13 Greatest Songs of the Week: Ratboys, Anna von Hausswolff, Melody’s Echo Chamber, and Magdalena Bay
Plus Snocaps, The Twilight Unhappy, The Climate Station, and a Wrap-up of the Final Week’s Different Notable New Tracks
Oct 31, 2025
Completely happy Halloween and welcome to the thirty eighth Songs of the Week of 2025. It was a scary good week for brand spanking new tracks, with a whole lot of new songs we actually preferred.
This week Andy Von Pip, Caleb Campbell, Mark Moody, Matt the Raven, Scott Dransfield, and Stephen Humphries helped me resolve what ought to make the record. We thought of over 40 songs and narrowed it right down to a Prime 13 (because it’s Halloween).
We have to shut the funding hole for our subsequent challenge and are providing 25% off subscriptions, 50% off again points, and as much as 70% off print adverts. We have to elevate $7,000. Discover out extra right here.
Challenge 74, The Protest Challenge, is out now. It options Kathleen Hannah and Bartees Unusual on the 2 covers and may be purchased from us straight 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 type via the multitude of contemporary songs launched within the final week, we’ve got picked the 13 finest the final seven days needed to provide, adopted by some honorable mentions. Try the total record beneath.
1. Ratboys: “Anyplace”
This week, Chicago indie rockers Ratboys introduced a brand new album, Singin’ to an Empty Chair, and shared a video for a brand new music from it, “Anyplace.” Singin’ to an Empty Chair is due out February 6, 2026 by way of New West, their first for the label. Try the album’s tracklist and canopy paintings, in addition to their tour dates, right here.
The album contains “Gentle Evening Mountains All That,” a brand new music the band shared in September that was additionally #1 on our Songs of the Week.
The band options vocalist/guitarist Julia Steiner, guitarist Dave Sagan, drummer Marcus Nuccio, and bassist Sean Neumann. Ratboys’ final album, The Window, was #1 on our Prime 100 Albums of 2023 record.
The band wrote and demoed new songs at a cabin on a 75-acre plot of land in Wisconsin’s Driftless Space. Then a number of months later they returned there to work for one week with co-producer Chris Walla (Dying Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara). Then with Walla they moved to Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio studio in Chicago and at last to Rosebud Studio in Evanston, Illinois.
“We needed to method this document prefer it was a quilt,” Neumann says in a press launch. “We recorded the songs in all these totally different locations, so we approached it in a means the place totally different songs had totally different scenes. Sure elements of songs have been recorded in several areas, and we swap forwards and backwards between them all through the document to assist inform the story of every music.”
Steiner started remedy for the primary time earlier than they began work on Singin’ to an Empty Chair, which impacted the lyrics on the album, its title referencing “The Empty Chair” method, a remedy train wherein somebody practices having a tough dialog with somebody who’s not there, talking to an empty chair.
“A giant, overarching theme of this document is my try to doc my expertise being estranged from a detailed cherished one,” she says. “The purpose is to replace this individual on what’s been happening in my life and to attempt to bridge that deadlock and attain out a hand into the void.”
For the brand new single, “Anyplace,” Steiner was impressed by the household canine belonging to guitarist Dave Sagan. “Every time Dave’s mother leaves the room, oh man, his entire world simply falls aside,” she explains. “You possibly can see it in his face. I believe a whole lot of us can relate to that type of anxious attachment type.”
Bobby Butterscotch directed the music’s music video, which performs off of those themes.
Summing up the making of Singin’ to an Empty Chair, Steiner says: “The expertise of creating this document undoubtedly provides me hope for no matter occurs subsequent. There are many good days, days crammed with friendship and love, after which there are days once I dwell on issues and desperately wish to bridge the hole. It’s my entire life, you understand? So, for me, this document is a doc of all of these days stitched collectively, like a quilt in a time capsule, simply ready to get dug up when the time is true.”
Learn our interview with Ratboys on The Window right here and browse our rave evaluate of the album right here.
Additionally learn our 2021 interview with Ratboys.
2. Anna von Hausswolff: “Getting older Younger Ladies” (Feat. Ethel Cain)
Swedish musician/composer Anna von Hausswolff launched a brand new album, ICONOCLASTS, this Friday by way of YEAR0001. Earlier this week she shared one other new music from it, “Getting older Younger Ladies,” which options Ethel Cain.
Von Hausswolff had this to say in regards to the single in a press launch: “‘Getting older Younger Ladies’ is about when the passing of time turns into a damaging notion resulting from unfulfilled desires and a sense {that a} tainted state of affairs is unattainable to alter on the contrary.”
