The best of 2025. Soliti artists pick their highlights of the year! See you on the other side!

Astrid Swan

Books of 2025
1. Yiyun Li: things in nature merely grow (2025)
2. Neige Sinno: Sad Tiger (2025)
3. Molly Jong-Fast: How to Lose Your Mother (2025)
4. Lidia Yuknavitch: Reading the Waves (2025)

These four books are not going to be ones I will forget in 2026 or ever. In their own and distinct ways, they all have to do with mothering, daughtering, grief, violence and abuse and the kinds of afterlives that often get named survival but which these books wish to show are more nuanced than that. Survival is not interesting to Sinno, Yuknavitch, Li or Jong-Fast. These are some of the most difficult, emotionally demanding books I have ever read.

Each author lives and writes in a continued relationship to their losses and/or abuse. In Neige Sinno’s case she writes Sad Tiger to order and shape her understanding of her experience as the victim who continues to be seen and defined and to suffer from her experiences of childhood sexual violence. She shows how the abuse continues to occur in her present first through the procedures that are supposed to come to her aid: legal measures. Then in her adult life as a partner and parent as well as a storyteller, Sinno continues to face the ghostly presence of her abused child self and her abuser, her parent. Sinno investigates and examines in detail the systemic ways in which the abusers and rapists of children continue to be protected by structures and how to tell of the abuse is a way of becoming the problem through the telling.

Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir Reading the Waves is a kind of follow-up to her 2010 memoir The Chronology of Water (which in 2025 is out as a movie based on this memoir). In Reading the Waves Yuknavitch continues to tell her life’s story after many wonderful books of fiction and therefore makes something with the narratives of abuse and loss that her life experience holds. In this book she resides in a narrow sliver of past life, keeping her focus on a smaller detail (rather than a whole life so far): a relationship with a man that was quickly introduced in her first memoir. More central and radical than the story of this relationship is the way art counter-acts with trauma. I love the way Yuknavitch makes the importance of writing and telling her stories explicit, for example: “[…] I’ve chosen to spend my life creating literature as resistance. It’s where I want to put my energy, alongside legions of others who have given their lives to storytelling.” (41) With themes of child loss, childhood abuse, drug and alcohol addiction and suicide, the introduction of writing as a material, embodied effort to save herself is necessary. Creativity is the life-vest. Reading the Waves confirms to my delight and to my simultaneous horror that in telling a story one way we do not end the story – it lives in us, it transforms, and it may have to be retold.

Yiyun Li’s things in nature merely grow was written soon after the suicide of Li’s child James in 2024. The memoir is not willing to be slotted as a grief memoir, because Li has much to criticise about the way grief is understood in contemporary culture (sentimental and something to get over). Considered as a mothering memoir the book would also not fulfil standard expectations. Yet, I read it as an invaluable document of mothering and of grief. What could be more important in mothering than to learn to love one’s children unconditionally, without understanding and without control?
This book sits profoundly among loss. It declares that grief is not something we let go of, ever. Seven years before James’ death at 19, Li’s other son Vincent committed suicide at the age of 16. Li wrote and published a novel in his honor (Where Reasons End, 2019). This time Yiyun Li says fiction is not the format that would best honor James. Instead, she writes an account of thinking through her losses, describing events before and after and the reactions of others both to her loss and her way of dealing with grief. Although this is a book for James, it addresses both deaths. Li attempts to examine the experience of her own suffering from a place of enough detachment so as not to focus on emotions and despair, but in clear-headed depiction. This is an engaging book similar to Joan Didion’s Notes to John (also published this year) or her memoir The Year of Magical Thinking (2005). These books are impossible to put down or to turn away from. While she is not interested in asking why her sons chose death when they did or is interested in creating a coherent narrative, Li’s style makes space for the reader’s feelings and interpretations. Things in nature merely grow turns into a sort of philosophical (in the best possible way) accounting which honors the separateness of a mother’s children and honors the experience of the mother in grief.

