Features Reviews

Upful LIFE 2025: Favorite Records + Much More!

December 23, 2025December 28, 2025 B.Getz 44th Move, adam deitch, Best Albums 2025, Best Songs 2025, blanc du blanc, butcher brown, butcher brown letters from the atlantic, Cochemea, cochemea ancient futuros iii, cochemea gastellum, Cualli, CUALLI Tea, de la soul, De La Soul Cabin in the Sky, Deitch Teitel Fribush, DTF Another Side of the Sound, dub, ECHT!, ECHT! Boilerism, El michels affair, Favorite Albums 2025, Favorite Records 2025, Favorite Songs 2025, FloFilz, goopsteppa, Joe Armon-Jones, lady wray, lady wray cover girl, lespecial, lettuce, lettuce cook, LIMINOID, melas leukos, Money Chicha, morillo, morillo the dub cartographer, Moses Yoofee Trio, Nicholas Payton TRIUNE, pachyman, Parkbreezy, Parkbreezy Better Days, Piet Dalmolen, polyrhythmics, polyrhythmics life from below, say she she, Say She She Cut & Rewind, scientist, surprise chef, Surprise Chef Superb, The Circling Sun, TRIUNE, yheti, yoofee

Like we always do about this time… Behold Upful LIFE’s 9th annual year-end favorite records extravaganza! A sprawling array of inspired, eccentric, essential joints that blew minds, filled cups, and warmed hearts throughout 2025.

A comprehensive compendium that takes pride in blurring boundaries across genre, geography, and generation. The primary intention remains the same as it ever was: to shine a light on independent artists and lift up the underground.

Project eligibility requires the music be released in 2025
Spotify & TIDAL playlists embedded whenever available, SoundCloud playlist & links for DJ sets/mixes
Artist/album titles link to Bandcamp whenever applicable. If you find yourself digging a particular selection, please purchase music/merch to directly support the creators.

As per tradition, this polyjamorous collection salutes 25ish favorite LPs with brief album reviews attached: chased by another 25ish more full-length records just as strongly recommended as the first batch. Plus a gang of EPs, hot songs, official live releases, concluding with a smattering of dope DJ sets/mixtapes from around the world.

A gentle reminder: this piece is the product of 100+ solo hours invested since August; Upful LIFE really is a one man gang. Please consider donating to support this work if you’re able to do so. Now that I’m raising a little family, it’s appreciated more than ever.

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Wishing everybody health, happiness, abundance, community, music, dancing, & magic in 2026.

Give Thanks!
– b.getz
your humble narrator, host of The Upful LIFE Podcast, & newly-minted proud papa.

Upful LIFE 2025 is a labor of love dedicated to the life, legacy, music, & memory of D’Angelo.

Thank You For Talkin’ to Me, Michael.

Favorite Records 2025

Lady Wray
Cover Girl

Cover Girl reveals veteran vocalist Lady Wray operating at the absolute peak of her powers. Formerly recording under her gov’t name Nicole Wray, a moniker shift that subtly hints at hard-earned maturity since the “Make It Hot” 1990s, she’s been putting in work for decades. Her new offering unlocks a liberation many artists with long careers struggle to experience; the current-day empress embodies the soul-drenched history she’s tapping into. This latest canon blast of bangers impressively sews together the best threads of ’60s Motown spirit, ’90s R&B flavor, and the Holy Ghost hallelujah of funky Black Gospel. The sensational Cover Girl sees this ATLien maturing, finding strength in vulnerability and authenticity, and not giving up her joy. From the moment “My Best Step” kicks in, pure, unabashed greatness ensues. She peels off a pair of poignant odes to her beloved, summons Pentecostal invocations, detonates a Studio 54-inspired gospel house anthem [“You’re Gonna Win”], and brings balladeering waterworks on the thrilling title track. Wray reunited with producer/collaborator Leon Michels [El Michels Affair], this time with able assistance from all-world keyboard maestro Marco Benevento too. Heart-filling exercise, cozy vintage blanket, and medicinal balm for chaotic times; this one burnt off both my little ears after just one spin and hasn’t left the turntable rotation ever since. I do declare: Lady Wray’s Cover Girl is an instant classic.

ECHT! – Boilerism

The Brussels-based, genre-smashing squadron ECHT! is remarkably adept at reverse-engineering live electronic music. Employing an ambitious modus operandi of progressive arrangements tailor-made for traditional instrumentation, this fearsome foursome pushes the proverbial envelope beyond most machinations of our wildest imagination. In March, ECHT! unveiled its highly anticipated third full-length LP, Boilerism, via Belgium’s Sdban Ultra label, boasting ten tectonic tracks on a fantastic voyage in search of fresh frontiers. Since bursting onto the European scene in 2017, the bombastic quartet of Fede Pecoraro (bass), Martin Méreau (drums), Dorian Dumont (keys), and Florent Jeunieaux (guitar) has steadily coalesced into full-throttle innovation. A mystifying masterclass in maximizing minimalism, Boilerism boldly shoves ECHT!’s avant-garde sound art skyward, bouldering toward new plateaus of experimentation, execution, and all-around wizardry. With this scintillating amalgam of nocturnal transmissions from the terrordome, the chromatic troupe trades its nascent explorations in dreamier meditations for thunderclaps with more sinister intentions. Boilerism is a bulldozer of Belgian trap-jazz through the chest cavity and an abyssal baptism of the frontal lobe, with these bullies from Brussels delivering a heroic dose of sacrament deep into the darkness of night.

