james debate
james debate

Saturday, 16 August 2025

Welcoming Robin Debate (2025 - )

 

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat
Illustration by Jolanda Epprecht

They say that it's often the case that as we bid goodbye to one family member, we say hello to another. After last week's bummer of a post remembering the late great Didier Debate, I feel it is worth highlighting the other side of that equation: the joy and delight of welcoming our first son Robin Debate.

Many of you will already have heard the news from us. Robin Reto Debate was born at the start of July, a beautiful, healthy young man with his father's temperament and his mother's eyes (and her grumpy face as well). 

Both son and mother are happy and well. He is growing ridiculously fast and is clearly going to be some kind of an explorer with how keen he is to push himself around with his (surprisingly powerful) legs and see each and every corner of the apartment.

He enjoys a good warm soak in the bath and is generally a chill little guy. Welcome, Robin. We will watch your career with great interest.

















 

Sunday, 3 August 2025

Remembering Didier Debate (2008 - 2025)

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

A sad moment this week as we said goodbye to our beloved cat Didier, at the age of 17. It's taken me a few days to motivate myself to write anything about this, but i'm still going to keep it brief, and then leave you with a bunch of my favourite pictures of this handsome chap.

Didier was born in February 2008, and we adopted him in April at just a few weeks old. Named after Didier Drogba of Chelsea Football Club after we saw his predilection for playing with his toy ball, and his impressive dribbling skills. His other hobbies included patrolling for intruders and watching us cook with keen interest. I think if he had opposable thumbs, he would have been a chef. A little skittish at first, he soon settled in. 

I've heard people comment that he was quite an aloof cat, not necessarily the most outwardly affectionate. A true Debate in that respect. But he showed his affection in other ways, keeping you company, sitting next to you and purring, or jumping on the kitchen counter and shoving the top of his head towards you for a nuzzle. A little presumptuous, perhaps. He would often come up to you, flop on the floor and stretch out his belly expectantly for scratches.

It's odd to think about getting so attached to an animal, but after 17 years he really does become part of the family. He becomes a source of consistency. He's there every year at family gatherings, sitting in his favourite spot, jumping around the furniture, and you begin to just expect he always will be. 

17 years is a long time. 17 years ago, I was still living at home. So many nights of Didier sitting on my desk while I dithered about on the computer, keeping me company. Excitedly greeting me at the door when I got home from Uni. Sometimes too excitedly. We ended up having to get a "Beware of Cat" sign for the benefit of delivery persons.

He was a tough little guy, protecting the garden from foxes and larger cats. He liked trundling about in the snow at winter time, although thought better of it as soon as he felt a few drops of rain.

In later life, he became less energetic, less playful, and spent most of his time sitting with the family and going for the occasional walk in the garden. He still liked a good scratch behind the ears or under the chin.

While it's sad to say goodbye to Didier. He lived a long and happy life and went peacefully, which is about all any of us can hope for.

And with that, let's look at some cute cat pictures.

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering catdidier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat

didier debate in memoriam memory remembering cat
















 

Friday, 18 July 2025

The Club World Cup: was it a success?

Football fans this summer will have been treated to a most unusual spectacle. It had all the hallmarks of an elite football competition, yet with the unmistakable extravagance that one might expect from the Super Bowl. This was the inaugural* edition of FIFA's new flagship competition, the Club World Cup. The concept is ambitious: one competition to rule them all. A meeting of the finest clubs from all over the world, competing for the number one prize in club football. But not everyone has been happy with this new addition to the calendar, and indeed many have responded with strident criticism or even mockery. So now that the competition has concluded and the dust has settled, what can we say? Was this a success?


ephemeric chelsea club world champions 2025 success trump

Running for just under a month, the Club World Cup has been envisaged as the ultimate event of club football, a coming together of the very finest club teams from all over the globe to battle it out for the biggest prize of them all. It's essentially a club football equivalent of the famed World Cup which takes place every four years.

Longtime football fans will have spotted that, while FIFA have taken to referring to this as the inaugural Club World Cup, it isn't really a new competition. The Club World Cup has existed in some form since the year 2000. But until now, it has been a largely forgotten and inconsequential date in the calendar, one competed by a very small number of clubs, just the winners of the previous year's continental competitions, and one severely dominated by the European Champions.

Indeed, there remains even now some ambiguity as to how exactly this new expanded form of the competition fits in with the history. FIFA certainly seem to be referring to this as an entirely new thing, with the winners of the old competition now officially branded as winners of the "Intercontinental Cup", but on the other hand most media outlets and the clubs themselves seem to be viewing this as a simple continuation of the old format. Bizarre and confusing, and something which may yet develop further if FIFA ever decides to provide clarification.

Personally, I think FIFA's view makes the most sense. This new format is so drastically changed, the scope and scale so vastly increased, that it may as well be a new competition. From FIFA's perspective, the stated intent is to make football even more of a global sport, breaking or at least softening the dominance of Europe at the club level, and bringing greater focus to the biggest clubs from elsewhere. For the participating clubs comes financial incentive, with an astonishing $1billion prize pot up for grabs and, at least hypothetically, the prestige of winning the "biggest" prize in world football.

Which brings us to one of the first criticisms that has been levelled at this competition. Is this really a competition of the world's best clubs? After all, this year's Club World Cup featured neither the current English champions Liverpool, nor the runner up, Arsenal, but does have room for Red Bull Salzburg, Mamelodi Sundowns, semi-professional clubs like Auckland City FC, and Inter Miami, a club which has ostensibly won nothing and qualified solely for the sake of allowing the greatest player of all time, Leo Messi, to play in the competition.

The criteria for qualification has been lampooned for its labyrinthine opacity. Now switched from an annual event to once every four years, the champions of the previous four years of continental competitions are admitted. This much is clear. But the remaining places are filled by a somewhat controversial ranking system, with myriad tiebreakers and national limitations (hence why Liverpool and Arsenal were excluded, due to Chelsea and Manchester City having already qualified by way of being European champions). Making matters even more confusing is that different confederations were allowed to devise their own ranking systems, making for a strangely inconsistent set of rules that govern qualification.

Certainly, the structure of this competition still leaves much to be desired, and that is a very valid criticism. Some elements were borderline farcical, such as the measures pursued in order to contrive an excuse for Miami and Messi to appear, a trick they unsuccessfully attempted to pull for Cristiano Ronaldo as well. It's this approach to governance that creates the biggest problem for this competition. Some countries may be used to sports which are more spectacle than real competition, but this understandably puts off many fans from countries with a more traditional footballing history.

This spectacle-driven approach permeates throughout the competition at the moment, from the WWE-style player-by-player walk-ons before each match, to the lengthy half-time shows and mid-match advertising. It may well work for bringing in new fans, the type of consumer who may not ordinarily follow the sport, but for long time football fans, it makes it much harder to take the competition seriously.

In the end, is there something here, or is it just a bit of fluff? For all its structural and tonal flaws, ultimately we still ended up with a largely credible array of top clubs, including the likes of Bayern, PSG, Inter, as well as the top South American clubs. It may not be perfect, but at least conceptually it lived up to the promise of allowing the world's elite clubs to battle it out.

In footballing terms, the Club World Cup mostly delivered. You had the odd joke of a game such as Bayern thrashing Auckland 10-0, or Manchester City beating Al-Ain 6-0. But you also had some genuinely delightful and surprising contests, such as Al-Hilal's impressive 1-1 draw with Real Madrid and Botafogo beating the European Champions PSG 1-0. Europe's clubs are widely viewed as the biggest in the world, but it was clear that most of the others deserved to be here and gave us a real competition.

