25 February 2025
Here's how it works: The Recent Releases chart brings together critical reaction to new albums from more than 50 sources worldwide. It's updated daily. Albums qualify with 5 reviews, and drop out after 6 weeks into the longer timespan charts.
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Debut full-length release from the Canadian alt.pop singer-songwriter
7.2
NEW The Japanese-Canadian musician’s sophomore LP is a breakup exercise full of epic, idiosyncratic stories of farewell and mourning cut up into an all-encompassing and all-evading menagerie of trip-hop, psych-folk, prog-rock, glitch-tronica and dubby fusion Read Review
NEW A vivid and vulnerable album, brimming with emotional depth Read Review
NEW Canadian alt-pop artist's debut matches sonic surrealism with defiantly vulnerable lyrics Read Review
NEW On her second album, the Japanese-Canadian musician’s magpie art pop coheres into something like a traditional breakup record, but her perspective and production are far from conventional Read Review
NEW There are some self-consciously experimental moments, but the Toronto musician’s genre-mashing songs of heartbreak are often focused and fresh Read Review
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Saya Gray Saya
There are some self-consciously experimental moments, but the Toronto musician’s genre-mashing songs of heartbreak are often focused and fresh The Guardian
On her second album, the Japanese-Canadian musician’s magpie art pop coheres into something like a traditional breakup record, but her perspective and production are far from conventional Pitchfork
Canadian alt-pop artist's debut matches sonic surrealism with defiantly vulnerable lyrics Rolling Stone
A vivid and vulnerable album, brimming with emotional depth DIY
The Japanese-Canadian musician’s sophomore LP is a breakup exercise full of epic, idiosyncratic stories of farewell and mourning cut up into an all-encompassing and all-evading menagerie of trip-hop, psych-folk, prog-rock, glitch-tronica and dubby fusion Paste Magazine
Tate McRae So Close To What
Tate and her team clearly have an ear for sticky melodies and the lack of necessary lore is appreciated, but there still is a very pervasive sense of figuring things out here Sputnik Music (staff)
Sam Fender People Watching
U.K. singer-songwriter grapples with who he is and where he's from on his third album Rolling Stone
Panda Bear Sinister Grift
Like a collection of demo tracks and out-takes from a Smiley Smile-era Beach Boys The Arts Desk
Lennox’s latest is his attempt at crafting something in the key of Jimmy Buffet Slant Magazine
Sam Fender takes another big step forward on People Watching, which includes a satisfying collection of songs about the human experience PopMatters
Nao Jupiter
This is generally more pop-oriented, often deviating far from R&B, and is considerably brighter all-around All Music
Nao reckons with anxieties but embraces peace as the sultry and sweet meet in this loved-up odyssey The Skinny
After time away, the homegrown R&B star’s ethereal voice shines equally on uptempo tracks and slower grooves The Observer
This spiritual successor to 2018’s ‘Saturn’ is lighter, warmer and happier – but just as brilliant NME
On ‘Jupiter’, Nao has bottled liberation and turned it into a rich tapestry of sound, a sonic explosion of curiosity and play Clash
Since we've been around, that is. So, the highest-rated albums from the past twelve years or so. Rankings are calculated to two decimal places.
Kendrick Lamar To Pimp A Butterfly
Fiona Apple Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Kendrick Lamar Damn.
D'Angelo And The Vanguard Black Messiah
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Ghosteen
Self Esteem Prioritise Pleasure
Bob Dylan Rough and Rowdy Ways
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Skeleton Tree
Frank Ocean Channel Orange
Dave We’re All Alone In This Together