New Lease Music’s Top Ten Albums of 2025

Hello guys, Happy New Year! I hope you all had lots of fun over the festive period!

It’s that time again when NEW LEASE MUSIC picks out the top releases of the year! Today, we start with the Top Ten Albums of 2025 where – as always – you’ll find a selection of earworthy collections. So if you’re in the mood to move your hips to the infectious rhythms of Afrobeats, Afro-fusion and EDM, you’ll find some here to keep you dancing. Prefer something more laid-back? We’ve also included albums steeped in the intimate vibes of indie rock, pop, singer-songwriter, and hip-hop—perfect for reflective moments and late-night listening.

So, get tuck in and explore! If any of the great releases tickle your fancy, why not comment below!

Be sure to look out for NEW LEASE MUSIC’s Top Ten Singles of 2025, coming soon….

10. DEEP BLUE – LAVENDINE

9. YESTERDAY’S WEIRDNESS IS TOMORROW’S REASON WHY – ALASKA X ALEX LUDOVICO X JASON GRIFF

8. DO IT – HANSHAKE IN SPACE

7. ALL OF ME – RAPHAEL TATE

6. BLACK RENAISSANCE – NATTY BOI ZOE

5. WAYFINDING – COLIN MANSON

4. A MOMENT ALONE (LIVE AT FACTORY STUDIOS) – JAMES O’HURLEY

3. QUARTER PAST 7VEN – 705

2. LAST DAYZ – JB DAMESENJAH

1. IT IS FINISHED – MIKE BODY

From Passion to Practice: How Music, Singing, and Songwriting Can Enrich Your Life

You don’t need a reason to start. Music doesn’t ask for credentials. It doesn’t care if you’ve played since childhood or if you just googled “how to hold a guitar” five minutes ago. What matters is showing up. That little itch in your chest when you hear a melody that hits? Follow it. Music is less about talent and more about permission. Permission to feel something and give it shape. If you’ve been circling the idea of making music, writing songs, or finding your voice—this is your push.

Start Small With Music

Nobody tells you this, but most people start badly. Fingers don’t move right. Timing feels off. It’s frustrating as hell. And still—people come back to it. They come back because even a few messy notes feel different than silence. You don’t need to be “musical.” You need to be curious. A cheap keyboard, a second-hand uke, a beat-making app—any of it can be your entry point. You can figure the rest out as you go. It’s okay to suck for a while. That’s part of it. Most folks who stick with it started by just embracing music casually. Don’t overthink it. Make a little noise and see where it takes you.

Music Strengthens the Brain

Here’s the wild part: while messing around with scales and chords, the brain is secretly doing push-ups. Patterns start to land. Attention sharpens. Something in your thinking gets tighter, more layered. Problems start to feel more solvable. Listening improves—not just to music, but to people, to space, to what’s not being said. Turns out, playing music boosts brain function. Not just memory and coordination, but the kind of flexible thinking that spills over into everything else. It’s not about turning a hobby into a productivity hack. But if it helps sharpen focus and deepen presence, there’s real value in that.

How Music Habits Shape Life Skills

Creative hobbies bleed. They shape the way stress is handled, the way time is used, even the way conversations are navigated. Building a rhythm with music often leads to building rhythm elsewhere. Showing up for something creative—even when it’s hard—has a carryover. That’s why the discipline of music can pair so well with other structured efforts, including things like structured online business programs. It’s the same core rhythm: set time aside, stay consistent, grow at your own pace. Music doesn’t stay in one lane—it spills into everything.

Why Singing Is Worth Trying

Let’s talk. Not the one used at work. The real one. Singing wakes something up. Breathing deepens. Attention shifts. The day starts to feel lighter. It’s physical, emotional, chemical. And no, there’s no need to be “a singer.” That label trips people up. Just sing. Sing bad, sing loud, sing weird. It moves energy around in ways that defy explanation. The health benefits of singing are more than science—they’re survival. Singing is medicine stored in the lungs.

What Happens When You Sing With Others

Music isn’t always a solo act. Singing with other people is one of the oldest forms of connection. Campfires, choirs, back seats of cars—that’s where shared memory is made. Voices sync up, even when pitch doesn’t. Thoughts drop out. Movement takes over. It’s a reset. No stage required. A living room, a garage, even a group text that turns into a jam is enough. The benefits go beyond social—they’re physical. Group singing improves health and deepens community ties. Heart rates align. Stress drops. People stop holding their breath, metaphorically and literally. Let it be imperfect. Let it be loud. Let it be real.

