Notable New Releases of Late Summer 2025

Pop

Vanisher, Horizon Scraper - Quadeca

Subgenres: Art Pop, Folktronica, Chamber Pop

In Quadeca’s fourth album, he creates a unique atmosphere while narrating a story using the metaphor of a sailor lost at sea. The whole album is accompanied by a movie, which is uploaded on YouTube. While Quadeca was originally a FIFA YouTuber, making his debut song as a diss track against YouTuber KSI, he has taken a radical turn in his career these last few years and pivoted entirely to music. 

The album begins with a mostly instrumental track that sets an introductory atmosphere, serving as a sort of prologue/intro more than a standalone song, but once the second song begins, this mood changes completely. Quadeca sets out a narrative of a man going out to sea, “waging war” (as the track’s title implies) against the ocean, despite being nervous and having to remind himself to breathe. This all culminates in the last couple of minutes of the track where its intensity increases as his fears rise. The third song continues the theme of subversion, featuring a mix between a calm folksy ballad and a sort of electronic rap-infused pop song about the issues the main character is facing now that he’s in this metaphorical sea. The album continues to unfold in a similar fashion, blending different genres together while staying totally fresh.

The main draw of the album is the totally lush and intricate production that backs it all up; this album is a mix of so many different inspirations that pinning down its origins proves to be difficult. At some points, there are intense rap verses, followed by calm instrumental breaks, which are then followed by sweet pop-style singing. While it could have easily become a chaotic mess, the masterful production makes sure that it all transitions seamlessly to a point where it feels entirely natural by the end.

Of course, the album isn’t perfect, with some noticeable dips in momentum in a few key songs, particularly in its second half, hard to avoid in its 1 hour and 9 minute runtime. This is definitely the kind of album that some people are not particularly fond of; its in-your-face production might not be to everyone's liking. This is very much an album that requires patience and perhaps some repeated listenings, but it’s an overall rewarding experience. The closing song, “CASPER” is interesting in how it stands out completely from the rest of the album, having a much more psychedelic/noise pop sound, but still manages to wrap the rest of the album together and bring all of its ideas into a satisfying conclusion.

Listening to this LP, you’d have no idea how unserious Quadeca’s career used to be, as this is a deeply introspective and genre bending album that is most definitely worth a listen.

Rating: Strong 8/10. Standout songs: GODSTAINED, MONDAY, CASPER

Hip-Hop

Let God Sort Em Out - Clipse (Pusha T and Malice)

Subgenres: Gangsta Rap, Southern Hip Hop

Clipse, the iconic 2000s Hip-Hop duo of brothers Pusha T and Malice, have released a new album together after a 15 year hiatus, creating a mix of 2000s and modern-style Hip-Hop in Let God Sort Em Out.

This record is relatively straightforward within the world of modern Hip-Hop. In a scene that has become increasingly eclectic, the songs here stick to a clear verse-hook-chorus structure that makes sure the album stays grounded but catchy throughout. The songwriting and lyricism isn’t anything to write home about, as the duo opt for diction over meaning in their rhymes. The result of this, however, is that the flow of every track is extremely natural and very enjoyable to listen to. 

One of the main draws of this album are its features, with verses from artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Nas, Tyler The Creator, and more. Overall, the features help these albums stay fresh, but Pharrell Williams’ inclusion has sparked some controversy. Some fans criticize his inclusion in the LP, as Williams has sparked controversy over comments on the Israel-Palestine conflict in the past. For me personally, I found all the features generally good with the exception of a couple of Pharrell’s verses, which unfortunately straddle the line between sentimental and overly sappy 2010s-style radio pop and can sometimes ruin the flow of the more harsh sound that the album contains.

Overall, Let God Sort Em Out provides exactly what it promises, straightforward gangsta rap that evokes old school hip-hop with a modern twist, despite a couple of hitches along the way.

Rating: Light 7/10 Standout Songs: The Birds Don’t Sing, Chains & Whips, By The Grace Of God

Rock

private music - Deftones

Subgenres: Alternative Metal, Post-Hardcore, Shoegaze

Deftones, after an impressive 37 years together and 30 years since their debut album, have released a new record titled private music, which many fans have heralded as an unexpected resurgence in the band’s creativity, following two not-so-well received albums in a row. 

What sets this album apart from other alternative metal records, is its inspiration from ‘shoegaze’, a music genre originating in the 90s that mixes guitars to create an extremely loud but ethereal soundscape. Overall, this works well, as it keeps the album fresh and makes the whole thing a lot more melodic than what is seen in most metal. The only issue, and my main gripe with the album, is that the percussion sounds a bit flat and there is a distinct lack of feedback or fluctuation in sound in the noise sections, which makes the whole experience lose some of its impact.

Though the lyrics aren’t anything special, I enjoyed the vocals a good amount, as their more alt-rock feel pairs very well with the heavy metal guitars. The guitars are evidently the highlight here though, creating weaving melodies with an ebb and flow that can make for an enjoyable listen. In the track souvenir, for example, the guitar and vocals build through the hold track, becoming more and more noisy until it all falls apart to give way to a calm and atmospheric section only with guitars and synths at the end, in a surprisingly refreshing way.

If you’re a fan of Deftones or are interested in more modern Metal, I’d give this album a shot, but I wouldn’t really recommend this for more people, as it may be above average, but nothing here is uniquely interesting in a way that isn’t executed better by other similar albums, even within Deftones’ own discography.

Rating: Decent 6/10. Standout songs: souvenir, infinite source, milk of the madonna

Citations:

Quadeca. Vanisher, Horizon Scraper. X8 Music, 2025.

Clipse, Pusha T, Malice. Let God Sort Em Out. Self-Released, 2025.

Deftones. Private Music. Reprise Records, Warner Records, 2025

All images come from rateyourmusic.com