End of the Year Revue For 2025: Part Two: N to Z
December 15, 2025
Choice Highlights From The Last Year Part Two
In case you missed Part One of this illustrious list, here’s a recap.
I said I wasn’t going to do it this year. And this may be the last. But here is the second part of a comprehensive revue listing of choice albums (some extended EPs too) from 2025 that we returned to the most, enjoyed or rated highly. See it as a sort of random highlights package if you will.
As usual a most diverse mix of releases, listed alphabetically – numerical orderings make no sense to me unless it is down to a vote, otherwise what qualifies the placing of an album? What makes the 25th place album better than the 26th and so on…
Whilst there is the odd smattering of Hip-Hop releases here and there, our resident selector and expert Matt Oliver has compiled a special 25 for 25 revue of his own, which will go out next week.
Part One: A to M can be perused here
N……………
Neon Crabs ‘Make Things Better’ (Half Edge Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Noir & Superior, Che ‘Seeds In Babylon’
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Novelle & Rob Mazurek, Alberto ‘Sun Eaters’ (Hive Mind Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Nowaah The Flood ‘Mergers And Acquisitions’
Picked by Dominic Valvona
O……………
Occult Character ‘Next Year’s Model’ (Metal Postcard Records)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
P…………….
Philips Arts Foundation, Lucy ‘I’m Not A Fucking Metronome’
Reviewed by Brian Bordello Shea here
Phill Most Chill & Djar One ‘Deal With It’ (Beats House Records)
Picniclunch ‘snaxbandwitches’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Pound Land ‘Can’t Stop’ (Cruel Nature Records)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Q……………..
Querci, Cosimo ‘Rimane’ (Quindi Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
R………………
Robertson, Kevin ‘Yellow Painted Moon’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Rose, Sophia Djebel ‘Sécheresse’ (Ramble Records/WV Sorcerer Productions/Oracle Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Rumsey, Andrew ‘Collodion’ (Gare du Nord)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
S……………….
SAD MAN ‘Art’ (Cruel Nature Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Salem Trials ‘Heavenly Bodies Under The Ground’ (Metal Postcard Records)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Sanders, Pharoah ‘Love Is Here – The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings’
(Elemental Music Records) Picked by Dominic Valvona
Schizo Fun Addict ‘An Introduction To…’ (Fruits der Mer)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Schnitzler, Conrad ‘RhythmiCon’ (Flip-Flap)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Scotch Funeral ‘Ever & Ever’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Silva, Maria Elena ‘Wise Men Never Try’ Review
‘Wise Men Never Try Vol. II’ Review by Dominic Valvona
Širom ‘In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper’
(Glitterbeat Records) Picked by Dominic Valvona
Sleepingdogs ‘DOGSTOEVSKY’ (Three Dollar Pistol Music)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Soft Speaker ‘Rippling Tapestries’ (Cruel Nature Records)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Sol Messiah ‘War of the Gods’ Picked by Dominic Valvona
Staraya Derevyna ‘Garden Window Escape’ (Ramble Records/Avris Media)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Stewart, Macie ‘When The Distance Is Blue’ (International Anthem)
Review by Dominic Valvona
T………………..
Teamaker, Marc ‘Teas n Seas’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Theravada ‘The Years We Have’ Picked by Dominic Valvona
Toivanen Trio, Joona ‘Gravity’ (We Jazz)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona here
Tomo-Nakaguchi ‘Out Of The Blue’ (Audiobulb Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Tortoise ‘Touch’ (International Anthem X Nonesuch Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Toxic Chicken ‘Mentally Sound’ (Earthrid)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Trupa Trupa ‘Mourners’ (Glitterbeat Records)
Info/Singles Review Feature by Dominic Valvona
U…………………
Uhlmann, Josh Johnson, Sam Wilkes, Gregory ‘Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes’
(International Anthem) Review by Dominic Valvona
Ujif_notfound ‘Postulate’ (I Shall Sing Until My Country Is Free)
Review by Dominic Valvona
V………………….
