It’s a holiday tradition for us at Bandwagon to come together and discuss our favourite drops from the year that was. But given the different dispositions and tastes of our various staff members, this year’s picks proved to be an excitingly diverse assortment. Here are the songs that soundtracked the Bandwagon team's 2025.
Picks by Hidzir Junaini (staff writer):
Clipse - ‘So Be It’
Clipse return with lethal precision on ‘So Be It’, sounding as cold, focused, and commanding as ever. Over a tense, Pharrell-produced beat threaded with reversed strings and Arabic melodies, Pusha T and No Malice dissect legacy, loyalty, and the cost of surviving the world that shaped them. There’s no nostalgia play here — the duo sharpen their delivery into something grimly current, their chemistry as dangerous as it was in their heyday. What makes ‘So Be It’ hit hardest is its duality: swagger sharpened by age, menace tempered by reflection. It feels less like a comeback and more like a verdict — Clipse planting their flag again, reminding the rap world that some standards were set long ago, and they still own them.
Maruja - ‘Look Down On Us’
Clocking in at roughly 10 minutes, this is no typical single — it’s a mini-epic: part post-hardcore catharsis, part jazz-punk thunder, part spoken-word manifesto. The lead of Maruja’s debut album arrives with brutal bass, wailing saxophone, and a lyrical assault on late-stage capitalism — “CEOs, tech titans… the suits that land on the front page of Forbes.” Live audiences called their performance “a major highlight,” with vocalist Harry Wilkinson spitting visceral, vivid rage. What makes ‘Look Down On Us’ so compelling is its dual energy: it rips, it thrashes — but it also asks you to care. To listen. To feel. Maruja don’t just scream; they build a space where you’re meant to stand and look. It’s one of those songs that demands more than a casual spin.
Anna von Hausswolff – ‘Struggle With the Beast’
On ‘Struggle With the Beast’, Anna von Hausswolff conjures a ritual-scale confrontation with inner monsters. Built around throbbing organ drones, saxophone urgency and her weighty vocals, the nine-minute piece was written after a close friend’s psychosis — a raw ignition of fear, brilliance and fragmented identity. The tension escalates across shifting phases: from oppressive grooves to climactic release, it feels like battling a mythic beast rather than simply performing a song. The track refuses to sit comfortably; instead it demands you embark on its storm. In a year of safe bets, this track stands out for its uncompromising depth and scale.
ROSALÍA feat. Björk & Yves Tumor – ‘Berghain’
ROSALÍA stakes her claim on grander ground — an orchestral, multilingual tour-de-force that pulls in Björk’s ethereal power and Yves Tumor’s experimental edge. Backed by the London Symphony Orchestra and recorded across Spanish, German and English vocals, the track defies the pop single format. The arrangement swells with classical intensity — critics compare it to Vivaldi’s Winter and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Its lyrics open in German (“Seine Angst ist meine Angst…”) before shifting into Spanish and English, layering confession, invocation and transformation.The song title references the famed Berlin club, but ROSALÍA frames it more as a metaphor — a place where identity fractures and re-forms.
Picks by Sharvamaya Mohan (editorial intern):
Big Thief, Laraaji - ‘Grandmother’
‘Grandmother’ explores realms of pain, loss, reflection and healing as it focuses on the brutality of cyclical heartbreak that can be stuck in a loop, often recreating past events in the present. The track opens with acknowledging that “grandmother” and “mother” have once also been in the same position as the listener. With lyrics such as “It's alright, everything that happened, happened so what's the use of holding? it's unfolding, we're all insane, we are made of love, we are also made of pain”. It urges listeners to break the cycle of pain, overcome the hurt that runs in the blood through each generation’s veins. The ambient music by courtesy of the multi-instrumentalist Laraaji and the delicate vocals by Adrianne Lenker create a cocoon that cradles listeners, urging them to let go and start afresh — emerging and spreading their wings like a butterfly to pursue life positively.
flipturn - ‘Right?’
flipturn's ‘Right?’ is more than just a song, is's a statement, a revolution for authenticity. Shutting the door, concealing the part of you that can’t feel the warmth of the world, why? Simply because it’s not normal, conventional or acceptable. Those three words burn the skin of the person you wish you could be like a corrosive acid. The track capture society's merciless obsession with the agenda of conformity, with fitting anyone and everyone into a category, a trend. The lyrics capture the pressure to choose between who you have to be and who you want to be with words like, “You feel adored, you gave everyone everything that they've been asking for”. The music captures the blistering exhaustion that comes with sacrificing a piece of your true self to fit into an idea. The thrashing drums and shredding guitars dig deep into listeners’ hearts to leave the scar of the message behind — reminding them to never forgo their true self for others.
Junior Varsity - ‘JV Gets the $$$’
‘JV Gets the $$$’ is Junior Varsity’s fun exploration in fusing electronic music with their usual alternative and indie rock sound. The high-octane rhythm showcases the fun and cocky spirit of the track with lyrics such as “Who get the money? JV get the money” that go along with the glitchy analogue beats that match the enthusiasm of the track. It comes off as a hype anthem for the band, serving as a carefree theme song about themselves.
Picks by Aisyah Azlan (social media manager):
CORTIS - ‘FaSHioN’
When this dropped, I was randomly blurting “내 티 5 bucks, 바지는 만원” every two seconds. Still do, honestly. Hearing a K-pop boy group debut with something like this - heavy autotune and all - rather than the usual cute/bad-boy formula felt like a breath of fresh air. And the song itself? Sooo catchy.
D.O. - ‘Fit’
Longtime EXO-Ls (like me) already know D.O.’s R&B potential, and 'Fit' finally gives him the space to show it off officially. His lower register sits beautifully on this track, making it one of his most compelling solo releases to date. Manifesting a full R&B album next. Pls.
Tabber -‘Hysteric Glamour’
Heavy beats into a melodic guitar into Tabber’s uncopyable voice? Ugh, help me. He’s yearning the entire song, the Brazilian funk switch in the last minute is insane, and the MV? THE MUSIC VIDEO. IYKYK. 11/10. Zero notes.
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