As we have seen, 2025 has been a huge year for new albums with The Amazonsā cinematic fourth album 21st Century Fiction named as my Album of the Year just a week or so ago. However, as many great longplayers as we received over the last 12 months, there was an equal abundance of great shortplayers too.
So, Iāve looked back over the last 12 months and picked out my ten favourites of the year from the longlist of 35 EPs which I spun in 2025. As always, Iāve gone for an eclectic selection that pulls from various genres - so, depending on your taste, hopefully youāll find something to enjoy on this list.
First, the honourable mentions:
Chapter & Verse: At Fiction Studios by The Amazons
Close To The Flame by Bleach Lab
Everybody Scream (Chamber Version) by Florence + The Machine
KAWALA Collection by KAWALA
The Machine Starts To Sing by Porridge Radio
A Brief Intermission In the Flattening of Time by Spanish Love Songs
10. Lekkerland by Casey Lowery
They say musicians need a little bit of luck to succeed, and Chesterfield singer-songwriter Casey Lowery might just be the unluckiest musician on the planet right now.
Having been dropped from his label and lost the rights to his name (he was previously āCasey Lowryā), he managed to crowdfund this 2025 EP off the back of his big social media following. In fact, he managed to sell so many copies, it would have been a charting album ā except he forgot to record the delivery addresses of those that had ordered, with only fulfilled orders counting towards the chart. Doh!
While it may not have charted though, this is still a project that deserves your attention. From the upbeat surf-pop of Caroline and Day Wave-featuring Blue Corduroys, the hilariously self-aware Kebab Tune and emotional poetry of Low Mood Season, Casey demonstrates why heās a talent still worth the investment.
9. Back By Popular Demand by Spielmann
Making my best EPs of the Year list for the second year running, itās the Sheffield Springsteen: Spielmann, the music persona of Ben Lewis.
While Back By Popular Demand is pretty much more of the same earworm hooks and wry lyricism that he gave us on Fifteen Minutes With Spielmann and A Better Man, it doesnāt make it any less fun the third time around. Whether thatās the soaring guitars and singalong chorus of Over It, the regretful and highly relatable Got To Go To Work, the Brexit-bashing Blue Passport or the doom-laden finale Kids On The TV, itās another all killer, no filler collection. As if the music wasnāt good enough, I highly recommend checking out the accompanying music videos too for both Over It and Got To Go To Work (also below).
Across his three EPs, Spielmann has given us an albumās worth of great material. So much so, all the songs will be collected on vinyl in January for his Greatest Hitsā¦ so far collection. So if you like what you hear and want to support this independent artist, you can pre-order the vinyl here.
8. DoGooder by Bored Marsh
Another artist making back-to-back appearances on my Best EPs list, Nottingham rock outfit Bored Marsh have built on the foundations of the sound they forged on 2024ās Idiot, with 2025 release DoGooder successfully upping the ante.
Opening on the ominous, drone-like synths of Plastic Bag, the listener is then dropped into the dark, spiralling guitars of To Have & To Hold, with frontman Joe Need sounding more confident amidst a whirlpool of grungey riffs. Tonight! continues in the same vein, before arguably the bandās best song to date: The World In Your View. A defiant anthem for these brutal, politically-divided times, the track is built on a throbbing bassline and an anger-fuelled chorus, taking fierce aim at faux patriotism, self-serving media and growing class divide. The EP then climaxes on the intricate title track, which sees the band journey through a myriad of rock styles including dreamy shoegaze and more thunderous grunge.
With DoGooder, Bored Marsh continue their ascent, sounding even more accomplished than they did just a year or so ago. Another enthralling listen, Bored Marsh continue to fly the flag for Nottinghamās thriving rock scene and you can support them by buying their Particles vinyl release here, which includes both their Idiot and DoGooder EPs.
7. No Seperation by MSPAINT
This felt like a hallmark year for hardcore music, with Turnstileās NEVER ENOUGH making them the genreās biggest crossover success for years, while other heavy bands like Militarie Gun, Sleep Token and Spiritbox also enjoyed commercial and critical success in 2025. However away from the limelight there was also plenty of interesting things happening, like this EP from Mississippi rockers MSPAINT, a fantastic 15-minute listen that I repeatedly returned to throughout the year.
