Best Tracks 2025
Our favorite Observations of the year
Hi there. During this first year of activity we’ve sifted through countless independent releases, following faint signals rather than hype.
These 10 tracks stood out not for volume, but for intent. They move between ambient drift, instrumental focus, electronic tension, contemporary composition and experimental minimalism, often blurring those lines entirely. What connects them is a shared patience: sounds are allowed to breathe, structures either unfold or fall slowly, ideas trust the listener.
Together, they form a small map of the year’s most compelling independent music - works that reward attention and linger well after the final note fades.
Here is a mix set of all tracks (click on each track link for more info) ▼
https://www.mixcloud.com/The_Abstract_Observer/the-abstract-observer-audio-show-best-tracks-2025/
TRACKLIST
► Matt Robert McLennan Quintet - tea tide pool
► Marko Josipović - VII
► Euan Dalgarno - horrow (feat. Canaan Balsam)
► Modern Silent Cinema - Nexus
► Ince B - baseload drift
► Suki Quasimodo - I Feel Like
► Perry Frank - Atlas
► Swoop and Cross - This river
► Arutan - Symphonic Descent into the Beast’s Lair
► Droning Cats with NRV - Catastrophic
Thanks for listening and thanks - above all - to these great artists.
A LITTLE 2025 RECAP
First and foremost, we wish to warmly thank you for the time and care you have devoted to our work. Your curiosity and support continually encourage us to keep exploring and sharing our reflections within the realm of “abstract and independent” music.
Whether you engage actively or simply listen in quiet attention, your presence is what truly sustains this project. We are deeply grateful for this.
■ Since we started, at the beginning of the year, we have considered the work of 80 artists.
○ You can find all our “Observations“ about them here.
As interest in our activities grew, we started the section “Voices”, in which artists answer some questions about ideas, creative processes, feedback, identity, influences in music.
○ You can find all the 41 “Voices“ published so far here.
■ On September 19th, we have released “The Dawn Identity”, which is essentially a "math concept" ambient album. The identity mentioned in the name of the album is Euler's Identity, that is a remarkable equality linking the five most important numbers in mathematics (e, i, π, 1, 0).
○ Here if you want to listen ▼
That’s all for now. Thank you again for your interest, it means a lot to us.
Take care,
The Abstract Observer