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Those of you who have been around since the inception of the Sleeping Village may remember one Ancient Hand, who was around...well, technically before the inception of the Village proper. Back in 2018, he was one of the very first people I met whilst writing silly lil' reviews on Instagram. He wrote some stuff here, I wrote about some of his musical projects...and then we both kinda stopped using Instagram. Needless to say, it was quite nice indeed to receive an email with this surprise AOTY list. Here it is (sans pink background, which is sadly not possible to replicate). Enjoy! - Ed Written by: Ancient Hand 2024 was filled with albums that I highly anticipated and was extremely satisfied with upon release, but 2025 held a number of records that were absolute surprises– both from artists I was aware of but maybe didn’t expect a ton in terms of quality and from artists I had never heard of before. I am happy to have listened to over 90 records that came out in this one calendar year and run down my thoughts on some of them! Let’s get started with my honorable mentions: records that I very much enjoyed but did not have space on my top 10 for.
This year was not without its duds, of course. Therefore, I feel I have to share what I think is the worst album of the year. In jest, of course. All art has value… or whatever.
And a quick shoutout to my biggest disappointment. It hurts, and I won’t harp on it for fear of disrespecting my kings.
The EPs this year were not as strong as last year’s in terms of overall standouts, but the highs of this year’s EPs did clear last year’s. Here are my top 3 EPs of the year!
And now, the moment I’ve been waiting for that nobody actually cares about… my top 10 albums of 2025! (at the time of writing this, who knows what I will think in the future… who knows what the future holds for any of us, fuck ICE by the way):
 #3: Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams Now this one… we knew music could sound like this. Williams’ exploration of late 90’s-early 00’s sounds feels familiar while its presentation is anything but. Releasing the record as 17 standalone singles that listeners could construct in whatever order they see fit is something that can only be done in the digital age, and, more importantly, feels like something truly new and inventive from a release standpoint--something we as music fans have been desperate for since the commodification of every moment of our listening. “True Believer” is Williams at her lyrical best--20-something years into her career--while “Hard” is anything but its title, eschewing bravado for vulnerability and exploring the warring gender expressions of Williams after decades of being surrounded by testosterone and dangerous peers in the alternative music scene. My only issue is that with the official release of the album, the record’s tracklist feels off to me. The physical release obviously needs a clear order, but a burned CD-R in a clear jewel case made by you and decorated with a sharpie is the only real way to experience these tracks.  #2: Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You by Ethel Cain A lyrical prequel to (spoiler alert for my 2030 list…) the decade’s best record, Preacher’s Daughter, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You is a slowcore dirge for a high school romance fallen apart. Ushering in a closer-to-even split between tracks with vocals and instrumental tracks, Anhedönia creates an equally cinematic experience compared to her 2022 debut, but this time around, she delivers a tale focused inward: exploring themes of regret, love, and loss compared to the external threats of Ethel Cain’s tragic ending. Sensitively painting a hazy image of the blood-stained blonde that started it all, Anhedönia led me to downright weep at the pain suffered by both counterparts in this foreboding love tale. “Nettles” is an all-time love song for the patient. “Dust Bowl” is a fan staple and has been since the demo was posted on SoundCloud. “Tempest” is a disturbingly believable exploration of the young male psyche, where vitriolic insults lie in wait at the back of the tongue, waiting to be hurled at those most loved until the brain is finally finished developing… as long as it is free of “sulfuric acid.”  #1: Lonely People With Power by Deafheaven Deafheaven somehow cleared the seemingly impossible task of Sisyphus with this record. They topped 2013’s Sunbather, a record that has held a special place in my heart since I first heard it. However, this album might be the band’s new greatest outing. The songs are significantly more packed with vocals than previous black metal outings, which some may like less, but Clarke’s lyrics are at an all-time profound. I struggle to put into words the emotions this album stirs in me. I will leave it at this: incredibly tight and ferocious performances manage to maintain aggression (“Doberman”) while also giving way to starkly beautiful moments (“Amethyst”) and disturbingly brutal honesty (“Body Behavior”). This is a record for anyone who feels lonely in this panoptic age. “I was a man made of yesterdays Mornings glowing like coal Blinding the every day Legs buckling together when moving” Big thanks to Ancient Hand for the words! Give him a follow over on Instagram. I personally found some unfamiliar stuff in these lists--hopefully you did as well. - Ed.