From the pulverising synths and enraged cries from vocalist DeeDee on Drift and Wildfire, to the scintillating sonics on Surveillance and the title track, No Separation is a blistering, energised and utterly enthralling listen. The band then save the best moment for last with Angel, which sees vocalist DeeDee yell out the refrain āBut Iām staying present / this is just todayā over more synth-drenched, electronic explosions.
If you couldnāt get enough of NEVER ENOUGH in 2025, be sure to check out this MSPAINT EP over the festive break. Polished yet visceral, tender yet ferocious ā itās a fascinating shortplayer.
6. The Closest We'll Get by Nell Mescal
While her brother Paul continues to rule the acting world, receiving a Golden Globe nomination recently for his performance in 2025ās Hamnet, Nell Mescal proved this year that heās not the only talented one in the family.
Having already impressed with her earlier EPs and singles, on this 6-track collection Mescalās songwriting abilities really begin to shine. A near-faultless project, it opens on the devastating, stark balladry of Middle Man, Mescalās hushed vocals echoing over minimal piano keys and a soft sprinkling of synths. Itās an engrossing start, which is then followed by the catchy melody of the folky title track. The songs only get better from there, with the string-tinged break-up anthem Carried Away, the country-pop groove of See You Again and acoustic lament Lose You Altogether, all beautifully arranged and tugging on the heartstrings. Sweet Relief then offers just that, closing the project out with more strings and soaring sentimentality.
As mentioned, this is an EP that is pretty much perfect from start to finish, with each song as strong as the last with it all tying together into a cohesive and emotionally resonant, 24-minute listen. As an artist who keeps going from strength to strength, I canāt wait to see what Nell Mescal delivers on her debut album when it finally arrives.
5. King of Terrors by PRESIDENT
In a year where masked entities took over the metal world, emerging from the shadows came PRESIDENT. While the identity of the band remains a badly kept secret at this point (we know itās you Charlie Simpson), you canāt argue that the theatrics only help add to the buzz surrounding them. However, strip all those gimmicks away, and the music is still pretty darn great.
Named after a bible passage, King of Terrors is a metalcore mini-epic, with the band making a clear statement of intent with this jaw-dropping, Deftones-inspired opening address. Both In The Name of the Father and Fearless remain two of the defining singles from the metal genre this year, with their anthemic choruses and Simpsonās, er I mean The Presidentās, impassioned vocal cries. However as great as those two singles are the more sonically interesting cuts are arguably elsewhere, such as the pulsating electronica of RAGE, the avalanche of screams and riffs on Dionysus or the meditative, heartfelt conclusion of Conclave.
As someone who managed to get in the tent for the bandās first-ever live performance at Download festival this summer, where this EP was played in full, it will always be one of the yearās defining projects for me for that reason, as well as the fact I have played this a bunch since its release. Watching that performance you knew you were witnessing the start of something special, with PRESIDENT surely set to follow Sleep Token as Britainās next big metal export. Whatever their next move is, I already canāt wait to see it manifest.
One of the yearās breakout bands, indie-grunge quartet KEO are on the fast track to superstardom. Led by brothers Finn and Conor Keogh, the band managed to have a huge sell-out UK tour this past Autumn with many of the venues having to be upgraded due to demand. Not only that, but I also witnessed them playing to relatively small turnouts at Dot to Dot and Splendour festival earlier in the year, only to then see them play to a packed-out room at Live At Leeds in November, with everyone in the crowd singing their songs back to them.
Off the back of their rapidly growing fandom alone, this debut EP had to be on this list - however the music on Siren also justifies the early hype surrounding KEO. Generating moody, guitar-driven anthems, their sound channels early Smashing Pumpkins, Stereophonics and The Bends-era Radiohead, with more than a few similarities to their contemporaries in Wunderhorse too. Songs like Hands, Thorn and I Lied, Amber already feel like rock classics that have been around for years, while more acoustic-driven tracks Stolen Cars and Kind, If You Will showcase their versatility and softer side.