Complete Boilerism album review March 2025

The Upful LIFE Podcast 084 w/ ECHT! bassist Fede Pecoraro from March 2025

Moses Yoofee Trio – MYT

In February, Berlin’s Moses Yoofee Trio released their debut full-length album MYT, a transcendent 13-track excursion through modern jazz, experimental hip-hop, and broken-beat IDM. Comprised of bandleader Moses Yoofee (keys), Roman Klobe-Barangă (bass), and Noah Fürbringer (drums), the group operates with telepathic synergy, laying dense foundations and intricate, propulsive rhythms with a buoyant thump. An accomplished electronic producer in the post-dubstep diaspora, Yoofee flexes impressive instrumental mojo here; his piano and keyboards weave hypnotic motifs and modal melodies layered with shimmering textures. While the crew is clearly influenced by the revolutionary styles of Madlib, Flying Lotus, and J Dilla, their sound carries the virtuoso verve of Robert Glasper’s experimental side. Yoofee’s contributions effectively contrast his partners’ rhythmic complexity, as Klobe-Barangă and Fürbringer anchor the ride with potent polyrhythms and sophisticated syncopation. Manifesting “emotions, moments, and bangers,” MYT is an intense, technically sophisticated explosion of sound that communicates through abundant groove.

LIMINOID [Yheti x lespecial]
THE OUTERNET

An unorthodox exercise in the brilliantly bizarre, LIMINOID debut THE OUTERNET unspools an idiosyncratic band beyond description. An unholy collaboration between two underground phenoms—infamous weird-bass producer Yheti and unpredictable prog-tronic trio lespecial—this maniacal romp through a myriad of blurred genre lines boldly boasts no holds barred. THE OUTERNET melds mad scientist Yheti’s supersonic sound design with lespecial’s searing, multi-hued arsenal to deliver a thorough mindf*cking through the entire medicine cabinet. From snap-a-synapse space-bass to psychedelic dub reggae, indie-shoegaze autotune croon to cataclysmic thrash djent chaos, throbbing glitch-house to alien ketachloride womp, promethazine R&B to T-Pain on DMT, this diabolical fusion of instrumental improvisation (human/physical) and post-production composition (technology/digital) reveals a remarkably salient concept album. A dozen unicorn yarns spanning a gauntlet of human genres and robot emotions, LIMINOID is a “Cybernetic Soul”; a curiously confused, sentient machine life-force emerging “Reborn in a New Operating System.” THE OUTERNET transcends our current comprehension of how humanity and technology interface: a universe that exists beyond the purely digital realm of the internet, where human experience and robotic/computational existence intersect and coagulate. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?

Joe Armon-Jones – All the Quiet
(part I + part II )

British future-jazz wunderkind Joe Armon-Jones has unleashed a spectacular double-album odyssey with All the Quiet (Part I, released in March, and Part II, June). Mercury Prize-winning keyboardist for Ezra Collective and longtime collaborator with UK icons like Nubya Garcia and Mala, Armon-Jones captains an exhilarating jazzy exploration through the rich, bulbous, bass-heavy tradition of dub, a sound and culture that has long underpinned the innovative London scenes. Part I sets the stage with the immersive “Lifetones”, “The Citadel”, “Eye Swear” and Asheber‘s plaintive, anthemic vocals on “Kingfisher.” Part II plunges deeper into a more introspective, dub-soaked affair; the mood is moodier, balancing future-facing vision with filial tradition. The palatial “Paladin of Sound & Circumstance” and soaring spiritual jazz on “Journey South” thoroughly impress; guests like Greentea Peng and Yazmin Lacey add lush vocals to the elevated elixir. Across both records, the rhythm section of Natcyet Wakili (drums) and Mutale Chashi (bass) provides a rock-solid yet elastic foundation for Armon-Jones’ nimble keyboard prowess. Dub plays a fundamental role on this double dose, the central production methodology/backbone of the entire project. A Roland Space Echo tape delay and a physical spring reverb were looped into Joe’s Soundcraft Series 400B mixing desk (an instrument in its own right), authentically creating the signature spatial effects central to rub-a-dub style. A quasi-academic study in genre synthesis, All The Quiet 1 & 2 fuses jazz improvisation and dub engineering, inspired by Jamaican icons like King Tubby and Scientist. Across both volumes, Joe Armon-Jones blurs boundaries to create high art that slots comfortably alongside cross-pollinating pioneers like Monty Alexander and Ernest Ranglin.

