2025 in Review // Seawind of Battery’s Hidden Gems (Pt. 3)

Seawind of Battery is the ambient, cosmic experimental project of New York-based musician Mike Horn. In 2024, Mike released his sophomore album, East Coast Cosmic Dreamscaper, alongside collaborator Jarrod Annis on Charlottesville’s WarHen Records. Beyond recording, Mike hosts the bi-monthly radio program Battery Operated on CAMP Radio, airing on the first and third Thursdays of each month. While 2025 did not see a new Seawind of Battery full-length, Mike did curate and release the Save the Waves: People for Public Media compilation, which raised over $4,000 in support of PBS and public media.

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I have now been hosting my radio show for over a year, and the experience has fundamentally expanded how I discover and engage with music. It has opened my ears to an ever-growing wave of records sent my way, sparked unexpected friendships, and added substantially to my already bottomless stack of music I love. Some of the albums included here may look familiar from year-end lists like Aquarium Drunkard or other adjacent roundups. That overlap is inevitable. What I really want to focus on, however, are the records that resonated most deeply with me. These are albums that may not have received the recognition they deserve but left a lasting imprint nonetheless.

Find part 1 of the roundup here and part 2 here. Enjoy the journey.

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Andy Pitcher: dot

Andy Pitcher arrives with a jazz fusion guitar record that avoids the usual pitfalls through sheer personality and depth. His playing moves effortlessly between heartfelt expression and technical command, yet the album never loses cohesion. Pitcher’s solo work, along with his collaborations with Nick Millevoi, continues to highlight a musician operating at a very high level.

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Dan Galucki: stardoor

Described as music made to accompany his son in dreams and his father beyond the stardoor, Galucki’s debut solo effort is as emotionally resonant as it is immersive. The concept draws you in, but it is the trance-like quality of the music that keeps you there. Best experienced late at night, lights off, and ideally on cassette, this record is one of the most transportive releases of the year.

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Hipwell + Kasperkiewicz: Hemispheres

Jakub Kasperkiewicz had a remarkably active 2025, capped by his stunning solo release Sunflowers in October. Earlier in the year, he joined forces with Hipwell for a collaboration that feels both organic and inevitable in the best possible way. Hemispheres delivers a dense, immersive ambient experience that builds patiently before unfolding like a tidal wave. It stands firmly among the most essential ambient releases of 2025.

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rootless & starbirthed: rootless & starbirthed

Recorded in 2019 and finally unearthed by Feeding Tube Records, this release captures a moment of collaborative intimacy that feels especially poignant in hindsight. Jeremy Hurewitz joins Ash Brooks and Matt LaJoie to create a record that stands apart from their individual catalogs. It is a snapshot of pre-pandemic connection and shared space, rendered with warmth and restraint.

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Loose Diamonds: Pacifico Suns

Featuring members of Aux Meadows and friends, Loose Diamonds deliver nearly forty minutes of improvised live music originally created for the Psychedelic Sangha bardo bath. Limited to just twenty-five copies, this record leaves you wanting more. It would be a shame if this remained a one-off, as the chemistry here is undeniable.

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Various Artists: Hello Sunshine: A Tribute To Relatively Clean Rivers

This tribute feels long overdue, and Andy French curated it with care and intention. Featuring artists like Garcia Peoples, Rose City Band, Trummors, and Bobby Lee, the compilation honors the original while bringing new energy to its songs. Whether you are already familiar with Relatively Clean Rivers or discovering them for the first time, this record is essential listening.

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Action & Tension & Space: New Dimensions

It remains baffling that this band has not appeared on more year-end lists. New Dimensions is one of the strongest pure psychedelic rock records of the year, delivering exactly what the name promises. The tension is perfectly calibrated, never rushed and never stagnant. This album keeps you suspended in space, which is exactly where it wants you.

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Brian John McBrearty: Remembering Repeating

Released early in the year, Remembering Repeating set the tone for what 2025 would become. Even months later, it remained impossible to leave off a year-end list. This is a meditative gift to the jazz world, rich with emotion and intention. Every note feels considered, and the record rarely leaves my turntable for long.

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Aux Meadows: Draw Near

Aux Meadows were everywhere in 2025, and Draw Near stands as the crown jewel of a prolific year. From compilation appearances to standout covers and side projects, the trio remained remarkably consistent. This album is another love letter to cosmic Americana and solidifies Aux Meadows as a reference point for anyone exploring this space.

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John Swanke: Rain Country

I have followed John Swanke closely since the early pandemic days, and Rain Country feels like his most complete and risk-taking work to date. Released via Eiderdown Records, the album is cinematic in scope and rich with emotion. Swanke’s love letter to the Pacific Northwest comes through clearly, making this an ideal companion for mossy backroads and rain-soaked days.\

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Throwing Shapes: Throwing Shapes

This was my favorite discovery of 2025. Once it hit the turntable, it rarely left. Built around harp-led sonic exploration, Throwing Shapes delivers minimalist bliss with lasting impact. It stands confidently on its own and remains one of the year’s most memorable ambient records.