Another one around the sun
By Rob Hakimian
2025 is in the history books, where it will stay. I actually found that it went by in a flash. Maybe because I wanted to hide from all the horrors that played out on the global stage and, unfortunately, here in the UK. Maybe because I’m just getting older and another year feels shorter than any other.
But it wasn’t all bad. I got to go to some countries I’ve never been to before, nor had ever really considered going to before – Bulgaria, Poland – and I got to see some new parts of Britain at both ends in Devon and North Berwick.
Aside from travel, it was art and media as always that kept me fuelled and are the things that become the souvenirs of another trip around the sun. Below I briefly list some of my favourites.
Favourite albums:
EUSEXUA by FKA twigs
New Threats From The Soul by Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
GOLLIWOG by billy woods
While there were loads of really good albums this year, I actually think there were only a handful of genuinely great ones and these three were prime among them. I did the blurbs for all three in BPM’s Top 50 Albums of 2025, so you can read some more considered thoughts there.
However, a couple of more personal sentences on each:
EUSEXUA: Have admired twigs since her emergence and every record is a reinvention without losing that otherworldly spirit that she has. This record arrived early in the year and resonated throughout it. I really enjoyed EUSEXUA Afterglow too, but I haven’t actually listened to the ‘new’ EUSEXUA tracklist because I like the original so much.
New Threats From The Soul: I was completely unaware of Ryan Davis prior to this album’s release but as soon as I heard it I was hooked. By this point I own both of the Roadhouse Band’s albums on vinyl and I feel like they’ve been part of my record collection for a long time, such is the classic feeling of his sound and voice, which slots in right next to so many of my all time favourite troubadours.
GOLLIWOG: billy woods has quickly risen up the ranks of my favourite rappers thanks to his productivity and consistency. He raps like clues to a cryptic crossword that just tickle your brain in such a way that you can’t stop thinking about it. This is probably his darkest record yet – but also his most diverse thanks to the range of producers – but that only makes it more like a box of evil chocolates.
Top 10 live shows of the year (in chronological order):
All in London unless otherwise noted
Los Campesinos! @ Troxy, 14-15 February
Anna B Savage @ Union Chapel, 20 February
FKA twigs @ Magazine, 21 March
MJ Lenderman @ Electric Ballroom, 4 June
Beyoncé @ Toilet Bowl, 5 June
HAIM @ Dreamland (Margate), 27 June
Kendrick x SZA @ Toilet Bowl, 23 July
Father John Misty @ End Of The Road Festival, 31 August
Nourished By Time @ Brixton Electric, 20 November
Radiohead @ O2 Arena, 22 November
Top 50 Songs of the Year:
Here’s my Top 50 songs release in 2025 as a Spotify playlist
Top 10 Films of the year (UK release date):
- One Battle After Another
- The Brutalist
- Sinners
- Flow
- 28 Years Later
- Weapons
- I’m Still Here
- Sentimental Value
- Nosferatu
- The Ballad Of Wallis Island
Top 10 TV shows of the year:
Adolescence (limited series)
Andor (season 2)
The Bear (season 4)
The Celebrity Traitors
Hacks (season 4)
The Last Of Us (season 2)
Pluribus (season 1)
The Rehearsal (season 2)
Severance (season 2)
The White Lotus (season 3)
Notes: I haven’t seen The Chair Company and I haven’t finished The Studio or I Love LA.
Special shout out to Halt And Catch Fire which I watched and loved from beginning to end this year.
Podcasts that keep me going
Comedy: XOXO Bada Bings,The Flagrant Ones, Hollywood Handbook
Football: Arsecast, Arsenal Vision, Counter Pressed, Libero, Stadio, Totally Football
News: The News Agents, Pod Save America, The Rest Is Politics
Other: Kermode & Mayo’s Take
Top reads of 2025
These didn’t come out in 2025, but I read them this year.
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James: Just a titanic undertaking combining history, culture and imagination in such a spellbinding way.
On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong: Poetic and lyrical, brutal and tender. Just a real rollercoaster for the heart.
Out There Screaming curated by Jordan Peele: An extremely high hit rate of great short horror stories with so much diversity and originality. Would love to see Peele develop a number of these into a movie.
Purity by Jonathan Franzen: Been a long time fan of Franzen, but this might be my favourite. Such a globetrotting, ride between so many fucked up people unspooling unexpectedly.
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells: It blows your mind how this was written in the 19th century and is still so unique and original despite countless that have followed in its footsteps.
If you think you have similar taste to me and maybe have some recommendations – find me here on Bluesky.
