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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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In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish short reviews at a greater frequency, thereby shining our very small spotlight on more cool music. Without further ado: a cool single.
Written by: The Administrator
And now for something completely different! On occasion, a project hits the ol' promo inbox that sits well outside the typical listening habits of we slumbering scribes. But! Over the years, we've made a deliberate attempt to whittle down expectations of gene convention here at the Sleeping Village. A good song is a good song, after all, and we're in the business of good songs. "Beating Heart," the latest dreamy psychedelic-pop single from singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Casey Wells, is a certified good song. Having listened to it no fewer than perhaps 10 times in a row, I feel somewhat qualified to talk it up. Promo materials mentions Channels-era Tame Impala as a point of comparison, which is a reference point that feels oft-cited but not always accurate. Here, though, I see the vision, both sonically and emotionally. "Beating Heart" is similarly airy and pseudo-carefree, with a subtle underpinning melancholy. It puts on airs of nonchalance, but at the root of the matter, it is in fact quite, uh, chalant. Heartfelt. Emotionally charged. In the words of the artist, it is a track about "having to pull yourself away from seeking closure. It’s the timeless battle between the head and the heart, except it’s to the point where the head is having an intervention with the heart." Not exactly a topic that one might consider "light." Emotional heft swallowed by gentle cloud-floating instrumentation frequently makes for interesting juxtaposition, and here, Casey Wells presents a delicate and ethereal balance. The synths are rich and crisp and delightfully textured. The vocals are breezy, and when they drop out briefly in the track's midsection, some barely discernible muttering in the background adds a layer of intrigue. "Beating Heart" is a short listen, concise and fluff-free. It is polished and clean--arguably pristine, even. It's a vibe-y song, and while I do wish it was long enough to facilitate a lengthier vibe session, it leaves a tantalizing impression. Casey Wells - “Beating Heart" was released Jan. 15th, 2026 via Vaguely Vivid Records. Listen to it here! 
Written by: The Administrator
If you are a purveyor of music review sites, you've undoubtedly learned to skip over the fluff that constitutes AOTY intros. The pointlessness of writing this isn't lost on me, let alone the fact that this is a list for, erm, the wrong year. In the music industry churn, an album released last year might as well be a million years old. Obsolete. Irrelevant. Forgotten. So: why 2023? Why not 2024, like unto a proper music review website? What's the rationale behind publishing this list a whole damn year late? There are two reasons. The first is that I think demonstrable longevity is an important aspect of music appreciation, and the ability of an album to outlast a narrow moment in time is a testament to its particular excellence. The second (and real) reason is that I am a profoundly lazy and frequently overwhelmed person, and compiling this list last December was a very large task that seemed, frankly, insurmountable. So here we are. These are 23 albums from 2023 that are, in significant hindsight, still very much my favorite albums of 2023. In terms of format, this list is alphabetical and purely unranked. The generally arbitrary structure of counting down to #1 simply doesn't demonstrate the way I enjoy music, nor is it an effective or accurate way to make recommendations. I'm also completely unconcerned about genre, as I listen to a lot of different stuff. If I'm writing a list, it should probably reflect the reality of listening habits instead of projecting a false image of metal exclusivity. Be prepared for eclecticism. I hope there's something lurking herein that catches your ear. A massive thank you to every artist who contributed to the releases below. And, dear reader, thank you for your readership and support of artists! You're the best. Yes, you. 
Written by: The Administrator
Another year, another batch of outstanding EPs! I personally have a strong affinity for releases of the short, concise, and otherwise succinct persuasion, and so my weekly listening is often informed by what new EPs have dropped. The following includes those that made a significant impact and stuck around in my rotation. This list--although perhaps a term such as "loose collection" or "heap" would be a better choice--has not been trimmed or edited to meet a specific quantity. I just kept adding stuff until I hit 23 entries, which felt like an appropriate number, and so here we are. Like last year's extravaganza, this list features a bunch of different genres but is not sorted by genre. My year is defined by eclectic listening habits, and while my albums lists will be divided into hip hop and metal for sake of reading convenience, no such editorial courtesy is reflected here. And lastly, this is utterly unranked. If something appears here, please know that it comes highly, highly recommended. Without further ado, let's dive in! |
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