We're halfway through the year and there has been plenty of albums out so far that are worth replaying.
Some hit instantly, others grew slowly into daily rotation. These are the albums that have lasted beyond release week. The ones still gettin played around the shop!
From electronic excursions and indie favourites to metal, jazz and everything in between, these are the records that are soundtracking the shop this year!
The Essentials
The records that feel impossible to talk about 2026 without mentioning!
Dry Cleaning - Secret Love (4AD - 9th January)
Sharp, funny and quietly addicitive. Dry Cleaning continue to sound like nobody else, balancing wiry guitars with deadpan observations. It's the sort of record that reveals a new favourite line after each listen.
Pigeon - Outtarnational (Memphis Industries - 1st May)
We are big fans of Pigeon at Crash and this record continued to grab us all. Full of ideas without ever feeling overworked, it's adventurous, energetic and endlessly replayable. The kind of album that reminds you that you should take a chance on something new.
Slift - Fantasia (Sub Pop - 5th June)
Huge in every sense. Cosmic pysch-rock stretched to cinematic proportions, but never losing the sight of the songs underneath. Whether you're listening through headphones or cranking the amp up for the speakers, this one demands your full attention and derves to be played loud!
Jalen NGonda - Doctrine Of Love (Daptone - 5th June)
Another big shop favourite, Jalen is back with album number 2 and it's effortlessly souldful and packed with timeless songwriting. It feels rooted in classic coul traditions without ever sounding like an imitation. One of those rare records that seems equally suited to a Saturday night or a lazy Sunday morning.
Boards Of Canada - Inferno (Warp - 29th May)
First studio album in thirteen years and it brought everything we expected. Mysterious, immersive and impossible to rush! Few artists build atmosphere better than BoC, and this record we've found ourselves playing again and again. The deeper you go, the more there is to uncover.
Angine De Poitrine - Vol. II (Spectacales Bonzai - 3rd April)
A record that seems to bring a bit of snshine with it. Full of left turns, hooks and colourful ideas, Vol. II manages to be adventurous without ever losing it's sense of fun. One of those albums that instantly lifts the mood wherever you are listening.
Still In Rotation
The records that keep finding their way back onto the turntable!
La Securite - Bingo! (Bella Union - 12th June)
Hook-laden, playful and packed with energy. Bingo! has become one of those records that's impossible to play once. Every listen seems to uncover another sharp guitar line or a chorus that sticks around for days.
My New Band Believe - My New Band Believe (Rough Trade - 10th April)
A record that feels wonderfully unhurried. The's warmth, charm and just enough unpredicatability to keep pulling you back in. The sort of album that sneaks into your regular rotation before you realise how often you're playing it.
Sault - Chapter 1 (Forever Living Originals - 9th January)
Few artists make records that feel as immediate and reqarding as SAULT. Full of grove, soul and purpose, Chaper 1 continues to reveal new details with every spin while never losing it's emotional pull.
Kurt Vile - Philedelphia's Been Good to Me (Verve Records - 29th May)
As laid-back as you'd expect, but no less captivating for it. Kurt Vile remains one of the great companions for long walks, Sunday afternoons and moments when you need an album to settle into rather than demand attention.
PVA - No More Like This (It's All For Fun - 23rd January)
Confident, colourful and impossible to sit still to. PVA's blend of electronic experimentation and infectious hooks has given this record serious staying power around the shop, sounding just as fresh now as it did on the first listen.
Best Played Loud
Records that demand volume
Megadeth - Megadeth (Frontiers/BLKIIBLK - 23rd January)
Fast, Sharp and unapologetically heavy. Megadeth continue to prove why they are one of metal's most enduring forces, delivering riffs and solos that practically beg to be played at unreasonable volumes.
Big Special - O'Joy (SO Recordings - 5th June)
Part punk sermon, part cathartic release. Big Special's blend of spoken-word intensity. Pounding rhythms and massive choruses hits hardest when the speakers are working overtime.
FCUKERS - Ö (Ninja Tune - 27th March)
Pure energy from start to finish. Packed with club-ready hooks and enough momentum to carry a dancefloor, this is one of those records that seems to get bigger everytime you hear it.
At The Gates - The Ghost of a Future Dead (Century Media Records - 24th April)
Relentless in the best possible way. At The Gates still know exactly how to balance brutality with a precision, delivering a record that's qual parts ferocious and finely crafted.
Guilt Trip - Armour Of Angels (Roadrunner - 5th June)
No subtley required. Guilt Trip deliver crushing riffs, huge breakdowns and enough raw power to shake the shop shelves. An album that feels built for packed rooms and maximum volume.
Defiant, chaotic and packed with attitude. 'Fenian' hits with the same energy that has made Kneecap one of the most talked-about acts around. Full of swagger and huge beats. Get the stereo cranked up and stick this on!
The Ones People Keep Coming Back For
The albums that people keep coming back in the shop for or are recommending to a the people they know.
Gorillaz - The Mountain (KONG - 27th February)
Another reminder that Gorillaz remain one of the most inventive projects in modern music. Packed with big ideas and memorable moments, it's a record that's rearded repeat visits throughout the year.
Olivia Rodrigo - You Seem Pretty Sad For a Girl So In Love (Geffen Records - 12th June)
Sharp songwritting, huge hooks and plenty of emotional punch. Olivia Rodrigo continues to balance introspection and prilliance in a way few artists can match.
Thundercat - Distracted (Brainfeeder - 3rd April)
Effortlessly cool. Whether he's leaning into jazz, funk or something harder to define, Thundercat always manages to make complexity sound completely natural.
Lime Garden - Maybe Not Tonight (So Young Records - 10th April)
Bright, witty and endlessly likeable. Lime Garden have a knack for writing sounds that stick around long after they've finished, making this one a favourite.
American Football - LP4 (Polyvinyl Record Co. - 1st May)
Thoughtful, understated and beautifully crafted. American Football continue to prove that subtle records can leave the biggest impression, delivering another collection that's easy to get lost in.
Best of Leeds
Some of the Leeds based acts that have been in the shops rotation this year.
Ellur - At Home In My Mind (Dance To The Radio - 6th February)
Honest, Heartfelt and packed with stunning songwritting. Ellur balances vulnerability with confidence throughout creating a record that feels both deeply personal and instantly relatable.
Treeboy & Arc - Goose (Clue Records - 10th April)
Sharp, urgent and full of momentum. Carving their own corner of the post-punk landscape it 'Goose' brings taut rhythms, angular guitars and plenty of personality that's hard to shake once it's got its hooks into you.
Volk Soup - 10p Jazz (Dipterid Records - 16th January)
Playful, inentive and impossible to pin down. Blending jazz, grooce and a healthy dose of experimentation, it's a record that's as rewarding for close listening as it is for simply getting lost in the flow.