The best new music of the week

The Big Indie Playlist - Rhiannon Hope - 2025

(Credits: Far Out / Noah Lakehal)

Sun 21 September 2025 8:00, UK

Another week has come and gone, and so you know what time it is. Gathering up all the best new tracks so nothing golden slips between the cracks of a busy new music Friday, stay up to date with The Big Indie Playlist.

In the world of albums, this week brought around the release of some hotly anticipated new offerings. NewDad shared their stunning record Altar, while Wednesday delivered grunge greatness on Bleeds. But right here, we’re all about the single, sharing a quick fix of the best new hits.

From artists big and small, there was some amazing new work this week. Miley Cyrus teamed up with two Fleetwood Mac icons for an incredible collaboration, and Keaton Henson returned with something heavier than we’ve ever really heard from him. Meanwhile, in the world of up-and-comers, Etta Marcus and Aimee Fatale are names to pay attention to this week with two cinematic tracks.

Passing the mic to someone else to have a say too, we asked Leeds-based artist Rhiannon Hope to give us an insight into her playlist too, sharing the new tracks she’s been loving.

All in one place, so you simply have to hit play, we’ve done all the work for you – you’re welcome.

Must-Hear: Curated by Rhiannon Hope

Ahead of the release of her debut EP, All Things Rising and Returning, next week, Leeds-based but Liverpool-born folk artist Rhiannon Hope is giving us a look into her listening habits of late, sharing a selection of new tracks she had on repeat.

Naima Bock – ‘Takes One (Live)’: Really one of my favourite musicians ever. I love the studio version of this song, but this version just has a certain warmth that you can only get when it’s played live. I also love hearing the slight differences in performance between the studio and this version. Can’t wait for the EP!

Stereolab – ‘Fed Up With Your Job’: I’ve been really loving Stereolab’s 2025 album, Instant Holograms on Metal Film, so these two recent songs have been such a treat so soon after the album’s release. Stereolab remain reliably fun and catchy with ‘Fed Up With Your Job’, another amazing track that is instantly likeable.

Jerskin Fendrix – ‘Together Again’: Once Upon a Time in Shropshire is probably my most anticipated album of this year. I’ve had all of the singles in the run-up to the album on repeat, and ‘Together Again’ is not an exception. This song is great – a really touching and sweet piano ballad with the occasional quirky vocal or nonsense lyric. I love Jerskin Fendrix, what a talented musician.

Green Gardens – ‘I Was Here’: Green Gardens have recently released their second album, Thistlesifting, and this is one of the standout tracks for me! I love this song – it feels really vulnerable, which I appreciate, and it’s super catchy – the chorus hook has been stuck in my head for weeks. We were lucky enough to support Green Gardens earlier this month for their album release party, and they’re great live too – would definitely recommend.

Cate Le Bon – ‘About Time’: I cite Cate Le Bon as a huge influence of mine – another weird woman who I love a lot. ‘About Time’ is classic Cate Le Bon – floaty vocals and chugging guitars which I love a lot. Really excited for the new album and also loving her new hair cut too.

(Credits: Keaton Henson)And some more… The best new music of the week

Aimee Fatale – ‘Let’s Just Get Married’: Sharing her hotly awaited debut single, Aimee Fatale opens up her cinematic world with this stylish track, taking inspiration from the love songs of the 1950s and ‘60s with a modern coolness. [4/5]

Bog Band – ‘Moonlighting’: An Irish duo called Bog Band feel like they should be making proper traditional folk, but instead, they’re cool, breezy, and almost surf-rock inspired on this new easy listening single. [3.5/5]

Life Aquatic Band – ‘Summer Rain’: As one of Sheffield’s most beloved acts, everyone knows that Life Aquatic Band will always deliver greatness. On this track, it’s singer Jazmine Kelly’s time to shine with some truly angelic vocals. [3.5/5]

Keaton Henson – ‘Insomnia’: With each new chapter, you never really know what version of Keaton Henson you’re going to get. Here, we’re getting something louder and heavier as he steps back up to the mic after the ambient instrumentals of his previous record. [4/5]

Snooper – ‘Pom Pom’: Need a track to blow away the cobwebs of the week? Here you go. Play it loud and let your brain rattle. [3.5/5]

Etta Marcus – ‘Teenage Messiah’: As Etta Marcus begins unveiling her upcoming EP, Devour, the tones are heavier and harsher. ‘Teenage Messiah’ is lush, cinematic and electrifying with a good dose of gothic energy. [4/5]