Deitch, Teitel, Fribush [DTF]
Another Side of the Sound

There’s a certain indescribable magic that manifests when three titans of pocket strip away the artifice and just ride a vibe together in a room. On DTF debut LP Another Side of the Sound, the triumvirate of Adam Deitch (Lettuce), Ari Teitel (The Rumble, Dumpstaphunk), and rising organ maestro Sam Fribush (Hiss Golden Messenger, ButcherBrown) unleash a stripped-down organ trio thumper defined by an unwavering commitment to groove. In the tradition of Rudy Van Gelder’s seminal studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, DTF tracked straight to tape with no click at Colorado Sound. Another Side of the Sound gracefully walks the razor’s edge of vintage Blue Note rare-groove, with nuanced nods the golden era hip-hop sensibilities that raised these dudes. From the laconic bougie strut of opener “Rolex” to the proto-disco hi-hat rhythms of theme song “DTF”, these cats leave plenty of space and do more with less. This krewe isn’t afraid to flip the script in familiar territory. Their emotive reimagining of the Allman Brothers Band classic “Midnight Rider” transforms a Southern rock anthem into a greasy groove vehicle where Teitel’s hollow-body guitar surfs Hammond hero Fribush’s gliding waves. Even more audacious is their steezy interpolation of Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Poison”, reconfigured from an early-90s New Jack Swing panty-dropper into a throwback vessel of verve that still will disappear some undergarments. A proud tribute to B3 great Chester Thompson, lead single “Chester” is dripping with sauce. The NOLA influence flows thick throughout Another Side of the Sound, particularly on “À La Gator”—The Meters-inspired funk which boasts a buoyant bounce.

The Upful LIFE Podcast 067 w/ ARI TEITEL [2023]

Nicholas Payton
w/ Esperanza Spalding + Karriem Riggins
TRIUNE

Nicholas Payton’s latest opus Triune is part pristine recital and part soulful excavation of Black American Music’s past, present, and future, bequeathed by three generational geniuses co-creating on a symbiotic frequency. The album title translates to “three in one,” perfectly embodying the interpersonal dynamics at play. Payton’s trumpet and Fender Rhodes unfurl with a comfortable, controlled lyricism—grounded yet assertively pushing the harmonic envelope. The astounding Esperanza Spalding provides elastic low-end grooves and melodic expressions drizzled with ethereal humming and magnificent vocals. Motor City maestro Karriem Riggins is the lyrical timepiece who anchors the vessel, playing with sharp precision and a rubber-band man feel. This all-star configuration is a reunion 15 years in the making; their long-established chemistry facilitates spontaneous improvisation as complex ideas are executed with joyful aplomb. Triune oscillates between no-nonsense bop, fresh fusion funk, eccentric relaxation, proving that musical intellect and undeniable groove can thrive in the same sonic spaces.

El Michels Affair
24 Hour Sports

On 24 Hr Sports, Leon Michels and his musical murderer’s row known as El Michels Affair deliver the goods yet again. Released in September, the record draws inspiration from ’80s and ’90s Sports Illustrated magazines, Pastor T.L. Barrett’s ’70s gospel revelations, and MF DOOM’s classic Special Herbs series. The result is a project soaked in moody soul and minimalist funk—a cinematic, psychedelic joyride through dusty breakbeats and vintage textures reminiscent of Blaxploitation soundtracks and ABA highlight reels. The album exudes an impeccable steez, shifting effortlessly between raw instrumental grooves and feature-focused gems. Guest appearances include the honeyed vocals of Norah Jones, the enchanting Clairo, Shintaro Sakamoto, and Ghanaian sensation Florence Adooni. Tracks like “Oakley’s Car Wash” summon brass bombast courtesy of The Roots’ saxophonist Dave Guy, while a Rahsaan Roland Kirk sample on “Take My Hand” adds a touch of jazz legend to the soiree. With further contributions from Lady Wray, Marco Benevento, and Rogê, the giant trophy on the cover says it all: El Michels Affair is champion sound, and 24 Hr Sports is their shoulder-lean victory lap on Big Crown Records.

goopsteppa – Ponderosa

BC’s enigmatic producer goopsteppa is a shaman in our midst. After re-emerging from a quasi-hiatus with a legendary Red Rocks set in 2024, Ponderosa finds goop cooking up more of his patented drippy dream dub while immersed in the joys of new parenthood. Along with follow-up EP Wizards Get Together, Alex’s latest work is mined from the deepest wells of personal experience. The LP and EP are twin testimonials to slowing the f*ck down, divine procreation, and nurturing one’s spirit. The Canadian sorcerer wisely traded urban chaos for the BC mountains, finding a tranquil embrace in the natural world. Ponderosa is a restorative sanctuary submerged in serene soundscapes—bird calls, running water, and the snap-crackle of a campfire. Minimalist, subaqueous bass patterns lay a lusty foundation for lush, ambient goopsteppa textures. A nine-track odyssey written under the shadow of the majestic trees towering outside his studio; a hybrid theory of organic-electronic fusion. Featuring collaborations with longtime comrade Oddwan, UK luminary Congi, and Okiro, goop drizzles illuminating colors onto potent bubbly potions. The title track, “Ponderosa,” stands as a poignant reflection on Alex’s journey into fatherhood.