Various ‘TUROŇ/AHUIZOTL’ (Swine Records w/ Fayuca Retumba)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Various ‘Wagadu Grooves Vol. 2: The Hypnotic Sound Of Camera 1991 – 2014’
(Hot Mule) Review by Dominic Valvona
Vexations ‘A Dream Unhealthy’ (Cruel Nature Records)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Violet Nox ‘Silvae’ (Somewherecold Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Voodoo Drummer ‘HELLaS SPELL’
Review by Dominic Valvona
W…………………..
Wants, The ‘Bastard’ (STTT)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Warda ‘We Malo’ (WEWANTSOUNDS)
Review by Dominic Valvona
West Virginia Snake Handlers Revival ‘They Shall Take Up Serpents’
(Sublime Frequencies) Reviewed by Dominic Valvona
Winter Journey, The ‘Graceful Consolations’ (Turning Circle)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona here
Y…………………….
Yellow Belly ‘Ghostwriter’ (Cruel Nature Records)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Young Mothers, The ‘Better If You Let It’ (Sonic Transmissions)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Z……………………..
Zavoloka ‘ISTYNA’ Picked by Dominic Valvona
For those that can or wish to, the Monolith Cocktail has a Ko-fi account: the micro-donation site. I hate to ask, but if you do appreciate what the Monolith Cocktail does then you can shout us a coffee or two through this platform.
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music and Choice Releases list from the last month.
We decided at the start of the year to change things a little with a reminder of not only our favourite tracks from the last month but also a list of choice albums too. This list includes both those releases we managed to feature and review on the site and those we just didn’t get the room for – time restraints and the sheer volume of submissions each month mean there are always those records that miss out on receiving a full review, and so we have added a number of these to both our playlist and releases list.
All entries in the Choice Releases list are displayed alphabetically. Meanwhile, our Monthly Playlist continues as normal with all the choice tracks from July taken either from reviews and pieces written by me – that’s Dominic Valvona – and Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea. Our resident Hip-Hop expert Matt Oliver has also put forward a smattering of crucial and highlighted tracks from the rap arena.
CHOICE RELEASES FROM THE LAST MONTH OR SO:
Alien Eyelid ‘Vinegar Hill’
(Tall Texan) Review
Darko The Super ‘Then I Turned Into A Perfect Smile’
Eamon The Destroyer ‘The Maker’s Quilt’
(Bearsuit Records) Review
Ike Goldman ‘Kiki Goldman In How I Learned To Sing For Statler And Waldorf’
The Good Ones ‘Rwanda Sings With Strings’
(Glitterbeat Records) Review
Headless Kross/Poundland ‘Split Album’
(Cruel Nature Records) Review
John Johanna ‘New Moon Pangs’
(Faith & Industry) Review
The Last Of The Lovely Days ‘No Public House Talk’
(Gare du Nord) Review
Lt. Headtrip & Steel Tipped Dove ‘Hostile Engineering’
(Fused Arrow Records) Review
Pharoah Sanders ‘Love Is Here – The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings’
(Transcendence Sounds)
SCHØØL ‘I Think My Life Has Been OK’
(GEOGRAPHIE) Review
Tom Skinner ‘Kaleidoscopic Visions’
(Brownswood/International Anthem) Review
Theravada ‘The Years We Have’
Ujif_notfound ‘Postulate’
(I Shall Sing Until My Country Is Free) Review
Visible Light ‘Songs For Eventide’
(Permaculture Media) Review
THE PLAYLIST::
Star Feminine Band ‘Mom’lo Siwaju’
A-F-R-O, Napoleon Da Legend, PULSE REACTION ‘Mr Fantastic’
Pharoah Sanders ‘Love Is Here (Part 1) (Live)’
Tom Skinner ‘Margaret Anne’
Holly Palmer & Jeff Parker ‘Metamorphosis (Capes Up!)’
Matt Bachmann ‘TIAGDTD’
Darko the Super, Andrew ‘The Bounce Back (Heaven Bound)’
Verb T, Vic Grimes ‘Anti-Stress’
Cymarshall Law, Ramson Badbonez ‘Emerald Tablet’
Datkid, Mylo Stone, BVA, Frenic ‘Poundland’
Verbz, Mr Slipz ‘What You Reckon?’