2025 was a huge year for KEO, but I have a sneaky suspicion that 2026 could be even bigger for them. My advice ā get familiar now before they blow up any further.
3. People Pleaser by Soda Blonde
Dublin indie outfit Soda Blonde may have just released the live album of the year this December with Dream Big (Live with the National Symphony Orchestra), but they also delivered one of my EPs of the year back in May too with People Pleaser.
Compiling anthemic singles People Pleaser, The Saddest Thing and The Queen of Mercy, the strength of those three tracks alone would probably be enough to earn a spot here. However, add in the atmospheric Words and dramatic Live And Let Down, and what you have is a flawless five-track collection steered by frontwoman Faye OāRourkeās passionately powerful vocal performances.
Enchanting and endlessly replayable, Soda Blonde continue to add to their already impressive discography with not a single miss yet. Having been a fan of the band for some years now, finally getting to see them live in Nottingham around the time of this EPās release only further solidified it as one of my favourites of the last 12 months.
2. Clothed In The Sun by Child of Prague
For me, the beauty of an EP is often discovery ā the first snackable compilation from a new band that introduces them to the world and begins your love of their music. Encapsulating that perfectly is Clothed In The Sun by young Irish outfit, Child of Prague.
Having discovered the band by digging through this yearās Live At Leeds In The City line-up, I was immediately captivated by the bandās sound presented on this shortplayer. Blending elements of traditional Irish folk with Midwest emo and chamber pop, their sound is warmly familiar while also feeling unique and refreshingly original. Think Black Country, New Road meets American Football and you wonāt be far off the magic that they conjure up here.
Opening on short intro track Taking, the project comes alive with Grey Hairs, a song that swirls with beautifully melancholic guitars, triumphant brass horns and Jack McDonnellās passionate vocals. If that doesnāt have you hooked then Basking Sharks surely will, with Jack McDonnellās vocals channelling a young Ben Gibbard over some hypnotic scuzzy riffs. Then after minimal lo-fi cut Burning, the project concludes on the majestic, dancing guitars of Skin, with Amelia Durac taking on lead vocal duties and further showcasing the bandās dynamic sound.
By the time Clothed In The Sun is over, I have no doubt youāll be left eager to hear more from this band. Easily one of my favourite discoveries of the year, as bands from Ireland continue to take over the music world, I predict big things are on the horizon for Child of Prague. As a starting point, you couldnāt ask for anything better than this EP.
1. Nothing Compares To Nineteen by Fiona-Lee
And finally, here we are at my favourite EP of the year and itās this fantastic debut release from singer-songwriter and budding young rock star, Fiona-Lee.
Hailing from the small town of Howden in East Yorkshire, Iām not ashamed to admit that Fiona-Lee almost brought me to tears the first time I saw her perform live. Her incredibly raw talent and the immense vulnerability of her music literally stopped me in my tracks, as she sung about her battles with anxiety, depression, grief and manipulative men. She may only be 24-years old, but Fiona-Lee has already experienced a lot inside and outside of the music industry, having been playing music since her early teens. All of that is laid bare on this honest and beautifully composed first collection, proving that Fiona-Lee is the real deal and a true superstar-in-the-making.
Whether itās singing about her difficult late-teen years on the opening title track, the heartbreaking cry for help on Mother, dealing with loss on Through It All and When I Wake Up Iām Sad, delivering an ode to her mother on Lavender or struggling with self-confidence on To Make Me Feel Good, Fiona-Lee crafts relatable anthems that frequently move you and make you want to sing your heart out.
One for fans of Sam Fender and Another Sky, if youāre in need of some therapy after a traumatic and overwhelming 2025, then book an appointment with Fiona-Lee via this EP. While there were a lot of great shortplayers this year, there were few as accomplished and that fit the mood of the last 12 months quite like Nothing Compares To Nineteen. For that reason, it is my EP of the Year for 2025.
You can read my interview with Fiona-Lee for CLASH magazine here
Stay tuned for more 2025 year-end lists ā including my favourite gigs and songs of the year!