FloFilz – Hagaki

FloFilz’s latest LP, the aptly titled Hagaki (“postcard” in Japanese), is a head-nodding sonic travelogue that bridges the beat labs of Berlin with Tokyo’s hidden hi-fi listening bars. This 2025 release marks the fourth installment in FloFilz’s ongoing collaboration with Melting Pot Music and photographer Robert Winter, with each edition serving as a multimedia postcard from an inspiring city. Following journeys through Paris (Metronom), Lisbon (Cenário), and London (Transit), this adventure finds him in Tokyo. A classically trained violinist, FloFilz weaves ornate tapestries of downtempo, broken-beat jazz, and soulful trip-hop. On Hagaki, his post-Bristol brand of sonic collage feels deeply personal. Collaborations with Japanese stalwarts—including trumpeter Takuya Kuroda, vocalist Nao Yoshioka, guitarist Toshiki Soejima, and producer Budamunk—anchor the album in authentic cross-cultural dialogue, blending their native styles with FloFilz’s signature Berlin-by-way-of-Belgium boom-bap. From stealth jazz joints and ramen shops to ancient temples, the producer was profoundly moved by Japan’s culture, particularly the kissa . By embracing their concept of Ma (space and silence), FloFilz captures the meditative serenity of a forest hike alongside the bustling energy of a metropolis; it is a yin-and-yang reflecting harmony with nature and local custom.

Cochemea
Ancestros Futuros III

Cochemea’s third and final installment in his Ancestros Futuros trilogy is another expansive, swirling portal of sound that opens new doors of perception. Recorded live to eight-track tape by Daptone’s Bosco Mann, the album resonates with a raw, freewheeling energy that perfectly suits Cochemea Gastellum’s dream scores. From the atmospheric “Transmisión del Soñar” to the searing intensity of “The Land Swallowed Them Whole,” the guided-meditative textures of “Seeing,” and the exhilarating title track, his octet unleashes a plethora of scintillating workouts driven by global percussion. A veteran of Robert Walter’s 20th Congress, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Antibalas, and The Budos Band, Cochemea’s incendiary tenor saxophone wails with the fire of Eddie Harris and the exploratory spirit of Yusef Lateef, with whiffs of Jim Pepper and Gato Barbieri. Here, the multi-instrumentalist blends past, present, and future into a hypnotic voodoo stew. Digging deep into his Yaqui and Mescalero Apache heritage, Cochemea taps into a collective ancestral memory where spirits dance to plant-medicinal polyrhythms. Restlessly modern yet rooted in folkloric tradition, Ancestros Futuros III is a magnetic ritual offering that inspires both movement and meditation. Give Thanks for high art in service to elevating unity, spiritual transformation, humanity, and survival as a continuum across generations.

MORiLLO
The Dub Cartographer

In the galaxies of sonic exploration, certain records reveal more than just a batch of songs; they are celestial maps, ambitiously and meticulously charted for an intrepid voyager. With his latest full-length excursion, The Dub Cartographer, Los Angeles-based producer MORiLLO has unfurled a kaleidoscopic, dubbed-out odyssey through the space-time continuum—a sacred compass for the curious and vibrant vessel for the wanderer. His government name is Zach Morillo, and the veteran bass music technician also doubles as the world-class drummer for international reggae sensation Groundation. His finest solo offering thus far, The Dub Cartographer has finally cracked a crucial code, marrying one-drop boomshots with spiritualized psychedelic bass. The album’s nine tracks are distinct map points on this expressive journey. We begin in Morocco with the hypnotic “The Dub of Essaouira,” featuring TheDudewithTheOud, a track that conjures coastal winds and bustling village markets. The sojourn drops us into the atmospheric depths of “The Dead Sea Dub,” a head-nodding trek with French reggae phenoms Kino Doscun and Youthie that sparks a subaqueous sesh. Later, an Amazonian turn with “Dub of the Majestic Samauma Tree,” featuring Iyakuh and Girish Chatterjee, where the riddim pulsates with the primordial, arboreal power of its namesake.

