Another year, another reminder that Live at Leeds is less a festival and more a civic service. Despite relentless rain, the 2025 edition delivered standout sets from rising acts across genres, Girl Group’s electric synth-pop, Katy J Pearson’s folk clarity, Babymorocco’s chaotic hyper-pop and a headline set from Jalen Ngonda that bordered on transcendent. A celebration of discovery from start to finish.

We’re now over halfway through the year and it’s safe to say that 2025 has been… a lot. In the midst of all the chaos, many of us have turned to music for a sense of escape or release. Thankfully, this year has delivered a wealth of remarkable records providing space for solace and joy.

At Some Other Time, we’ve been keeping track of the records that have truly stayed with us, the ones we’ve returned to time and again. The list we’ve put together is short, but as eclectic as ever, reflecting the wide spectrum of sounds and voices that have caught our attention this year. These are the albums that have shaped our 2025 so far…