1. The Place That Has Never Been Wounded
By Niall Breslin (Inni)
It takes a brave musician to walk away from a format people know and love and to venture into an area that might win them respect but little commercial gain. Replacing the chummy Bressie with his full name sets the tone for Niall Breslin’s album, which trades The Blizzards’ punchy guitar pop-rock for a conceptual wordless suite of piano-based instrumentals. The approach will be familiar to fans of Ólafur Arnalds and Max Richter, but Breslin’s instinctive, deeply empathetic playing burrows deeper into the head, resulting in a lingering serenity that politely but firmly shuts out the noise.
2. Euro-Country
By CMAT (Awal Recordings)
When Euro-Country was released, in late August, the pretty instant reaction was that CMAT’s third album achieved what her early-days fans had assumed she would, combing a distinctive personality with songs that avoid cookie-cutter cliches. Spending three months with an album as good as this one is rewarding because (barring the mood-laying intro) its songs are so multilayered, both musically and lyrically. Successive listens only confirm that insightful tracks such as When a Good Man Cries, The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station, Iceberg and (the blissful, transcendent) Lord, Let That Tesla Crash feature huge, heartstring-plucking emotions and, hands down, the best melodies of 2025.
3. Man to You
By Rob De Boer (Bridge the Gap)
Released in the balmy days of summer, Man to You has maintained a grip through the subsequent colder months, evidence not just of our need to be reminded of warmer times but also of the enduring strength of its songs. The Dutch-Irish songwriter is a master of blending influences such as Nina Simone and John Martyn with a contemporary sound and nuanced, introspective lyrics. The songs? As airy as a June breeze. The music? As loose as an unbuttoned shirt.
4. The Waiting Room
By Maria Kelly (Veta Records)
Maria Kelly’s second album traces fault lines of contemporary ailments – broken friendships, societal disruption, the difficulties of securing accommodation and, as implied by the album’s title, health issues – in parallel with the serenest songs of 2025. The low decibel level might have snookered the album’s chances of gaining a foothold next to some of the year’s more raucous releases, but repeated listening highlights a steely resolve that speaks volumes.
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5. Rún
By Rún (Rocket Recordings)
“Dreams, synchronicities and other uncanny influences found in everyday life” are the inspirations for the music on the debut album from Rún, aka the interdisciplinary artists Diarmuid Mac Diarmada, Tara Baoth Mooney and Rian Trench. The last of these is best known as a producer; Mac Diarmada has worked with the likes of The Jimmy Cake and The Tyco Brahe, while Mooney works across soundscapes, performance and video. They channel their experience through improvisational frameworks that draw on drone, folk noir and sacred music while also referencing the likes of Throbbing Gristle, Sun O))), Alice Coltrane and Talk Talk.