Getting Started With Songwriting

If playing or singing doesn’t scratch the itch, try writing. Write what doesn’t fit in regular conversation. Write the unspoken stuff. Songwriting doesn’t need to rhyme or follow rules at first. Just chase the sparks. The odd image. The one line that loops. It starts to get messy. Then shape it. Songwriting isn’t about polish. It’s about honesty. Don’t wait for inspiration—just start. If you need a few basics, these simple songwriting tips for beginners can give the process a nudge. Don’t aim for brilliance—aim for real.

Improving As a Songwriter

Once there’s something on the page, sit with it. Don’t rush to perfect it. Just listen. Try a different rhythm. Flip the phrasing. Say it out loud. Then say it a different way. Progress lives in the second and third versions. Over time, a personal style starts to emerge. A rhythm. A pattern. A system for chasing creative moments. For anyone looking to sharpen that system, these songwriting methods that genuinely improve your output act more like fire-starters than formulas. When stuck, use them. When flowing, ignore them.

If nothing else, let music become one of the things that grounds you. You don’t have to monetize it. You don’t have to get good. Just show up and make noise. Let your voice crack. Let your fingers fumble. There’s something real and steady about having a creative outlet that asks nothing from you but attention—and gives you a quieter, stronger version of yourself in return.

LUCKY IRIS Shares New Single, ‘play me like a speaker’ Ahead Of ‘fall in love with the dj’ Mixtape

Leeds-based hyper-pop duo LUCKY IRIS have announced their upcoming mixtape, ‘fall in love with the dj’, set for release on 23rd January through EMI North in partnership with Launchpad+. The six-track project includes explosive new single ‘play me like a speaker’, released yesterday (30th September), across all leading streaming platforms.

Building on the momentum of their acclaimed ‘day to night’ EP—praised by Rolling Stone UK, DIY, and BBC Introducing—this new release marks a bold sonic evolution for the duo. Described as a “full-throttle surge of club-ready energy,” lead single ‘play me like a speaker’ pairs sharp-edged synths with chopped vocals to reflect a year of fearless experimentation. The track is so intense, it reportedly blew the duo’s car speakers on first playback.

“We’re so tired of holding back, so really ‘play me like a speaker’ was used as an exploration into seeing what we can create and very literally leaning into that,” tells Maeve. “We wrote almost every track on the mixtape on the South West coast of Ireland, using only a laptop, a mic, and a twenty-five key mini keyboard with a wireless speaker. ‘play me like a speaker’ was one of the first tracks we created for this mixtape – maybe that’s ironic – but we were having fun, creating new sounds and making music we wanted to hear.”

With earlier mixtape teaser ‘i just want to dance’ already earning praise from Wonderland, NME, BBC 6 Music, and placements on key Spotify editorial playlists, fall in love with the dj is shaping up to be a major statement in the UK pop landscape.

To celebrate, Lucky Iris will embark on their first UK tour, supporting Master Peace with shows across Nottingham, Cardiff, Southampton, Margate, and Norwich.

Why not listen to ‘play me like a speaker’ below…

Connect with Lucky Iris via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/luckyirisband
IG: https://www.instagram.com/luckyirisband
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luckyirisband?
X: https://x.com/luckyirisband

Electronic trio under:tones enter a bold new chapter with single, ‘Dreaming (Wide Awake)’

International electronic trio under:tones open a bold new chapter in their musical journey with their debut album ‘Encounters’, arriving March 2026. Their first single, ‘Dreaming (Wide Awake)’, marks the inaugural release on Through ‘Dreaming (Wide Awake)’, a freshly launched label dedicated to forward-thinking, emotionally rich electronic music. This milestone not only sets the tone for under:tones’ evolution but also celebrates the birth of a new creative platform bridging cultures, genres, and generations.

Blending cinematic textures, euphoric rhythms, and soul-stirring vocals, ‘Dreaming (Wide Awake)’ marks a defining moment for under:tones, a project that moves seamlessly between dancefloor energy and introspective atmospheres. Written and recorded between California, the UK, and Italy, the track embodies the group’s signature sound — analog warmth meets digital precision, driven by emotion and storytelling.

Sun-soaked and dream-drenched, the song feels like a golden hour reverie. Reeves’ airy vocals float over lush synth layers and a pulsing beat that pulls you in before you realise you’re moving. There’s a bittersweet nostalgia in its tone — a longing for a past summer, a rush of first love — yet a hopeful, life-affirming energy runs through every note.

