The 2025 year-end mix
Hi, friends:
Raise your hand if you received a copy of my first-ever year-end mix back in 2004. I know there are a good handful of you on this mailing list who did!
Well, did you ever expect that more than twenty years later, I’d still be passing theses mixes out in December? Just . . . not on a burned disk and with slightly higher production values as far as the tech and artwork go?
For those of you who weren’t in my orbit back in 2004, it’s true: I’ve been assembling these end-of-year music mixes for twenty-one years now. And I’m delighted to bring you the installment for 2025.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! For the Rest of Our Lives: Allison’s Best of 2025 Mix
“All of the Worlds”—Emma Louise & Flume (DUMB)
“Girl Feels Good”–FKA twigs (EUSEXUA)
“Space Between Us”–Franc Moody (Chewing the Fat)
“Rewild”–Lyra Pramuk (Hymnal)
“Say My Name”–NOVELISTS (CODA)
“Best Life Now”–Sachal Vasandani (Best Life Now)
“man in the mirror”–MIKE (Showbiz!)
“D’amor traficante”–Ralphie Choo (D’amor traficante single)
“Piece 2 at 77bpm”–Stephen Vitiello, Brendan Canty, & Hahn Rowe (Second)
“Provide Me Your Name”–Getdown Services (Primordial Slot Machine EP)
“Window”–The Weather Station (Humanhood)
“conversation with shiv (liquid k song)”–Caroline Rose (year of the slug)
“The Spell”–Mammoth (The End)
“Not in Surrender”–Obongjayar (Paradise Now)
“The Most”–Tunde Adebimpe (Thee Black Boltz)
“Pyramid of Health”–Viagra Boys (viagr aboys)
“Walking Through Fire”–The Darkness (Dreams on Toast)
“Hope You’re Laughing”–B. Carnes (True North)
“Mio Cristo Piange Diamanti”–ROSALÍA (LUX)
Go to the Music
You can stream the mix on Apple Music, Spotify, or Mixcloud.
Please note, however, that the Caroline Rose song “conversation with shiv (liquid k song)” will only be featured in the Mixcloud file. As a Bandcamp exclusive, it is not available for streaming on Apple Music or Spotify.
Go to the Essays
You can read my thoughts about all these songs over on my blog here.
Go to the Mix Archive
You can explore my archive of annual mixes going back to 2004 here. As I note in my prefatory remarks at the top of that page, a few of my personal favorites include the installments for 2005, 2009, 2016, and 2022.
Go to STILL MORE Listening Material
You can listen to me reading a Christmas-related excerpt from from the book Atargatis by English writer Paul Weston here. It's a new holiday favorite of mine, and I hope you find it as special as I do.
Go to Your Physical Mailbox
I’m putting the finishing touches on a short li’l holiday zine that should be ready to send out before the end of the calendar year. If you want one but aren’t sure if I have your current mailing address, please reply to this message (or text me or whatever) so that I can confirm you’re on my list. (If you’re reading this, you probably are! But, y’know, just in case.)
I created this newsletter however many years ago to be able to share personal updates with those of you who have admirably resisted the siren song of social media. Which means a bunch of you probably haven’t seen this piece of art that I have been using as my Facebook header image every holiday season for I don’t even know how long. I honestly have no idea where I originally found it (probably Tumblr??), but I love it so much and want to share the joy, and the truth, of it with you all as well.
XOXO,
Allison