16 Greatest Songs of the Week: Hatchie, Anna von Hausswolff, Stella Donnelly, Hannah Frances, and Extra
Plus Lande Hekt, Magdalena Bay, Sorry, bar italia, and a Wrap-up of the Final Two Weeks’ Different Notable New Tracks
Oct 17, 2025
Welcome to the thirty sixth Songs of the Week of 2025. We didn’t do a Songs of the Week final week as a result of I used to be up in Washington, D.C. final Thursday and Friday overlaying a few exhibits, together with Miki Berenyi Trio at Pearl Road Warehouse (learn my evaluation right here). So this week’s checklist encompasses the final two weeks’ value of songs, which was a bit overwhelming to be trustworthy.
This week Andy Von Pip, Caleb Campbell, and Mark Moody helped me determine what ought to make the checklist. We thought of over 60 songs and narrowed it all the way down to a High 16.
Of word maybe: all the High 5 are solo artists which can be girls and primarily from different international locations (two from Australia).
We have to shut the funding hole for our subsequent concern and are providing 25% off subscriptions, 50% off again points, and as much as 70% off print adverts. Discover out extra right here.
Subject 74, The Protest Subject, is out now. It options Kathleen Hannah and Bartees Unusual on the 2 covers and may be purchased from us instantly right here.
In latest weeks we posted interviews with Wolf Alice (a digital cowl story), Idlewild, Elbow, Baxter Dury (a My Firsts), and extra.
Within the final week we reviewed some albums.
That can assist you kind via the multitude of recent songs launched within the final week, we’ve got picked the 16 greatest the final 14 days needed to supply, adopted by some honorable mentions. Take a look at the complete checklist beneath.
1. Hatchie: “Solely One Laughing”
Hatchie, the shoegaze/dream pop undertaking of Australian musician Harriette Pilbeam, is releasing a brand new album, Liquorice, on November 7 through Secretly Canadian. Final week she shared its second single, “Solely One Laughing.” It’s accompanied by a music video by which Pilbeam works at an amusement park and gloriously feels like one thing straight from the early ’90s.
Pilbeam had this to say in regards to the album in a press launch: “I wrote ‘Solely One Laughing’ to air my frustrations with the state of the world and the place I discovered myself in on the time (early 2023). I needed a rollicking track that felt such as you have been struggling to maintain up with me mainly ranting in regards to the lack of management I felt over my life.”
Beforehand Hatchie shared the album’s first single, “Lose It Once more,” through a music video. It was considered one of our Songs of the Week.
Liquorice is Hatchie’s third full-length album and follows Giving the World Away, which was considered one of our High 100 Albums of 2022. Melina Duterte (aka Jay Som) helped produce the album.
“This album feels just like the fruits of every little thing I’ve needed to do with this undertaking since I first began it,” says Pilbeam in a press launch. “I targeted on the finer particulars of the trajectory of affection discovered and misplaced, impressed by my favourite tragic romance movies. I’ve by no means felt extra aligned with an album and may’t wait to share the expertise with everybody.”
Pilbeam and her longtime bandmate/romantic associate Joe Agius have been primarily based in Los Angeles for a time, however determined to cease touring and return to Australia.
“Finally, the inspiration for the album got here from residing a quite simple life and having time to reconnect with myself and be alone with my ideas,” says Pilbeam.
The album was recorded at Duterte’s house studio and options Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint, Courtney Barnett) on drums. Alex Farrar (Wednesday, MJ Lenderman) blended the album, which was mastered by Greg Obis (Dutch Inside, Sluggish Pulp, Wishy).
Jeremy McLennan (Orchin) co-wrote “Lose It Once more” and Agius directed its video.
“I needed to see my limitations as strengths that inform my fashion,” Pilbeam says about embracing her influences on Liquorice.
Learn our interview with Hatchie on Giving the World Away right here.
Learn our rave evaluation of Giving the World Away right here.
Giving the World Away is Hatchie’s second full-length album, the follow-up to her acclaimed debut album, Souvenir, which got here out in 2019 through Double Double Whammy.
Hatchie was featured on Beneath the Radar’s twentieth anniversary compilation album, Covers of Covers, the place she covers HAIM’s “FUBT.”
Learn our rave 8.5/10 evaluation of Souvenir right here.
Learn our 2018 interview with Hatchie on her EP Sugar & Spice.
Learn our My Favourite Album interview with Hatchie on Carole King’s Tapestry.