This is not surprising. This is football. The reason we all love this sport is precisely because anything can happen on the day. The smaller clubs came to this competition up for a fight, sensing an opportunity to appear on a bigger stage, and many of them took advantage.

Then there's the final. In which London's own Chelsea FC shocked the world by demolishing the European champions PSG 3-0. PSG swept aside the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, just one month after thrashing Inter in the Champions League final. The French club have been hyped as the greatest club in world football today, and perhaps the greatest since Pep Guardiola's legendary Barcelona side. They went into this match against unfavoured Chelsea FC, a club that has struggled in recent years following a change in ownership. They must have been expecting a coronation, rather than a match. But Chelsea's historic awesomeness is not the subject of this article, so I will leave it there. Needless to say, Chelsea are world champions. Up the blues.

So for whatever flaws the Club World Cup possesses, I think it is still fair to call it an entertaining competition of football. But what of FIFA's grand ambitions for this to be the absolute pinnacle of the club game? Can they simply conjure up a competition from thin air and have it be as prestigious and worthy as the Champions League or World Cup? The answer to this is... no, not really. Those competitions have decades of history and significance which serve as the foundation for that reputation. For all FIFA's bluster, they can't just magic that out of thin air and expect the footballing world to treat it with the same level of seriousness.

That is not to say that I don't think it will ever get to that level, however. While for now, the Club World Cup is likely to remain something of an alien anomaly in world football, a bit of a Hallmark-contrivance of a football competition, I do think it probable that one day we will view it with the same reverence as the world's top prizes. I think this for one simple reason: money.

In reality, much of this comes down to money. By marketing this as a less Eurocentric, more global event, FIFA is better positioned to sell to the very large Asian and American markets, and bring in eye-wateringly lucrative sponsorship deals. In that sense, it is hard to argue that this endeavour has not been a success. This competition has been broadcast all over the world, and generated massive sponsorship revenue. That FIFA were able to offer an astonishing $1billion prize pot speaks to the economic viability of the concept, and while more than $100million of this was awarded to the eventual winner, much of the remaining pot was spread amongst the other competitors.

This is the simple truth of it. If there's enough of a financial incentive, clubs will play for this competition. Right now, Chelsea are likely to see a huge windfall from the prize money and the brand recognition from achieving this victory on such a global stage. Like it or not, in the modern era that is what clubs are looking for, and if they don't yet, then they will all eventually want a piece of this for themselves.

Most of the criticisms discussed so far are ideological, or sporting in nature. For some, they may not be hugely significant, and can always be tweaked and improved going forward. But there remains one crucial issue that is hugely problematic with the introduction of this new competition: the physical impact on players.

The football calendar is already way too long, with too many games. As it stands, these off-years between the major international competitions serve as crucial rest periods for players. With that rest period now taken away, we are going to see an impact. This will result in more injuries, it will result in shorter careers for some players. At the end of the day, there's only so much we can physically demand from a person, and at some point that limit will be met, with potentially tragic consequences.

So what can be done to help? It's not clear, but I think a good starting point would be to rework the football calendar, at least in Club World Cup years. A winter break surely has to come back into discussion.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this Club World Cup more than I expected. Would I still be saying this if Chelsea had not won? Possibly not, but regardless of my opinion, I do think there is a future for this competition. I think there are still significant issues with this as a competition, from its sporting integrity and merit, to the fixation on spectacle, to player welfare. I would like to see them tighten up some of the rules, tone down some of the extravagance, not shoehorn Donald Trump into the final. I would also like to see a reworking of the football calendar in Club World Cup years to try and make the physical demands on players less extreme than it currently is, including potentially a winter break. Will we get any of that? Who knows. Either way, this is here to stay. If you haven't been paying attention until now, you'll probably need to start doing so.














 

Thursday, 10 July 2025

Trump Tariffs: the what and the why

If you watch the news with any kind of regularity, you will have seen the world abuzz with one thing. The Trump tariffs are a matter of such broad, global consequence that they have the potential to not just affect the American domestic economy, but upend that of the world at large. Despite their import, there has been a great deal of confusion as to what exactly this all means. Misinformation is flying in both directions, not helped by a news media that increasingly seems ill-equipped to brief the public on anything but the most cursory facts. With Trump's big tariff deadline being passed and extended on July 2nd, now seems like a good opportunity to finally get into this: what are the Trump tariffs, why are they being implemented, and how does this affect the rest of us?


trump tariffs reality truth arguments pro con for against benefits purpose why
There seems to be a widespread misunderstanding amongst the public as to what exactly a tariff does and what purpose it serves. So let's start with the basics. A tariff is a fee the Government (could be a national Government, a supranational Government, or customs union) charges to buy and sell goods outside the domestic market. It is essentially a form of tax on cross-border transactions, most commonly imports.

What is the purpose of a tariff? Generally it's to protect local industry. Businesses may seek to import goods and services from elsewhere if it is cheaper, but in doing so they may weaken the domestic providers of those goods and services. By charging a tariff, you are effectively making the import more expensive, and thus less advantageous, in the hopes that without this benefit the business may choose to do business domestically instead.

In general tariffs have become less ubiquitous in our modern globalised economy. The prevailing liberal mindset in recent decades has settled on allowing the free-market to do its thing with as few limitations as it is responsible to allow. That being said, tariffs are still commonly used for strategic purposes to protect vital domestic industries, for example in the military and national security sectors, agriculture, and to protect infant industries and promote national development of key technologies.

What is notable and remarkable about the Trump tariffs is the scale and scope. He is proposing widespread tariffs on broad sectors and at punitively high rates. These are tariffs used to a degree rarely seen in the developed world during the postwar era, and their impact could be devastating to the global economy.

So why is the administration doing this? It's a difficult question to approach simply because there is so much spin, so much misinformation. Both sides are resorting to highly simplified arguments that play well on TV, but that don't really capture the reality of what is going on or why. So let's tackle this in stages. We'll start with the surface-level arguments for and against, the types of discussions you will probably have seen bounced around on cable news over the past several months. Then we can look at some of the deeper arguments, and finally come to the hard truth about the end game of this policy, and what the ultimate result is likely to be.

Depending on who you speak to, these tariffs are either economically illiterate drivel that will crash the global economy, or a necessary action to level the playing field and bring jobs back to America. The truth is more nuanced than you might think. 

The superficial arguments
Suffice it to say, tariffs, and indeed economics as a whole, is a topic with which the general public is only fleetingly well versed. I say that with absolutely no disrespect, economics is a dense and complex subject. Most people are reliant on the explanations they hear from the media and from the Government, and in general these have been of pretty poor quality.

The most common explanation you will hear from the administration is that these tariffs are about other countries paying their fair share, an implication that these tariffs are fees that other countries will need to pay, and that America as a whole will reap the profits from these payments. That, of course, is pretty much nonsense. Tariffs are a tax on the American people. We pay those fees, not the other country. If an American company wants to buy a product from China for $10, and the Trump administration wants to add a 10% tariff on that import, then that product now costs $11. China still gets its $10, the American business pays the extra dollar.

This is sadly pretty typical of what we have seen from Trump's two administrations. Quick, snappy sound bites with little regard as to whether they reflect reality in any way. All positive marketing spin, without any acknowledgement of the downsides.

But I would argue that the opposition's counter-arguments are also wide of the mark. They quite rightly point out that the above explanation is nonsense, but they typically leave it at that. For the sake of simplicity they fire back that a tariff is a tax on the American people, and thus inherently bad in all its forms. There is some truth to this, but it's not the whole truth. As mentioned above, tariffs are and have been used even before Trump came along. They do serve some purpose. But as we've seen, there's little place for nuance in politics these days. Which is why we will now get into some of the deeper arguments.

The deeper arguments
So what are the real arguments for and against tariffs, free from the political spin?

We've already touched on some of this in the preamble to this article, but nowadays tariffs may be used to protect vital industries and ensure that some level of domestic activity exists for strategic or security purposes, even where it is not the most economically efficient.

Tariffs had previously been used more widely prior to the globalisation boom of the late 20th Century, and there is a school of thought that we should move back in that direction. The logic goes that globalisation effectively incentivises the outsourcing of certain types of manual labour, specifically manufacturing and other forms of work that require less formal education, and so can easily be performed in less wealthy nations at lower cost. But we still have those lower-education strata manual labourers in this country, and if we're outsourcing their jobs then they will struggle. 

This is the central dilemma and crux of the anti-globalism ideology. Getting too much into the possible solutions for this problem is beyond the scope of this article, but in the context of tariffs, the argument would be that by making it more expensive to hire labour outside the country, you disincentivise this behaviour and businesses will hire locally instead.

While this is true, it comes with a lot of problems. Proponents of this idea are essentially calling for a return to the more-protectionist economic policy of yesteryear, a nostalgia-tinged time where the nation was prosperous and the lower and middle classes could make enough money to get by. The trouble is, these depictions of the past leave out a lot of crucial context. For starters, poverty was actually much higher back then, and the nation's economy as a whole was a lot smaller. One could argue that the wealth may have been more equitably distributed to all people back then, but the reality is that it's just certain very specific sectors being squeezed right now. The country as a whole is more wealthy now than it has been at any other point in time. That prosperity may not be felt by certain segments of the population, but most classes of people will feel that benefit. Unfortunately, that greater prosperity is directly linked to the very thing these people are trying to reverse, the lower cost of doing business afforded by globalism. 

The example often brought up in the media is Apple. An American company that does most of its manufacturing overseas in places like China where labour is cheaper. Apple is a big, wealthy company, so theoretically they could shrug off the squeeze of tariffs and build their next factory in the US. The problem is that most companies are not Apple. The reason the economy is so much bigger now than it ever has been is because the barrier of entry for people to do business is so low. Most businesses are small or medium sized enterprises, and they may not be able to absorb the same economic shock that a company like Apple can handle.

So while, yes, you could theoretically make it more expensive to do business abroad and disincentivise sending jobs overseas, doing so is going to squeeze these small businesses and ultimately shrink the economy. The result is that more people are likely to end up less well off than they are now. It also won't do much to address the underlying issues causing the economic distress. From a coal-miner's perspective, the matter might seem as simple as giving him a job, but there's a reason why that doesn't work economically any more without intervention. The world has changed, the solution is that wealthier nations need to get better at training a workforce for a modern economy. The current status quo, letting those left behind workers suffer quietly, is unsustainable, but so too is trying to grant them a temporary reprieve by financially doping their industrial sector. The genie won't go back in the bottle.

Logically, your next thought might be 'Well why is the Trump administration doing this then? Why aren't they reaching the same conclusions as you?' The answer is that, actually, they probably are. There's nothing controversial or unorthodox about what I have written above. Whatever you may think of the Trump administration, his economic advisors are not idiots. They know full well that implementing this extreme protectionist policy will likely provide, at best, only a temporary boost to certain demographics, the benefit of which would probably be offset by the damage done to everyone else. So then why press on with it? It's time to look at the hard truth of the Trump tariffs, and shed some light on a core aspect of Trump's leadership style.

The hard truth
Here's the truth about the Trump tariffs: he knows that this kind of extreme protectionist policy isn't going to benefit anyone, least of all Americans, in the long run. He's talking a big game drawing on the nostalgia of an idealised bygone time, and demonising the easy targets as an ill to be cured by drastic action, but in reality it's all for show.

What Trump is doing here is fairly transparent for anyone that has followed his administrations closely and become accustomed to how he gets things done. This whole song and dance is little more than brinkmanship with the rest of the world. Trump is betting that the American economy is so massive, so significant, so crucial to the global economy and the specific economies of other trading partners, that whatever damage these tariffs inflict upon America will be inflicted on those other countries even more so. He's betting that the risk of losing American trade will prove to be such an existential threat to the leaders of other countries, that those leaders will simply offer concessions and more favourable trade terms in order to avoid their implementation. He's probably right.

Honestly, I don't think this style of foreign policy is necessary. I don't think it does much to address the most significant economic issues facing America, and certainly does little to help those struggling economic classes to which his protectionist arguments are addressed, but he's also not wrong. America is just that powerful economically, and he probably can extract economic benefits from other countries through this strategy, extreme though it may be.

This really gets at the core of Trump and how he works. We've seen this playbook before. Noise and chaos, convince the other side that you are irrational and dangerous, force them to the negotiating table just to avoid the risk. It's over the top, but it can work. The problem with this is twofold.

First, and most significant, this administration just hasn't shown itself to be all that competent at negotiation. This week's deadline had been intended as a line in the sand. The expectation was that around 100 new trade deals would be signed by this date, and thus the tariffs could be averted. As of the time of writing, Trump has only managed to reach 3 new trade deals. For whatever else you may think of Trump and his policies, he just hasn't ever been that effective a President. A lot of bluster with little to show for it. This kind of tactic requires a deftness and cunning that Trump's administrations simply haven't demonstrated. With each passing deadline Trump's threat is taken a little less seriously, and his leverage decreases. He can only hope that the gulf in negotiation position is such that he can still scare his opposite number into submission despite these setbacks.

The second issue is, frankly, corruption. Another core attribute of Trump's administrations has been the extent to which he uses his position to benefit himself or his allies both economically and politically. We saw it in his first term when he attempted to bribe Ukraine into helping him win re-election by threatening to withhold military aid, an act for which he was ultimately impeached. We're already seeing it again with these tariffs, with the news this week that Trump was threatening to impose tariffs on Brazil in retaliation for the rightful criminal prosecution of former Brazilian leader, and Trump ally, Jair Bolsonaro. This has always been an issue with Trump, even to the extent that he may be able to get a win from something, it's not always his intention to use this to benefit the country or American people. Sometimes it is purely for self-interested reasons, and unfortunately that may well be the case here.

I think that about sums up the topic. I hope this has been a useful primer as to the subject of tariffs, the arguments for and against, why they aren't as stupid as Trump's opponents would have you believe, but also why there's genuine doubt as to whether we'll actually see any kind of benefit. We'll see how it turns out, but for what it's worth my own view is that I've had enough of this shtick. 










 

Sunday, 25 May 2025

The Ephemeric Premier League 2024/25 Review

Another Premier League campaign in the history books and it was quite the cracker really. Not so much at the top of the table, where Liverpool's march to the title has been something of a foregone conclusion for several months. But elsewhere we had such drama as Tottenham and Manchester United finishing only just outside of relegation, and arguably the most exciting contest for the Champions League qualification places in recent memory. As per tradition, let us sit and digest the season gone by, and ruminate over what is to come.

premier league 2025 liverpool champions

Well they had to lose eventually. Manchester City's record-breaking title streak has come to end, courtesy of a really quite comfortable Liverpool campaign. It marks a remarkable first season in the Premier League for Reds manager Arne Slot, and already there's talk of substantial financial backing from Fenway Sports Group ahead of the upcoming transfer window. It's a good time to be a Liverpool fan and there's a real feeling they could build on this and become a significant force in Europe now.