The music video, directed by Cristina Principe, is set in Los Angeles and brings this feeling to life through the eyes of Zeno, a 14-year-old navigating adolescence under the constant surveillance of social algorithms that track his every move, thought, and mood. The film captures fleeting moments of escape; wired headphones, laughter with friends, surrendering to music, reminding us that real connection and freedom still exist beyond screens and systems. Shot with a cinematic lens, the visual feels like a coming-of-age short film, perfectly matching the track’s dreamlike yet uplifting atmosphere.

They share; “For us, ‘Dreaming (Wide Awake)’ is that golden-hour moment when life feels too vivid to be real – when you stop imagining and start living your own story. It’s about clarity, love, and the thrill of catching up with your dreams.”

Through The Void Records was created as a home for projects that aims to become a hub to launch Italian artists internationally, as well as to introduce global talent to the Italian and European scenes. The release of ‘Dreaming (Wide Awake)’ serves as the label’s official launch, setting its ethos: music that moves both the body and the heart, bridging underground club culture with timeless songwriting.

Following their debut EP, under:tones step boldly into a new era with ‘Dreaming (Wide Awake)’ — with a full-length album envisioned as a series of sonic short films exploring connections across cultures, emotions, and generations. With Neri’s pioneering house legacy, Zarcone’s hybrid instrumentation, and Reeves’ soulful touch, the trio is redefining electronic music as an immersive experience for both body and mind.

’Dreaming (Wide Awake)’ by under:tones is out now via all leading streaming platforms. Why not check out the video for the summery cut below…

Connect with under:tones via
IG: https://www.instagram.com/undertones.music/

Source: Liberty Music

OUT TODAY: Get ‘Addicted’ to producer Obsidian Cane & singer Gizella’s New Single.

Named “Drum N Bass Rebels With A Cause” by EDM Magazine, producer OBSIDIAN CANE and singer GIZELLA return to bring serious heat to the summer with their third collaborative single, ‘Addicted’ — out today, 30th July across all major music platforms.

With over 20 years of combined experience in the underground music scene, the duo proves they’re not here to follow the rules — they’re here to break them. Born from the dynamic contrast of their musical backgrounds, Obsidian Cane and Gizella continue to champion their love for Drum N Bass, carving out a fresh, genre-defying sound that is unapologetically unique and unmistakably their own.

A prolific producer with a standout resume, Obsidian Cane has crafted music for artists signed to Warner Bros, EMI, Parlophone, and worked with major UK broadcasters including Channel 4, BBC One, and BBC Two. He also made waves in the UK Garage scene with the club hit ‘I Need A Rhythm’ as one half of the duo KP. With ‘Addicted’, Cane delivers a smooth fusion of Drum N Bass and Jungle, layered with delicate, Far Eastern-inspired melodies and a subtle yet infectious groove.

Gizella – the underground scene’s “vocal chameleon” – is known for seamlessly crossing genres with her spellbinding delivery. Since her 1998 vinyl debut ‘Express Yourself’ on Gotcha! Records, she’s lent her signature voice to Hip Hop, EDM, Dubstep, and DnB, collaborating with artists like Korostyle, Juleunique, Mizimo, Experimental Feelings, and Ronny Becher. On ‘Addicted’, she effortlessly captures the emotions of a hopeless romantic, with her vocals playfully weaving through the summery rhythm with undeniable charm.

This latest release follows the duo’s well-received singles ‘Never Change’ and ‘Crazy World’ — both praised across the music press. EDM Magazine, Playy Magazine, and EDM All Day highlighted Obsidian Cane’s standout production, while A&R Factory drew comparisons between Gizella’s vocals and the iconic Björk on ‘Never Change’.

With ‘Addicted’, Obsidian Cane and Gizella continue to prove why they’re one of the most exciting DnB acts breaking boundaries today.

Get ready to be Addicted — out today, 30th July via all leading digital platforms.

Connect with Obsidian Cane via:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/obsidiancane/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3DlRjlx1Rw5oiBGIoJ04d1
Bandcamp: https://obsidiancane.bandcamp.com/music

Connect with Gizella via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/gizellavox
IG: https://www.instagram.com/gizella_vox
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4gxp14AugeUcwYKJeAa9g2
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/gizella
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GizellasMusic