Musings On Music: January 2025
The year is new and excitement for it has suitably built.
How did we already get a month into 2025? Time flew for me in January, as I spent most of it working on reposting my old lists and dropping my Best of the 2020’s (So Far) lists. You can check all of those out here. Due to that, I didn’t listen to as much new music as I wish I could have, but I did sneak in some good singles here and there.
By the way, I’m splitting my vinyl updates and previews for upcoming months into separate articles from here on out. Gotta get more clicks somehow!
As always, every song & album mentioned here is linked in each writeup, and a Spotify playlist from the month is located at the end of the article. Happy listening!
ALBUMS
Camille Schmidt - Nude #9
The first album I listened to in 2025 is a fairly middling indie record by Camille Schmidt. There’s traces of something more interesting than your usual boiler plate indie on the title track and “Cult in Denver”, but too often Schmidt sticks to the tried and true methods that end up sounding too similar to better artists to really stick out. The use of Autotune on several tracks adds little to the album’s personality too. Give her a couple albums, though, and she might have something cooking.
SONGS
Song of the Month: Djo - “Basic Being Basic”
I love how Joe Keery balances his deadpan voice and his great singing voice on “Basic Being Basic”, the first single he’s dropped in a few years. It’s a typical breakup anthem, but Keery’s performance and the catchy 80’s-tinged beat elevate it to synthpop excellence.
10 Other Great Songs From January 2025
Anamaguchi - “Territorial Pissings”
The further along Anamaguchi go, the further away they get from their chiptune origins. “Territorial Pissings” dives headfirst into the aggressive grunge rock of Nirvana, covering a pop melody with some of the fuzziest sound they’ve ever utilized. It works surprisingly well.
Black Country, New Road - “Besties”
It’s been a long time since we’ve heard from BCNR, but their return is a very welcome one. “Besties” is their first track without Isaac Wood as the bandleader, and Georgia Ellery proves more than capable of taking over for him. This single is full of the elaborate post-rock the band has done before, but condensed into a digestible 3 and a half minutes, something I didn’t think was possible. Can’t wait to see how they continue to evolve.
DARKSIDE - “S.N.C”
Known for his explorations of every corner of electronic music, Nicolas Jaar finds a nice spot incorporating funk and bookie into “S.N.C.”, a catchy lead single for his side project’s upcoming LP.
Destroyer - “Bologna”
Dan Bejar is back with more esoteric ramblings and I for one am here for it. He enlists Fiver to help him drift through “Bologna”, a track that fits perfectly into the Destroyer canon of the decade so far.
flipturn - “Burnout Days”
A breezy indie rock jam, “Burnout Days” is the best track flipturn has offered to date.
Jane Remover - “JRJRJR”
One of the most exciting singles of the year so far, Jane Remover does a ton over the course of “JRJRJR”. The post-hyperpop instrumental is crushing, implementing so much purposeful chaos it easily could’ve crumbled under its own weight. But JR holds it together to create an instrumental that never slows down, and their performance matches the chaotic energy to at T.
Japanese Breakfast - “Orlando In Love”
Eschewing the synthpop that made Jubilee a smash hit, Michelle Zaunder opts for soft, beautiful orchestration on this lead single to her new LP. Her voice is as silky as ever, guiding us into this new era with ease.
Panda Bear - “Ferry Lady”
Animal Collective’s side projects have always been hit or miss to me, but when they hit, man, do they hit. “Ferry Lady” is a song that made a strong impression on me at least, continuing Panda Bear’s psychedelic pop leanings from his collab with Sonic Boom from back in 2022.
SPELLLING - “Portrait of My Heart”
So much of SPELLLING’s last album allowed you to wallow in its mystery, taking its time to show you around a fantasy world. “Portrait of My Heart” is the complete opposite, grabbing you with force and sending you along her most powerhouse vocal performance to date. It’s a bold new direction that’ll hook you in and never let go.
The Weeknd - “Open Hearts”
Abel Tesfaye’s supposed final album as The Weeknd released on January’s very last day. I’ll have more in-depth thoughts on it soon, but I can tell you that “Open Hearts” is an early album highlight I’ll have on repeat all year.
CLASSICS CORNER
Dayglow - Harmony House
There’s a simplicity to the lyrical and instrumental approach that Dayglow employs that I couldn’t get enough of last month. Harmony House is catchy as all get out, turning the emotions of love and longing into hooky track after hooky track. Sometimes straightforwardness is the best medicine.
Silk Sonic - “Love’s Train”
Re-listening to An Evening With Silk Sonic on Spotify, I wondered why I didn’t put more stock into “Love’s Train” when the album came out back in 2021. That’s because this track wasn’t on the original album, instead being a 2022 Valentine’s Day release. Yet for whatever reason it slides into the original album’s tracklist now, and not even labeled as a bonus track. Thanks Spotify! It’s a great cover of the Con Funk Shun original.
Kate Bush - “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”
I rewatched Stranger Things in January, so you know Kate Bush’s most iconic track was stuck in my head all month. Max escaping possession by Vecna in “Dear Billy” from Season 4 is still one of the most iconic television scenes ever made.
Skylar Spence - “Fall Harder”
Future funk found its way into my listening habits in January in a big way, and who better to lead that charge than one of the genre’s forefathers? I love every song from Skylar Spence’s Prom King but “Fall Harder” has a specific happiness in its loving lyrics that puts it a cut above.
Kouek - Apogee
During that future funk crusade, I stumbled upon Apogee, an album that absolutely would’ve made my Best of 2024 lists had I heard it last year. Each track is a groovy odyssey, never letting up in energy, pace or catchiness. Great running music too, especially the bumpin’ “Money”.
ROSÉ - “APT.” (ft. Bruno Mars)
Somehow I missed this smash hit from last fall, but I ain’t missing it now. It’s a super fun pop track, and ROSÉ and Bruno Mars make for a fine pairing.
The Bee Gees - “Tragedy”
Disco is never better than when its sense of drama and urgency is front and center, and that’s exactly what makes “Tragedy” one of the Bee Gees’ best songs ever.
Until next month!