Molly Jong-Fast’s style in How to Lose Your Mother is reminiscent of her mother Erica Jong – in delightful ways: there is a directness – this time about Erica – but also about the sense of neglect and its aftermath in which Jong-Fast has lived her life often caring for her mother and her various partners in life. This memoir comes from the point when Jong-Fast’s famous mother Erica no longer manages to live unassisted and her active alcoholism is stymied by forgetfulness. At the same time the author must decide how to intervene with her parent, she finds herself the wife of a cancer patient and a mother of still-young-children. Once again, life in Manhattan is complicated and loss looms large.
It is only fair that a daughter who has been the subject and a caricature in her mother’s writing all through her life, finally responds with her own memoir. Still, this is not just a revenge book but an insight into middle-life and the point where it is no longer easy to distinguish between carer and the cared-for. It is a memoir willing to address the shades of grey and willing to tell of life experiences that make interesting self-life-writing but with which celebrity kids do not have to engage (and too often they don’t). Jong-Fast’s is a fun peek into nepobaby-land and the kinds of New York stories that only she could tell. She is a writer who can hold both humor and sorrow at the same time.

TV/Film/podcast of 2025

1. Dying for Sex – series (FX)
Based on a real-life story and a podcast, Michelle Williams plays Molly Kochan diagnosed with incurable cancer and Jenny Slate plays her best friend, Nikki Boyer. This stylishly realized miniseries depicts Molly’s transformation as illness takes over and dying becomes a reality. How to live becomes the central question on Molly’s mind and she makes the necessary changes so as not to die while alive.
What makes this series special is the way it manages to depict what happens to self, to everyday life and relationships when facing mortality. In Molly’s case her diagnosis begins a curious trip into her own sexuality and the claiming of territories that childhood abuse had threatened to permanently fence off. Dying for Sex manages to hover in the vicinity of themes such as the grief that a dying person experiences, which most of the time is cleaned away in our contemporary existence.
2. New Yorker at 100 – documentary
This documentary combined my two loves: The New Yorker and the depiction of writers, journalists, archivists and other characters whose work is to tell stories of all kinds and to preserve them. New Yorker is in many ways the best view into humanity and I love it unconditionally and longingly.
3. Asura – series (Netflix)
In the endless stream of Anglo-American productions of films and tv-series I felt invigorated to watch a Japanese series. Much of the way it portrayed a family dynamic and aesthetics of the 1970s Japan felt more relatable to me than I expected, as if my Finnish sensibilities came to my aid (strangely) in a manner that never occurs with Anglo-American culture. In following the depiction of the dynamics of the four sisters facing their elderly parents’ relationship, I found myself thinking that to be encountered with strangeness and unfamiliar meaning constructions was good for me, it demanded my attention. Asura got me dreaming about visiting Japan and until then, reminded me to follow Japanese cinema and TV.
4. All there is with Anderson Cooper -podcast
My favorite podcast started its third season. As someone researching grief and as someone always grieving, this program is a gift. I recommend it to everyone.

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Juppe 

Here’s some of my favourite things from this year

Movie: Weapons

Album: Charlie Hunter & Ella Feingold – Different Strokes for Different Folks

Song: tv room – Harvest Moon

Comic: Centuria

Game: Metaphor: ReFantazio

Rock: Tourmaline

Animal: Risto (a dog)”

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Alina Kolehmainen (Spotless Souls)

Songs I listened to:
10cc – I’m Not In Love
U2 – Where The Streets Have No Name
Florence Adooni – Mam Pe’ela Su’ure

Films I watched:
Shunji Iwai – All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)
Mika Ninagawa – Helter Skelter (2012)
Wong Kar-wai – Chungking Express (1994)

Best gigs:
Regina, Tavastia
Okra Playground, Väen Valkeat
The Rollstons, Sophie

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Joona Kinnunen (Ghosts on TV)

End of year lists! Okay I have a traditional one and a new one, but let’s chat a bit before that.

Last year I talked about Ghosts on TV’s anniversary shows and how after those gigs we started making our third studio album. I can happily say that you’ll hear more from that record in February, and I have to tease it just a little by saying that this album crystallizes my own art rock ideals quite nicely. I also talked about how touring abroad suddenly became part of everyday life, grateful as fuck for that. With Ghosts on TV we apparently don’t do safe Central Europan tours – we only go to Russia or USA. Yea, America is where we’re heading next, together with my other band Thelma’s Dream. Exciting… This year was also the release year of Thelma’s Dream’s debut album, thanks for the great reception. It felt like we even became part of some kind of current dream pop and shoegaze trend? Quite rare for me.

