True to the HighClouds spirit, we’ve once again tried to shine a light on overlooked releases and new or under-the-radar artists alongside some more familiar names. And yes… for the second year the same artist is topping our Best Songs list. At this point, it’s safe to say we’re obsessed. All of the tracks featured here (and many others) are also gathered in our Spotify playlist, that you can find below.

Thank you for reading, listening, and sharing music with us throughout 2025. We wish you a beautiful end of the year, and we’ll be back very soon in 2026 to share even more amazing music with you.

60 Avalon – Harder To Reach Than God
59 Farao – Waiting for You
58 Reggie Devoyage – Down Town
57 Nuovo Testamento – Picture Perfect
56 Yumi Zouma – Drag
55 Boyhood – A Grand Time
54 Danny L Harle; Caroline Polachek – Azimuth
53 Fernette – Lowlands
52 Jouska – Season of Dread
51 Charli xcx – Chains of Love

50 Pearly Drops – End Credits
49 Marina Zispin – Penthouse Samba
48 Boyish – Jumbos
47 Sword II – Sugarcane
46 TOPS – Chlorine
45 Robyn – Dopamine
44 The Deep – KPOP B!TCH
43 Juliana Madrid – Jamie
42 Men I Trust – Come Back Down
41 R. Missing – Telepolartears

40 Jenny Hval – The artist is absent – 89 seconds rewrite
39 Fontaines D.C. – Before You I Just Forget
38 hemlocke springs – the beginning of the end
37 Sea Lemon – Stay
36 Georgie & Joe – Pacemaker
35 Fine – I could
34 Jessy Lanza – Slapped By My Life
33 Arny Margret – Day Old Thoughts
32 Lipsticism – Erased
31 Clara Kimera; notinbed – angel candles

30 Neggy Gemmy – Mysterious Girl
29 Joanne Robertson; Oliver Coates – Always Were
28 Hannah Jadagu – My Love
27 HTRK – Swimming Pool
26 Night Tapes – television
25 Raisa K – Affectionately
24 helen island – hot zone, regular day
23 Dean Blunt; Elias Rønnenfelt – 1
22 Cole Pulice – After the Rain
21 crushed – starburn

20 AMORE – Delirio
19 Oneohtrix Point Never – Rodl Glide
18 Erika de Casier – Delusional
17 Judeline – chica de cristal
16 Dijon – Yamaha
15 Rochelle Jordan – Ladida
14 PinkPantheress – Illegal
13 Maria Somerville – Garden
12 Ethel Cain – Fuck Me Eyes
11 Sophia Stel – Everyone Falls Asleep In Their Own Time

10 Jim Legxacy – ’06 wayne rooney
9 Magdalena Bay – Human Happens
8 snuggle – Woman Lake
7 Addison Rae – Headphones On
6 After – 300 dreams
5 FKA twigs – Striptease
4 james K – Play
3 Nourished by Time – Max Potential
2 Smerz – You got time and I got money
1 Oklou – blade bird

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

Now, two years after CBD Reiki Moonbeam, Lindsey Elise French -her real name- is gearing up for her next era. Her upcoming album, She Comes From Nowhere, drops this June, and the hypnotic and otherworldly first taste, “Mysterious Girl,” is already here.

Neggy Gemmy is currently on tour now all across the US – all dates opening for George Clanton:

04/18 – Austin TX Mohawk
04/19 – San Antonio TX Paper Tiger
04/20 – Houston TX White Oak Music Hall
04/22 – Orlando FL The Abbey
04/23 – Miami FL ZeyZey
04/24 – St. Petersburg FL Jannus Live
04/25 – Atlanta GA Variety Playhouse
04/26 – Birmingham AL Saturn
04/27 – Nashville TN Basement East
04/29 – Charlotte NC The Underground
04/30 – Richmond VA The Broadberry
05/01 – Washington DC Black Cat
05/02 – Philadelphia PA Union Transfer
05/03 – New York NY Webster Hall

Lindsey French is starting a new chapter– She not only changed her moniker from Negative Gemini to Neggy Gemmy, but she’s also opted for a more luminous sound on recent releases “California”, “Beep Beep” and “Daydream.” While we loved her hazy and melancholy debut, we are also obsessed with her bubbly new offerings. And now, there’s a new song to add to this fun collection. At just under 1 minutes and 30 seconds, her bouncy new single “Gemmy Juice” is a must-listen. Oh, and it features Kero Kero Bonito‘s Sarah Bonito. What’s not to love? Watch the awesome accompanying animation (SFX by George Clanton and Neggy Gemmy herself) below.

Lindsay French has always made electronic pop with a literate attention to detail. As the co-founder of 100% Electronica with partner George Clanton, she originally became known for her trailblazing work as Negative Gemini. Honing her sound with the static edge of Grimes, the trippy textures of Crystal Castles, and the vibey pulse of lo-fi hip-hop beats to study to, French made a name for herself with previous projects, especially 2018’s glorious Bad Boy EP.

Now shortening her name to Neggy Gemmy, French establishes a new direction for herself with latest single “California,” the first track off her upcoming third project. While it certainly contains the trademarks we’ve come to know her for, this new song dazzles with its ability to balance its hazy, “cruise-centric” vibe with its textural and melodic nuance.

The synths used here are grandiose, providing the perfect counterpoint to the uber-compressed kick drum and trap-spiced sub-bass that start the song. Neggy Gemmy’s voice is bratty, hanging on to every syllable with vinegar on her lips. Yet this attitude doesn’t taint the track; rather, it makes the song’s themes of uncertainty and starting over all the more prevalent.

But what’s most impressive about the song, as always, is its intricacy. Transitioning in the back-half to a drumline of snares and hi-hats, the artist adds reverb-soaked sirens and West Coast melodies into the ether, washing out the atmosphere into something that while seemingly euphoric, keeps the listener on edge until the track’s abrupt end. As an introduction to her latest self, “California” is a triumph.