Arsenal were, once again, the nearly men. A decent season that saw them finish runner up, albeit closer to 7th than 1st and only just managing to steer clear of the tussle for European qualification in these final weeks. For all their hype and effort, the Gunners will once again finish the season trophiless and with Tottenham, miserable league campaign notwithstanding, finally breaking their decades-long silverware duck, that has to sting.

Most of the drama in these final weeks has been in that contest for European qualification, with Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest all competing for three (expanded from two courtesy of the Premier League's impressive European coefficient) spots in the continent's biggest arena. That Villa and Forest missed out on the final day shouldn't detract from just how impressive their season has been, especially on the part of Forest, of whom very little was expected at the start of the season. 

Chelsea, inconsistent once again, will nevertheless celebrate a return to the Champions League despite setting a record as the youngest ever squad in the nation's top flight. For all their woes since the Clearlake takeover, there might finally be signs of a plan coming to fruition. But over these past three years, Chelsea have consistently been their own worst enemy. Fans will be waiting on pins and needles to see if they can get through this transfer window unscathed before getting too optimistic for next season.

As for the Premier League team of the season, a few things jump out. First are the number of really quite excellent signings being made by less prominent clubs, most notably Nikola Milenkovic at Nottingham Forest and Milos Kerkez and Bournemouth. Dean Huijsen (also Bournemouth!) could easily have made this list as well. The second is how quickly things can change for certain players, with team of the season places awarded to two midfielders, Moises Caicedo and Sandro Tonali who, this time last year, I would have declared as flop transfers. There's certainly no one saying that now.

But most of all, really, what can you say about Mo Salah? At 32 years of age he might just have had his finest season yet, becoming the first player to win player of the year, top scorer, and top assister, all in the same season. Truly remarkable.

Now let's get to some awards and the team of the season:


The Ephemeric Premier League Awards 2025:

Winners: Liverpool

Relegated: Leicester City, Ipswich Town, Southampton

Player of the Year: Mo Salah (Liverpool)

U-21 Player of the Year: Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth)

Best Goalkeeper: David Raya (Arsenal)

Top Scorer: Mo Salah (Liverpool) (29)

Most Assists: Mo Salah (Liverpool) (18) 

Manager of the Year: Arne Slot (Liverpool)

Best signing of the season: Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest)

Worst signing of the season: Joao Felix (Chelsea)


The Ephemeric Premier League Team of the Season 2025:

english epl bpl premier league best team xi of the season 2025
So there we have it, another season of Premier League football gone by. We'll see you again next season!






 

Saturday, 26 April 2025

Let's Make Some Wild Garlic Pesto

ephemeric james selina one year living life switzerland zurich london seegraben pfaffikon

I like to think I am a pretty adaptable person. I have been told before that it's almost like there are multiple versions of myself for every context. There's "City James", the posh London boy that so many have grown to love and/or hate. "Country James", the James that wears a flat-cap and picks apples in the rurals. Then there's "Switzerland James". Is he a more practical James? A more in-tune with nature James? More neutral? One thing I can say is that City James would never eat something he found outside on the ground. But Switzerland James, oh boy are you in for an adventure.

Since moving to this new land, I have been awed by its natural bounty. Local produce harvested from robust ecosystems, woodlands practically bursting with foragables. I wanted to get in on the action, and so I invite you to journey with me as I forage and make (under heavy supervision from someone who knows what they are doing) wild garlic pesto, picked from the local forests.

The first step is the most important, and also the hardest. Find yourself some wild garlic. You want damp, shady woodlands, ideally close to a source of water. It looks a little something like this:

ephemeric james selina one year living life switzerland zurich london seegraben pfaffikon

There it is, wild garlic, also known as ramsons. You'll find it in thick carpets, huge amounts in one area. The first thing to notice is that this is not garlic like the bulbs you find in the supermarket. While ramsons is is a member of the same Allium genus as your typical garlic, the bulbs are underground and not typically eaten. Instead, it's the broad green leaves we're after.

But, be careful! Wild garlic leaves can easily be mistaken for similar looking, but toxic, vegetation. Two good tips for being safe: 1) sniff for that garlicky smell. No garlicky smell, no garlic; 2) look at the stems, if it's a single stem, it's safe. If one stem branches into several, then it's not.

So you've identified a plant which is definitely ramsons and definitely not poisonous. Next we need to harvest it. Do so by breaking off the leaves. Be careful not to pull up the roots, that way the ramsons will grow back after picking. As to the amount, it depends on how much pesto you wish to make, but I would say pick more than you expect you will need. You'll be surprised by how little pesto you get for the volume of leaves picked.

On to the kitchen. Wash the ramsons thoroughly in a collander with cold water. You may also want to wash or soak in bicarbonate of soda to ensure that everything is clean (you never know where there may have been foxes about). 

ephemeric james selina one year living life switzerland zurich london seegraben pfaffikon

While soaking, toast some pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown. For two cups of leaves, you want about a half cup of pine nuts. Watch these like a hawk and stir. Pine nuts can go from brown to burnt very quickly.

ephemeric james selina one year living life switzerland zurich london seegraben pfaffikon

Once that's all done, add the pine nuts to the ramsons, along with a quarter teaspoon of salt and a whole heap of freshly grated parmesan. However much cheese you think you need, it's more. At least a half cup. Finally, add a quarter cup of olive oil.

ephemeric james selina one year living life switzerland zurich london seegraben pfaffikon

With your ingredients combined, all that is left is to blitz the heck out of it with a blender. Your standard kitchen blender will do, but if you really like to get your hands dirty, you'll want to use a hand blender. Blend to your preferred consistency, and then jar that sucker up (pictured above). Pour a layer of oil along the top of the pesto to keep it fresh for longer.

Congratulations, you've just made some hand-picked wild garlic pesto. Easy, right? Pour some of that bad boy out on a dish of pasta and enjoy the most fresh, fragrant, garlicky pesto you've ever eaten. Or get creative. Make some pesto bread, mix with butter for some wild garlic butter. Embrace the garlicky goodness.













 

Sunday, 2 March 2025

The 97th Academy Award Oscar Predictions

  

oscars 86th academy awards 2014
Welcome back to The Ephemeric. It is Oscar season again, and once again March is the month in which I know not the light of day. I could make the same joke as last year by copy pasting the intro blurb, but instead I'll just get straight to some predictions so we can all go on with our day.

Honestly, this is a fairly mediocre year for movies, and it's hard to imagine any of them living too long in the memory. But, the flip side of this is that for once we actually have a somewhat competitive Awards season, with a number of prizes that could truly be given to any of multiple contenders. As usual, I will predict the likely winner for each prize, and then bore everyone  with why I think the Academy was wrong. Ready? Alright, let's get to it.


Best Picture

Nominations:
  • Anora – Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, and Sean Baker, producers
  • The Brutalist – Nick Gordon, Brian Young, Andrew Morrison, D.J. Gugenheim, and Brady Corbet, producers
  • A Complete Unknown – Fred Berger, James Mangold, and Alex Heineman, producers
  • Conclave – Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, and Michael A. Jackman, producers
  • Dune: Part Two – Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe, and Denis Villeneuve, producers
  • Emilia Pérez – Pascal Caucheteux and Jacques Audiard, producers
  • I'm Still Here – Maria Carlota Bruno and Rodrigo Teixeira, producers
  • Nickel Boys – Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Joslyn Barnes, producers
  • The Substance – Coralie Fargeat, Tim Bevan, and Eric Fellner, producers
  • Wicked – Marc Platt, producer
And the winner: Anora
Who should really win: None of the above
Explanation: Honestly, I think this year's best picture lineup is a fairly poor selection. Anora was fine, Dune is fine. But arguably the best films this year, the likes of Saturday Night (my personal favourite) and A Real Pain, weren't even nominated. Of the above, I would probably go for Anora, but it's not a ringing endorsement.