2. Anna von Hausswolff: “Battle With the Beast”
Swedish musician/composer Anna von Hausswolff is releasing a brand new album, ICONOCLASTS, on October 31 through YEAR0001. Yesterday she shared one other new track from it, “Battle With the Beast,” which is over eight minutes lengthy. It options Otis Sandsjö on saxophone.
Von Hausswolff had this to say in regards to the single in a press launch: “I wrote this track after a detailed pal skilled a psychosis. There was one thing unstoppable and utterly disconnected about her, as if she have been residing and reigning in a parallel universe of some type. She was so far-off from the individual I knew, as if all of her social obstacles had utterly dissolved. There was a brand new, bizarre brilliance to her manner of speaking and being. She had no filters. I’m glad she’s again to regular at this time, however it made me consider how weak and sophisticated all of us are, and that there are layers of unresolved trauma and unstated truths inside everybody.”
Beforehand von Hausswolff shared two new songs from ICONOCLASTS: “The Entire Lady” (a duet with Iggy Pop) and “Stardust.” “The Entire Lady” was considered one of our Songs of the Week. The album’s subsequent single, “Dealing with Atlas,” additionally landed on Songs of the Week.
The album additionally options Ethel Cain, Abul Mogard, and Maria von Hausswolff. Von Hausswolff produced the album with longtime collaborator Filip Leyman. Her final studio album, All Ideas Fly, got here out final in 2020 through Southern Lord. In 2022 she launched the reside album, Dwell at Montreux Jazz Competition.
3. Stella Donnelly: “Yr of Hassle”
Australian singer/songwriter Stella Donnelly is releasing a brand new album, Love and Fortune, on November 7 through Dot Sprint Recordings / Distant Management. Final week she shared its newest single, the trustworthy ballad “Yr of Hassle.”
Donnelly had this to say in regards to the track in a press launch: “This one is all coronary heart no ego, all ache no achieve. I initially tried to make this a dance-floor heartbreak however I used to be being too formidable and overthinking it. Julia [Wallace] helped me work out that I simply wanted to play it on my own.”
Love and Fortune consists of “Standing Ovation” and “Baths,” two songs Donnelly shared in August. “Standing Ovation” was considered one of our Songs of the Week. When the album was introduced she shared “Really feel It Change,” additionally considered one of our Songs of the Week.
Love and Fortune is Donnelly’s third album and follows 2022’s Flood and 2019’s Watch out for the Canine (each launched by Secretly Canadian). It was recorded in Naarm and Melbourne with collaborators each longtime (Marcel Tussie, Jack Gaby, and Julia Wallace) and new (Sophie Ozard, Timothy Harvey, and Ellie Mason). A press launch says Love and Fortune options breakup songs.
“These songs wouldn’t depart me alone,” Donnelly says within the press launch. “Like seagulls, they screamed at me after I rode to work, they pecked at me whereas I wrote essays, they usually stole my chips the second I assumed I used to be happier with out music.”
Learn our interview with Stella Donnelly on Watch out for the Canine.
Additionally learn our rave 8.5/10 evaluation of Watch out for the Canine.
4. Hannah Frances: “The House Between” (Feat. Daniel Rossen)
Hannah Frances launched a brand new album, Nested in Tangles, final week through Hearth Discuss. Final week she additionally shared one final pre-release single from the album, “The House Between,” which options Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear.
Frances had this to say in regards to the track in a press launch: “‘The House Between’ is the fruits level of the album. It’s an exploration of give up with out resolve or forgiveness, of residing within the areas left.”
“The House Between” was accompanied by a music video made by Frances and Vanessa Castro.
Castro had this to say in regards to the video: “In ‘The House Between’ Hannah Frances performs a contemporary ballet duet with an avant-garde twist choreographed by New York Metropolis Ballet’s Emma Engel. Impressed by Marcel Dzama’s performs and the surrealist creativeness of Leonora Carrington, the piece follows Hannah’s youthful self, additionally performed by Engel, who guides her via a dialogue along with her many components. These selves are embodied by a forged in animal masks, shifting via a dreamlike world that blurs childhood creativeness play with the self-discipline of rising up as a performer.”
Engel provides: “The choreography is dreamlike, constructed on playful shapes and gestures that return all through the video. At first the motion is mild and foolish, however as the 2 characters develop nearer, it transforms into one thing extra highly effective and heartfelt. Mixing hints of ballet with free and summary motion. The dance displays connection, love and the enjoyment of shifting in sync with another person and in the end your self.”
Beforehand Nested in Tangles single “Surviving You” made our Songs of the Week checklist.
