hemlocke springs - w-w-w-w-w

Hemlocke Springs has returned with a brand new single titled "w-w-w-w-w". The bedroom-pop anthem is built around well known jittery synths and DIY art-pop sensibilities, channeling the atmosphere into a sharply defined hook. Below is the official visualiser.

Best of 2025 - The Album List

Happy to share our year-end list. This year, the album selection is shorter than usual, while our singles list expands to the customary top 50. Although there were several strong releases, few emerged as defining statements of the year. Still, as ever, the most compelling moments came from artists embracing transformation—through comebacks, reinventions, and subtle evolutions that kept their image engaging. Happy New Year!!

01. Pulp - More [Rough Trade]

Their first album in twenty-four years, More proves that Pulp has succeeded where most bands fail: they’ve returned not to relive past glories, but to thoughtfully extend their story. Jarvis Cocker and the gang gently pull at the past, revisiting the wry observation and the swooning orchestration that defined their peak, yet filter it all through a lens of mature reflection.  The result is a reunion that feels essential, a collection of songs that are both comfortingly familiar and quietly surprising. It doesn’t try to be a new Different Class again; instead, it offers something perhaps more valuable reinventing the band in the 20s.

 

02. Allie X - Happiness Is Going to Get You [AWAL]

In less than a year, Allie X has followed the dark stylish Girl with No Face with a brand-new studio album that boldly reinvents her once more. Happiness Is Going to Get You retains her signature, meticulously crafted synth-pop foundations but brilliantly expands its texture, introducing organic piano textures that add warm humanity to her crystalline electronic world. This sophisticated evolution is matched by a striking visual transformation, a avant-garde homage to the legendary Klaus Nomi. More than just a sequel, this is a daring next act: a record proving Allie X is in a relentless, in her artistic journey.

 

03. The Horrors - Night Life [Fiction Records]

Night Life is the sixth release by The Horrors and their debut on Fiction Records, arriving seven years after their fifth album, V. Once again, the band operates in the shadowy realm of post-punk, delivering a confident and compelling statement from a group that fully understands the dark allure of its chosen terrain. Since Skying (in 2009 undiscovered), every album has successfully charted on our year-end list, cementing The Horrors as one of the most consistent and long-standing favorite bands on Burning Flame.

 

04. Heartworms - Glutton for Punishment [Speedy Wunderground]

Glutton for Punishment is a debut album by Josephine Orme who records under the name Heartworms. Prior to this she released one EP and several singles in the last two years. Her music is rooted in post-punk, but also blends goth, industrial and coldwave. Orme’s voice is commanding rather than confessional, turning restraint into power and tension into atmosphere. Stark, focused and deeply immersive, this is one of the most compelling dark post-punk statements of the year.

 

05. Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory [Jagjaguwar]

Sharon Van Etten’s new collaboration with The Attachment Theory, her long-time backing band, now fully credited collaborators, marks another thrilling delivery. This album bridges the brooding introspection of her earlier work and the bold synthscapes of Remind Me Tomorrow with new-found confidence. Slow nocturnal synth-driven tunes retain a deep eighties moodiness, yet are offset by bouncy post-punk elements. The result is a record that feels intimately raw landing less as a retro homage and more as a vital, contemporary chapter in the new wave tradition.

EPs of relevance:

Mothermary - Non-Duality

The WAEVE - Eternal

NightCrawl - Cold War Feeling

NightCrawl - Strange

Automelodi - Cavallo

Best of 2025 - The Singles List

 Happy to share our year-end list. This year, the album selection is shorter than usual, while our singles list expands to the customary top 50. Although there were several strong releases, few emerged as defining statements of the year. Still, as ever, the most compelling moments came from artists embracing transformation, through comebacks, reinventions, and subtle evolutions that kept their image engaging. Happy New Year!!

