A Closer Listen
For collectors, the rarity of physical releases makes the gems sparkle all the more. From gorgeous vinyl that begs to be released from its sleeve to liner notes far more elaborate than anything found in a digital release, this year’s selections showcase the allure of the tactile.
As mentioned in The Year in Review, it has become harder than ever to order international music. As avid collectors ourselves, we sympathize with the labels and artists who work so hard to produce a superior product. This article is our way of saying that we appreciate you, we honor you, and we hope that one day soon the tariffs will disappear and we’ll be able to rejoice again. In the meantime, here are our picks for the year’s best packaged releases.
Chandra Shukla ~Hima हिम (Ceremony of Seasons)
Asheville, North Carolina’s Ceremony of Seasons upped the ante in a number of ways this year. First and foremost, the imprint survived Hurricane Helene, taking time off from work to help its neighbors. Then the VISUALS Wine Ceremony of Seasons series resumed with Hima, including not only an aperitif wine, but a container of incense fit for the winter season: frankincense & myrrh, juniper berry and nutmeg. And of course the music: winter in a box, a feast for the senses.
Original Review
DJ Food presents Locked Loop Group ~ Acid Endless (Acid Lathe)
Whether round or square, zoetrope records are simply the best. With only a strobe light and an app, one can bring the images to life. DJ Food’s latest 8″ record looks and sounds incredible, and stuns the eye even before it is rotated.
Original Review
EUS ~ Competud (Pluvial)
What better way to express a yearning for the Divine than to encase a cassette in an actual stained glass window? This gorgeous release is even more lovely when held up to the light: a metaphor in itself. The sliding pane is like the veil between life and death, unknowing and knowing.
Original Review
Hasco Enjoyments ~ Wow! (Rope Worm)
What a fun release! One can tell just from looking at Wow! than the title has been well-chosen. The vinyl edition comes with paper models, the CD with stickers, loaded with charm. The music follows suit, with clever titles and an improvisational tone.
Original Review
Macie Stewart ~ When the Distance Is Blue (International Anthem)
Macie Stewart’s album was inspired by a series of blue essays, delves into blue feelings, and looks like a fried egg with a blue yolk. We like blue eggs, although we’re not so keen on ham. We’re also big fans of unified releases, and this album is blue all the way through.
Original Review
Ranges ~ Sin (A Thousand Arms)
The crown jewel of the special edition of Sin: 7 7″ records, each with bonus music on the b-sides, available in physical form only. This decision is so rare as to be nearly extinct. 77 lucky fans and their friends were able to hear these tracks while enjoying 7 pieces of ephemera. Appropriately, the album – which tackles the 7 Deadly Sins – was released on 7/7.
Original Review
Solkyri ~ Cranebrook (Self-Released)
Well, just look at it. Solkyri has always demonstrated a penchant for striking vinyl, but this time the band has outdone itself. The record looks as good in person as it does in the above photo; the colors reference the Ukrainian flag, and the music displays a new intimacy.
Original Review
Various Artists ~ Household Objects (and sundry massed gadgets) (Self-Released)
One of the reasons to buy physical copies is to enjoy the liner notes, and when a release includes copious notes and beguiling art, only those who hold it can enjoy the full experience. This album has the best internal content of any we’ve seen this year; the curators’ hard work has paid off.
Original Review
Will Glaser ~ Music of the Terrazoku: Ethnographic Recordings From An Imagined Future (Not Applicable)
In this boxed set, the full story is presented along with engaging illustrations, allowing listeners to lose themselves in this imagined future. The world may be coming to an end, or has already done so, but art and beauty have survived along with color and hope.
Original Review
Yara Asmar ~ everyone I love is sleeping and I love them so so much (Time Released Sound)
The regular edition was released on Hive Mind, the special edition on Time Released Sound. The floral prints, twigs and altered books are not even the greatest surprises: each individual edition contains a unique poem and hand-cut record from the artist herself!
Original Review
Richard Allen
Thu Dec 04 00:01:06 GMT 2025