For Those I Love's top songs of 2025

Best of 2025 | Albums | Guestlists | Irish Albums | Irish songs |

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David Balfe released his second For Those I Love album in 2025. Carving The Stone was one of my favourite records of the year.

See Dave’s lists from 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021

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1.

Bricknasty – go get that blade

Nothing has ever felt so real.
Elegant, menacing, paranoid, filled to the very brim with tangible delicate life.
‘go get that blade’ takes everything about the world around us and distills it down into three and a half minutes of hypnotic beauty.

Song credits

Cillian John McCauley, Dara Abdurahman, Denis Scully, Jonathan Ambrose, Korey Thomas
Produced by
Jonathan Ambrose, Cillian McCauley

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2.

Curtisy, Lil Skag – Talk Of The Town

Curtisy seems to be on an endless victory lap.

Catchy and stylish production. Smooth flow. Clever bars. Strong punchlines.
Mainly, the track is endlessly relistenable. 

And if I needed another reason to love it, sampling 9th Wonder from the best episode of Rhythm Roulette as he quotes Eli Porter. I am all in. 

Song credits

Eoghan O’Dowd, Gavin Curtis, Sean Roche

Produced by

Eoghan O’Dowd

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3.

Los Thuthanaka – Huayño “Phuju”

There are moments in life that dig in a little harder, and out of the mundane manage to stick with you forever. It was in my first listen and during the fourth song (Huayño “Phuju”) on Los Thuthanaka’s self titled that I realised something special was happening. Sat at a desk, headphones on, trying to work, but entirely lost in a re-imagining of what I thought music could be, glassy eyed without realising.

Huayño “Phuju” is a swirling haze of pure beauty. Skittering percussion under layers of strings, synths, and DJ tags. Like much of the album it stems from, it loops round and round revealing more layers of texture and dynamism, luring you into its meditative core.

Being truly transparent, it could have been any one of the 8 songs from the self titled album that made its way here. It is something more than special.

Song credits

Written and produced by Chuquimamani-Condori and Joshua Chuquimia Crampton

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4.

Ela Minus – I WANT TO BE BETTER

I was really moved by Ela Minus’ DÍA this year. A beautiful, delicate, and powerful collection of songs that soundtracked some big parts of the last 12 months.
I WANT TO BE BETTER is the standout track for me. A glistening cry of forgiveness, of self reflection, and of love.

Song credits

Written by

Ela Minus, Katie O’Neill

Produced by 

Ela Minus

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5.

Earl Sweatshirt – TOURMALINE

A few weeks ago I was passing by the sea as the first glimpse of real sun of the day peered in over the horizon and forced my eyes into a welcome squint. TOURMALINE had just started in my headphones as I could feel the subtle change in warmth from the light. I felt human. Deeply happy to be here. As connected with myself as I can remember being.

I’ve had a look around comment sections since and it’s not a unique feeling when listening to this song. Earl has made something here that is really touching people. A masterpiece.

Song credits

Written by

Thebe Kgositsile, Xenophon Yialias

Produced by

Theravada

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6.

Turnstile – NEVER ENOUGH

For a song that’s so steeped in loss and internal conflict, I find this song incredibly life affirming. Catching it live twice throughout the year was an incredible experience.

Song credits

Written by 

Turnstile

Produced by 

Brendan Yates

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7.

Lily Allen – Beg For Me

Although not the high point of the album, it is, for me, the key standalone track. A crushing and vulnerable appeal that leaves little behind. See-sawing back and forth between Lily’s soft but powerful delivery and a warped and haunting sample of Lumidee’s Never Leave You. It is beautiful and affecting.

Song credits

Written by

Leroy Clmapitt, Maaike Kito Lebbing, Violet Skies,

Blue May, Edwin Perez, Lily Cooper, Lumidee Cedeno, Steven Marsden, Teddy Mendez

Produced by

Kito, Blue May, Leroy Clampitt, Leon Vynehal, Violet Skies

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8.

Kasst 8 – Land Of The Scousers

Kasst8 delivers some of the most colourful, inventive, and clever writing I’ve heard this year.
Despite the classic instrumental reaching back two decades (legendary track), ‘Land Of The Scousers’ feels immediate, fresh, and unlike anything else I’ve come across lately.
I was hooked from the first video. Listen!

Song credits

Written by
Isaac Hill, Richard Ganpot, Stefan Mensah

Produced by
Fusion, Turfa

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9.

EsDeeKid, Rico Ace – Phantom

With looping repetition as its superpower, and a scouse bite flowing over blown out sonics, I fully bought into the excitement. In a sea of copycats, it feels one of a kind. Great song.

Song credits

Written by

EsDeeKid

Produced by

Wraith9

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10.

Craig Finn – Shamrock

The first time I heard this song (as I remember it) was live in The Grand Social some time in 2022. In the years after, I thought about it month to month, waiting for the day we’d get the track committed to tape.

It’s a masterpiece of storytelling, so rich with colour and time, and I can’t hear it without feeling inspired, floored, and in awe.

Song credits

Written by

Craig Finn

Produced by

Adam Granduciel

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Best of 2025 | Albums | Guestlists | Irish Albums | Irish songs |