Guardian critics highlight underheard songs of 2025 across folk, electronic, and indie.
Standouts include Lisa Knapp’s chilling Long Lankin and MidnightRoba’s mournful Axis.
Emerging voices and overlooked producers — from Cleyra’s ambient techno to Dom Innarella’s pop — shine.
Watch and listen: key tracks from Jammy are embedded below for instant discovery.

Underheard highlights from 2025

Across genres and continents, 2025 delivered songs that flew under the radar but linger in the memory. Critics for the Guardian selected a range of tracks that reward repeat listens — intimate folk, experimental electronic, and concise pop — each notable for distinct songwriting and production choices.

Folk darkness: Lisa Knapp "Long Lankin"

One of the most arresting entries is Lisa Knapp’s version of the centuries-old murder ballad “Long Lankin.” Knapp’s quavering soprano balances pristine tone with menace, while Gerry Diver’s arrangements — glockenspiel, shivering percussion and restrained strings — amplify the tale’s unease. It’s a reminder that traditional material can feel razor-sharp and urgent when reimagined with craft.

Electronic grief and protest: MidnightRoba feat. Saul Williams — "Axis"

Roba El-Essawy, as MidnightRoba, anchors an intense, IDM-tinged piece called “Axis,” which features powerful guest lines from poet and activist Saul Williams. The track layers tabla, fractured electronica and operatic vocals into an emotionally raw call for compassion and remembrance — a song built to scream into the void when words feel insufficient.

Ambitious dance: Cleyra’s long-form techno

Bristol producer Cleyra’s 17-minute piece “There’s Nothing Happening Between Us” uses extended runtime to take listeners on a slow-burning trip. From submerged 4/4 drums and deep-space explosions to emergent ambient textures, the track exemplifies how contemporary producers use length and patience to craft immersive club works.

Young pop: Dom Innarella — "Call Me"

At just 14, Dom Innarella channels classic teen-R&B falsetto into a warm, nostalgic pop single. With attention from established artists and a major-label deal, Innarella’s acoustic-and-machine blend offers a polished glimpse of a budding pop career.

Discover Jammy

Jammy’s melancholy pop remains startlingly undiscovered. Here are two official uploads for immediate listening:

These songs and more on the critics’ list reward attentive listening: small details, unexpected arrangements and raw human storytelling distinguish the year’s most memorable underheard tracks.

For more picks and fuller notes, check the original critics’ round-up and explore the artists above — they’re the songs you may not have heard, but won’t easily forget.

Image Referance: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/dec/27/best-2025-hidden-gem-underrated-songs