Theravada ‘Doobie’
The Expert, Buck 65 ‘What It Looks Like’
Lt Headtrip, Steel Tipped Dove ‘0 Days Since Last Accident’
Ujif Notfound ‘Postril’
Lael Neale ‘Some Bright Morning’
Alien Eyelid ‘Flys’
John Johanna ‘Justine’
Ike Goldman ‘Land Of Tomorrow’
Ananya Ashok ‘Little Voice’
Rezo ‘Nothing Else’
Howling Bells ‘Unbroken’
The Good Ones ‘Kirisitiyana Runs Around’
Jacqueline Tucci ‘Burning Out’
Dyr Faser ‘Control Of Us’
The Last Of The Lovely Days ‘Runaway’
Frog ‘SPANISH ARMANDA VAR. XV’
The Bordellos ‘The Village People In Disguise’
The Jack Rubies ‘Are We Being Recorded?’
The Beths ‘Ark Of The Covenant’
SCHOOL ‘N.S.M.L.Y.D’
Neon Kittens ‘Own Supply High’
ASSASSUN ‘The Sons Of The United Plague’
Pelts ‘Don’t Have To Look’
Visible Light ‘Purple Light’
Wayku ‘Suchiche’
Here’s the message bit we hate, but crucially need:
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you able, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat through the Ko-Fi donation site.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones that we think you’ll want to know about. No content on the site is paid for or sponsored, and we only feature artists we have genuine respect for /love or interest in. If you enjoy our reviews (and we often write long, thoughtful ones), found a new artist you admire or if we have featured you or artists you represent and would like to say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
The Monolith Cocktail Social: Volume #70: Pharoah Sanders, Ros Serey Sothea, R.E.M., J Scienide, Genesis, Nicolini…
October 14, 2022
Dominic Valvona’s Eclectic/Generational Spanning Playlist
More or less the blog’s radioshow (minus any vacuous chat and clique guests), the Social is my ‘anything goes’ playlist selection of tracks I’ve played out, accumulated, come across or been handed over the last forty years.
Reaching the 70th volume this month, the choice tracks are every bit as eclectic, sometimes fun, and intriguing. I usually pay homage or doff my cap to those we’ve lost in that time, but also to those albums celebrating special anniversaries. In the former camp I couldn’t not miss the opportunity to say farewell to astral, spiritual and freeform jazz doyen Pharoah Sanders, including a smattering of personal favourites and a snatch of interview from the In The Beginning 1963-64 album.
In the celebratory mode, I’ve picked tracks from Prince’s 1999 LP (marking its fortieth anniversary this October), R.E.M.’s Automatic For The People (thirty this month) and Genesis’ Foxtrot (unbelievably a half century).
However, we kick off volume 70 with the Cambodian chanteuse Ros Serey Sotha and the electrified, hot-footing Orchestra Baobob from Senegal – we’ve already raked up the musical air miles with just those two opening acts. Added to that there are cuts from Annie Anxiety, Stelvio Cipriani, Platonica Erotica, Magic Mixture, Ill Biskits, the Jim Black Trio and more.
That Track List In Full:
Ros Serey Sotha ‘Easy Come Easy Go’
Orchestra Baobab ‘Kelen ati leen’
Pharoah Sanders ‘High Life’
Santiago Córdoba/Bauls Of Bengal ‘Tigres En Fuga’
More Eaze/Claire Rousay ‘kyle’
Annie Anxiety ‘Closet love’ Prince ‘Delirious’
Stelvio Cipriani ‘Bersaglio altezza uomo (Titoli)’
Universal Totem Orchestra ‘Codice Y16’
Platonica Erotica ‘Holy Holy’
Romica Puceanu ‘Multă Lume Noroc Are’
David Ackles ‘Surf’s Down’
R.E.M. ‘The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite’
Nicolini ‘Snake Head Wine’
Algebra Suicide ‘Somewhat Bleeker Street’
NINA/Dean Blunt ‘grandiosee’
Paul Jacobs ‘After Dark’
Able Tasmans ‘Dileen’
Magic Mixture ‘You’
Flaming Ember ‘Livin’ High, Money Low’
’68 Comeback ‘Clean Yong 16’
Pharoah Sanders ‘Farrell Tune (Live In Paris 1975)’
Barney Wilen ‘Scorpion’
Ill Biskits ‘Let ‘Em Build’
Mic Geronimo/Murder Inc. ‘Time To Build’
J Scienide ‘Why Even Try???’