Beforehand von Hausswolff shared two new songs from ICONOCLASTS: “The Entire Lady” (a duet with Iggy Pop) and “Stardust.” “The Entire Lady” was one among our Songs of the Week. The album’s subsequent single, “Dealing with Atlas,” additionally landed on Songs of the Week. Its subsequent single, the eight-minute lengthy “Wrestle With the Beast,” was #2 on our Songs of the Week record.
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 by way of Southern Lord. In 2022 she launched the dwell album, Dwell at Montreux Jazz Pageant.
3. Melody’s Echo Chamber: “Eyes Closed”
Melody’s Echo Chamber is releasing a brand new album, Unclouded, on December 5 by way of Domino. Now she has shared one other new single from it, “Eyes Closed.”
Melody’s Echo Chamber is the challenge of French musician Melody Prochet.
Prochet had this to say in regards to the music in a press launch: “My eyes are closed not in denial, however in devotion—to vibrant recollections, to the complexity of human emotions, to seeing extra deeply. It’s additionally pushed by a resilient aesthetic that emphasizes the great thing about transient issues and the bittersweet feeling of their impermanence.”
Beforehand Melody’s Echo Chamber shared the album’s first single, “Daisy,” that includes El Michels Affair. When the album was introduced, she shared its subsequent single, “Within the Stars,” by way of a music video. “Within the Stars” was one among our Songs of the Week.
Unclouded’s title is impressed by a quote from Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli and author/director of such classics as My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Ponyo, The Wind Rises, and The Boy and the Heron. He was talking about reaching equilibrium when he mentioned: “You should see with eyes unclouded by hate. See the great in that which is evil, and the evil in that which is nice. Pledge your self to neither facet.”
“I used to really feel nostalgic rising into maturity,” Prochet says in a press launch, “however now that I perceive that idea of impermanence, I don’t take it as personally anymore.”
She provides: “The music I create unusually inhabits the liminal zone between realism and fables. However the extra expertise I’ve of dwelling, the deeper I really like life and the much less I want to flee. If my coronary heart nonetheless belongs to the blue hour, it additionally appears like I’ve gathered up all of the items of myself that have been scattered in every single place and glued them along with gold like Japanese kintsugi.”
Sweden’s Sven Wunder co-produced Unclouded and contributed to the writing. The album additionally options Josefin Runsteen on strings, Dina Ögon’s Daniel Ögen on guitar, Love Örsan on bass, British drummer Malcolm Catto (of The Heliocentrics), Reine Fiske (of Dungen) on guitar, and Leon Michels of El Michels Affair.
In 2022 Melody’s Echo Chamber launched a misplaced album, Unfold, in addition to a reissue of her self-titled debut, each by way of Fats Possum. The identical yr she launched the brand new album, Emotional Everlasting, by way of Domino.
Learn our interview with Prochet about Emotional Everlasting right here.
4. Magdalena Bay: “Unoriginal”
At present, Los Angeles-based electro-pop duo Magdalena Bay launched two new songs, “Unoriginal” and “Black-Eyed Susan Climb.” We most popular “Unoriginal,” which makes the primary record, with “Black-Eyed Susan Climb” an honorable point out additional beneath.
They observe two new songs the band shared in September, “Second Sleep” and “Star Eyes.” Each made our Songs of the Week record. Then in October they launched two different new songs, “Human Occurs” and “Paint Me a Image,” which additionally each landed on Songs of the Week.
Magdalena Bay are Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin.
“Two extra songs?! When will it finish?? Is that this the ultimate pair? Don’t assume too exhausting about it,” the band collectively say in a press launch. “Simply let the great occasions journey.”
We’re unsure if all these songs are from a brand new album, a deluxe version of Imaginal Disk, or a brand new EP (resembling one other one of their Mini Combine collection). Or perhaps they’re simply standalone singles.
The latest six songs observe Imaginal Disk, their acclaimed sophomore full-length album launched final yr on Mother + Pop. It was #1 on our Prime 100 Albums of 2024 record. The band not too long ago introduced {that a} film related 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 evaluate of it right here.
Learn our evaluate of Magdalena Bay’s September 2024 live performance on the 9:30 Membership in Washington, D.C. right here.
Imaginal Disk contains “Dying & Romance,” a brand new music the band shared in Could that was one among our Songs of the Week. Then they shared a sci-fi themed video for the music that includes UFOs, portals, and doppelgangers. When the album was introduced, they shared its second single, “Picture,” by way of a music video. “Picture” was #1 on our Songs of the Week record. Then they shared its third single, “Tunnel Imaginative and prescient,” which once more was #1 on our Songs of the Week. Then they shared its fourth single, “That’s My Ground,” by way of a trippy music video. It was once more #1 on our Songs of the Week.