Best Director

Nominations:
  • Sean Baker – Anora
  • Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
  • James Mangold – A Complete Unknown
  • Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
  • Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
And the winner: Brady Corbet - The Brutalist
Who should really win: None of the above
Explanation: Once again, I have no strong feeling about the direction in any of these films, but the consensus seems to be forming around the Brutalist, more for its cinematography than anything genuinely related to direction.


Best Actor

Nominations:
  • Adrien Brody – The Brutalist as László Tóth
  • Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown as Bob Dylan
  • Colman Domingo – Sing Sing as John "Divine G" Whitfield
  • Ralph Fiennes – Conclave as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence
  • Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice as Donald Trump
And the winner: Adrien Brody - The Brutalist as László Tóth
Who should really win: Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown as Bob Dylan
Explanation: This is a close one to call. I think Chalamet deserves it. For an actor that has been so hyped, his recent roles are beginning to show true range, and his portrayal of Bob Dylan might just be his most impressive showing yet.


Best Actress

Nominations:
  • Cynthia Erivo – Wicked as Elphaba Thropp
  • Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez as Emilia Pérez / Juan "Manitas" Del Monte
  • Mikey Madison – Anora as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva
  • Demi Moore – The Substance as Elisabeth Sparkle
  • Fernanda Torres – I'm Still Here as Eunice Paiva
And the winner: Mikey Madison – Anora as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva
Who should really win: Mikey Madison – Anora as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva
Explanation: I'll go along with this one. Anora has really caught something in Hollywood, and a lot of that comes down to Mikey Madison's performance. Sympathetic, layered, a genuine talent.


Best Supporting Actor

Nominations:
  • Yura Borisov – Anora as Igor
  • Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain as Benji Kaplan
  • Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown as Pete Seeger
  • Guy Pearce – The Brutalist as Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr.
  • Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice as Roy Cohn
And the winner: Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain as Benji Kaplan
Who should really win: Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain as Benji Kaplan
Explanation: Another one I agree with. A Real Pain was one of the better films of 2024, and Culkin's performance was for me the single best across all categories this year.


Best Supporting Actress

Nominations:
  • Monica Barbaro – A Complete Unknown as Joan Baez
  • Ariana Grande – Wicked as Galinda "Glinda" Upland
  • Felicity Jones – The Brutalist as Erzsébet Tóth
  • Isabella Rossellini – Conclave as Sister Agnes
  • Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez as Rita Mora Castro
And the winner: Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez as Rita Mora Castro
Who should really win: Ariana Grande – Wicked as Galinda "Glinda" Upland
Explanation: I know, I'm surprised by this pick as well. I'm not a huge Wicked fan, and I'm not a huge Ariana fan, but I really can't deny that she absolutely nailed this role. I underestimated her comedic talents.


Best Original Screenplay

Nominations:
  • Anora – Sean Baker
  • The Brutalist – Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold
  • A Real Pain – Jesse Eisenberg
  • September 5 – Moritz Binder and Tim Fehlbaum; co-written by Alex David
  • The Substance – Coralie Fargeat
And the winner: Anora – Sean Baker
Who should really win: A Real Pain – Jesse Eisenberg
Explanation: Unpopular opinion. I like Anora, I thought it was an impactful movie, well made, well written. I think A Real Pain has more to say and says it better.


Best Adapted Screenplay

Nominations:
  • A Complete Unknown – James Mangold and Jay Cocks
  • Conclave – Peter Straughan
  • Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard; in collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius, and Nicolas Livecchi
  • Nickel Boys – RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes
  • Sing Sing – Screenplay by Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley; story by Greg Kwedar, Clint Bentley, Clarence Maclin, and John "Divine G" Whitfield
And the winner: Nickel Boys – RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes
Who should really win: No strong opinion
Explanation: One could go either way on these nominees. I think the Academy will go for Nickel Boys for the social commentary.


So there you have it, The Ephemeric's picks for the year. Enjoy the Oscars tonight, and when the results go as predicted, remember that you heard it here first! 






 

Sunday, 23 February 2025

The Hot List: Essential New Movies of 2025

Hello and welcome back to 2025's final post from the Hot List. This week we will be looking at the most exciting new movies set to hit the big screen in 2025, after the cutoff point for this year's awards season.

ephemeric hot list most best hottest anticipated new movies films 2025 exciting


I often say that cinema is a funny medium, in that you can typically predict success with far greater ease than other mediums. If you look back at my previous previews you will see I can often tell the big awards contenders more than a year in advance. Partly this comes down to a certain predictable stagnancy present in the industry, sure, but also because this, more than many industries, is a medium where talent counts for a lot. Combine a good filmmaker with a good writer and cast, and they will rarely miss. 

This time last year, however, I said that 2024 looked set to be an uncharacteristically unpredictable year. Looking back, this prediction of unpredictability proved to be accurate. Partly, this is because 2024 was, if we're being honest, quite a weak year in film. There were few noteworthy surprises, and most of the expected big hitters ended up disappointing. For 2025, I don't see the same problem. There is some big talent coming back to the big screen this year, and more than a few projects that seem genuinely fresh and interesting. I predict that 2025 will be a stronger year for cinema, and with the below list I have fine tuned this down to a rundown of the best of the best.

So without further delay, the key films to keep an eye on in the coming year (trailers linked in the title where available), starting with number 15:


15. The Roses

war of the roses remake jay roach benedict cumberbatch, olivia colman kate mckinnon andy samberg ncuti gatwa best most anticipated film movie 2025First up we have The Roses, a reimagining of the 1989 Danny DeVito black comedy. This new version comes from Jay Roach, a director once best known for silly (but often good) comedies like Austin Powers and Meet the Parents, more recently turned hard-hitting political filmmaker with titles such as Trumbo and Bombshell to his name. 

The Roses is a satirical black comedy-drama that delves into the unraveling of a seemingly perfect marriage. Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman star as Theo and Ivy Rose, a couple whose idyllic facade begins to crumble when Theo's professional life takes a downturn, igniting deep-seated competition and resentment. As their relationship deteriorates, the film explores the lengths to which each will go in a battle of wills. 

Supported by an exciting cast including Kate McKinnon, Andy Samberg, Ncuti Gatwa, and Zoë Chao, The Roses is completed filming in summer 2024, and is expected to release in the second half of the year.

Release Date: TBA 2025


14. Deliver Me From Nowhere

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Next we have this year's musical biopic, with the added twist that it actually looks pretty good. Deliver Me From Nowhere is the upcoming biographical drama directed by Scott Cooper, chronicling the creation of Bruce Springsteen's seminal 1982 album, Nebraska. 

The film stars Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen (pitch perfect casting in my opinion), capturing the raw and intimate process of recording the album solo on a four-track recorder in his New Jersey home. The ensemble cast includes Jeremy Strong as manager Jon Landau, Paul Walter Hauser as engineer Mike Batlan, and Stephen Graham as Douglas Springsteen, Bruce's father. 