complete review of The Dub Cartographer

The Upful LIFE Podcast 092 w/ MORiLLO

44th Move – Anthem

44th Move’s latest full-length LP Anthem is a testament to the telepathic interplay between two masters of their craft, Alfa Mist and Richard Spaven. Both have collaborated with a host of London legends: Alfa Sekitoleko (Mist) can be heard on recordings with Yussef Dayes and Jordan Rakei, while Spaven has worked with Flying Lotus, Goldie, and Robert Mitchell’s Panacea. The duo chose 44th Move as their moniker in reference to the historic 1997 chess rematch between IBM supercomputer Deep Blue and Grandmaster Garry Kasparov. The 44th move of the first game was a pivotal moment where Kasparov realized he was facing an unpredictable, seemingly superior intellect. This unfathomable surprise inspired the duo’s collaborative endeavor, reflecting the progressive, experimental ethos of their connection. Anthem immerses the listener in a swirling vortex of smooth jazz infused with trip-hop, broken beat, and lo-fi aesthetics; the pair pushing the envelope while keeping one Air Max 90 firmly planted in the deepest groove. Spaven’s time-shifting, razor-sharp beats lay a foundation that allows Mist’s reverb-laden Rhodes chords and lush atmospherics to take flight. Detroit emcee Quelle Chris and turntablist Awkward add further flavor to the eclectic elixir, joining flutist Graeme Blevins and guitarist Jamie Leeming on this genre-fluid joyride.

BLANC du BLANC vs. SCIENTIST
Before the Beginning

BLANC du BLANC & SCIENTIST‘s Before the Beginning is a captivating, immersive dub safari where the legendary engineer’s analog mastery meets a modern band’s psychedelic vision. It is an interstellar session blending deep-rooted Jamaican tradition with ambient, spiritual soundscapes. Founded by veteran artist Chris Harford, the NJ-based collective Blanc du Blanc provides the rich, multi-instrumental foundation for King Tubby protege Scientist, a true dub oracle. Signature tectonic basslines, hypnotic delay fractals, and resonant reverb all oscillate through the galaxies. This alchemical fusion demands to be felt as much as heard, guiding the listener through vast new dimensions in dub. Rather than strict adherence to trademark motifs, Scientist prioritizes mood and tonal drift, incorporating filtered synths and subtle dissonance to manifest emotive, deep-space atmospherics. His mixing facilitates a creative collision of beloved Jamaican tradition and Blanc du Blanc’s shapeshifting creations, revealing a potent portal where the echoes of the past meet polychromatic future sound.

The Upful LIFE Podcast 044 w/ BLANC du BLANC’s Chris Harford [2021]

The Circling Sun – Orbits

Released in July through Soundway Records, Orbits is the second studio album from The Circling Sun, a Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, NZ collective co-led by drummer/percussionist Julien Dyne and Cameron Allen (woodwinds). Building on 2023 debut Spirits, the 11-piece ensemble shifts focus from 1960s influences toward the mid-1970s, blending spiritual jazz with analog synths and Brazilian percussive groove. This undectet-strong ensemble eschews clinical virtuosity for a raw, communal joy. Throughout the record, the Love Affinity Choir serves as a North Star, their ethereal harmonies dancing atop Ben Turua’s modal basslines and arpeggiating Prophet synths like nebulae. Whether they are channeling the polyrhythmic grit of Azymuth or the meditative mysteries of Yusef Lateef, Orbits is an enchanting excursion through the cosmos, a deeply layered document that reminds us that in the right hands, space is still the place for total mind expansion. Highlights include lead single “Constellation”, an explosive blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms and soaring horn blasts; “Mizu”, a Brazilian-flavored track featuring dynamic drums and a prominent cuica.

Parkbreezy – Better Days

On his 2025 opus Better Days, parkbreezy navigates murky waves of grief with a surgical, soul-stirring precision, transforming personal tragedy into a charismatic and cohesive body of work. The project is dedicated to the artist’s late grandfather, Behrooz, a name that translates to “better days” in Farsi and provides the record’s filial opening statement. This emotional anchor imbues the journey with clear intention and a resonant core. A stalwart of Denver’s all:Lo Collective, parkbreezy unfurls a thrilling adventure in emotional electronic music, touching on liquid drum n’ bass, deep house, weird bass, and downtempo, all brimming with mature movements and sensual R&B foundations. The experience is less about savage drops and more about flow-state synergy; reminiscent of IDM pioneers but delivered with today’s Denver-bass steez. Parkbreezy ultimately delivers a profound companion for the healing process. My homegirl Lizzie told me this one hits different, and as usj she was right on the money.

Melas Leukos – Valiant One

In 2019, I discovered Melas Leukos while profiling her debut EP, Fable (Jumpsuit Records): that unicorn offering surprise landed on my best-of list that year, and we’ve been awaiting a proper follow-up ever since. A deeply personal purge nearly eight years in the making, the 2025 full-length LP Valiant One finds the Santa Fe-based folktronic enchantress inviting us into her witchy universe of ancient magic, introspective poetry, and spine-tingling songcraft. Produced alongside creative ally Tone Ranger, the album blends raw acoustic instrumentation and cavernous drums with analog synths to create story canvases that breathe with resolute reflection. Across eight stirring tracks, Leukos serves as mystic bard, navigating the angelic heights and shadowy depths of her own inner mythos. A siren call to reconnect with the natural world; illuminating the thin veil between reality and the ghosts of the high desert.

