2025, like pretty much every other year, was full of great music. Still, I find myself drowning in it all, hearing plenty that I love but moving on to the next week’s (day’s) new releases without taking the time to build a real relationship with it.
I’m excited by what appears to be perhaps a slight movement away from streaming (or at least Spotify) and back towards more conscious music consumption. In 2026, I’m looking forward to leaning on my fellow KGNU DJ’s, live shows and random threads, rather than algorithms, for music discovery. I can’t wait to hear how that plays out!
[NOTE: albums are listed alphabetically by title]
| Artist | Album | Label | |
| 1 | Juana Molina | DOGA | Sonamos |
| 2 | Ibaaku | ECLIPSE 24 | Ibaaku |
| 3 | Little Barrie & Malcolm Catto | Electric War | Easy Eye Sound |
| 4 | Phi-Psonics | Expanding to One | Gondwana |
| 5 | matahari sons | Helping Hand / Beyond / Just a Good Beat | Agogo |
| 6 | DJ Koze | Music Can Hear Us | Pampa |
| 7 | Juan Wauters | MVD LUV | Captured Tracks |
| 8 | Nyron Higor | Nyron Higor | Far Out Recordings |
| 9 | Ibex Band | Stereo Instrumental Music | Muzikawi |
| 10 | Kennebec | The Water Wheel | Kennebec |
