EPs. Reassuringly, the world may have changed but the Southenders have lost none of their trademark ferocious intensity, judging by what we have heard of forthcoming sixth album ‘Night Life’. They’re still treading that familiar darkness, be it the trippy motorik of ‘The Silence That Remains’, the huge chorus of the rasping ‘Trial By Fire’ or industrial opus ‘Lotus Eater’. March can’t come soon enough. (Richard Bowes)
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Lorde
When it comes to Lorde, there’s little more than speculation to rely on at the moment. New music has been scarce from the New Zealand star since her last full-length release, and so far she has treated fans to only the tiniest teasers of beats and lyrics… but all signs point to a new album at some point in 2025. What is certain is that we’ll hear something unexpected: Lorde is sure to make 2025 her year when the fourth LP finally drops. (Phil Taylor)
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Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga has described her highly-anticipated seventh album ‘LG7’ as an ‘out-and-out pop album’ but also as ‘chaotic’ and ‘genre-bending’. Her last single release, the dark dance-pop anthem ‘Disease’ which married together industrial EDM dance beats with grungy guitars might well set the tone of what to expect from the chameleonic superstar.
Based on the sonics of ‘Disease’, it feels like ‘LG7’ will see Gaga return to her roots of ‘dark pop’ with an emphasis on candid storytelling at its core, where she not only celebrates her love of music, but also encourages her fans to ‘have fun’ and ‘to be free of your worries at home or walking through life’. (Emma Harrison)
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Beyoncé
No mainstream artist inspires vehement speculation like Beyoncé. The Queen of cryptic messaging, Easter eggs and stealthy marketing will make her next announcement on January 14th. Is it a ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour? The long-gestating visual film? Or indeed the first taste of the conclusion of an ambitious and connected trilogy of works? Regardless, our bets are on Bey giving us the first taste of her rock era this year, splintering her already referential sound with space funk and psychedelic soul salutations. With rumours of collaborations with Jack White and Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello, and her lifelong fascination with Prince coming into sharp focus, ‘Act III’ could be the most spectacular finale to a compendium that reclaims and returns rock and roll to its Black American roots. (Shahzaib Hussain)
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Big Thief
Big Thief have always sought to be an evolutionary force. The band’s recent stunning run may have been achieved by a single cohesive unit, but the American group have always felt able to expand and contract, accepting other voices into the fold as a result. With Max Oleartchick exiting due to “inter-personal reasons”, Big Thief debuted an all-new twin-drummer line-up at festivals last year. Those present left breathless, enchanted by the uncanny intensity of the sets, and the propensity for new ideas. By all accounts a new Big Thief record is on the horizon – a point of departure and of renewal, we can’t wait to absorb their next chapter. (Robin Murray)
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Chappell Roan
2024 may have been Brat Girl Summer, but Chappell Roan’s ‘Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ ran Charli close – despite being released the year before. Her follow-up is likely to hit many of the same notes: continuing her collaboration with producer Dan Nigro, it’s mooted to contain some ballads, some 80s-influenced bangers, and… a country song with a fiddle? Maybe Nigro’s justified in telling the New York Times to expect “a new version of Chappell”. (Tom Kingsley)
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Grimes
Grimes’ recent public persona has been defined more by her on-and-off relationship with tech magnate Elon Musk than by the innovative artistry she made her name of. But that’s expected to change in 2025: the Canadian singer’s much teased (and much delayed) sixth studio album ‘Book 1’ should finally see the light of day in 2025. Her follow up to 2020’s ‘Miss Anthropocene’ is said to be based on a concept theme and we’re fully expecting another fascinating listening experience of hook-laden, ethereal goodness. (Matthew Mclister)
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Japanese Breakfast
Michelle Zauner’s band Japanese Breakfast now has three exceptional albums under their belt, each arguably better than the last. And while 2021’s Jubilee felt more uplifting than JB’s previous work, the follow-up is, Zauner told GQ Korea, “a gloomy album” with a more guitar-driven feel. That’s not to say that it’ll be a radical departure – tracks like “Posing for Cars” aren’t exactly lemonade and ice cream – but we can probably expect something more introspective, especially given Zauner’s deeply moving engagement with grief over her career. (Tom Kingsley)
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Lana Del Rey
Rippling across social media with a snippet from ‘Henry, Come On’ earlier last year, Lana Del Rey has officially unveiled the release of her tenth studio album ‘The Right Person Will Stay’. Over its thirteen tracks, the project draws together the minds of Jack Antonoff, Zachary Dawes, Luke Laird and Drew Erickson, a familiar team of collaborators who open up Lana’s next chapter, which is rumoured to take a country-esque turn. Set to land this May, the songstress will embark on a UK & Ireland stadium tour shortly after, sure to re-define her take on the contemporary ballad. (Ana Lamond)
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Mac Miller
The tragic death of Mac Miller cut short a career that seemed set to reconfigure pop culture. The way his Estate have handled the aftermath has been an example for others around them – patient and courageous, the posthumous releases from the vault (Mac was nothing if not prodigious) have matched his sky-high standards.
‘Balloonerism’ is the second trip to Mac’s archives, and it will feature material recorded back in 2014 – a transitional phase that brought his seminal ‘Faces’ mixtape. A glimpse into his working methods, ‘Balloonerism’ is a gift for fans. (Robin Murray)
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Sky Ferreira
Seasons come and seasons go, but Sky Ferreira fans remain in ever-present hope for her new album. ‘Masochism’ – its official title – was actually announced in April 2015, but the decade-long await hasn’t put us off (completely).
All the signs are, however, that this might actually be the year Sky blesses us with a new studio album. Closing 2024 with her song ‘Leash’ – utilised on the Babygirl soundtrack – she spoke to fans on social media, and re-affirmed her intention to release new music in the coming year.
We’ve heard it all before, and – in truth – are expecting to hear it again. That said, there’s just something about Sky Ferreira and her approach to music that leaves us anticipating magic. As she herself once put it: “My silence should not be confused for negligence… I won’t put out something that I don’t stand by or the bare minimum.” (Robin Murray)
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Summer Walker
When talking about music for the real yearners, it’s impossible not to mention Summer Walker. So as cuffing season gets underway, the Atlanta songstress’ junior album ‘Finally Over It’ is hotly sought after. Her sonically storied plights in love have rippled timelessly since her break out. Alleged feature tips coming via her Apple Music show has fans brooding. And if ‘Heart of A Woman’ is a taste of what’s to come, it’s easy to see why. (Shanté Collier-McDermott)
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