This is part four of a six-part series on the year in indie Aussie music. 

Here we cover the year's highlights in jazz, funk, soul, reggae, and psychedelia - kicking things off with the ultimate break out of 2025, the instant classic bogan funk track Keith from Playlunch.

Our other favourite funk track of the year was the disco-inspired One Way Ticket To Mars from retro band Supa Lucia who have also had a fantastic year.

Playlunch

Things were busy in the world of soul, with a string of brilliant tracks from WILSN culminating in the album Bloom, and four stand out singles from Kaviitá, including Melanin Skin.

2025 also saw Bumpy release the album Kanana, which includes comfort-track Cosy Comfy, while we couldn't get enough of the EP Maybe I'm Not Too Sensitive (I Am) from EMEREE.

EMEREE

On the psychedelic scene, clove dropped their self-titled album of psych-folk which impressed, The Double Happiness brought us an album of surfgaze with SPACETIME, and we listened to the album No Longer Not Yet from The Deep Sigh for our fix of psych rock.

The Deep Sigh

HAVE A LISTEN!

There were plenty of awesome releases this year, but we've made it easy for you to check out the year's top jazz, funk, soul, and psychedelic tracks!

Find all our favourite jazz, funk, reggae, and soul tracks of the year on our TUNE IN! playlist.

Check out all our fave psychedelic tracks of the year on our PEACE OUT! playlist.

Who knows, you might find some tracks to include when you vote in the HOMEGROWN HUNDRED (voting is open until Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - vote for your fave Aussie artists now!)