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Written by: The Administrator
A premiere for Spectrum, the debut album from Am I In Trouble? Hosted at Sleeping Village Reviews?! No need, dear reader, to feign shock; this was always inevitable. Less a question of "if," and rather a question of "when?" I'm pleased to announce that the wait is over. The time is now. If the name Am I in Trouble? doesn't ring a bell, I recommend checking out our fairly extensive catalog of coverage. During the extensive buildup to the Jan. 3rd drop, we've covered three tracks available pre-release: check out writeups for Red, White, and Black. A common theme of said reviews is the clarity of Am I in Trouble's varied and vibrant songwriting in the pursuit of an aesthetic homage to 90's Scandinavian avant-garde black metal oddity. While the aforementioned songs are quite distinct from a sonic perspective, they share a common tendency to resist stagnation. The Am I in Trouble? playbook emphasizes constant motion and evolution, which allows for the dynamic juxtaposition of some remarkable extremes. Going from gentle to aggressive and back again is hardly a new trick in the world of metal, but multi-instrumentalist mastermind Steve Wiener wields a uniquely honed sense of unpredictability. This results in some incredibly flexible songcraft. With that said, a distinct and uncanny cohesion pervades. We get more in-depth below, but lest we lose sight of the plot, we slumbering scribes are excited to premiere (in full!) the excellent Spectrum a few days prior to release. Give it a well-deserved listen! We'll meet you, as always, on the other side. 
Written by: The Administrator
Welcome back to AMPWALL Roundup, our new column dedicated to shining a little light on music that we slumbering scribes find whilst trawling through the explore page over on Ampwall. That "random tag" search feature has turned up some good stuff over the past week. If you don't know what this whole Ampwall thing is all about, please take a quick gander at Volume I, where we get a little more in-depth regarding the many virtues of the new platform/marketplace/community. We here at ye olde Sleeping Village are big advocates for the integration of additional resources into the independent artist's promo toolkit. To that end, having more music-purchasing people become aware of Ampwall's existence will only help it grow as a viable option moving forward. Anyways, let's get to the music! Below are 6 (more!) bands I highly recommend checking out. 
Written by: The Adminstrator
It's been a while since we've published a mini-review 'round these parts. But today, as I exist in the dull yet painful aftermath of some fairly intrusive dental surgery, I'm ready to listen to the same song on repeat until I miraculously spawn a writeup that encompasses all my thoughts and feelings. That, dear reader, is how this process works. Anyways! On to Ainor's delightful "City Lights," today's track in question. If you're unfamiliar, Ainor is a bit of a musical anomaly and enigma, with projects seemingly spanning the musical spectrum. With "City Lights," a single released on June 2nd, we're treated to an overtly alt-rockin' aesthetic, the likes of which I am personally very fond. Upon hearing a rough mix of "City Lights," my initial reaction was, and I quote: "Really enjoyable! Very nostalgic vibe without feeling antiquated." Completed mix in hand, and some time and multiple listens later, I can confirm that this assessment has held up quite well. In some respects, the track recalls the early 2000's alternative radio rock of my childhood in the best of ways. It's the kind of song I would hunt down and subsequently transfer to my 512Mb Transcend T.Sonic 310 MP3 Player (in red, obviously). The vocals across the first half are emotive and just a tad cloudy, soaring yet tinged with a nice angsty patina. The chorus is catchy, a really singalong. The midsection, however, feels like a more grown-up take on the genre's implicit sense of youth, with some nice drum presence and a whispered and dramatic build into some comparatively raspy and aggressive vocals that sit beneath the choruses' triumphant return. It makes for a pretty damn energetic and climatic moment. For a four minute track, this thing breezes by, with the runtime broken into engaging segments in a fairly seamless fashion. Highly listenable stuff. While I'm a fan of the Ainor ethos in general, should we get more stuff of this ilk, I'll be first in line to check it out! Ainor - City Lights was released June 2nd. Find it here!
Ainor can be found:
Bandcamp 
Written by: The Administrator
Whomst among us is ambivalent about the ocean? I may be way off the mark, but it seems as though opinions towards the deep blue sea trend towards the extremes. Representing a certain landlubbery perspective, several of my fellow inksplattered scribes experience an abject terror when it comes to the ocean's vastness. As for me, I'm smitten by the serene chaos of breakers, the lushness and oddity of aquatic life, and the eventual call of the sodden void. Representing perhaps the pinnacle of oceanic fandom, Into The Deep demonstrates a deep fascination and reverence for the ocean. This is a fact that is immediately apparent--everything from their moniker to their artwork to their track titles and band bio and beyond reeks of brine. I absolutely love a band with a singular focus, and when they play music this good, I can't help but sing their praises. Blackfin came out Jan. 3rd, and I haven't stopped listening yet. It is my favorite EP of 2024 thusfar. 
Written by: The Administrator
I must admit: I feel like a bit of a tease when it comes to premiering this particular track. Listening to a single song in isolation from By Torchlight's forthcoming A Night To Remember is a little like ripping a random chapter out of a mystery novel and attempting to piece together the narrative without a true beginning or end. However, a lil' intrigue goes a long way, and in the case of "A Dangerous Game," today's track in question, I hope yer investigative acumen is primed and ready to fire. A Night To Remember is, in the artist's words, a thrilling tale of betrayal and murder. The narrative follows the trials (and trails) of private detective Stephen North, who catches the scent of one murderous Mr. White. Hijinks ensue. "A Dangerous Game" is the fourth track, and, as ye shall soon hear, details the a mourder most foul. Listen below! As always, we'll be lurking on the other side. |
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