In October 2024 the band shared a remix of “Picture” by Grimes titled “Picture (Grimes Particular)” that appeared to reference the traditional vacation movie A Christmas Story. A couple of days later Magdalena Bay made their late evening TV debut performing “Picture” on Jimmy Kimmel Dwell!.
Imaginal Disk was the band’s sophomore full-length album and adopted 2023’s mini combine vol. 3, a surprise-released seven-song EP and an accompanying brief movie that featured movies for each music. The EP’s “Wandering Eyes” made our Songs of the Week record.
In 2021, Magdalena Bay launched their debut album, Mercurial World, which was one among our Prime 100 Albums of 2021 and a number of other songs from the album have been featured on our Prime 130 Songs of 2021 record. Then in 2022 they launched a deluxe version of the album that included a number of bonus tracks and remixes integrated into the primary tracklist of the unique album, presenting a very totally different listening expertise.
Learn our interview with Magdalena Bay on Mercurial World right here.
5. Snocaps: “Over Our Heads”
Sisters Allison and Katie Crutchfield have fashioned a brand new band, Snocaps, that additionally options MJ Lenderman and Brad Prepare dinner, and at the moment they surprise-released their self-titled debut album on ANTI-. Our favourite music from it was “Over Our Heads,” in order that makes the record. We additionally preferred “Model New Metropolis,” which is an honorable point out additional beneath.
Katie is finest recognized for her Waxahatchee challenge and Allison additionally leads Swearin’. The sisters beforehand launched music collectively as P.S. Eliot. Stream the album right here and browse our evaluate of it by Mark Moody right here.
Prepare dinner produced and engineered Snocaps and all 4 members play a number of devices throughout the album’s 13 songs.
Waxahatchie launched a brand new album, Tigers Blood, in 2024 by way of ANTI-. It was one among our Prime 100 Albums of 2024 and adopted Saint Cloud, which was on our Prime 100 Albums of 2020 record.
In 2022 Katie Crutchfield teamed up with Jess Williamson to kind Plains and launch their debut album, I Walked With You A Methods, by way of ANTI-.
Learn our 2020 interview with Waxahatchee on Saint Cloud.
Allison launched her debut solo album, Vacationer in This City, in 2017 by way of Merge.
6. The Twilight Unhappy: “Ready for the Cellphone Name” (Feat. The Remedy’s Robert Smith)
This week, Scotland’s The Twilight Unhappy returned with “Ready for the Cellphone Name,” their first new single in six years. It options Robert Smith of The Remedy on guitar. Smith has been a giant champion of the band, who typically open for The Remedy on tour. The one is out now by way of Rock Motion.
The Twilight Unhappy is now formally a duo that includes frontman James Graham and guitarist Andy MacFarlane.
Graham had this to say in regards to the music in a press launch: “‘Ready for the Cellphone Name’ is about grief, love and psychological sickness. These items took over my life and I grew to become ailing. I misplaced the individual most essential to me in one of many cruellest methods. I’ve all the time used writing as a way of processing and dealing with my feelings. My feelings grew to become an issue and I couldn’t management them, writing music with Andy… particularly the previous seven years had been each the escape and the chance to course of and try to make sense of life. We’ve all been ready on a cellphone name that may change our lives in some unspecified time in the future. This sadly focuses on a cellphone name that you just by no means wish to have.”
The Twilight Unhappy’s final studio album was 2019’s It Received/t Be Like This All of the Time. The band is predicted to launch a brand new album in 2026.
Learn our interview with The Twilight Unhappy on It Received/t Be Like This All of the Time.
7. The Climate Station: “Airport”
8. Kelly Lee Owens: “132 TECHNO”
9. Geologist: “Tonic”
10. Lemondaze: “polari”
11. Florence + The Machine: “Sympathy Magic”
12. DITZ: “Don Enzo Magic Carpet Salesman”
13. GUM: “Increasing Blue”
Honorable Mentions:
These songs virtually made the Prime 13. There are much more songs on the Spotify playlist.
Alice Costelloe: “Transfer On With the Yr”
DITZ: “Kalimba Tune”
Samuel J Herlihy: “The Complete Span of Human Existence”
Hana Lili: “Sick of Myself”
Magdalena Bay: “Black-Eyed Susan Climb”
Midlake: “Eyes Filled with Animal”
Mute Swan: “Hypnosis Tapes”
The Orielles: “Three Halves”
Image Parlour: “The Travelling Present”
Tessa Rose Jackson: “Worry Bangs The Drum”
Snocaps: “Model New Metropolis”
Ulrika Spacek: “Construct a Field Then Break It”
The Climate Station: “Solely the Reality”
Right here’s a helpful Spotify playlist that includes the Prime 13 so as, adopted by all of the honorable mentions and a few extra songs:
