End of year lists are usually a bit self-indulgent, but I figure after spending twelve months behind the counter listening to everything that came through the shop, I’ve earned the right. These are the Australian records that made the biggest impression on me in 2025, and they all have one thing in common: they’re worth owning on vinyl.

Not every great album gets a great pressing. I’m only including records where the physical product matches the music.

The Top Ten

1. Amyl and the Sniffers — Cartoon Darkness (Flightless/Virgin)

Amy Taylor and company delivered exactly what we needed: ferocious punk energy with surprising emotional depth. The vinyl pressing is immaculate — punchy, loud, and clean. The gatefold artwork is frame-worthy. This was the most-sold Australian record in my shop this year by a wide margin.

2. Tropical Fuck Storm — Submersive (Joyful Noise)

Gareth Liddiard continues to be one of the most interesting songwriters in the country. This album is chaotic, beautiful, and deeply weird. The pressing quality from Joyful Noise is consistently good, and the vinyl master has more dynamic range than the streaming version.

3. RVG — Brain Worms (Fire Records)

Romy Vager’s songwriting gets sharper with every album. Brain Worms is anxious, catchy, and unsettling in the best way. The Fire Records pressing is solid, and the inner sleeve includes full lyrics, which I always appreciate.

4. The Teskey Brothers — The Winding Way (Ivy League)

These guys could record in a garden shed and it would sound like a million bucks. Their latest is warm, soulful, and made for vinyl. The analogue recording approach translates beautifully to the format. If you’re buying this for someone who “doesn’t listen to vinyl,” this is the conversion record.

5. Stella Donnelly — Flood (Secretly Canadian)

Stella’s second album is a masterclass in understatement. Quiet devastation wrapped in gorgeous melodies. The pressing is clean and the packaging is lovely — cream vinyl with a beautiful gatefold.

6. Surprise Chef — Education & Recreation (Big Crown)

Melbourne’s instrumental soul outfit just keeps getting better. This album sounds like it was recorded in 1973, and the vinyl pressing leans into that warmth. Big Crown knows how to put out a record, and the mastering here is exceptional.

7. Cable Ties — All Her Plans (Poison City/Merge)

Jenny McKechnie’s vocals on this record could strip paint. Cable Ties are one of the best punk bands in the country, and this album is their most fully realised work. Poison City vinyl. You know it’s going to be good.

8. Hiatus Kaiyote — Love Heart Cheat Code (Brainfeeder)

Nai Palm and company continue to make music that defies categorisation. This album is dense, rewarding, and sounds phenomenal on a good system. The Brainfeeder pressing is excellent — quiet surfaces and deep, controlled bass.

9. Leah Senior — On a Pale Horse (Flightless)

Leah Senior’s folk-psych storytelling is completely unique in Australian music. This album unfolds like a novel. The Flightless pressing is beautiful, as always, and the artwork is some of the best packaging I saw all year.

10. GL — Ocean Floor (Dot Dash/Remote Control)

Ella Thompson’s debut LP is a stunning piece of shoegaze-influenced pop. Layers of guitars, ethereal vocals, and hooks that stick. The pressing is good, the artwork is moody and gorgeous, and this is an artist who’s going to be around for a long time.

Honourable Mentions

A few more that nearly made the list: Body Type’s Everything Is Dangerous (chaotic and brilliant), Civic’s Taken By Force (Melbourne garage at its finest), and the Mod Con reissue of Modern Condition that Chapter Music put out with remastered audio that sounds miles better than the original pressing.

The Bigger Picture

What strikes me about this list is the range. Punk, soul, folk, shoegaze, jazz-fusion, garage rock. Australian music isn’t one thing, and the vinyl releases this year reflected that diversity.

If you’re looking for a place to start, grab the Amyl and the Sniffers or the Teskey Brothers. If you want to go deeper, Surprise Chef and Leah Senior will reward repeat listens for months.

See you in 2026. My ears are ready.