They say that the best things come in small packages, and there have been plenty of EPs released this past year that give credence to that old adage. Some artists are able to say more in a handful of songs than many are able to across an entire album. Most often, EPs act as an elevator pitch for new and upcoming acts looking to leave their mark. First impressions matter, and what better way to win hearts and minds than by packing everything you’ve got into one intense opening salvo. Though we can always count on a few appearances from more established favourites, our EP list is first and foremost a celebration of rising talents, and this year is no exception.

10. Florence Road – Fall Back

I think perhaps the most “kitchen sink” debut of 2025 came from Irish indie outfit Florence Road. The alt rock angst of Alanis Morrisette, the playful pop rock venom of Olivia Rodrigo, the acoustic balladry of Gracie Abrams, and the grungy grit of Wolf Alice, all rolled into one. I’m not sure which of these sounds the band will lean more towards on future releases, but Fall Back offers a firm footing for whatever they decide to do next. 

9. Blackwater Holylight – If You Only Knew

This was my first contact with Blackwater Holylight’s music – for the life of me I can’t recall how I ended up here, but I’m sure glad I did. I found myself fascinated by If You Only Knew‘s blend of dreamy shoegaze & colossal, sprawling post rock, punctuated here and there by some downright monstrous riffs. It’s like listening to heaven and hell colliding, and I look forward to delving into their back catalogue for more.

8. Kelcey Ayer – No Sleep

No Sleep represents the start of something new in more ways that one. Not only as the first solo release under Kelcey’s own name after leaving Local Natives, but also in the way that it chronicles the birth of his child and his own subsequent journey into fatherhood. Every step along the way, every facet of emotion that comes with this new state of being, is captured in a frank and eclectic fashion. From the aloof and uncertain, to the warm and uplifting. 

7. EEVAH – I Didn’t See It Coming

A gorgeous reflection on grief and heartbreak, I Didn’t See It Coming is home to some of the most spellbindingly bittersweet melodies of the year. Its hazy dream pop guitar swirls and billows like an ink blot in water, while Nicole Hope Smith’s vocals manage to find a stable, emotive middle ground between numb emptiness and a raging tempest. 

6. Nadia Kadek – Green Car

After having been impressed by her set at a festival some years ago, and making a mental note that she was one-to-watch, I’ve been holding out for a release like this from Nadia for a while now. From the stark expressive folk of ‘Feeling It All‘, to the tender, slow-burn of ‘Signals’, to the warm summery bop of ‘Lemonade’, Nadia’s debut EP really exemplifies the range and versatility of her rich and moving vocals. 

5. Bleach Lab – Close To The Flame

Not every release needs to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes all a great record needs to do is give you more of what you love. Close To The Flame delivers in that regard, by simply offering up more of the lush, hazy dream pop excellence we’ve come to expect from Bleach Lab. Equal parts comforting and devastating, able to break you into pieces and put you back together again in the same melodic swell, its another beautifully bittersweet outing, ready and waiting to pluck at your heartstrings.  

4. Ellur – God Help Me Now

A truly pensive, unflinching and heartfelt coming of age record. Ellur’s songwriting feels so raw and relatable here, with some anthemic sensibilities sprinkled in for good measure. I could just sit and bask in its magnetic melancholy for hours on end. God Help Me Now started the year strong back in January, and I’m certain her upcoming debut album At Home In My Mind will start 2026 off in equally good stead.

3. Hunter Metts – A Crater Wide

I remember stumbling across a gorgeous live performance of ‘Weathervane‘ and thinking it was the kind of song I’d like to have as the soundtrack for some special moment in my life. A song so moving that it deserves to have a precious memory attached to it. A Crater Wide is full of tracks like that. Hunter’s brand of Americana simultaneously fans a nostalgic ember in my heart, one that burns with appreciation for the likes of Ben Howard and Fleet Foxes, while also feeling like a breath of fresh air.

2. Ferester – Days Go By

Full of the same infectious anthemic folk energy that propelled Noah Kahan to a household name, Days Go By keeps delivering one uplifting earworm after another. Hooks made to be sung with friends in the midst of a festival crowd. There’s a lightness to the arrangements that feels like taking in the view on a quiet misty morning and being hopeful about what the new day will bring. I find it instilling in me a sense of wanderlust, a yearning for adventure, every time I return to it.

1. Fiona-Lee – Nothing Compares To Nineteen

Between the candid lyricism confronting her doubts and insecurities, vocals that range from quiet moments of tenderness to ferocious, incandescent ire, and the massive, anthemic arrangements worthy of a Sam Fender record, Fiona-Lee’s debut EP is an absolute triumph by every measure. There’s so much heart and passion poured into these tracks, and you can feel it in every note. Finding strength in vulnerability, Nothing Compares To Nineteen is one of the most cathartic and emotionally charged releases of the year.