Polyrhythmics
Life From Below

Celebrating 15 years of alchemetric experimentations in ass-shaking, Polyrhythmics dropped their electrifying eighth full-length LP Life From Below this past September, and it’s guaranteed to move something. The self-released effort finds the Seattle seven-piece powerhouse still peeling off visceral, viscous grooves while adhering to a do-more-with-less discipline. Adept at using space as a weapon while moving as one collective organism, across eight terrific tracks Polyrhythmics unveil some of their most diverse, focused compositions to date. Recorded live-in-studio to capture the telepathic synergy of their stage show, the record is again executed with the cinematic vibe and infectious cool that’s become the trademark of this too live krewe. While “Cake Lady” treads familiar, tightly wound instrumental terrain, the band bravely pivots into newer topography with the intoxicating “Smoke & Mirrors.” This sack of heatrocks explores a sultry post-disco style, and features evocative vocals from Adryon de León (formerly of Orgone, Matador Soul Sounds). Other album highlights include the spooky strut of “Serpentine” and the laconic, flute-infused “Interlube”; the bubonic “Mayo con Yayo” crosses stalwart regional strains by commingling NOLA’s sacred Second Line clave with D.C.’s Go-Go pocket bounce. Ultimately, Life From Below honors a decade and a half of Polyrhythmics mining the annals of Afrobeat, West African riddims, heavy funk, soul, R&B, rare groove, dub reggae and beyond, to passionately fuel a progressive (r)evolution both deeply immersive and undeniably danceable.

The Upful LIFE Podcast 093 w/ POLYRHYTHMICS’ Ben Bloom & Grant Schroff

CUALLI – Tea

On his latest magic carpet ride, Oahu-born/Colorado-based producer Cualli weaves a sophisticated tapestry of vibrant psychedelic bass. The brilliantly sequenced Tea is a medicinal dive into the mind’s eye—high art in high definition. Behold a mesmeric escapade through fractalian soundscapes, an intellectually stimulating experience washing over like an immersive mental bubble bath. Inspired by a diverse cadre including Dave Tipper, John Coltrane, Noisia, and Ivy Lab, Cualli (Aaron Holsapple) has spent the last dozen years honing a distinct musical voice that consistently separates him from the alien pack. Employing a wizard’s modus operandi while wielding an electric guitar in tandem with various beat machines, Cualli’s lane in the weird bass spectrum is pretty much all his own. Compositions are mostly rooted in unhurried, complex percussion patterns; rather than relying on a steady 4/4 pulse, he utilizes syncopated, swinging electronic rhythms. The multi-hued Tea uncoils thirteen serpentine tracks that eschew conventional womp bombast in favor of subversive glitch textures, major-key infusions, and occasionally classical theatrics, coalescing to sketch emotional ecological textures into sophisticated electronic architecture. He often draws from field recordings captured in the Amazon jungles of Peru, the Himalayas, and the Northern California redwoods. Fibonacci sequences swimming in searing sound design, Cualli once again translates nature and spirituality into a kaleidoscopic artisanal brew with boatloads of intention.

Surprise Chef – Superb

Clairvoyant Melbourne quintet Surprise Chef discard their trademark Steely Dan-like studio discipline in favor of raw spontaneity, to supremely Superb results. Moving away from a modus operandi that required dozens of takes to achieve perfection, the guys instead aimed to capture a song’s energy within the first or second pass. They leaned into eccentric arrangements and weird techniques, such as recording a timpani in a bathroom two doors down from the mixing board. The record finds Surprise Chef deftly pivoting from sweet instrumental soul to dark funk, and some sinister styles that evoke smoking DMT in the RZA’s basement lair (before the flood). Hazy, ethereal elements unveil a distinct neo-psychedelia in the opener “Sleep Dreams” and the ballad “Dreamer’s Disease,” while “Websites” introduces a new wrinkle of electro-cool. High-tempo tracks like “Consulate Case” draw direct inspiration from Afro-funk rhythms, while “Fare Evader” experiments with 1970s sci-fi synth textures in a display of funk pointillism. On “Body Slam,” the band shifts from lush soul into the subversively abstract; Superb captures a band in motion, bridging the gap between David Axelrod’s orchestral visions and the boom-bap blueprints of golden-era hip-hop, for a full-spectrum experience in 2025.

