2025 Missed Connections and Other Music from this Decade
2025 Song Bracket Link
This entry will cover 10 songs, bands, or records that have grown on me in 2026. Selections will include songs discovered too late for the 2025 song bracket, stuff that was passed up on but continued to grow on me throughout this year, and general stuff I was into from the 2020s. Click the picture to read about what did make last year’s bracket write up.
The Garden - Horseshit on Route 66 (2022)
Genres: Art Punk, Experimental Rock
The Garden are handily one of the most annoying bands that I have come to love. The twins blend punk music with breakbeats and wrap things up in a memey California-shithead-skater package. It sounds terrible and should not work, but it does. It’s so cool, its uncool, but so uncool, is cool. To me, their sound is perfected on their 2022 record Horseshit on Route 66. The horror punk imagery and jester personas fit their blend of genres perfectly. I listened to this when it came out in 2022 but only a couple songs connected with me. It wasn’t until earlier this year where the harder to love tracks really clicked and I was walking around the house making weird noises, gnarling “I FEEL LIKE A… squished face slick pig living smokey city.” I included the token acoustic cut Orange Country Punk Rock Legend here since it is the easiest to get into, but the majority of the album contains fast punk bass, shouty vocals, and crunchy distortion. I had this on repeat enough to see them live, it was exactly what I had hoped for.
Céline Dessberg - Chintamani (2025)
Genres: Mongolian Music, French Pop
Maybe my biggest 2025 missed song was Chintamani. Erin gets credit for finding this one. This is an intoxicating tune by French Mongolian artist Céline Dessberg. I believe she is playing a yatga, which is a Mongolian harp-like instrument. When I asked Erin how this song made her feel she said, “this shit is like being on the wings of an eagle, while a hawk flying just below looks up to give you a wink and a head nod in that order.” I’m paraphrasing of course, but I could not agree more.
Renny Conti - Looking at the Geese (2025)
Genres: Indie Folk, Indie Rock
Another 2025 song I fell in love with after the year had ended was Looking at the Geese. The stream of consciousness lyrics are right up my alley, especially when sung in a trembly voice that makes you wonder if Renny Conti was in the studio with the common cold. It’s endearing, well produced, and topped off with a tasteful electric guitar solo at the end.
Friendship - Free Association (2025)
Genres: Indie Rock, Alt Country
Keeping with the twangy indie rock train, Free Association was one the last songs cut during my 2025 bracket considerations. I wanted to shout it out because it continued to grow on me in 2026. I love the drum groove and the layered production. Dan Wriggins’ deep, warbly vocals give this confessional song a desperate tone that works really well. Lyrics like “Now I’m transported by nеon waterfall sign, you’re floating over anothеr minute of your life. White foamy light, churning all the time. Order at the bar, chaos outside” paint a vivid bar scene that feels relatable and sincere. Wriggins’ songwriting feels informed by Bill Callahan or Will Oldham while maintaining its own identity, high praise from me.
Band To Watch: Bricknasty
Switching gears to a band I have been getting into but am still waiting for a project to knock my socks off. Bricknasty is a neo-soul band from Dublin. They make an interesting mix of jazzy bedroom pop, neo-soul, and alt-R&B and are willing to take it over the edge. When they are firing on all cylinders the songs are unique but accessible. My favorites from them include pebbles, go get that blade, mouthy, guilt2001, and bobinov. Check them out if you like Dijon or Junior Mesa.
Pet Shimmers - Super Natural Teeth (2020)
Genres: Neo-psych, Noise Pop
This Pet Shimmers album from 2020 has floated around my suggestions for a while. I haven’t really dug into it much besides having the glitchy Mortal Sport Argonaut in rotation here and there. While digging for more modern noise pop, I came across Super Natural Teeth. A bop and half, well worth a listen if you’re interested in neo-psych and noisy bedroom pop. The production is very brain scratchy.
Truthpaste - See You Around (2025)
Genres: Chamber Folk, Indie Folk
Chamber folk was well represented in my bracket picks last year, but UK band Truthpaste is still worth mentioning as a band to watch (even though their 2026 EP really let me down). I discovered See You Around and Bleary Eyes early this year (shoutout Brian Pepe) and really like the vocals and textured production. The melodies on See You Around are extremely sticky. If you are a fan of one of the many other current mainstays in the indie bands with violins craze, be sure to keep an eye out for Truthpaste.
Honningbarna - Soft Spot (2025)
Genres: Post-Hardcore, Noise Rock, Synth Punk
The last three entries are more near misses from last year that popped up or stuck around for me in 2026. After nearly picking Heute ist mein tag for the bracket, I was inspired by my upcoming trip to Norway to revisit Soft Spot by Norwegian punk band Honningbarna. This album rips from front to back. Equipped with sneering vocals and sizzling production, Soft Spot is worth checking out if you are a fan of heavy music. My favorite tracks include Schäfer, Festen som aldri stopper, Heute ist mein tag, and Ultraøyer. The last of which does does gnarly stuff with polyrhythms.
Wombo - Danger In Fives (2025)
Genres: Indie Pop, Slacker Rock, Post-Punk
Wombo’s 2025 album Danger In Fives is a pretty unassuming indie rock record. With a consistent and simple sound pallet of guitar, bass, drums and Stereolab-esque vocals, Wombo are forced to get creative with riffs and melodies to keep things interesting. S.T. Tilted is a good example of the stutter step grooves Wombo employs with skittery, angular guitar riffs. Sounds like I am making up words here, but this record is cool, fun, and fresh. Give it a listen.
Far Caspian - Autofiction (2025)
Genres: Slacker Rock, Dream Pop
Autofiction is probably the 2025 album that grew into my rotation the most. Flavored with dreamy indie rock subgenres like shoegaze and slowcore, Far Caspian is a comforting, approachable listen. Nothing groundbreaking going on here, just good production and songwriting that makes it easy to return to. The overall package feels like akin to the synth driven dream pop nostalgia on The Radio Dept. 2006 album Pet Grief. If you like sentimental, reverb-drenched vocals and swirly guitar based production, check out Autofiction.
Thanks for reading, cheers and happy listening!