SSoM “Top 10 Albums of 2025” So, what were the albums I ended up loving this year?
I started “Sound Scape of Mojo” in 2024, and in 2025, I managed to keep up a twice-a-week pace for 12 months with a stable format. As the person behind it, I am extremely happy about that.
So, I would like to list my top 10 from the albums featured in SSoM. I listen to about eight times as many albums as I feature in the series, and of course, that includes many albums I've listened to since the 1950s. Here, I have decided to choose from this year's new releases, not reissues.
There is no ranking. They are listed in the order they were featured. I have also added a brief comment after each introduction about my thoughts after continuing to listen to them.
“MYT” Moses Yoofee Trio
This is the sound I wanted to hear‼️
(SSoM-89) Released Feb 7
・The moment I heard it, I felt this would remain one of my top albums of the year. Since they came to Japan, I went to The Cotton Club. It was a wonderful performance with impressive drumming. There is only one album so far, but I look forward to the trio's future activities.
“Heartache in Room 14” Altons
For some reason, it feels so nostalgic‼️
(SSoM-92) Feb 14
・The deep echo is impressive, and it is strangely nostalgic. It makes me feel like I am living a weary life in an LA Hispanic community that remains stuck in the 20th century, but that feels beautiful.
“Love Pretenders” Spiral Deluxe
The latest sound with a pleasant groove‼️
(SSoM-104) Mar 14
・The sound is like listening through monitor speakers in a mixing room while watching them perform in the studio. The unproduced recording feels fresh. I think this is probably the sound I prefer. I want to stay immersed in this sound forever.
“Necessary Fictions” GoGo Penguin
A beautifully resonating minimalist sound‼️
(SSoM-129) June 20
・The inorganic sounds of the instruments create the flow of time. I don't feel the past. It is overwhelmingly beautiful. It is music that made me feel that a quarter of the 21st century has indeed passed.
“El Viejo Caminante” Dino Saluzzi, Jocob Young & José María Saluzzi
Nostalgia spreads through my heart, reminding me that life is beautiful‼️
(SSoM-137) July 11
・With music that feels universal, I find myself reflecting on life. Before I know it, I am sitting on a park bench watching the sunset. Fragments of the past emerge within the scenery. It is music that makes me realize that life is, after all, a wonderful thing. It is Saluzzi's magic.
“Prema“ Kaze Fujii
Finally, the world debut album release‼️
(SSoM-146) Sep 5
・A collection of songs that will surely become timeless pop classics. I feel this is an album that will be even more appreciated in the future. I want him to walk the path as a global singer-songwriter. And what a wonderful voice it is.
“Reiya The P.A.V.E.” Reiya Terakubo
I found the trumpet sound I was looking for‼️
(SSoM-148) May 14
・Music that feels like it was born in modern-day Tokyo. There are no genre boundaries here. Many of my favorite roads in the city come to mind. Reiya Terakubo was born in 1996; what kind of musician will he become?
“LUX” ROSALÍA
Pop music that destroys the concept of pop‼️
(SSoM-165) Nov 6
・A groundbreaking album that shows the world a new kind of pop, based on flamenco, manipulating multiple languages, and transcending genres. Music critics around the world will undoubtedly consider this one of the representative albums of the year. I am looking forward to what ROSALÍA does next.
“Tranquilizer” Oneohtrix Point Never
This is the work partner I was looking for‼️
(SSoM-168) Nov 21
・The clear electronic sound is a perfect match for cyberspace. I never thought sounds picked up from the information space could organize my brain so well. Naturally, my consciousness is exploring the vastness within my mind.
“Kimama Beats” Nahokimama & Toshiki Soejima
Urban life played by a solid guitar sound
(SSoM-171) Dec 3
・As a guitarist myself, it really comes across that Soejima is particular about his tone. The chemistry with Nahokimama, who creates sounds with guitar and trumpet, is wonderful. I want to keep following them to see if they can create even more masterpieces as they craft sounds that feel modern.
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These 10 albums—it was harder to narrow it down to 10 than I thought. The concept of “Sound Scape of Mojo” is basically to introduce music that provides pleasant stimulation to the brain while living a life centered on working from home, and it's like a collection of impressions of the music I actually like and listen to. When I chose the Top 10, the result was that many of the sounds were similar, which allowed me to confirm once again the kind of music I desire in the modern day.
Even as I reach the later years of my life, I find myself excited about encountering new music. This is truly something to be grateful for.
Please look forward to “Sound Scape of Mojo” in 2026 as well‼️