Butcher Brown
Letters From the Atlantic

In March, RVA bully squad Butcher Brown unveiled their latest missive, Letters From the Atlantic. A genre-defying, globe-trotting passport that confidently embodies the notion that groove, chemistry, and vibe transcend the rigid categorizations of music industry cognoscenti. This renowned James River gang sails across some new dancefloor waters with more than a touch of class. The record effortlessly flows from liquid drum-and-bass roller “Seagulls” to the sunset house untz of “Ibiza” to the hip-hop breaks within “Backline,” all while staying firmly rooted in their trademark soul-jazz ethos. The quintet invites select special guests Yaya Bey, Nicholas Payton, Victoria Victoria, Leanor Wolf, Melanie Charles, and Mia Gladstone to help co-create this grown ‘n’ sexy dance party. Letters From the Atlantic boasts immaculate production, and the sequencing plays like a conversation between a treasured past and gleaming future. The boys set about recontextualizing the Brazilian classic “Dinorah Dinorah” via sturdy walking basslines and choice staccato piano, or spinning a yacht-rock-adjacent yarn on “Something New About You.” Pen game strong as ever, on Letters From the Atlantic, Butcher Brown brings a provocative concoction of greasy funk, sultry R&B, shimmering soul, and mature electronic elements expertly stirred together with the band’s patented brand of improvisational heat, boldly reimagining what it means to create Black American Music in an intercontinental context.

Say She She
Cut & Rewind

Say She She‘s third LP Cut & Rewind serves as a delightful, politically charged anachronism; an intoxicating elixir of vintage grooves and swaggering sensuality that feels acutely, if not urgently, of the moment. The Brooklyn-based trifecta of vocalists (Piya Malik, Sabrina Mileo Cunningham, and Nya Gazelle Brown) shift from the swanky funk of their first two records towards a punk-chic aesthetic, yet still demonstratively discodelic. Here, the ravishing women wed the subversive pulse of underground disco with gritty soul, a modular no-wave throb, and punk’s purposeful conviction, all anchored by their heavenly three-part harmonies. A thrilling homophonic cocktail served neat, Cut & Rewind is unapologetically protest music built for the dancefloor. The gals remain unafraid to tackle thorny cultural flashpoints, such as the racism and homophobia of 1979’s Disco Demolition Night on their standout single “Disco Life.” Once again collaborating with producer Sergio Rios (ORGONE), the trio tracked the record in spontaneous bursts that favor raw immediacy over polished sheen. Following in the footsteps of progenitors like Minnie Riperton, Rotary Connection, and ESG, Say She She injects determined defiance and righteous rebellion to create high art both timely and timeless—a tacit reminder that some sounds are too vital to forever be relegated to the past.

Pachyman
Another Place

The basement-dwelling alchemist known as Pachyman emerges from the smoky lair beneath 333 House to lay down an absolute scorcher in Another Place. Released in May via ATO Records, this fifth full-length plate sees the Puerto Rican multi-instrumentalist (gov’t name Pachy Garcia) metabolizing a lifetime of lived experiences, artistic passions, and culture into this unified theory. While the bedrock of Another Place remains rooted in the amniotic dub technology and reverberating walls of sound native to Channel One, Pachyman laces pastoral organs, neon funk, and ambient textures throughout the expedition, drizzled with a subtle dash of post-punk defiance. From the egg-melting haze of “In Love” to the driving atonality within “Hard to Part,” the sequencing lands like a living diary of riddims, tunneling between gangsters and ghosts of the Kingston yard and a psychedelic future galaxy yet undiscovered. Additionally, Garcia draws from synth-pop weirdos William Onyeabor and Yellow Magic Orchestra, as well as Basic Channel. “Berlin” pairs pastoral Boards of Canada-style organ with krautrock motorik, garnished with a pinch of Berghain techno tones. Another Place also functions as a love letter to Pachyman’s adopted home, Los Angeles, the producer profoundly influenced by its migrant culture and unwavering resilience following the catastrophic January 2025 wildfires. Formerly a disciplined dub purist, Pachyman mutates into a transformative force across Another Place, expanding boundaries on the dub horizon in positively stimulating fashion. Seen & Overstood.

Money Chicha
Onda Esotérica

Austin flamethrowers Money Chicha clap back with authority on their third full-length LP, Onda Esotérica. The album serves as a subterranean transmission from the mystical heart of the Andes, filtered through the grit and grease of an oppressively hot Texas garage. Money Chicha expands upon their signature psychedelic cumbia amazónica style here, barreling assertively into a neon-lit jungle of exotic sounds and ceremonial ritual. Tracked at New Orleans’ Marigny Studios and mastered for vinyl via Madrid’s Vampisoul Records, the production drips with vintage Farfisa/Electrovox organ and reverb-drenched guitar pyrotechnics. Salute the ensemble: drummer John Speice IV, guitarist Beto Martinez, bassist Greg Gonzalez, keyboardist Peter Stopschinski, and conguero Matthew Holmes; these dudes truly dialed this record in proper. Speice remains an ageless wonder and an indefatigable monster on the timbales and trap kit. He powers the Money Chicha ship with a breakneck polyrhythmic intensity that gives absolutely no quarter. Highlights include the frenetic first single “Toe Jam,” a haunting interpolation of “Cumbia Arabe,” and the agave aphrodisia of “Sleepwalk.” Rest assured, these blazing new joints seamlessly translate to a live setting. During Jazz Fest 2025 in NOLA, I caught a torrid Money Chicha session at a searing Saturn Bar deep into the Bywater night. Arguably the dopest dance party of the year, and the natives were restless…