Notably, Springsteen and Landau are actively involved in the production, ensuring authenticity in the portrayal of this pivotal moment in music history. Filming commenced in October 2024, with a release expected this summer.

Release Date: Summer 2025
13. Caught Stealing

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A new film from director Darren Aronofsky is always a cinematic event, and in 2025 we have Caught Stealing, his first picture since 2022's The Whale.

This latest is a new American crime thriller starring Austin Butler as Hank Thompson, a former baseball player who becomes entangled in New York City's criminal underworld during the 1990s. The impressive ensemble cast includes Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, and Bad Bunny. 

Based on Charlie Huston's novel, who also adapted the screenplay, the story delves into themes of survival and moral ambiguity. The film is produced by Columbia Pictures, slated for release on August 29, 2025.

Release Date: August 2025


12. Friendship

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This one should be a treat for fans of offbeat comedy and surreal humour. Friendship is an upcoming American comedy film directed by Andrew DeYoung, marking his feature directorial debut. 

The film stars Tim Robinson, of I Think You Should Leave fame, as Craig Waterman, a suburban father whose life is upended by the arrival of his charismatic new neighbor, Austin Carmichael, portrayed by Paul Rudd. As Craig becomes increasingly infatuated with Austin, his attempts to forge a meaningful adult friendship lead to unexpected and humorous consequences, threatening to unravel both their lives. 

Friendship premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024, as part of the Midnight Madness program, where it garnered positive reviews for its sharp humor and poignant exploration of male relationships. The film is slated for a theatrical release on May 9, 2025.

Release Date: May 2025

11. Train Dreams

train dreams joel edgerton best films movies 2025
Train Dreams is a new American drama film and directorial debut for Clint Bentley, adapted from Denis Johnson's 2011 novella. 

The film stars Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier, a logger in the early 20th-century American Northwest, whose life is marked by profound personal loss and the relentless march of industrial progress. Felicity Jones portrays his wife, Gladys, with supporting roles by Kerry Condon, William H. Macy, and Clifton Collins Jr. The narrative delves into themes of isolation, transformation, and the human connection to nature. 

Premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Train Dreams received critical acclaim for its evocative storytelling and Edgerton's compelling performance. The film was subsequently acquired by Netflix for distribution, with a wide release expected in the second half of 2025.

Release Date: TBA 2025


Unpopular opinion, but I was fairly underwhelmed by the first Knives Out movie. I appreciated what it was trying to do, but felt it was neither campy enough for a laugh, nor compelling enough for a good mystery film. The second, however, Glass Onion, was deliciously good fun. So it is with anticipation that I await the 2025 release of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. 

This is the anticipated third installment in Rian Johnson's acclaimed mystery series, featuring Daniel Craig reprising his role as the astute detective Benoit Blanc. Set to premiere on Netflix in fall 2025, the film boasts a typically star-studded ensemble cast, including Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, and Thomas Haden Church. 

While specific plot details remain under wraps, a first-look image reveals Blanc alongside O'Connor's character in a dimly lit church, hinting at a mystery imbued with religious undertones. The title, inspired by a U2 song, suggests themes of seeking salvation and confronting apocalyptic challenges.

Release Date: Fall 2025


9. Michael

michael jackson biopic best films movies 2025
Now we have a biopic that was as inevitable as it will surely be controversial. Michael is an upcoming American biographical musical drama chronicling the life of the legendary entertainer Michael Jackson. The film aims to provide an in-depth portrayal of Jackson's complex journey, from his early days with the Jackson 5 to his unprecedented solo career and personal challenges, yes, his legal troubles included.

A decision which is certain to turn heads is the casting of the man himself. Michael is set to be played by Michael's real life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in his first ever big screen roll. It's a bold choice for what is likely to be a very big release. But make no mistake, this is no family-led hagiography, and the lead actor aside, there is some real bona fide Hollywood star power behind this, from director Antoine Fuqua, best known for the critically acclaimed film Training Day, to the oscar nominated screenwriter John Logan, which films such as Gladiatior, The Aviator and Hugo to his name.

The studio clearly has high hopes for Michael, with an awards-friendly release date scheduled for October 3, 2025.

Release Date: October 2025
"Better late than never" I suppose is the how the saying goes. The DC Cinematic Universe was a mess right from the start, a lazy attempt to replicate the success of Marvel without taking the time to lay the groundwork or put in place a worthwhile vision to justify the mega franchise's existence. It should have been put out of its misery years ago.

Well, after a decade of consistently panned releases, DC have finally decided to do something about it, with the reboot that we were all hoping for. The first step is 2025's Superman, a reimagining of, you know who. This rebooted Man of Steel, and indeed the refreshed DCU as a whole, comes courtesy of James Gunn, the creator of perhaps Marvel's best cinematic product to date, The Guardians of the Galaxy. So the DCU would appear to be in good hands, now we just have to hope that the powers that be let Gunn be Gunn and imbue this new start with the type of energy and adventure for which he is known.

The title role will be played by up and comer David Coronswet, with a supporting cast that includes the wonderful Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult and Nathan Fillion. Superman releases in July. Fingers crossed they get it right this time.

Release Date: July 2025


7. Marty Supreme

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Coming back down to Earth, we have Marty Supreme, an upcoming American sports drama directed by Josh Safdie and co-written with Ronald Bronstein, best known for their previous collaboration on the really-quite-good 2019 film, Uncut Gems.

The film stars Timothée Chalamet as Marty, a character loosely inspired by professional table tennis player Marty Reisman. Set in the 1950s, the narrative delves into the vibrant ping pong subculture of New York City, exploring themes of ambition and the pursuit of excellence. The ensemble cast includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyler, the Creator, Penn Jillette, Kevin O'Leary, Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher. 

Principal photography commenced in New York City on September 23, 2024, with a very awards-friendly scheduled release date of December 25, 2025. 

Release Date: December 2025
6. One Battle After Another 

one battle after another paul thomas anderson baktan cross best films movies 2025
Another Hollywood heavy hitter coming up, with the latest film from director Paul Thomas Anderson, a man with a frankly absurd 11 Oscar nominations without a win. 

One Battle After Another is is an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland, updated to a contemporary setting. The story centers on a burnt-out hippie navigating life in Ronald Reagan's dystopian America, intertwining with themes of federal prosecution, underground organizations, and cultural references to government acronyms, UFOs, and TV cults. Anderson's adaptation is rumored to blend elements from 1980s films like Something Wild and Repo Man. 

Slated for release on August 8, 2025, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film features a star-studded cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, and Benicio del Toro. Notably, it marks Anderson's first collaboration with DiCaprio. As anticipation builds, One Battle After Another is expected to make its mark as a high-action, star-studded film, blending Anderson's distinctive storytelling with Pynchon's complex narrative.

Release Date: August 2025
5. 28 Years Later

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Never say never. 23 years after the release of the brilliant 28 Days Later, written by the legendary Alex Garland and directed by the equally legendary Danny Boyle, we are getting a proper sequel with 28 Years Later.

True, we did get the forgettable 28 Weeks Later back in 2007. The difference this time is that both Garland and Boyle are returning, making 28 Years Later a proper sequel in a way that Weeks never was. 

The film features a cast including Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. The narrative unfolds nearly three decades after the initial Rage Virus outbreak, focusing on a group of survivors residing on a quarantined island in Britain. When one member ventures to the mainland, they uncover new horrors and secrets. Notably, while Cillian Murphy, star of the original "28 Days Later," does not reprise his role as Jim, he serves as an executive producer and is slated to appear in future projects within this new trilogy.