Peace – ‘Good Jeans’: Back in 2023, Peace shared a whole new album on a password-protected website. Bit by bit, it’s being added to streaming services and ‘Good Jeans’ is the latest offering, maintaining the band’s old indie grip while balancing 2015 energy with 2025. [3/5]

Mitski – ‘Let My Love Open The Door’: Shared for the soundtrack of Margot Robbie’s new movie, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, Mitski delivers a simple and tender love song. Nothing more and nothing less, it’s obvious, still beautiful because it’s Mitski. [3/5]

Wicca Phase Springs Eternal and Ethel Cain – ‘Meet Me Anywhere’: Ethel Cain fans are being well and truly treated this year. After releasing her sophomore album last month and delivering Perverts at the start of the year, she’s now added her voice to this gorgeous folk song. [4/5]

Miley Cyrus, Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood – ‘Secrets’: Yes, you read that right. Miley Cyrus has teamed up with Fleetwood Mac, or at least two of them. Doing her finest Stevie Nicks for this track, it has real Rumours energy to it. [3.5/5]

Bar Italia – ‘Rooser’: If you need to impress a typical hyper-cool performative male this weekend over some natural wine and small plates, tell them you love this new track from Bar Italia. [3/5]

Mary In The Junkyard – ‘Midori’: It’s been a while now since Mary In The Junkyard first emerged, but still, Clari Freeman-Taylor’s voice is staggering and stunning each and every time. [3.5/5]

Cardinals – ‘Masquerade’: Irish troupe Cardinals have fans in high places as they’ve been co-signed by Fontaines DC. Their earlier work was interesting and electrifying, merging traditional Irish sounds with Lou Reed-style rock. But as they now work towards the release of their debut, the maturity has stepped up, and so has the production level. [3.5/5]

(Credits: Far Out / Steve Gullick)Off The Beaten Track – Left-field sounds, curated and written by Ben Forrest

Wanda Felicia – ‘Stuck On You’: Punctuated by upbeat horns and a compelling rhythm, Wanda Felicia’s ‘Stuck On You’ is awash with the kind of optimistic soul that never goes out of fashion. Taken from her debut album Now Is The Time, which is certainly one to keep an eye on, this single is yet another masterpiece from Finland’s Timmion Records. [4.5/5]

Sababa 5 & Canay Doğan – ‘Gaip’: Flying the flag for Anatolian psych excellence this week, Batlov Records treat us to the return of Sababa 5, this time joined on their mind-expanding journey across the cosmos by the Turkish pop prowess of Canay Doğan, with expectedly captivating results. [4/5]

Kendra Morris – ‘Back With Me’: It has been a busy old week for Colemine Records, but Next, the latest album from New York’s Kendra Morris, has been a definite highlight. ‘Back With Me’, in particular, captures the timeless appeal of the vocalist, harking back to the golden age of soul and R&B, but keeping her sights firmly on the future. [4.5/5]

Meklit – ‘Lefeqer Enegeza’: Meklit continues to be one of the most important, endearing voices in modern Ethio-jazz, and the San Francisco-based Ethiopian artist reaffirms those credentials on this emotive, poetic single, ahead of the full release of A Piece of Infinity later this month. [4/5]

Shawn Lee & Kelly Finnigan – ‘Say It Again’: As far as collaborations go, this hotly anticipated collision of Shawn Lee and Kelly Finnigan certainly hasn’t disappointed, with the Colemine-released seven-inch bursting with catchy rhythms and beautifully soulful vocals courtesy of Finnigan. [4/5]

Rudy De Ander – ‘Cariño (Instrumental)’: Back in 2020, which feels like lifetimes ago at this point, Californian artist Rudy De Ander unveiled his incredible album Tender Epoch, and this week he returns with the instrumental version of that album, placing the focus solely on the endlessly cool, funk-ridden compositions which shine on tracks like ‘Cariño’. [4/5]

Baobab – ‘Keine Nummer’: Some things take a while to perfect, which is why this week has seen cult Stuttgart jazz-rock outfit Baobab return with a new single via the infallible Tramp Records. The A-side is the original mix of their defining jazz-rock masterpiece ‘Keine Nummer’ from all the way back in 1978, for the first time on seven-inch vinyl, and the B-side is a 21st-century rendering of the same song recorded in 2022. [4/5]

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