Listening Notes: Special 2026

Chasing the contents of the world will never truly end—nor will it ever feel enough. The same goes for music. Modern music industry has been running for more than 80 years now, producing thousands of releases every year, enough to overwhelm explorers like me. Even 2025 ended with only a handful of albums I managed to try—and now it’s already 2026.

So, I’m going to sample a few newer releases chosen somewhat at random. Maybe you’ve already heard one of them.

Here are six still-fresh releases from early 2026:

Bandi – SSSS (2026)

73%

Bandi opens the session with ambient/experimental. It almost feels strange discussing such a simple genre that has existed for over 50 years since Brian Eno. I mean—what really differs from one release to another, especially now in 2026?

Structurally, it’s often simple, sometimes repetitive—almost copy-paste—but there’s rarely major innovation in this field anyway. Bandi incorporates synthetic noise textures for variation, and I admit they fit quite well. The elements never quite reach a breaking point, though there are odd moments—like in “Scary” and toward the end of “Several Stars.” The metallic-string guitar works nicely as a closing touch in “Spring,” perhaps symbolically welcoming the season itself.

Highlight: Several Stars, Spring

Courtney Marie Andrews – Valentine (2026)

80%

Quite fitting to land on an album titled Valentine in February—even if it’s already past the 14th. Forget that.

Who is Courtney Marie Andrews? A singer-songwriter from Arizona, about a year younger than Taylor Swift. Yet the music she brings feels far more aligned with where my heart stands right now.

Despite living in a hyper-modern era—especially with AI everywhere—Courtney reminds me of early-career Taylor Swift, when her sound leaned more toward country/folk than pop. In fact, the atmosphere here feels even older—almost 90s-like. It genuinely carries the quiet, simple charm of desert countryside landscapes.

So yes, I’d say Valentine—and Courtney Marie Andrews herself—comes recommended. Personally, I’d clearly choose this over The Life of a Showgirl by Taylor Swift.

Highlight: Pendulum Swing

I Promised the World – S/T (2026)

73%

A post-hardcore/metalcore band receiving positive reviews for evoking the Myspace era. If I were still a teenager today, I might love it. As it stands, I’m not particularly impressed—and unfortunately, I never really visited Myspace myself, though I remember hearing about it through Owl City profiles back then. Still, I can sense the recording atmosphere of that earlier decade.

So it’s not nostalgia for the music itself—but for the era it represents. It makes me imagine browsing that site when it was likely still thriving—before 2020.

Highlight: –

Jevgenпассатижи – Untitled (2026)

74% Jevgenпассатижи from Russia seems reluctant to create album titles—every release is simply called Untitled without distinguishing numbers. But well… here we are.

Released just on February 13th, this album offers operatic/gospel-like singing wrapped in dark ambient textures with lowered pitch. There’s also “Untitled IIIII,” which leans toward The Caretaker territory. Overall, though, it doesn’t feel like horror music—still safe enough for relaxation or even as a sleep companion.

Highlight: Untitled IIII, Untitled IIIII, Untitled IIIIIII, Untitled IIIIIIII

LoveTrauma – Birds.1 (2026)

71%

LoveTrauma delivers the heaviest moment of this session with metalcore/deathcore across two main tracks: “White Throated Sparrow” and “Fail. You’re.” Meanwhile, “Corvid Skies” serves as a ballad, with the rest functioning as instrumental interludes. It feels somewhat conceptual, though the rough transitions throughout the EP can be uncomfortable. Still, the black metal-like blast in “White Throated Sparrow” and the piano intro of “Mother…” stand out.

Hopefully, future releases will feel more cohesive—especially in developing the blackened elements and organizing the noise textures more effectively.

Highlight: Mother…, White Throated Sparrow

Shea – Eskipade (2026)

76%

This marks the debut of Shea from Tucson, Arizona, released on January 1st. The sound resides comfortably in alternative rock/shoegaze territory, with compositions and vocals that carry subtle emo influences. Unfortunately, I can’t name major comparable acts, though there’s a faint emotional echo of Coldplay’s “Fix You.” Based on Album of the Year recommendations, fans of Wisp or Della Zyr might find this appealing.

Highlight: Eskipade, City North