We know these lists are completely subjective and that ranking music can feel a little weird at times but these are the records we’ve had on repeat over the past 12 months. More importantly, in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, highlighting lesser-known and often overlooked artists remains the very essence of our blog. We hope you’ll take the time to dive into the artists and projects you might not know yet.

Like last year, the list is ordered alphabetically, because the “real” ranking changes every day depending on our mood. That said, if you’re looking for a top three, keep an eye on Oklou, Nourished By Time, and Smerz.

Merry Christmas to all of you, and stay tuned next week for our Best Songs of 2025 list.

The 47 EPs, Albums, And Mixtapes that defined 2025 according to HighClouds

Acopia – Blush Response
Addison Rae – Addison
After – After EP 1/2
AMORE – Top Hits, Ballads, etc
Annahstasia – Tether
crushed – no scope
Dean Blunt & Elias Rønnenfelt – lucre EP
deer park – Terra Infirma
Disiniblud – Disiniblud
Erika de Casier – Lifetime
Ethel Cain – Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You
FKA Twigs – Eusexua
Georgie & Joe – What I Made With Joe
Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On
Ichiko Aoba – Luminiscent Creatures
JADE – THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!
james K – Friend
Jane Inc. – A Rupture A Canyon A Birth
Jenny Hval – Iris Silver Mist
Jim Legxacy – black british music (2025)
Joanne Robertson – Blurrr
Jouska – How Did I Wind Up Here?
Laura Groves – Yes
Lipsticism – Wanted To Show You
Malibu – Vanities
Maria Somerville – Luster
Marina Zispin – Now You See Me, Now You Don’t
Men I Trust – Equus Caballus / Equus Asinus
Molly Nilsson – Amateur
Neggy Gemmy – She Comes From Nowhere
Night Tapes – portals//polarities
No Joy – Bugland
Nourished By Time – The Passionate Ones
Nuovo Testamento – Trouble EP
Oklou – Choke Enough
Oneohtrix Point Never – Tranquilizer
Panda Bear – Sinister Grift
Pearly Drops – The Voices Are Coming Back
R. Missing – Like The Sound Of Injured Love
Raisa K – Affectionately
Rat Heart – Dancin’ In The Streets
Sea Lemon – Diving For A Prize
Smerz – Big City Life
snuggle – Goodbyehouse
Sofia Kourtesis – Volver EP
Sophia Stel – How To Win At Solitaire EP
Yawning Portal – Anywhere

Alongside the video release, Acopia also shared some big news: they’re heading out on a North American tour in 2026, and you can check their itinerary on the poster below.

Dive into the video for “Real Life” below and start daydreaming about catching them on stage next year.

THE BEST NEW RELEASES, UPDATED DAILY? STREAM OUR FORECAST TAPE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY.

Acopia‘s “Real Life” came together in a rooftop studio tucked inside a mostly abandoned office building in South Yarra, which already sounds like the perfect setting for a track this moody. Built around a looping, dreamy synth line, it reflects on obsessive love, emotional burnout, and the patterns we fall into without meaning to. The line “Wasting my days / Watch it grow old / Back to default” says it all. It’s soft, raw, and completely absorbing. Their new album Blush Response drops in a few weeks, and they’ll be bringing it to Europe and the UK soon, so don’t miss them if they’re coming your way.

The upcoming album is a collection of eight tracks that lean into emotional tension—reflecting on distance, the weight of what’s unspoken, and the delicate dance between vulnerability and resilience. According to the press release, it marks a clear evolution for the group, with a sound that feels more immediate, more instinctive, and more emotionally charged.

To accompany the announcement, Acopia have shared a new single, “Falter,” a sharp, anthemic track that captures the trio in a more expansive and confident mode. “It’s more grand than anything we’ve written previously,” they say. “After many iterations, we settled on something anthemic, short and to the point, both lyrically and sonically.”

Acopia – Blush Response:

1- Talk About It
2 – See You In Everyone
3 – Falter
4 – Let Down
5 – Falling
6 – Real Life
7 – Chase Me
8 – Last Word