5. Lande Hekt: “Favorite Pair of Sneakers”
Final week British indie-pop singer/songwriter Lande Hekt (previously of Muncie Ladies) introduced a brand new album, Fortunate Now, due out January 30, 2026 through Tapete. She additionally shared its lead single, “Favorite Pair of Sneakers,” through a music video.
Hekt had this to say in regards to the track in a press launch: “I wrote this track after I was listening to loads of The Bats and The Chills, it in all probability sounds nothing like several of that Flying Nun stuff however that was what was inspiring me on the time. Regardless of the strains that lean in direction of despair, I feel that is fairly a hopeful track. It’s about rising out of a pit of hopelessness and doing one thing actually optimistic. The track options my previous pal and longtime collaborator Samuel Bedford. We first sang collectively after we have been 16, we recorded a track collectively for his folks solo undertaking, then we have been in an indie rock band collectively after we have been 21 known as Egocentric Son. Sam sang on my track ‘Kitchen’ in 2020 and now he sings on this track and ‘Coming Dwelling.’ Every of those collaborations are 5 years aside which is tidy.”
Hekt wrote and recorded Fortunate Now with producer Matthew Simms (Wire, It Hugs Again).
6. Magdalena Bay: “Human Occurs”
This morning, Los Angeles-based electro-pop duo Magdalena Bay launched two new songs, “Human Occurs” and “Paint Me a Image.” We have been cut up on which track we favored greatest, with them each getting a brand new equal variety of votes, in order that they each make this checklist. “Human Occurs” had the slight edge, with three extra factors within the vote.
The songs comply with two different new songs the band shared in September, “Second Sleep” and “Star Eyes.” Each made our Songs of the Week checklist.
Magdalena Bay are Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin.
“Right here’s one other pair of songs that complement one another,” the band collectively say in a press launch. “Totally different than the final, completely different than the subsequent.”
The latest 4 songs comply with Imaginal Disk, their acclaimed sophomore full-length album launched final yr on Mother + Pop. It was #1 on our High 100 Albums of 2024 checklist. The band not too long ago introduced {that a} film linked to the album might be launched quickly. Amanda Kramer directed it and Tenenbaum and Lewin wrote and edited it. The precise launch date is TBA.
Stream Imaginal Disk right here.
Learn our rave 9/10 evaluation of it right here.
Learn our evaluation of Magdalena Bay’s September 2024 live performance on the 9:30 Membership in Washington, D.C. right here.
7. Magdalena Bay: “Paint Me a Image”
8. Sorry: “Immediately Would possibly Be the Hit”
9. bar italia: “omni shambles”
10. Preoccupations: “MUR”
11. Lady Scout: “Similar Youngsters”
12. Courtney Barnett: “Keep In Your Lane”
13. Nonetheless Clean: “Similar Solar”
14. Bizarre Nightmare: “Without end Elsewhere”
15. Ladytron: “I See Purple”
16. Doves: “Spirit of Your Good friend”
Honorable Mentions:
These songs nearly made the High 16. There are much more songs on the Spotify playlist.
Black Thought and Hazard Mouse and Rag’n’Bone Man: “UP”
DARKSIDE: “One Final Nothing”
The Dears: “Tomorrow and Tomorrow”
Drop Nineteens: “Fools”
Ezra Furman: “One Hand Free”
Gorillaz: “The Manifesto” (Feat. Trueno and Proof)
HAIM: “Tie you down” (Feat. Bon Iver)
Haley Heynderickx and Max García Conover: “Fluorescent Gentle” and “Boars”
Jamie Lidell and Luke Schneider: “New Land”
Jay Som: “Previous Lives” (Feat. Hayley Williams)
Jenny on Vacation: “Dolphins”
Jo Handed: “Ico”
Joyce Manor: “Nicely, No matter It Was”
Joyer: “On the Films”
Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore: “Melted Moon”
Kelly Lee Owens: “ASCEND”
Lala Lala: “Does This Go Sooner?”
Midlake: “The Calling”
Molly Ringworm: “Passenger Princess”
The Mountain Goats: “Chilly at Night time” and “Rocks in My Pockets”
Preoccupations: “PONR”
Steve Gunn: “Morning on Ok Street”
Sugar: “Home of Useless Reminiscences”
Tame Impala: “My Previous Methods”
Whitney: “Harm”
Right here’s a helpful Spotify playlist that includes the High 16 so as, adopted by all of the honorable mentions and a few further songs:
