A Closer Listen
Are you in the mood for some happy music? We’ve got just the list for you! The artists on this year’s list know that life can be tough, and offer literal notes of encouragement. One finds beauty in the mundane; others venture outside. You’ll hear the sounds of holidays, festive gatherings and children at play.
Happy music brings us out of ourselves, if only for a brief period. We are reminded that life isn’t all bad, even in the leanest of years. There are tiny moments to cherish, humble realizations and the company of friends. Nature beckons with an ever-changing array of colors, sights and sounds. We cherish happy music because it is as essential to our well-being as a bright sunrise or a home-cooked meal.
Ai Yamamoto + Dan West ~ Microdoses (audibleartefacts)
Sometimes we just need a microdose of happy music: something quick to cheer us up and keep us going, an energy drink for the ears. This humble record hearkens back to the classic days of Morr Music, with clicks and beats and autumnal warmth. The album invites us to venture outside and enjoy whatever the season has to offer, knowing that some form of goodness awaits.
Original Review
Endless Dive ~ Souvenances (Luik Music)
Endless Dive had to pivot after losing two members, reducing them from a quartet to a duo. They decided to record an album that sounds like a family gathering, with happy conversation and the laughter of children. Souvenances is not what fans expected, but a brand new type of happy thing. The choice of pink or blue vinyl cements the association with new life.
Original Review
Human Pyramids ~ Thank You (Ricco/Three Mile Town)
Our top pick for The Happiest Album of the Year, Thank You bursts at the seams with exuberance. Joyful brass joins ebullient guitars, making the album sound like a parade. This is the third album for the 12-piece post-rock orchestra and the third time making this list; it’s safe to say that Human Pyramids is one of the happiest bands in the world.
Original Review
JakoJako ~ Tết 41 (Mute)
With the Vietnamese New Year coming around again (February 17 of 2026, The Year of the Horse), this album is back in play; but it will sound just as cheerful on January 1. Bookending electronic pieces with holiday field recordings, JakoJako honors her heritage while introducing others to the significance of kumquat and peach blossom trees and the Dragon Bridge Fire and Water Show.
Original Review
Ogenblik ~ Dúlra (Self-Released)
Shifting from ambient to electronic, Ogenblik records a gem in Dúlra, the Irish word for nature. The EP contains some of the first field recordings of birds ever made, along with words on birds from the artist’s father. Spoken word and song round out this tribute to the natural world, the allure of birdwatching, and the connection between father and son.
Original Review
Okkyung Lee ~ just like any other day (어느날): background music for your mundane activities (Shelter Press)
One of the humblest forms of happiness is contentment. Okkyung Lee’s album brims with this feeling, as she offers background music for cooking, laundry, walking, driving, or lying in bed. By suffusing the ordinary with a sense of wonder, she proposes a new way to regard the mundane.
Original Review
R. Weis ~ Cuando tira el aqua (When You Throw the Water) (Self-Released)
Cuando tira el aqua celebrates another annual festival that will circle back soon: the Carnaval of Cajamarca, Peru. The recording captures the unfiltered joy of the parade, the children, and water throwing. Get your tickets now; if you live in a cold climate, this is a great way to break the winter doldrums, to head to the warmth and be pleasantly doused.
Original Review
The Second Hand Orchestra ~ Puzzle (Sing a Song Fighter)
Happiness is signaled in the very first second, with a whistle and a wink. Each track is composed by a different member of the orchestra, who had one hour to introduce it to the others and record a spontaneous rendition. The combination of collaboration and improvisation results in a session that sounds joyous and free.
Original Review
Shelf Nunny ~ I Think I’m Finally Happy (Self-Released)
Shelf Nunny’s music has always sounded happy, even when things haven’t been going his way; but now they are, and he’s reached a happy plateau. This EP, whose cheerful companion is a remix EP, celebrates his newfound mood with uplifting samples, beats and microsounds.
Original Review
Valby Vokalgruppe ~ Solids for Voices (Hands in the Dark)
Solids for Voices is a reminder that one need not procure an instrument to have an instrument; the original instrument is the voice. Valby Vokalgruppe has fun with vowels and consonants, harmony and Delphic hymn, concentrating on tone and timbre rather than lyric and word.
Original Review
Richard Allen
Fri Dec 05 00:01:17 GMT 2025