Independent Clauses is on indefinite hiatus. My academic research and writing has moved away from professional music, and as a result the amount of professional time I have had to focus on IC has evaporated.
However! I still listen to a lot of music. And at the end of the year, I still want to give out some awards, because I still think in these terms. Thank you to musicians everywhere for keeping with the practice, no matter the conditions.
2025 Album of the Year
Heliocene by Akasha System. I listened to this groove-laden album so much that my Apple Music Replay was almost entirely composed of works from this record. I bought it on vinyl, too. Drops me into flow state, no matter where I am or what I’m doing. I don’t know what to call this genre: it’s too busy for ambient, too fast for downtempo, and too smooth to be lo-fi house. It’s earthy and yet also shimmering. RIYL: Ezra Feinberg, Tycho
2025 Albums of the Year Runners-up
2. désert by Lara Somogyi and Jean-Michel Blais. Delicate, intricate, mesmerizing harp and piano compositions.
3. You Win Some, You Lose a Lot by cehryl. A varied sonic diary that includes all sorts of bedroom electronic sketches, both casual and meaningful (sometimes at the same time).
4. Mita Koyama-Cho by Tatsuro Murakami. Dreamy, elegant ambient works that effortlessly blend gentle electronics and acoustic instruments.
Top Five Most Played Artists
- Akasha System (see above)
- Tycho (downtempo?)
- Shingo Nakamura (melodic house)
- Carpainter (house)
- Vulfpeck (funk)
Top Playlist
Living in the Library by Apple Music Electronic. “These songs—a mix of bass music, chillwave, downtempo, and more—run a gamut of styles, techniques, and even eras. What they share is the way they can wrap the listener up in enveloping frequencies and shut out the rest of the world.” Truth in advertising, right here.
Meaningful Singles
“Caffeine” by Mattstagraham. Just about the most 2025 pop-punk song I can imagine lyrically, with a relentless earworm of a chorus.
“Alatau” by Otyken. Enthusiastic, danceable stomp-and-holler folk-pop with a wild twist: the band is from Siberia.
“Echo in the Field” by Kelly Moran. A wonderfully cascading electronic track.
“Break of Dawn (feat. Skratch Bastid & Smalltown DJs) [Remix] / Rattle (Mixed)” by Bingo Players, The Sponges, and Wade. Also known as the Frogs song on TikTok. It’s pretty great!
Journalist Substack of the Year
Flow State. This fantastic instrumental music newsletter sends out one artist recommendation per weekday and one long mix per week (often 60-120 minutes long). The choices span the gamut of ambient, techno, jazz, classical, crossover, acoustic, and more. It’s the newsletter I most look forward to every day. Many of the selections in this list were found through Flow State.
Artist Substack of the Year
Fog Chaser. Gorgeous original acoustic instrumental compositions, beautiful photography, accompanying poetry, and recommendations to boot. What more can you ask for from a newsletter?
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