ANZ's locals share their favourite homegrown releases of 2025

While the electronic and dance music scenes of the Southern Hemisphere have been churning along and globally inspiring for not only the last few decades, 2025 was in many ways the year it was most clear and loud on the map.

The global culture, and the all-important industry that runs in parallel to it, has never been bigger. That size presents its fair share of opportunity, but risk, too. Big international brands have never been more popular or more scrutinised, and the deepening of social media’s claws further and further into the roots of how artists, festivals and labels get heard has never been more difficult to ignore.

In that very circumstance, however, whether as a conscious protest against streaming giants, the corporatisation of local scenes or simply as an acknowledgement of its quality, the local has never been a more important figure.

With that in mind, Mixmag ANZ has chosen to contribute to the all-important ‘end of year list’ ecosystem, but with two small changes.

Firstly, these are the favourite local releases of local artists. The people they loved, who they think are worth spotlighting, and who got them through a year plagued with so much to learn from and try to rise above, spoken about in their own voice.

Secondly, this list and those to follow have no order. We’re here to celebrate it all, without rank.

Here are some of 2025’s best local releases (in alphabetical order).

“the change in the air this album created is palpable, has made me really excited and also like, shit, i better up my game”

“Mincy is a Sydney-based sweetheart putting so much into her community! I’ve rinsed so much of her music on HYPERHOUSE and the title track is one of my faves from the EP. So fun!”

“AQUARIES: AGE OF URANUS is, simply put, a perfect remix EP that accompanies of the best albums to come out of Aotearoa in quite a long time. From MOKOTRON's Hiko twist on HOME, to the 160 EDGING QUEEN OF THE HILL (HALFQUEEN and PollyHill) remix of PAIN, AQUARIES, described as the "sound of the Auckland night," expands further into the depths of the club.

“At its core, it feels like a core encapsulation of not just the sound of the Auckland night, but the sound of a night out on Karangahape road - where the freaks of Tāmaki Makaurau have, and always will call home. I can hear the bass on this EP reverberating off of the walls of Whammy Backroom (RIP), and I can feel the vocal cuts rattling the room at Neck of the Woods. As someone now living outside of Aotearoa, I've found comfort in this release. AQUARIES soundtracked my final moments in Aotearoa, and this remix EP is a constant reminder of the people and places that helped raise me. It feels like home.”

“Iti is from Brisbane, the track Exit is the favourite, again I like that it's underground yet playful in a year where I find underground music either too serious or intentionally retro.”

“Sam Alfred’s Backwards Step EP takes the cake for me. Side A is a total roller — it keeps building and building until it explodes, with the vocal sitting perfectly on the rolling bassline. You get completely lost in the sample; every element feels spot on. Side B with Kara Okay keeps the same momentum but adds a layer of euphoria. The whole EP feels like a beautiful window into what’s happening in Europe right now.”

“This dude has my musical heart forever. This release has some absolutely insane production and song writing, I play it at maximum volume driving around Brisbane.”

“Kai is a promising fresher face on the local scene - his "Swimming Through Darkness" EP dropped a few weeks back, and boy it's a belter. I've been playing his tracks in almost all of my sets, and they always get a crazy reaction! Unadulterated upfront tooly Techno with his own flair of subtle textures and tasteful movement.”

“This release from Trustee and Prizefight is a perfect mixture of incorporating UKG elements with techno rhythms and percussion. Always does damage on the dancefloor. My favourite tune off the release is Centipede.”

“Respite beautifully made by Wilson Tanner.”

“No one sounds like these Sydney lads. I had a hand in the album and this is the sort of attitude and approach to art that keeps me engaged with living a creative life. Amazing visual world too.”

“I've rinsed this album all year because there's simply nothing else that sounds or feels like Shady Nasty. I can't comprehend the way they write and play. The best and most original band in the country.”

“Incredibly biased but fuck it, this tape celebrates rawness and the purity of music made in the moment with whatever is available to you. This project is about the spirit of DIY and trying to create something new with your friends. Shout out Vietnam.”

“I love VvPete - she’s fierce! This album has so much to offer. It’s varied in sound and bpm with VvPete’s signature style intertwined throughout. Hard hitting lyrics and bass lines that had the dance floors pumping in 2025.”

“Phenomenal breathing document of Indigenous culture from the Central Desert. Warlpiri language and monologues on kinship, law and dreaming, cut with dub-techno currents and sculptural sound.”

“Killjoy took this out easily for me with his two track release on my label Extra Spicy. The first time i heard Gurt i could of cried with joy - one of those tracks where its like this is exactly the sort of progressive bass music i've been searching for thats actually moving the dial.

How do you make such a bouncy fun tune from entirely percussion thats still so danceable. Paired with a B side OH with a feature from Atticman which is so dark and heavy but again so danceable. Chefs kiss, no notes on either tune.”

“Caru is the King of the Underground down here, Brandn is the illest MC, this was a match made in heaven that no one saw coming.”

“Tokelauan singer and songwriter Romi Wrights new single 'Shine Your Light' has a special place in my heart. It was dedicated to our late friend DJ, artist and community aunty Andyheartthrob (Andrea Orani) who we lost last year to cancer. Romi's voice is full of soul, sauce and seasoning. To see her go from strength to strength with each release has been incredible to witness.”

“According to my dj playcount this is it. I can't stop, won't stop playing this insanely groovy EP by Kate Miller. 'The Embrace' is a secret weapon to get any dance floor moving, I always play it with a smile on my face, it's just so infectious and joyful.

That intricate, drummy percussion is a real signature Kate Miller sound and am so excited that one of my favourite djs is now one of my favourite producers.”

“This song is very distinctive!! Feels like Australia’s next wave of music will need to surfed on!! I love Ash's accent to start off with, he carries South Africa in this song with his ancestral links “who needs a bodyguard when I got tradition.”

When I heard that specific line I was like YEAH Game OVER!! Mama Africa is in the building!! we’re coming in heavy!!!”

“The amount of love this record has received is one of the year’s best results. This collaboration is big, fun, incredibly well put together, and truly momentous. In a year of some incredibly awful news, not only in a geopolitical sense but in the music world, ‘Ouss Ouss’ was a regular reminder for me that real can fucking recognise real.”

‘I’ve listened to this album front to back so many times I’ve lost count. I really can’t give Joe any more props than I already have, but I hope this can be a fitting full stop to a year of glazing. Really beautiful introspective work that is as finger-gun appropriate as it is for a jerking tears."

“At this point, what hasn’t been said about this record? This album will go down as one of Australia’s best, and it’s been such a pleasure to see Nina get the recognition she deserves.”

"There’s a clear and comfortable merging of worlds currently being experienced in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand’s more ‘electronic’ spaces. Perhaps as somewhat of a reaction to the ‘harder, faster’ mentality that is continuing to dominate the increasingly mainstream of these spaces, live elements, slower genres and vocals are being regularly intertwined into DJs sets, dedicated club nights, mix series and as bookings themselves.

Now Always Fades is the latest addition to this growing roster, having this made an incredible debut in the form of a full-length record."