10 Greatest Songs of the Week: bar italia, Howling Bells, Tune-Yards, Flock of Dimes, and Extra
Plus Anna von Hausswolff, Thundercat, Helado Negro, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Different Notable New Tracks
Sep 19, 2025
Welcome to the thirty third Songs of the Week of 2025. This week Andy Von Pip and Stephen Humphries helped me determine what ought to make the checklist. We thought-about over 40 songs and narrowed it all the way down to a High 10.
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In current weeks we posted interviews with Baxter Dury (a My Firsts), Nova Twins, Trendy Nature, Mocky and Feist, and extra.
Within the final week we reviewed some albums.
That can assist you type by way of the multitude of recent songs launched within the final week, now we have picked the ten finest the final seven days needed to provide, adopted by some honorable mentions. Try the total checklist under.
1. bar italia: “rooster”
London three-piece bar italia are releasing a brand new album, Some Like It Scorching, on October 17 by way of Matador. This week they shared one other single from it, “rooster,” by way of a Simon Mercer-directed video.
Bar italia is Nina Cristante (NINA) and the duo of Jezmi Fehmi and Sam Fenton (who’re additionally in Double Virgo).
Some Like It Scorching consists of “Cowbella,” a brand new tune the band shared in June that was certainly one of our Songs of the Week. When the album was introduced the band shared its subsequent single, “Fundraiser,” by way of a music video. It additionally landed on Songs of the Week.
A press launch says there are parallels to be drawn between Some Like It Scorching the album and Some Like It Scorching the film, Billy Wilder’s acclaimed 1959 comedy starring one other trio: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. The press launch says the film is “a couple of group of rogue musicians on the journey path. It’s humorous, horny, rambunctious and evergreen—a showcase of a triple-threat forged at full-throttle.” Whereas the album “pulses with romance, intrigue, self-discovery, and rapture over lustful rockers, spellbinding people pop, punch-drunk ballads, and undefinable moments that sneak up on you want a burst of 5pm sunshine.”
In 2024 the band surprise-released the EP The Tw*ts, a observe as much as their 2023 LPs The Twits and Tracey Denim. By Mark Redfern
2. Howling Bells: “Unbroken”
Howling Bells returned this week with “Unbroken,” their first new music since 2014’s Heartstrings. The only, launched on Nude Information, can be celebrated with an intimate London date at Camden’s Lock Tavern on 5 November. It’s basic Howling Bells moody, atmospheric but uplifting. “Unbroken” layers driving guitars round Juanita Stein’s beguiling melodic vocals, with lyrics reaching skywards with strains like “All the time been misplaced in an enormous dream.” For Stein, the monitor displays the unusual perseverance that has saved the group collectively.
“You may both name it childlike or stupidity, however you need to have that as a way to consider that one thing larger can occur,” Stein says. “Surviving as a band for over 20 years requires extraordinary grit and, to some extent, irrationality. None of it actually is smart, aside from the need and the love of the music itself. ‘Unbroken’ could be very a lot a testomony to all of this.”
Recorded with producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Depeche Mode, Elbow) at Agricultural Audio Studios, the only arrives with a efficiency video displaying Stein, her brother Joel, and drummer Glenn Moule reunited on stage.
It’s the Australian band’s first launch in over 10 years, however not a return from the wilderness. Within the meantime, Juanita has launched 4 solo albums, Joel explored new sounds together with his Glassmaps venture, whereas each he and Glenn have additionally appeared in Brandon Flowers’ touring band. All through, their friendship endured, and the concept of latest Howling Bells music by no means fairly disappeared.
Fashioned in Sydney earlier than relocating to London, the band made their mark with 2006’s noir-rock debut Howling Bells, a report steeped in ambiance but wealthy in hooks. Subsequent albums Radio Wars (2009), The Loudest Engine (2011), and Heartstrings (2014) every expanded their palette, earlier than “life simply occurred,” as Stein places it.
With “Unbroken,” Howling Bells step again into view, unbowed, and really a lot unbroken. By Andy Von Pip
3. Tune-Yards: “Sand Into Stone”
Tune-Yards are releasing a brand new album, Higher Dreaming, in Might by way of 4AD. Now they’ve shock launched a brand new companion EP, Inform the Future With Your Physique, and shared a video for its lead single, “Sand Into Stone.” Jayla Smith directed the video. Stream the EP right here.
The band’s Merrill Garbus had this to say in a press launch: “‘I breathed on the individuals and the individuals began dropping their minds.’ These songs got here rolling off of our fingers and tongues proper after Higher Dreaming. With them, we match the overconfidence of backwards tyrannical overlords with the arrogance of mid-career artists within the zone. Might we launch our cultural worry and grief with a breath of fireplace!”