28 Years Later is set to release in June 2025.

Release Date: June 2025
4. Highest 2 Lowest

highest 2 to lowest spike lee joint best films movies 2025
Next up, the latest Spike Lee joint. Highest 2 Lowest is a crime thriller, serving as an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 film High and Low. 

The narrative centers on a high-stakes kidnapping, exploring themes of class disparity and moral dilemmas, resonating with contemporary societal issues. 

The film stars Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ice Spice, and A$AP Rocky, with Rocky taking on the main role, as confirmed by Lee. This project marks the fifth collaboration between Lee and Washington, their most recent being Inside Man. The film is slated for a theatrical release by A24 in the summer of 2025.

Release Date: Summer 2025
3. Frankenstein

frankenstein guillermo del toro oscar isaac best film movie 2025
On paper, this one would seem to be a match made in heaven. Frankenstein is a new adaptation of the Mary Shelley novel, this time brought to us by the master of heavily stylised gothicism, Guillermo del Toro.

The cast of this new adaptation features Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as Frankenstein's monster. The ensemble cast also includes Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, Charles Dance, and Ralph Ineson. 

Few filmmakers have an eye for a "creature feature" like del Toro. Frankenstein is more or less the father of the genre, and I can think of no one better to realise the mix of horror, drama, and philosophical inquiry into the nature of creation and humanity. This is slated for release on Netflix in November 2025.

Release Date: November 2025
2. Klara and the Sun

klara and the sun ishiguo taika waititi best films movies 2025
This is one for all the readers out there. Klara and the Sun is an upcoming adaptation of the acclaimed Kazuo Ishiguro novel of the same name. 

This adaptation is directed by Taika Waititi, whose satirical sensibilities make for a perfect match with the speculative dystopian themes of the source material, while the screenplay is penned by Dahvi Waller, with Ishiguro serving as an executive producer. The story centers on Klara, an Artificial Friend designed to alleviate loneliness in teenagers, who becomes determined to save the human family she resides with from heartbreak. 

The cast includes Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, Natasha Lyonne, and Steve Buscemi. As of now, a specific release date has not been announced, but the film is expected to premiere in late 2025.

Release Date: TBA 2025
1. The Running Man

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And lastly, we have the return of Edgar Wright, a filmmaker who has moved far beyond schlocky comedies to become a director of some renown with his most recent releases Baby Driver and Last Night in Soho. This lastest, The Running Man, is a fresh adaptation of Stephen King's 1982 novel.

Set in a dystopian 2025, the story centers on a game show called "The Running Man," where contestants are pursued by lethal Hunters across the globe for a chance to win substantial monetary rewards. The narrative explores themes of societal decay, media manipulation, and the human will to survive. 

The cast stars Glen Powell as Ben Richards, the protagonist forced into the deadly game show to secure funds for his daughter's medical treatment, with supporting performances from Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, Sean Hayes, and Colman Domingo in supporting roles. The Running Man is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 7, 2025. 

Release Date: November 2025


So there you have it folks: The 2025 Hot List. I will be back with many more articles in due course, but for now let's make 2025 a great year together.







 

Sunday, 16 February 2025

The Hot List: Essential New Music of 2025

Welcome back to The Ephemeric's 2025 Hot List. This week we will be having a look at the most exciting new music due for release in the coming year.

best anticipated new music 2025 albums hot list

If music be the food of love, prepare for a 15 course tasting menu extravaganza, with the extra cheese supplement. Whether you're a die-hard fan, a casual listener, or somewhere in between, prepare to be inspired, surprised, and moved by the power of music in its ever-evolving glory. Tastes may differ, but if you start your 2025 musical adventure off here, you won't go far wrong.

So without further ado, here is our list of the top albums to keep an eye on in 2025, starting with number 15:


15. Good Neighbours (New band)

good neighbours new album new band debut 2025 best most anticipated music
Starting off with a new band for 2025, east London indie-pop duo Good Neighbours, comprising Scott Verrill and Oli Fox, have been making waves following the release of their self-titled debut EP last year.

Following their debut headline show in November 2023, Good Neighbours have rapidly ascended the music scene, performing at major festivals like Reading & Leeds, Latitude, Boardmasters, and All Points East. Their dynamic soundscape and engaging performances have solidified their status as a rising force in the indie music landscape, especially with viral hits like Home and Keep it Up.

Now a full debut LP is in production, and expected to drop some time in 2025. We will be watching closely for this one.

Release Date: TBD 2025


14. the xx 

the xx 2025 new fourth album best most anticipated new music
It feels like we’ve been saying this for a long time, but The xx are back in the studio, crafting their highly anticipated, as yet untitled, fourth album. Fifteen years on from The xx's debut and the former indie darlings and firmly embedded themselves as global superstars, with three chart topping albums (more if you count the outstanding solo work of Jamie xx) that seem to get better and better with each release. 

Following individual solo ventures, the trio—Romy, Oliver Sim, and Jamie xx—have reunited. Fans can look forward to an album that reflects both their signature style and the diverse influences they’ve embraced during their time apart. 

We don't have an album name or release date, so I will just leave you with their best track, On Hold, as a reminder for how good these guys can be. I can't wait for this comeback. While details are few and far between at the moment, there’s no doubt that when (if) this drops in 2025, it will be one of the most hyped albums of the year.

Release Date: TBD 2025


13. LCD Soundsystem

lcd soundsystem new album 2025 best most anticipated music
LCD Soundsystem is set to release their highly anticipated fifth studio album in 2025, marking their first full-length project since 2017’s American Dream. 

The band, led by James Murphy, are best known for hits such as All My Friends and Dance Yrself Clean. With respect to the new album, they have so far released the one single, X-Ray Eyes, co-written with Al Doyle and Nancy Whang, offering a glimpse into an evolving, more funk-based sound. 

While the album remains untitled and a specific release date has not been announced, Murphy has confirmed that the band is actively working on it between live performances. Fans can look forward to experiencing the new material during their upcoming U.S. tour in March through May 2025, with European festival appearances, including Primavera Sound Barcelona, slated for June.

Release Date: Summer 2025


12. "Everyone Says Hi" by Everyone Says Hi (New band)

everyone says hi debut new album 2025 best most anticipated music
Three picks in, and so far it’s all a bit light on details, but for this next one we can get a little more specific. Everyone Says Hi are a new self-styled “supergroup” featuring ex members of Kaiser Chiefs, The Kooks, Dead 60s and Howling Bells.

Their self titled debut album releases this month, delivering a collection of ten finely-honed tracks that blend polished vintage pop with modern indie sensibilities. Standout singles like Brain Freeze and Lucky Stars showcase the group’s knack for crafting catchy, anthemic tunes.

It’s an exciting start for the new band, and one that sees them high on many lists for the hotly anticipated musical releases of 2025.

Release Date: February 2025


11. "For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)" by Japanese Breakfast

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Coming in March, we have the new album from Japanese Breakfast, the indie pop project led by singer-songwriter Michelle Zauner, known for tracks such as Be Sweet.

For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) signifies a shift from the bright extroversion of their previous work, Jubilee, delving into themes of desire, temptation, and melancholy. The lead single Orlando in Love offers an exploration of love’s complexities, while the follow-up track Mega Circuit examines contemporary masculinity. 

To support the album, Japanese Breakfast will embark on a tour beginning with performances at the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, followed by dates across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe, concluding on September 9 in Minneapolis.

