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photo: Abbey Raymonde
The Miki Berenyi Trio, featuring Lush co-founder Miki Berenyi, Moose’s KJ McKillop and Oliver Cherer, released their terrific debut album Tripla earlier this year and toured North America with Gina Birch this fall. More recently, Lush released a 35th anniversary edition of their classic compilation Gala.
We’ve been asking artists for their list of favorite albums of the year and Miki, Oliver and Moose were kind enough to send us their combined Top 10, which includes records by Gina Birch, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, Stephen Hero (Patrick Fitzgerald of Kitchens of Distinction), Saya Gray, and more. Check out their list and commentary below.
Miki Berenyi Trio – Top 10 Albums of 2025
Gina Birch – Trouble
We toured with Gina in the US this year and it was a treat to watch her perform these songs – “I Thought I’d Live Forever” is one of my favourite tracks of the year. Amazing arrangement, and just a great song – can’t think of anyone who has written about a cancer diagnosis with such passion and life force. [Miki]
Hachiku – The Joys of Being Pure at Heart
Been following Hachiku’s music for a while and this album title pretty well describes what I love about it. Fave track is ‘Time Wasted Worrying’ which, again, is genius in its eloquent celebration of a common feeling. [Miki]
Stephen Hero – Convalescence
It’s so great to hear the return of Patrick Fitzgerald (Kitchens of Distinction). I love the beautiful melodrama of ‘Imagine Me Gone.’ Yes, it’s a depressing theme but brought to soaring emotional heights, and with an irrepressible hope rising in every note. [Miki]
Sessa – Perquena Vertigem de Amor
An album of sure-footed, gentle perfection. It evokes all I think I know about Brazilian music from the 50s to the 70s beautifully while being self-assuredly modern. It has a soft, knowing smile on its face for its entire time on the turntable. [Oliver]
Sharon Van Etten – & The Attachment Theory – S/T
Another record that seems somehow rooted in familiar pop from my past while feeling essentially like a record for now. I love the sequenced synths and solid, hook-heavy songwriting and, of course, her oddly melancholic singing voice. [Oliver]
Beirut – A Study of Losses
Just a beautiful, restrained, organic sounding album. It sounds and feels like it exists in a real, specific place and is made with instruments that have a life history. It is both dusty and sparkling and unlike anything else I heard this year. [Oliver]
Saya Gray – Saya
Genre defying pop (?) from the intensely talented Japanese-Canadian singer-songwriter. She pulls in influences from everywhere to make a kind of hyperpop salad that includes country-style pedal steel, folky acoustic guitars, pure electronica, rock shredding and sunny pop vocals. It’s all over the place and perfectly homogeneous, all at the same time. [Oliver]
Leon Vynehall – In Daytona Yellow
A blend of ambient electronica and RnB with some surprisingly intimate moments. [Moose]
Splitterzelle – Splitterzelle
From the ashes of 10,000 Rossos, a brutally direct assault on the senses. Sublime! And hats off to Fuzz Club. [Moose]
Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad – Jazz is Dead 24/Dom Salvador
The vibrant lush sound of this summer still getting us through the winter. Samba, jazz and funky rhythms – totally addictive. [Moose]
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Miki Berenyi Trio have a few UK holiday shows starting this weekend and those are listed here:
Mike Berenyi Trio – 2025 Tour Dates
Dec 12, 2025 – The Face Bar – Reading, UK
Dec 13, 2025 – The Cavern – Exeter, England
Dec 14, 2025 – Exchange – Bristol, England
Dec 19, 2025 – Sneaky Petes – Edinburgh, UK
Dec 20, 2025 – Nice N Sleazy – Glasgow, Scotland
Dec 21, 2025 – Cluny 2 – Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
See more 2025 year end lists here.
English (US) · 