Lettuce – Cook

Approaching three decades into an illustrious, shape-shifting career and on the heels of a smokin’ world tour spanning four continents, future-funk cosmonauts Lettuce blast back in business with the sizzling Cook, the krewe’s ninth full-length studio effort. Released in early December via their own Lettuce Records, the sextet serves up another smoldering slab of grade-A Lettucefunk. Again tracked at trusty Colorado Sound Studios, Lettuce Cook delivers a full course menu of razor-sharp dance grooves, collar-poppin’ mid-tempo fonk, sacramental psychedelic voyaging, J Dilla/Pete Rock-inspired instrumental hip-hop, spine-tingling soul anthems, mycelial dub detours, and a whole lot more. Opener “Grewt Up” sets a propulsive, (Robbie) Shakespearean tone for the festivities. The triumphant “7 Tribes” is a surefire type II jam vehicle, “Breathe” levitates like a symbiotic sequel to “Shine” [Unify, 2019], while first single “Gold Tooth” and “The Mac” are both certified screwface. Nigel Hall’s terrific take on Keni Burke’s 1982 roller-rink anthem “Risin’ to the Top” might be his finest vocal performance on a Lettuce record to date. The keyboardist also shines bright on the mic on the buoyant, brass-laden “Keep On,” a collaborative homage to mentors Tower of Power; this greasy East Bay banger was co-written with their legendary co-founder Emilio Castillo. LETT also brings back the beloved brief interludes, in the form of four palate cleansers appropriately-dubbed “Sesshins.” A Japanese term for “collecting the heart-mind,” it refers to a period of intensive meditation in Zen Buddhism. For this writer, the album’s crown jewel is the emotive, climactic closer, “Ghosts of Yest.” Large up Nigel, Adam Deitch, Shmeeans, Ryan Zoidis, Benny Bloom, and Maverick Coomes for blessing us with this delectable recipe for the rage. LETT it be known: the six stove gods are back in town, and best believe they’re gettin’ busy in the kitchen.

De La Soul
Cabin in the Sky

Cabin in the Sky is a deeply emotional, mature, and critically acclaimed album that serves as both a tribute to the late David “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur, and a veteran group’s reflection on life, loss, and legacy. Released on November 21, this project marks De La Soul’s first album since Trugoy’s 2023 passing. An exercise in heartfelt lyricism, soulful production, and a cohesive, accessible sound. A reorientation point for the group, the record directly addresses the death of a founding member, Posdnuos and DJ Maseo unpack themes of mortality and grief, balancing the pain of loss with treasured memories. Throughout Cabin in the Sky, moments of unabashed joy prove the group’s trademark playful disposition remains intact. Trugoy’s presence is woven into the fabric of the record through previously unreleased verses, making “Plug 2” feel like a living participant. The title—inspired by a 1943 film—reflects the concept of making the most of one’s time on Earth. Posdnuos delivers sharp, salient, and mature lyrics from the perspective of an artist in his fifties; in addition to honoring Dave, he tackles societal ills and internal dialogues. The album features legendary production from DJ Premier, Pete Rock (who produced lead single “The Package”), and Supa Dave West, while narration from actor Giancarlo Esposito anchors the contemplative tone between tracks. The project is bolstered by contributions from hip-hop royalty, including Nas, Q-Tip, Killer Mike, Common, Black Thought, Slick Rick, Bilal, and Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano.

PIET DALMOLEN
Time Stands Still

Hailing from the coastal cliffs of Northern California’s Emerald Triangle, guitarist and songwriter Piet Dalmolen unveils Time Stands Still, his debut solo LP released back in mid-January. Spanning eight eclectic compositions, the album resonates through an ambitious amalgam of sublime psychedelic rock, soulful blues, and indie-Americana. Piet’s superb guitar work and understated vocals coalesce over a foundational synergy of bass, drums, and keys to create a potent vessel of joy and vulnerability. This personal passion project was supported by a trio of longtime NorCal collaborators—keyboardist Matt Engel, drummer Tommy Fitzmaurice (Nucleus), and bassist Ian Taylor (Object Heavy)—who helped grow the record from seed to tree. Like the mystic majesty of riding a wave, Time Stands Still unspools into a rewarding journey through ruminations on love, loss, fatherhood, and mortality.

Full Review of Piet Dalmolen Time Stands Still

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