A special thank you for this year also goes to Mary Ann Hawkins, with whom I got to play big festivals for the first time since the HENRIK! years (not much to see at the festivals). Above all we did a a small UK tour. I even went to Jubilee Street in Brighton, my Nick Cave tribute. There was absolutely nothing there, just one crappy Starbucks. What also stuck in my mind was the Italian mountain village of Feltre, where we played with moshimoshi in a local guy’s living room. Never forget. And talking about trends, seems like the hardcore-derived emo is still going strong in Finland and in Europe underground, at least judging by the number of bands. Of course personally I only listen to Radiohead and I’ve never even seen a skateboard, so I don’t know anything about that. But the single best gig I played this year? Our Oakahtoakseh comeback at Kapsäkki. Ghosts on TV’s producer Alec and our bass player Otto performing their world-class neo-folk, lyricism and who knows what, with a nine-piece band whose roots also go all the way back to our high school.

But okay lets move to general culture topics, this year I started a Letterboxd account! Boston_joona33. I can recommend Letterboxd, I’ll definitely follow you back. So let’s start with the first list:

Top 5 films of 2025!

Weapons
One Battle After Another
PMMP Keikalla: Ei enää ikinä
28 Years Later
Jossain on valo joka ei sammu

And Top 5 classic films that I finally saw for the first time this year

Lost Highway
Beau Travail
The Deer Hunter
In Bruges
Sound of Metal

Ok! See you on Letterboxd.

And hey, next year I’m also planning to do a job-hunting post in the autumn, so culture industry folks, stay alert already. Turn notifications on for updates for example.

But indeed, the traditional list I give to this column:
Top 20 gigs I saw this year!

At best going to shows still hits almost as hard as it did when I was a kid, whether I’m there alone (actually really like that), with my beloved partner or with friends. Can recommend, this is how it went.

Swans – Paavli Kulttuurivabrik

Black Country, New Road – 3Theatre

Anohni & The Johnsons – Allas Sea Pool

Viagra Boys – Tavastia

Beth Gibbons – Flow

Charli xcx – Flow

Queens of The Stone Age – Nordis

Sydän, Sydän – Ääniwalli

Mew – Kesärauha

Lankum – Tavastia

Sturgill Simpson – Kultsa

The Smashing Pumpkins – Nordis

Grande Mahogany – Kallio Block Party

Joose Keskitalo – Ala-Malmin Puisto

Lau Nau – Äänen Lumo

Iron Maiden – Olympiastadion

Passepartout Duo – Flow

Air – Flow

Anna Von Hausswolff – Tavastia

Khid – Korjaamo

Most honorable mention: Ex Tuuttiz @ Kallio Block Party. Rest In Peace

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Appu Jasu (The New Tigers)

music:

Not a new release but according to my last.fm (yes, last.fm!) the most listened song of the year:
Fishmans – Night Cruising

tv:

– The Rehearsal, HBO
Nathan Fielder with a perfect mix of absurd, reality tv, documentary and comedy.

– Asura (Ashura no Gotoku), Netflix
Hirokazu Kore-eda’s directing is always such a pleasure.

live:

Smashing Pumpkins, Helsingin jäähalli
Bob Dylan, Veikkaus areena
RSO (Nicholas Collon), Cynthia Millar & Steven Osborne – Turangalîla-Symphonie (Olivier Messiaen), Musiikkitalo

accessory of the year:

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Pink Chameleons

Pink Chameleons’s Best Stuff 2025

Hanna
My number one thing in 2025 was joining Pink Chameleons

I also read a lot of band biographies, though I’m not sure I can recommend most of them, heh.
In the Jingle Jangle Jungle: Keeping Time with The Brian Jonestown Massacre by Joel Gion
definitely made me laugh the most — a great book!

I’m currently reading Leipää ja ruusuja by Anna Kontula, and it’s a good read too.

The top show was Oasis in Manchester. It was MAD! Pilgrimages to Strawberry Records, Salford
Lads Club, and Ian’s old house and his grave have been on my bucket list for a few decades, and I
finally managed to make it happen.

I’d like to list all my favourite albums of 2025, but to be frank, I think I mostly listened to NTS and
my old, mouldy favourites

Antti

BEST THING: Hanna joining the band

BOOK: Becky Chambers: A Psalm for the Wild-Built
A Psalm for the Wild-Built is a beautiful, gentle, wise and thoughtful book about life and ways of being.

BEST MUSEUM: Margate Crab Museum
Margate Crab Museum is a delightful museum with loads of interesting information about crabs and innovative exhibition set ups. The exhibition carries through an important message about the doomed road we are walking down in this sad capitalistic and patriarchal world of ours.