Beforehand Tune-Yards launched Higher Dreaming’s first single, “Limelight,” which was certainly one of our Songs of the Week. Then they launched its second single, “Heartbreak,” by way of a music video directed by Garbus. Its third single, “How Massive is the Rainbow,” made it on Songs of the Week.
Tune-Yards is Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner, who’re additionally married. “Limelight” was impressed by the household dancing to George Clinton music and their 3-year-old will be heard singing on the tune.
“Making artwork these days for me is a battle for focus; we’re in an age of interruption,” stated Garbus in a earlier press launch, concerning the challenges confronted when making Higher Dreaming.
Higher Dreaming follows 2021’s sketchy. and 2018’s I can really feel you creep into my personal life.
Learn our interview with Tune-Yards on I can really feel you creep into my personal life. By Mark Redfern
4. Flock of Dimes: “Defeat”
Flock of Dimes (the solo venture of Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner) is releasing a brand new album, The Life You Save, on October 10 by way of Sub Pop. Now she has shared its third single, “Defeat.”
Wasner had this to say concerning the tune in a press launch: “This tune represents a second of complete give up. It’s concerning the second I lastly allowed myself to simply accept my very own powerlessness, and began the method of studying find out how to step again and permit others to face the implications of their actions. It encompasses a second of melodic counterpoint that grew to become a form of mantra for myself as I tried to make my approach by way of this course of—I’m inside it, in spite of everything. This realization—kindly first launched to me by somebody I like who sees me clearly—was one thing of a breakthrough for me. Studying to see myself as part of a dynamic (quite than separate, having escaped) was an vital step in altering my very own conduct—which is, in the end, the one actual agent of change over which I’ve any form of management. Three years after I wrote it, the work continues—I’m nonetheless engaged on making an attempt to see myself not as some sort of savior determine, however simply one other flawed human being, doing her finest.”
Beforehand Flock of Dimes shared the album’s first single, “Lengthy After Midnight,” by way of a music video. It was certainly one of our Songs of the Week. Then she shared its second single, “Afraid,” by way of a music video. It was additionally certainly one of our Songs of the Week.
The Life You Save is the third Flock of Dimes album and follows her 2021 album, Head of Roses (and its 2022 companion assortment, Head of Roses: Phantom Limb). Head of Roses was certainly one of our High 100 Albums of 2021. Wasner produced the brand new album, with further manufacturing from Nick Sanborn. She recorded it at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC and Montrose Recording in Los Angeles, CA.
Learn our assessment of Head of Roses right here.
Learn our The Finish interview with Wasner about endings and loss of life right here. By Mark Redfern
5. Anna von Hausswolff: “Going through Atlas”
Swedish musician/composer Anna von Hausswolff is releasing a brand new album, ICONOCLASTS, on October 31 by way of YEAR0001. This week she shared one other new tune from it, “Going through Atlas.”
Von Hausswolff had this to say concerning the single in a press launch: “‘Going through Atlas’ is concerning the dangers of dedication; to be sure to one thing till you now not really feel management over your self and your route in life. A future can really feel like a jail if it’s not chosen by coronary heart’s need,”
Beforehand von Hausswolff shared two new songs from ICONOCLASTS: “The Entire Lady” (a duet with Iggy Pop) and “Stardust.” “The Entire Lady” was certainly one of our Songs of the Week.
The album additionally options Ethel Cain, Abul Mogard, and Maria von Hausswolff. Von Hausswolff produced the album with longtime collaborator Filip Leyman. Her final studio album, All Ideas Fly, got here out final in 2020 by way of Southern Lord. In 2022 she launched the reside album, Stay at Montreux Jazz Competition. By Mark Redfern
6. Thundercat: “Youngsters of the Baked Potato” (Feat. Remi Wolf)
7. Madi Diaz: “Heavy Steel”
8. Helado Negro: “Extra”
9. Charlotte Gainsbourg: “Blurry Moon”
10. Sleaford Mods: “Megaton”
Honorable Mentions:
These songs virtually made the High 10.
Allie X: “Is Anyone Out There?”
Cardinals: “Masquerade”
Alex Etienne: “After Social gathering”
Jenny Vacation: “Each Ounce of Me”
Kula Shaker: “Good Cash”
Laura Mary-Carter: “4 Letter Phrases”
Midlake: “Days Gone By”
Peel Dream Journal: “Venus in Nadir”
Samia: “Cinder Block”
Snõõper: “Pom Pom”
Thundercat: “I Want I Didn’t Waste Your Time”
Right here’s a helpful Spotify playlist that includes the High 12 so as, adopted by all of the honorable mentions:
