2025 threw plenty at us. Music kept throwing back.

This is Rhythm Passport’s year-end selection: 250 tracks that held our attention, shifted our mood, and refused to leave the rotation. The list draws on label catalogues, Bandcamp digging, promos and recommendations, long-term favourites and complete newcomers. Global bass, unconventional pop, jazz that keeps its edge, folk in renewed forms, rap travelling between languages, and electronic music rooted in both dance floors and tradition.

No algorithm built this. Just 12 months of listening, and coming back to what stayed.

Stream it front to back. Shuffle it. Skip around. Let one track pull you toward the next. That’s how the best discoveries happen anyway.

And don’t forget, we’ve already started exploring 2026, replenishing our Cabinet of Curiosities…

Watch the full playlist:

Listen to it: 

Track list (ordered by release date):

• HJirok – Passaporte
• Bad Bunny – DtMF
• Everything Is Recorded & mary in the junkyard – Swamp Dream #3
• Alsarah & the Nubatones – Bye Bye
• Black Flower – Synesthetic
• The Halluci Nation – Babylon (feat. Northern Cree)
• M.I.A + OHMNIMUSIC – ARMOUR
• DDUMA – Naddhra
• Park Jiha – Water Moon
• Annie & the Caldwells – Wrong (feat. Deborah Caldwell Moore)
• Celia Wa – Demounaj
• Oriental Brothers International Band – Mu Na Gi Wu Nwanne
• LA NIÑA – GUAPPARIA
• Anthony Joseph – Satellite (feat. Eska)
• Raul Monsalve y los Forajidos – Fuego al Campanero
• Aita Mon Amour – LHedawiyet
• Anoushka Shankar – Hiraeth
• Lagartijeando – La Cumbia de la Selva
• Joao Selva – Viens Danser (feat. Clea Vincent)
• BaianaSystem – BATUKERE (feat. Dino d’Santiago + Antonio Carlos & Jocafi)
• Maria Yfeu – Dime Que No
• Vangelis Vrachnos – Efterpi (feat. Thomas Meleteas, James Wylie & George Klountzos)
• Populous – Luna acida
• BANTU – State of Emergency (feat. Vector)
• Combo Chimbita – Dimelo
• Los Piranas – Una Oportunidad Más de Triunfar en la Vida
• LA BOA meets Tony Allen – LA MAQUINA DE TONY
• Lucrecia Dalt – cosa rara (feat. David Sylvian)
• Las Cafeteras – TIA LUCHA (feat. Jasmine Lopez)
• DJ Lag – YEBO (feat. Thobeka)
• Yasmine Hamdan – Hon
• Nayomi x Perrie – Eih El Kalam
• Travelers All Stars – Another Life
• Romano – Gule Gule
• Enji – Ulbar
• PAMBELE – Damelo
• Alabaster DePlume – Invincibility
• Molotof – Spray 02 (DANSÉ)
• Immy Owusu & Sensible J – Curly Hair
• Utena Kobayashi & Motion Graphics – Sanka
• Biga*Ranx – Danse (feat. Atili)
• nour – GARALI EH
• Saint Levant – DIVA
• 47SOUL – Ghost Town
• Ezra Collective – Body Language (feat. Sasha Keable)
• Rael & Ludmilla – Vibe
• Zar Electrik – Sahrane Lile
• DJ Dolores – Das Ruas
• ukandanz – Yene Felagote
• Little Simz – Flood (feat. Obongjayar & Moonchild Sanelly)
• Hit La Rosa – Ave De Campo
• Bejuco – Torbellino
• Santa Salut – CUANTO FALTA (feat. Ana Tijoux)
• el nido – Agudillo
• Gyedu-Blay Ambolley – Wake Up Afrika
• Chefe Ruda – Na Hora
• Meryem Aboulouafa – Breath of Roma
• Surprise Chef – Dangerous
• Tshegue – Plus de Place Nulle Part
• Roberta Lips – En Plein Coeur
• El Michels Affair – Mr Brew
• Yaeji – Pondeggi (feat. E Wata)
• Pat Kalla & Le Super Mojo – Cabosse (feat. Fixi)
• Raz & Afla – Going Back to My Roots
• Protoje – BIG 45
• Las Panteras – Hasta Cuando
• Mellow Mood – Home or Abroad (feat. Anthony B & Dub Inc)
• Muito Kaballa – In My Delir (feat. Petite Noir)
• Ecko Bazz & Chrisman – PLANI
• El Balcon – El errante
• Jalen Ngonda – Just As Long As Were Together
• Calibro 35 – Reptile Strut
• Sami Galbi – WIN
• Renata Flores – Tijeras II
• Charif Megarbane – Dreams of an Insomniac
• Sounds and Stories from Ruhnu Island – En Liten Fågel
• Nazar – Anticipate
• Salin – Rammana
• The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble – Gemini
• Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson – Going to Raleigh
• Veronica Ruiz & Danny tiene Beats – Bailar
• Kwashibu Area Band – Nkwanta Bisa (At the Junction)
• The Budos Band – Overlander
• ESINAM & Sibusile Xaba – Flowing Keep Flowing
• Scientist meets Blanc du Blanc – The Receptive Harmony of Stars
• Arp Frique & The Perpetual Singers – The Gospel Of Jesamy
• Use Knife – Che Mali Wali
• Phi-Psonics – New Pyramid
• Bardo – Renacer (feat. Combo Chimbita)
• Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek – Yakamoz
• Queenstown Collective – Unit 99 (feat. Poppy Daniels)
• Nadah El Shazly – Kaabi Aali
• Nidia Gongora – Pacifico Maravilla
• Yugen Blakrok – The Grand Geode (feat. Sa-Roc)
• Omerar Nanda – Oriental Doubt
• عصام صاصا (Essam Saasa) – محكمه ودخلنا علي المفرمه
• Yuma – Kassaman
• Dub Inc – Decibels
• Kewale & Rodrigo Ciampi – Madrugada
• Emmanuel Jal – Bile Bile (feat. Shamma Lee & Nyadollar)
• Wegz – ElWa3d
• Valiant – Selfish
• Lous and The Yakuza – Good to know
• Frente Cumbiero – Cumbia Trosky
• Saigon Soul Revival – Con Tim Va Nuoc Mat
• Farhot – MARS
• Duo Ruut – Kuuse koht
• Kanazoe Orkestra – Willy Ka Djo (feat. BB sans OS)
• AMMAR 808 – AH Yallila (feat. Mahmoud Lahbib & Mariem Bettouhami)
• Tim Bernardes – Prudencia
• Kasai – 地団駄
• Etyen – My Goddess
• Ekowmania & The Rhythmers – Rekpete
• Lina Makoul – Radiya
• Maurice Louca – Bariy (Fera)
• Edaa Swoosh & DGD – Gordo con amor (remix) (feat. Bocafloja)
• QUANT – Mar (feat. Constanca Quinteiro)
• Marlon Williams – Whakameatia Mai
• Adrian Quesada & Hermanos Gutierrez – Primos
• Efi Cruise – Lekeleke
• Choplife Soundsystem x Jessi Selm x Mr Eazi,Les Teriba – Never Walk Alone
• Cacife Clandestino – Esquina Dos Deuses
• Turbulence x Makaru – Cut Off The Serpent Neck
• Amine – Changer (feat. chlothegod)
• Tekno – Alhaji
• Bleu Soleil & Luiza – Soleil Bleu
• ZUARAZ – Pinguica
• Νεγρος Του Μορια & Bloody Hawk – Καπως Αλλιως vol 12
• The Diasonics – Oriole
• Kady – Emorio
• Fuse ODG – Sundiata (feat. Suli Breaks)
• Shiran & Bakal – Sghayiroun
• Sanam – Harik
• Melina – Mila Mou Normal (Katse Kala)
• Sexteto Tabala – Negra Santa (Atarrayo Remix)
• Tema Due (Nicola Conte – Nico Lahs) – La Danse de lEsprit (feat. Lalin St Juste)
• Young Jonn & Asake – Che Che
• Cimarons – Give Love
• Nickodemus, Jungle Brothers & Mamadou Tangoudia – Afrokinetic
• WITCH – Kamusale
• Kolinga – Kongo (Hani‘s Remix) (Extended Version)
• Ami Taf Ra – How I Became a Madman (feat. Kamasi Washington)
• Noura Mint Seymali – Guereh
• Kokoroko – Just Can’t Wait
• corto.alto – DONT LISTEN
• Busy Twist, Naren DJ, Marbin Dsua – Afro Exotico (feat. Dela King on Fire & JC Again)
• Briela Ojeda – ANDINA
• Silvana Estrada – Lila Aleli
• David Walters & Keziah Jones – Kite Koule
• OTPMD – Revenant du Nord
• Samara Joy – Flor de Lis (Upside Down)
• LAGOS IN PARIS – Faya (feat. ayisi)
• Nu Genea – Scialla
• Wanlov the Kubolor – Lie Me
• Guedra Guedra – Paradigm
• Adrian Sherwood – The Collapse Of Everything
• The Circling Sun – Seki
• 3ab3az – John Cena
• Sirom – For You This Eve the Wolves Will Be Enchantingly Forsaken
• Kendra Morris – Flat Tire
• Livia Mattos – Caucaia (feat. Varijashree Venugopal)
• La Burla – Grupo Son San
• Hey Bony x Marla – Tiens
• Chinese Man – Hands of the Clock (feat. ASM)
• Clap! Clap! – Bouncy Flow
• The Synaptik x Ghaliaa – Ta3a La3andi
• Cochemea – Omeyocan
• Los Argonautas – El Favor De Hera (feat. Hugo Lobo)
• Thakzin – Bozza Mthathe
• Mluusician, Ricky Lenyora & DJ Maphorisa – Malacosta (feat. Vulela Maweekend, Mark Khoza & Angekebabuye MC)
• Jah Lil – Good times
• DJ Haram – Stenography (feat. Armand Hammer)
• Nyashinski – TAI CHI
• La Pambele – Naci Mestizo (feat. Nicoyembe)
• Kamo Mphela, Aymos, QUE DJ & Jay Music – Partii (feat. SpacePose)
• Crate Classics – Dub Festival
• The Mbira Renaissance Band – Toridza Mbira
• The Animeros – Gozalo
• Taroug – Cicada
• O.B.F SOUND SYSTEM – Guide & Protect
• NENA – Veneno
• Total Hip Replacement & Anyankofo – Obrumankuma (feat. Kwame Yeboah & Nsoroma)
• Nightmares On Wax – Bang Bien (feat. Yasiin Bey)
• Rust – Saat
• Mimika Orchestra – Zrcalo / Mirror (Radio edit)
• Sarathy Korwar – We Take Things For Granted
• Wad Almzad & Elaf Abd Alziz – ست الودع
• Meklit – Lefeqer Enegeza
• Antibalas – La Ceiba
• Kazdoura – Hmool El Safar
• Meral Polat – Govend
• Georgie Hume & The Pity Party – Parquet Parakeet
• Shawn Lee – Harpsichord Rock
• L’Antidote – Dates Figs and Nuts
• Captain Planet & Trio Mocoto – O Xango
• Ino Casablanca – DIMA RAVE
• Mandinga Beat – Mente Sa (feat. Jhayam)
• The Cavemen – Chameleon
• Cerys Hafana – Angel
• Daughters of Donbas – 450 (feat. Marichka)
• Cheikh Lo – Jikko
• LET DRUM BEAT – Abura
• Think Of One – 1000 Fois
• Sunbörn & Clap! Clap! – Acarajé do Salmão
• Nusantara Beat – Ke Masa Lalu
• Patoranking – No Jonze
• Mari Froes – Figa De Guine
• Masego – Unhinged
• SAODAJ – Adye Veli
• Hello Psychaleppo – Alwa6an
• Amadou & Mariam – Furu
• Etran De L’Air – Amidinine
• Hilal Kaya – Harabe
• Bunuru meets Kin’Gongolo Kiniata – Nkuya
• Mauricio Tagliari – Saracura Curar (feat. Orchestra Baobab, Alessandra Leao & Victoria dos Santos)
• Kotoa – Charge It
• Liberato Kani – UNA VOZ QUE NO CALLA (feat. Numen)
• Barzo & Kaleta – Minagan
• Blue Lab Beats – North London Pace
• Imarhan – Tellalt
• Amy Gadiaga – BabyGoated
• Nuevos Rios – Sumba Ale
• Manal – CARTA ROUGE
• Sonic Alley – Rock The Night
• Yaatri – Raina (feat. Zuheb Ahmed Khan, Adnan Khan & Shuheb Hasan)
• Yilian Canizares – MAPUTO
• Melissa Laveaux – Salt Water So Sweet
• COLECTIVA – EERO
• Rodrigo Ciampi – Rosa Vermelha (feat. Batanga & Cia)
• Yazz Ahmed – A Paradise In The Hold (Khalab Remix)
• L’Entourloop – Muffin Kings (feat. Eesah, Hollow Point, Danny English, Echo Minott, Bunny General & Triston Palma)
• SML – How You Been
• Fiddla – IMVULA
• Kefaya & Elaha Soroor – Our Freedoms Must Be Won
• MUZI – CYCLE
• Cain Culto & Xiuhtezcatl – BASTA YA
• El Palmas – La Baja
• Umut Adan & Zebânis – Sale Marino
• Abacaxepa – Menina Praga (dan PARTIES remix)
• Sotomayor – Porvenir
• Al Doum & The Faryds – Arise I
• Souad Massi – Samt
• OUM – Anawyyak
• ABI AFROBEAT – Yamolema
• Psyche – Hurriya (We Must Resist) (feat. Ziad Trabelsi)
• Etaf – Ambeh (feat. Alaa Al Hendi)
• El Far3i & Arab Drumz – Nossik (Remake)
• Marina Sena – Que Delicia o Verao (feat. Pabllo Vittar)
• Juana Molina – Desinhumano
• Ize Teixeira – Barela