Ho ho, calm down, cowboy. I was very surprised how many great records January had to offer, so I naively thought that February would slow down a bit before the storm starts to get crazy in March. ‘Pustekuchen’, as we say in Germany. February was relentless, dropping good stuff left and right, and I will obey and give you the very best offerings, from my humble point of view.
LIMBS – Like a Peet, Keen to the Rustle of Leaves
February 2 // Zegema Beach Records
UNCULTIVATES – This Will Become Clear Later, Like The French Revolution
February 6 // Horsebox Records
I know, it looks pretty silly. It turned me off at first, too. Nevertheless, I overcame my qualms and put it on play, and damn, this is so much fun. The cowboy theme is most apparent when UNCULTIVATES lean towards that whole Every Time I Die-Southern-post-hardcore vibe, but since this type of music is basically dead, it feels like a breath of fresh air.
Puma Blue – Croak Dream
February 6 // Play It Again Sam
Puma Blue is a project of constant metamorphosis, and throughout each burst of something new, Jacob Allen adds new colors and shapes to his artistic mosaic. After the folky departure on Holy Waters, Croak Dream is surprisingly dark and haunting, with a very unique gothic-meets-R&B vibe. Phenomenal.
Bellbird – The Call
February 6 // Constellation Records
Montreal-based jazz quartet with outstanding production value (damn, those drums are crisp!) and very good pulse. I generally love it when jazz knows when to hold tension and when to resolve it, and Bellbird are masters of exactly that. They don’t shy away from being uncomfortable or challenging, but it’s for the sake of it.
Mandy, Indiana – URGH
February 6 // Sacred Bones Records
Puke Wolf – Descend
February 6 // 5FeetUnder Records + a lot more
Voka Gentle – Domestic Bliss
February 6 // state51
Hard to describe how this sounds like, but it’s not really necessary to begin with. Sometimes this is downright abrasive, sometimes it’s bubbly and poppy. Voka Gentle handle that variety with expertise and dedication, resulting in an album which never feels too much, but also never not enough.
Ulrika Spacek – EXPO
February 6 // Full Time Hobby
And another great band from London! This city seems to be quite the breeding ground for good music (I have a downright obsession with the London jazz scene). Ulrika Spacek are a whimsical art rock band, very nerdy, and packed with interesting ideas. Some ideas reminded me of Panchiko, which I love dearly, so if you like them as well, give this album a listen.
Gloios – Prensado
February 6 // Independent
The last album by this project, Polvorosa, was a massive artistic statement, and I was eager to get into those very unique soundscapes once again. Prensado is accompanied by a short story, which I recommend reading alongside listening to the album. This is a lot of art to unpack, but it’s absolutely worth it.
Eyelet – Solenoid
February 6 // Independent
A band that never disappoints. They know what they are about, and they fucking deliver with precision and heart. This is a powerhouse of an album; it never overstays its welcome. Good shit.
Tomeka Reid – dance! skip! Hop!
February 13 // Out Of Your Head Records
This quartet of musicians, led by cellist Tomeka Reid, is a force of nature. Surprisingly tame for an Out Of Your Head Records release, dance! skip! hop! has so much great movement, and every now and then, some quirky little note sneaks around the corner. This is chill, but with some spice.
Otro – Peanut Ballads For A Lone Star
February 13 // Drowned By Locals
La Petite Mort / Little Death – Disco II – Monomyth
February 13 // Independent
This German sasscore band made waves with their album Disco back in 2019, and I was honestly not expecting that those guys would follow up with another album. Disco II – Monomyth is a flamboyant and very expressive take on that skramzy edge, and offers an abundance of awesome riffs and cool ideas.
demleague – Tether Me to You
February 13 // Independent
A very fascinating postmodern bedroom indie project. This has a very distinctive vibe to it, in the way that it could be a cult classic, some nerds whispering about in obscure forums. Moments of Radiohead meet noisy and hypnagogic pop.