01. Rosalia ft. Björk & Yves Tumor - Berghain 

02. Geese - Au Pays du Cocaine 

03. Night Tapes - Storm  

04. Damiano David  ft. Suki Waterhouse- The Bruise

05. The Waeve - Eternal

06. Allie X - Happiness Is Gonna Get You

07. Noah Cyrus, Fleet Foxes - Don't Put It All on Me 

08. Pulp - Spike Island 

09. Tame Impala - Dracula 

10. Wolf Alice - Just Two Girls  

11. Shura - Recognise 

12. Agnes - EGO 

13. Ghost Cop - All Souls Day

14. NightCrawl - Lost Highway

15. Andy Bell feat. Dot Allison and Michael Rother - I’m in Love with The German TV Star

16. Ladytron - I Believe in You 

17. The Weeknd - Open Hearts 

18. Lord Huron feat. Kristen Stewart - Who Laughs Last 

19. The Horrors - Ariel 

20. The Horrors - Lotus Eaters

Hercules & Love Affair ft. Hips & Lips - Crossed Lines

 Hercules and Love Affair have released a brand new EP titled Someone Else Is Calling and "Crossed Lines" is already the lead track from the EP which includes guest vocals and collaboration with Hips and Lips.

WAW: Archive - Wake Up Strange

Archive have premiered the video for their new single "Wake up Strange" which is taken from their album Glass Minds which is out in February next year. The video was directed by Maxim Kelly.

   

David Byrne - T-Shirt

David Byrne has relesed a brand new single titled simply "T-Shirt". The song is taken from the new album Who is the Sky which is out now.

 

WAW: Odonis Odonis - Work it Out

Odonis Odonis have revealed a new video for the song "Work it Out" which is was directed and edited by Constantin Tzenos. The song is featured on their brand new self titled album which out this month.

 

MOTHERMARY - Feel

Following their debut album from 2022, I am your God, electronic twins MOTHERMARY are back with brand new EP titled Non-Duality. It features four new songs including "Feel" for which they also recorded a music video.

The The - Unrequited

The The has revealed a new single titled "Unrequited" which features guest vocal Gillian Glover. 

WAW: Mika - Modern Times

British–Lebanese singer‐songwriter Mika has returned with a brand new song and video "Modern Times". The video for the song was directed by Rupert Höller.

 

WAW: ROSALÍA - Berghain feat. Björk & Yves Tumor

ROSALÍA has released a brand new single titled "Berghain". A packed 3 minute master piece features a collaboration with Bjork and Yves Tumor. The official video for the songs was directed by Nicolas Méndez. 

 

Oliver Sim - Telephone Games

 Oliver Sim is back with a brand new song titled "Telephone Games". With its talking-line visuals and polished synth frameworks, it signals new territory in Sim's solo work. The songs was released on October 15th via label Young.

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NightCrawl - Lost Highway

 Irish group NightCrawl  balance between synthpop’s electronic textures with post-punk’s darker raw and dark edges. This year they have released two EPs and two singles including the below featured atmospheric "Lost Highway".

Next Wave: Yndling

Yndling is the musical project of Norwegian artist Silje Espevik, who creates a delicate blend of dream pop that drifts between reality and reverie with melancholic undertones. Yndling is now preparing to release her new album Time Time Time (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand), featuring the haunting singles “Fences” and “Before It Gets Dark."

Allie X - Is Anybody out there?

 Allie X is back with a new single and video performance for the song "Is Anybody out there?". The single seems to push further into darker, more introspective territory compared to some of Allie X’s work from last year. Visually the Klaus Nomi style reference is evident. The new album titled Happiness Is Going to Get You will drop in November.

Next Wave: Haute & Freddy

 Haute & Freddy are LA based duo consisting of duo Michelle Buzz and Lance Shipp. They are known for blending theatrical, vintage aesthetics with synth-pop /new wave sounds. So far they have released a string of retro energizing singles including "Shy Girl" and "Freaks." We are looking forward to the album.

WAW: Ladytron - I Believe in You

Ladytron has released a brand new single "I Believe in You". It is rumored there there will also be a new studio album, but so far it has not been confirmed yet. The video for the song was directed by Daniel Hunt.

 

The Hidden Cameras - Brontosaurus Law

Canadian indie collective The Hidden Cameras have released their new single "Brontosaurus Law." The track continues also announces their brand new studio album Bronto which is due in September.

 

Faust - Toute première fois

 “Toute première fois”, originally a synth-pop breakthrough by Jeanne Mas in 1984, was vividly recreated by the French artist Faust and released as a cover single on July 25, 2025, through Panache Records. 

 

Night Tapes - Storm

Night Tapes have released their fifth single titled "Storm" from their forthcoming debut studio album Portals which is going to be released in September.