BEST RECORD RELEASED IN 2025: Dijon – Baby
Dijon’s 2025 album Baby took me completely by surprise. I only found Dijon’s music in mid-December 2025 and been listening to both of his albums non-stop ever since.

Paltsa:

– Best thing this year was Hanna joining Pink Chameleons.
– Non-alcoholic Guinness Beer. It’s good stuff. I drank lots of it.
– Caffeine-free Pepsi Max. It’s wonderful. I drank lots of it.
– Skyrim. Still the best video game.

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Aarni Artemjeff (Spotless Souls)

Songs released this year that really inspired me

Bon Iver – If Only I Could Wait (2025)

Puma Blue – gone is the grace (2025)

anaiis – Deus Deus (2025)

Movies released this year that I enjoyed

Yorgos Lanthimos – Bugonia (2025)

Francis Lawrence – The Long Walk (2025)

Michael Shanks – Together (2025)

The best shows I went to this year

Patti Smith @ Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin (2025)

Ganavya @ B.leza, Lisbon (2025)

ANOHNI and the Johnsons @ Allas, Helsinki (2025)

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Stina Koistinen (Stinako)

 

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Triani (Soliti)

Highs

My family remain my everything.

Soliti and the great artists I’m working with. Next year the label turns 15 and it’s hard to comprehend the crazy high standard of music we release each year. Looking back on the vast discography of the label I can feel some satisfaction that we’ve often reached the heights I had in mind when starting-out all those years ago. By no means a taken for granted endeavour – Soliti remains an outlet of thoughtful and distinct expression which brings me immense satisfaction – and a sense of I-have-to-pinch-myself  that I’m a part of something so good.

If you understand my complete obsession with football, Tottenham Hotspur winning a trophy after 17 years felt really good – walking on air vibes.

Visiting Oxford.

Music
I sometimes felt the year had been generally flat.
But looking back on the new music and reissued music I listened too – it was a very good year amongst all the sprawl.
Here’s some constant companions

Bill Evans Trio – Haunted Heart: The Legendary Riverside Studio Recordings
Blood Orange – Essex Honey
Bruce Springsteen – Tracks II – The Lost Albums
Buckingham Nicks – Buckingham Nicks
Cass McCombs- Interior Live Oak
Cate Le Bon – Michaelangelo Dying
The Durutti Column – The Return of the Durutti Column
Everything Is Recorded – Temporary
Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On
Jack Frost vinyl reissues
Joanne Robertson – Blurr
Lucrecia Dault – A Danger To Ourselves
Nick Drake – The Making of Five Leaves Left
Oneohtrix Point Never – Tranquilizer
Perfume Genius – Glory
Fire Engines – Chrome Dawns
Robert Forster – Strawberries
ROSALIA – LUX
Sault -10
Stereolab – Instant Holograms on Metal Film
Tobias Jess Jr – shine
The Tubs – Cotton Crown
Water From Your Eyes – It’s a Beautiful Place

Watching
As usual – watching has been falling asleep in front of a computer late at night – when I didn’t do that…

Has been mostly online
The Guardian
HS
Pitchfork
Sight & Sound remains peerless.

Mood Machine – Liz Pelly
Button Man by JohnWagner and Arthur Ranson
Judge Dredd A Better World by Williams etc.
Battle/Action new series of titles
Gods And Monsters by Peter Biskind

Live shows have remained a struggle for me  but managed great shows from Anohni & The Johnsons, Queens of The Stone Age, Beth Gibbons, Bob Dylan and Beyonce

The general lack of leadership and/or sense of morality that has inflicted the planet earth.
This terrible Finnish Government being populated by racists and idiots.
The destruction of the Labour Party in the UK by Starmer and his incompetents
The Orange Tan given way too much time
Inequality growing
Anti-trans legislation

The lack of Ange Postecoglou in the PL aligned with the slow chaotic death of Tottenham Hotspur under Thomas Frank/ENIC

It’s seriously hard to find photographs of oneself as you age, photos that look in any way reasonable. Whether I care to admit it or not, I am vain. Ageing is fine (really) – but trying to hold onto something that isn’t there anymore leads to disappointment. The selfies that appeal are diminishing. This photo was taken by Astrid Swan.

The Music Industry naval gazing and obsession with apps it neither controls or owns.
Time to start talking about the music again.

See you in 2026
Triani x

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