Between ‘Song For Two’
Genesis ‘Watcher Of The Skies’ Nick Garrie ‘Ink Pot Eyes’
Pharoah Sanders w/Sun Ra & Black Harold ‘The Shadow World’
Picchio dal pozzo ‘Cocomelastico’
Jim Black Trio ‘Next Razor World’
Dom Um Romao ‘Jungle Carnival’
Pharoah Sanders ‘Interview – Coming To New York’
Pharoah Sanders ‘Colors’
Monolith Cocktail Social Playlist #XLVII: Ennio Morricone, Art Decade, Voilaaa, Kahvas Jute…
July 15, 2020
PLAYLIST/Dominic Valvona
Welcome friends to another one of Dominic Valvona’s eclectic/generational spanning playlists; the Monolith Cocktail’s imaginary radio show. In practice this amounts to Dominic picking whatever he sees fit, including tributes to fallen idols and tracks from recent reissues. This month’s edition pays a small homage to the late Italian deity of soundtracks and composition, Ennio Morricone. Joining him in on this journey is Art Decade, Voilaaa, Kahvas Jute, Tono S., Pharoah Sanders, Electric Eels, Faris, VED, Abel Lima, The Staple Singers, Jerzy Milian and twenty-three other eclectic choice artists.
Listen how you choose, but each playlist is curated in a special order.
As usual, for those without Spotify (or boycotting it, pissed with it or whatever) you can find a smattering of videos from the set below the track list.
Track List:
Mike James Kirkland ‘What Have We Done’
Voilaaa ‘Manu ecoute ca…’
Pharaoh Sanders ‘Farrell Tune (live In Paris 1975)’
Tono S. & DJ Metys ‘Recept Na Uspech’
Lord Finesse with Sadat X and Large Professor ‘Actual Fatcs’
Weldon Irvine ‘Love Your Brother’
Ted Hawkins ‘Sweet Baby’
Tripsichord ‘The New World’
Kahvas Jute ‘Shes So Hard To Shake’
Country Weather ‘Boy Without A Home’
Orangutan ‘Chocolate Piano’
Jessamine ‘Inevitably’
Electric Eels ‘Sewercide’
Indianizer ‘Mazel Tov II’
Hypnotuba ‘Hubbubuzz’
Art Decade ‘Delta’
Ndikho Xaba ‘In Praise Of Women’
VED ‘Sture External’
Faris ‘Oulhawen Win Tidit’
Velvett Fogg ‘New York Mining Disaster 1941’
Group 1850 ‘Hunger’
Pisces ‘Oh Lord’
Yanti Bersaudara ‘Pohon Kenari’
DakhaBrakha ‘Vynnaya Ya’
Abel Lima ‘Aonte’
Ennio Morricone ‘Arianna’
Marva Josie ‘He Does It Better’
Gryphon ‘Mother Nature’s Son’
Robert Lester Folsom ‘Ginger’
Quiet World ‘Star’
Minami Deutsch ‘Sunrise, Sunset’
Uniting Of Opposites ‘Ancient Lights’
Jerzy Milian ‘Hausdrache’
Ennio Morricone ‘The Chase’
The Staple Singers ‘Washington We’re Watching you’
VIDEOS:
Hi, my name is Dominic Valvona and I’m the Founder of the music/culture blog monolithcocktail.com For the last ten years I’ve featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world that we think you’ll want to know about. No content on the site is paid for or sponsored and we only feature artists we have genuine respect for /love. If you enjoy our reviews (and we often write long, thoughtful ones), found a new artist you admire or if we have featured you or artists you represent and would like to buy us a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail to say cheers for spreading the word, then that would be much appreciated.
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