Last year, I created a year-long playlist (s) of tracks posted on these pages. Given my decision to stop regular posting, I thought I would continue with another playlist to cover 2026. So here it is, pinned, featuring tracks and releases I would have written about if I had the time to dedicate to the site - outside the mixes of course!

Happy new year one and all - well if there is anyone left reading this blog that is! January's mix is out with the old, ready for the new. It's a round up of releases from the last two months of 2025 (including a mad rush towards the end) and features more than its fair share of music from Indonesia in and out amongst the shoegaze, noise pop et al.

So here we are again. The end of another year and another best of year list. This one features my favourite indiepop, twee pop, dream pop, shoegaze and alt-rock tracks of 2025 and I have been enjoying playing these again over the past few days. Skep Wax is featured heavily (or should that be heavenly? - I will get me coat!).

I came across this post on thefactusproject Instagram back in March. They wrote: "Amelia Fletcher of Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research, Tender Trap and The Catenary Wires. Working at music retailer, Our Price in 80s. Here’s the list of the indie chart from 1985 they put up in the shop." I should add they also wrote "Photo courtesy by Amelia Fletcher" so I hope neither Amelia nor thefactusproject mind me posting this*.

There is nothing like Christmastime/Winter Holidays/Saturnalia/Yule/A Few Days Off (delete as appropriate) to get stuck into a compilation or two, especially if you desire time away from house guests or, as an alternative, get them to join a listening session or two. This posts rounds up compilations that may be of interest and I will keep adding to it until the new year.

You would have thought that releases would have eased up as we head towards the end of the year, but no, not so. Here are ten tracks from the last week or so that will kick-start another week. As ever, enjoy. Play via Buy Music Club or click on the image below. Once again, there are too many tracks missing from Spotify to make a playlist viable.

Blimey. Is it really two months since the last post-punk mix? Here is a mix of various tunes lumped under the post-punk genre whether it's gothic, synth pop, cold wave or it's darker cousin. I have been listening to more and more of this type of music of late and indiepop, which I guess these pages are better known for, rarely getting a look in over the past month or so.

A swath of good music has appeared over the past two weeks without a Christmas tune in sight - okay, see the last post for a round up of that. Makthaverskan return with a brand-new single, which hopefully heralds a new album. Teini-Pää return with a new single that definitely heralds a new album, their second, next month. There are quite a few collaborations too.

As per usual, a spate of Christmas related songs have been unleashed. Here is a dynamic playlist featuring the better efforts I have heard, and I will keep it updated until the 25th itself. As ever, enjoy. Play via Buy Music Club or click on the image below. Spotify: Photo by pure julia on Unsplash

The first post on the Records I Like blog was on December 30, 2012 and the last post on this site will be imminent. I am finding it harder and harder to dedicate time to the site due to other commitments & hobbies and after some deliberation, I have decided to call it day after 12 years. You may have noticed the drop-off in posts over the past few months.

A midweek pack of three featuring three more albums that has grabbed my ears attention. The Lions Constellation - New Moon Rising [Shelflife Records (US)/Make Me Happy Records (GR)] Spanish band The Lions Constellation have been around since 2008 but are hardly prolific with one album, one EP and one split single to their name. A definite case of quality over quantity.

This week's pack of three features three post-punk albums I have been spinning on the digital turntable and enjoying of late. Schimmel über Berlin - Eisenmund [Billo (DE)] Germany, particularly labels & acts from the old German Democratic Republic, is an essential go to for any discerning post-punk fan. The Berlin based Billo is one such label, especially for those who enjoy the quirkier side of the genre.

The weather has been pretty sunny today until a downwards spiral headed straight into a cold snap. A bit like this sampler, really, which starts off with some guitar based indiepop before mixing with music with folkish tones. A blend of shoegaze and tracks with a 1960s vibe or two complete the selection. As ever, enjoy! Buy Music Club (or click on pic below)

Nimble, open-minded outfits such as Nina Protocol, Cantilever and Subvert are looking to bring more money to artists, and a richer experience for listeners

Another round up of what has caught my ear via the Indonesian "scene" of late. There are two releases from The Interpretation Cultures already this month. That Kind of Pop Song captures the spirit of Sarah Records on the title track and Sad Eyes in Velvet. Georgie sounds like it's inspired by a fairground organ, and they then supply us with a cover of Mighty Mighty's debut single…

So, a somewhat larger sampler than usual as I have been catching up with a range of releases from the past couple of weeks. It's my busiest time of year at work so I think the rest of the year will predominately feature mixes and samplers, so there is plenty here (hear?) to get stuck into. There is a lot more rockier sounds than I usually play, but I like the way indiepop recently has been pushing past it's boundaries.

Now as you may know I am a singles chap, but October saw the release of a number of fine albums that saw a number of spins on the Records I Like virtual bits & bytes stereo. These include releases from The Bats, Josie, Trillion, Good Flying Birds, Fanclubwallet, Suzie True, Shadowgraphs, I Was A King and The Belair Lip Bombs and each is represented here.

Breaking dancefloors, recording in the dark, crying at I Know It’s Over, winning in court, splitting over chips … the musician relives his tumultuous years in ‘the best British band ever’

Three recent releases catching my interest, I mean ears. I Was A King - House Warming Norwegian band I Was A King have just released their fourth album Until The End. I am still embedding myself with the album, but the track that immediately blew me away was House Warming which fuses indiepop with fuzzy psychedelia. Reminds me of the Swedish band Easy.

I think Mondays are the ideal time for these samplers now. The weekend gives me time to digest the new releases that Fridays bring, which in turn allows any readers (reader?) out there to kick-start the new week with songs and artists that are possibly new to them - that includes me, of course! As ever, enjoy! Play via Buy Music Club…

So here are some tracks I had left over after putting this month's mix together, but that's not to say these are fillers. Far from it, as evidenced here. The Lightning In A Twilight Hour track is superb, as is the fuzzy indiepop from LoOn. The Crabber single features The Silver Biplanes, whilst veterans The Popguns perform their well homed indiepop on their new single…

The protagonist in the new single from Swedish band No Suits In Miami wants to be in the company of another. So much so that over the indiepop and twee pop swirls she informs the object of her ardour that she would choose them over The Cocteau Twins, The Field Mice and The Cure. Each to their own, but this delightful jangling track is one way of getting that message across, I guess! Marion can be purchased from here. Instagram

Taking stock in the middle of the working week with three tracks from recently released or forthcoming albums. In The Afterglow - Falling Out Of You Canadian shoegazers In The Afterglow release their new album Let The Waves Crash Down at the end of this week. Falling Out Of You is the fouth single to be lifted from the album, and like the three previous songs, it's dreamy stuff, resplendent with ethereal female vocals which regular readers will know I am a sucker for.

Following on from the last post-punk mix, here is another selection of tunes selected for your listening pleasure. Glass Chapel have been an excellent find for me this year, and they have recently released their debut self-titled album. Hinfort are a new name on me, and they have just released their new album, No Way Out. I have some virtual crate digging to do there, methinks.

The latest signings to Matinée Recordings is the Swedish act Norwegian Blue. It's the project of Erik Aamot, formerly of The Electric Pop Group, and it's no surprise that new single Something New sounds similar to that act. That's new, blue and borrowed covered now! It's a song that glistens, with a clear and concise melodic approach. Further songs are in the works and who knows, we may get an album too.