And here we go! This might not be the first episode of THE NOISE OF the year—December 2025 beat us to it—but it’s officially the first coverage of albums in 2026, and the year started off strong. I’m curious to see where my taste will lead me this year. I’m sure it will be a wonderful reflection of humanity’s love for art and the craft of creating it. Fuck AI.
dutchmasters – untitled
January 1 // Independent
The turning of the year is full of weirdness – tons of releases which could be considered outsider art, unconventional and unique. New York-based project dutchmasters describe their style as lofi screamotronica // experimental emo‘, and I’ll leave it at that.
Manderley – You Come in Seasons and Depart Through Windy Gusts and Blowing Leaves
January 2 // Independent
Enshine – Elevation
January 3 // Independent
Renatto Olivares – Aguas Raras
January 5 // Independent
Renatto Olivares is best known for his role in the Chilean art rock band Hesse Kassel. Their album La Brea was one of the finest releases of 2025. Now, Olivares is back with his second solo album, delving more into folk and jazz while maintaining the art rock vibes of his main band. It’s amazing work.
PIGPEN – Cloth Mother
January 6 // Independent
House Of The Blood Choir – Mom’s Anxiety
January 7 // Independent
Leaving Laurel – our lives entwined
January 7 // Anjundadeep
Kirinji – TOWN BEAT
January 9 // syncokin
City pop is an awesome genre, and if you’ve never heard of it, this is as good a time as any to delve into it. Japanese duo Kirinji have been active for 30 years by now, and those guys are doing a fantastic job at keeping this sound alive. If you wanna feel good and cool, this is your tune.
Calm and Secure – Glass In The Mouth Of The Sun
January 9 // Wax Vessel
Is this kind of a mathcore supergroup? Probably not, but Calm and Secure share members with projects like The Heartland and From A Second Story Window, so kinda mathcore royalty? Whatever, this is gross and mean and super fast and heavy emoviolence/mathcore, not for the faint of heart. Glass In The Mouth Of The Sun slaps.
sear – O Merciful
January 9 // Tomb Tree Tapes/Limited Hangout Records
Yea, this episode is pretty skramz heavy, but what can you do? Those little rascals usually don’t have a manager or a big label who tells them to ‘wait for the right moment like spring or fall because that’s how it’s done for whatever reason’, so they just do whatever the fuck they want. And I’m just sitting here and enjoying their carelessness.
The Supervoid Choral Ensemble – EP1
January 13 // Vitriol Records
The Supervoid Choral Ensemble is a project done by two musicians I both highly appreciate — Ben Sharp, aka Cloudkicker, and Steve Johnson from Gospel. You can hear sprinkles of both those projects in this EP, but it’s still its own thing, and it’s so crazy good at that. Super energetic stuff.
Shaking Hand – Shaking Hand
January 16 // Melodic Records
Youth Novel – I Went Through This Experience Smiling
January 16 // Independent
Five years after their amazing self-titled debut album, Youth Novel are finally back. As one of the most promising skramz bands of their generation, these guys had their audience waiting for more for quite a long time, and they for sure didn’t disappoint. A powerful, hardcore-tinged blast of modern skramz.
Malenia – Podredumbre
January 22 // Independent
Gros Enfant Mort – Le sang des pierres
January 23 // No Funeral/Fireflies Fall
Papooz – Papooz & Friends
January 23 // Half Awake
Julian Lage – Scenes From Above
January 23 // Blue Note
Flip Top Head – Trilateral Machine
January 23 // Blitzcat Records
The Windmill Scene seems to be a magical cultural hub. Based on a Brixton, UK club of the same name, this scene has produced fantastic bands like black midi, Black Country, New Road, Maruja, and Squid. Flip Top Head is one of the newer bands to come out of it. Now that they have released their second EP, I can’t wait for a full-length album. Their art rock is amazing, with a lot of color and beauty in its songwriting.
Erik Hall – Solo Three
January 23 // Western Vinyl
Plantoid – Flare
January 30 // Bella Union
Two years ago, we raved about Plantoid‘s debut album, Terrapath. Their brand of psychedelic, jazzy progressive rock feels nostalgic and modern at the same time. It’s carried by one of the best vocalists in the prog genre these days. I’m usually not into prog, but those guys have a special place in my heart.
Concrete Husband – Where The Ashes Glow
January 30 // NNA Tapes
First of all, what a fucking great cover! Second, this is an awesome record. New York DJ, producer, and songwriter Concrete Husband is back with his second full-length album, feeling bolder and more experimental than ever. His experimental takes on electronica and ambient music hit the right spots for me, and maybe they will for you, too.
Palle Mikkelborg – Light
January 30 // Loveland Music
Scattered Purgatory 破地獄 – Post Purgatory
January 30 // Guruguru Brain
The Taipei-based experimental rock duo Scattered Purgatory is a force of nature like no other. They mix glitchy electroacoustic and noise rock with post-industrial elements, resulting in a fascinating amalgamation of sounds and influences reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails.
Ronker – Respect The Hustle, I Won’t Be Your Dog Forever
January 30 // Labelman
This is a bucket of cold beer plunged into your face. It’s the disgusting, dry taste of bile and beer in your mouth after a night out. It’s the cold sweat you only get when you come down from drugs. Ronker has so much great energy on Respect the Hustle, I Won’t Be Your Dog Forever. It’s one of my favorite albums of the year so far.
qasu – A Bleak King Cometh
January 30 // Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings
This is a unique experience. With praise from major outlets, this album has the potential to be the critics’ darling of the more underground extreme metal scene — every year has a couple of those. Don’t be intimidated — A Bleak King Cometh is a shining example of why black metal remains one of the most interesting and progressive metal genres.
Grupo Um – Nineteen Seventy Seven
January 30 // Far Out Recordings
Geologist – Can I Get A Pack Of Camel Lights?
January 30 // Drag City Records
I was never the biggest fan of Animal Collective, but Brian Weitz’s solo work definitely piqued my interest. On his new album as Geologist, Can I Get A Pack Of Camel Lights?, Weitz opens a world between folky indie and electronica. The album has immersive and contemplative layers that are executed with patience and precision.
By Storm – My Ghosts Go Ghost
January 30 // By(e) Storm
Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon – As of Now
January 30 // Lex Records
The Hirsch Effekt – Der Brauch
January 30 // Long Branch Records
I kind of gave up on The Hirsch Effekt. Fourteen years ago, they released one of the best rock/metal records to come out of Germany in the last 25 years with Holon: Anamnesis. After that, they never came close to that level again. In my opinion, they tried too hard to appeal to the prog crowd, losing the experimental/art rock sound they perfected on their second album. While Der Brauch sounds totally different, it feels closest to that time, with the personality and sound of a time when The Hirsch Effekt were one of my favorite bands. And that’s awesome.
Thanks for scrolling.