Momoko Gill – Momoko
February 13 // Strut
It’s a devastatingly beautiful record. My first contact with Momoko Gill was Clay, her collaboration with Matthew Herbert, which was one of the highlights of 2025. Now, with her first solo album, Gill showcases her ability to create tender and catchy jazz pop tunes with surprising depth to it. And with tracks like “When Palestine Is Free”, she also doesn’t shy away from making a deeply human, political statement.
Bruno Pernadas – unlikely, maybe
February 15 // Pataca Discos
Sacralvna – Ritual/compulsión
February 17 // Independent
Yeah, I know, it’s skramz, but bear with me – it’s unlike anything you’ve ever heard of, at least not in that quality. Sacralvna is a project from Barcelona, Spain, and it’s easily some of the best skramz I’ve heard in a while. Two songs, a runtime of roughly 25 minutes and elements of post-rock, paired with a very tasteful production – the list goes on. This slaps.
Converge – Love Is Not Enough
February 13 // Epitaph
The fact that this is my least favorite modern Converge album and I still wholeheartedly recommend it speaks to the incredibly consistent quality Converge provides throughout their whole discography. As usual, this sounds heavy as fuck and has energy for days. This band apparently can’t miss.
Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean – Let Us Not Speak of Them but Look and Pass On
February 20 // Independent
Apparat – A Hum Of Maybe
February 20 // Mute
The progression of Apparat is most fascinating. Starting out as a project in the vein of IDM and minimal techno. After a couple soundtracks in recent years, Sascha Ring, the brain behind this operation, is back with new full-length album, and it’s… pop? What would usually make me skeptical was turned into excitement pretty quickly, because this is the best Apparat album to date.
VÍBORA – Egin Ez Dugun Guztia
February 20 // Zegema Beach Records/BCORE
And another awesome skramz act, which is back with a new album. Vibora is one of the bigger names in the Spanish skramz scene, and I’m so happy that those guys aren’t holding back. This is full power, in your face stuff.
MX LONELY – ALL MONSTERS
February 20 // Julia’s War Recordings
Erizos De Agua Salada – Las Ruinas que Dejamos Atrás
February 25 // Independent
Triple Blind – Cold Walk
February 25 // Independent
Olhava – Memorial
February 27 // Avantgarde Music
Fågelle – Bränn min jord
February 27 // Independent
Ethereal art-pop with a very special touch. Swedish artist Fågelle is making enchanting, captivating music for quite a while, and Bränn min jord might be her best. Slowly pumping percussions, surprisingly heavy riffs which sometimes remind me of Obscure Sphinx are pulsating in the background. This is dark, deep and fascinating.
Matador – Above, Below and So
February 27 // Church Road Records
Weedpecker – V
February 27 // HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records
I’m not into stoner/psych stuff (anymore), not by a long shot, but Weedpecker released one of the best albums with III back in 2018, an album I revisit regularly. Unfortunately, IV was kind of a stinker, mostly because of some weird production choices, but I’m happy to say that V is a return to form for one of the last remaining psych bands I care for.
SPEGLAS – Endarkenment Being Death
February 27 // Trust No One Recordings
This is probably one of my favorite extreme metal albums of the year so far. This is such an energetic mix of death, black, and heavy metal, sometimes a bit cheesy, but always tasteful. The very organic and lively production adds how vibrant this whole album feels. SPEGLAS, you guys made a new fan, and I hope a lot will follow.
Our Wits – Let Me Join You
February 27 // Independent
Cryptic Shift – Overspace & Supertime
February 27 // Metal Blade Records
I was not vibing with that. The guitars sounded too glassy, and the spaciness was just a bit too much. When I got my hands on the full album, it clicked. Yes, this is 80 minutes of over-the-top space tech-death, and there is stuff happening all the time, but I love every overcrowded second of it.
Molto Ohm – Reality Pills
February 27 // Soap Library
Nothing – a short history of decay
February 27 // Run For Cover Records
Thanks for scrolling.