Release Date: March 2025


 10. "Song of the Earth" by Dirty Projectors

song of the earth dirty projectors best new most anticipated album 2025
It has been a challenging few years for Dirty Projectors, the Brooklyn-based indie band best known for unique and highly diverse musical stylings with tracks like Swing Lo Magellan and Useful Chamber. The band has faced high profile band member bust ups, departures, and the integration of new personnel. Now a full band again, Dirty Projectors are set to release their ambitious new album, Song of the Earth, on April 4, 2025. 

Marking another creative left turn for the band, this is a largely orchestral production, inspired by Gustav Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, exploring themes of nature and human experience. The project features collaborations with the Berlin-based chamber orchestra, Stargaze, and artists such as Phil Elverum, Steve Lacy, and Tim Bernardes. 

The lead single Uninhabitable Earth, Paragraph One adapts the opening of David Wallace-Wells’ book The Uninhabitable Earth, reflecting on climate change and its immediate impacts. If we can count on this band for one thing, it is that the work will be creatively interesting, and unashamedly unique. .

Release Date: April 2025
9. "Sinister Grift" by Panda Bear

sinister grift panda bear animal colelctive new album 2025 best most anticipated music
Panda Bear is an artist who needs no introduction in the indie music scene. The solo project of Animal Collective’s Noah Lennox, Panda Bear has since gone on to become a major name in and of itself, producing critically acclaimed solo work and collaborating with some of the biggest names in music, such as Daft Punk. 

Panda Bear’s newest album, Sinister Grift, is set to release this month. This marks his first solo effort since 2019’s Buoys. Recorded at his Estudio Campo in Lisbon, Portugal, the album was co-produced with his Animal Collective bandmate Josh “Deakin” Dibb. Sinister Grift features collaborations with artists such as Cindy Lee, Spirit of the Beehive’s Rivka Ravede, and contributions from all members of Animal Collective. 

The first two singles released so far, Defence and Ferry Lady typify the artist’s distinct, experimental neo-psychedelic style, or what I would term “distorted nostalgia”. Certainly, this will be one to look out for when it releases.

Release Date: February 2025


8. "People Watching" by Sam Fender

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Going a bit more mainstream for the next one. Sam Fender is set to release his third studio album, People Watching, this month. 

This album, co-produced with Markus Dravs and Adam Granduciel of The War on Drugs, was crafted over three years in London and Los Angeles. The lead single People Watching gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect. Sam Fender is often likened to a young Springsteen for his larger than life sounds and his focus on working class life and disaffected youth. Some genres are just timeless, and Fender delivers with a gusto that few can match.

Fender’s star has been on the rise for a number of years now, and with this latest album there is the expectation of very big things indeed.

Release Date: February 2025


7. Neko Case

neko case new pornographers new album best new anticipated music 2025While perhaps not as much a household name as she should be, Neko Case has shown herself to be one of the finest songwriters of her time through her solo work, and work with indie band New Pornographers.

As comfortable with infectiously catchy pop as with the delicate and introspective, known for singles such as I Wish I Was the Moon and her stunning cover of Roky Erickson’s Be and Bring Me Home, her music has an effortlessly timeless quality to it.

Neko Case is set to release her highly anticipated eighth studio album in 2025, marking her first new music since 2018’s Hell-On. While the album’s title and exact release date remain under wraps, Case has revealed that it will feature collaborations with violinist Tom Hagerman of DeVotchKa and members of the Colorado Symphony.

Release Date: Late 2025


6. "SABLE fABLE" by Bon Iver

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One for the indie folk fans out there. Bon Iver, the musical project led by Justin Vernon, is set to release their fifth studio album, SABLE, fABLE, in April. 

This album marks their first full-length release since 2019’s i,i and serves as a continuation of the 2024 SABLE EP, the highlight of which was single Speyside, essentially as the opening of the new record. SABLE fABLE explores themes of transformation and renewal, transitioning from the introspective tones of SABLE, to a more vibrant and hopeful soundscape. The album features collaborations with artists such as Dijon, Flock of Dimes, and Danielle Haim.

The sound of Bon Iver singing without Vernon’s trademark falsetto takes some getting used to, but what we have heard so far is damn good, and we look forward to the rest of the album releasing this spring.

Release Date: April 2025


5. The Shins

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Is it indie? Is it dad-rock at this stage? Call it what you will, but The Shins are one of the finest rock bands in the business, and they have a new album scheduled for release in 2025.

At the time of writing, details are still thin on the ground. We still don’t have an album title, for example. But frontman James Mercer has confirmed this to be in active production, with 17 new songs said to have been recorded. 

While a specific release date has not been announced, fans can look forward to a blend of the band’s signature indie rock sound, best demonstrated by tracks like New Slang, Simple Song, and Australia.

Release Date: TBD 2025


4. Braxe + Falcon (New band)

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One of the most exciting new projects in music. Braxe + Falcon is a new collaboration of legendary French producers Alan Braxe and DJ Falcon. 

Their work, deeply rooted in '70s disco and pioneering production techniques, showcases a reverence for classic sounds while embracing modernity. 2022 saw the release of the duo's first EP, Step By Step, a fantastic that reflects a seamless blend of timeless music and contemporary flair, featuring the unmistakable vocals of Panda Bear, lead vocalist of Animal Collective and highly successful solo artist in his own right.

The EP was well received, generating hype for what was to come next. A smattering of additional singles and remixes have followed to similar praise, but we're all really just waiting now for the inevitable full blown LP, confirmed recently to exist in a Reddit AMA. If, as expected, this sees the light of day in 2025, it will be one of the biggest releases in electronic music for the year.

Release Date: TBD 2025
3. "The Human Fear" by Franz Ferdinand

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This next one is a big hitter indeed. This is the return of Franz Ferdinand with their sixth studio album, The Human Fear. 

It’s a band that really needs no introduction. Take Me Out is about as iconic a track as you will find, and yet it only scratches the surface of their discography.

Releasing this month, the new album marks a significant evolution in the band’s sound and lineup. This 11-track album, will be the first full-length project to feature guitarist Dino Bardot and drummer Audrey Tait, who replaced original member Paul Thomson in 2021. The lead single Audacious exemplifies the band’s signature blend of upbeat, guitar-driven melodies with trademark vintage swagger and humour. .

Release Date: February 2025


2. Paul McCartney

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OK, I’ll admit, I don’t have much to go on with this one. But Sir Paul McCartney says he is working on an album for release in 2025, and that’s good enough to make my list.

I won’t even bother to say the man needs no introduction, because, come on, It’s Paul McCartney. I won’t insult your intelligence by linking some Beatles or some of his solo stuff because, seriously, it’s Paul McCartney. Global treasure.

Production on the new album was expected to be completed upon conclusion of his tour at the end of 2024 (his surprise appearance in New York this month notwithstanding), which means we should start to hear some new material very soon.

Release Date: TBD 2025


1. Passion Pit

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But this year's number one most hotly anticipated album is the return of Passion Pit. Once again, details are scarce, but clips have started to emerge of new music being played at his recent shows, along with mention of a potential world tour in 2025, sparking hot rumours that a new album will not be far behind.

You may know them from Sleepyhead, or maybe Lifted Up (1985) or Take a Walk. You can’t go wrong. Passion Pit’s sound is one of extremes, from high euphoria to introspective meditations, but it’s a sound like no other, a celebration of life and human emotion.

So it’s a bit speculative, but I’m counting it because a new Passion Pit album would quite literally make my year.

Release Date: Hopefully 2025


So there you have it folks: 2025 in music. Tune in next week for this year's final Hot List, where we look at the most exciting new movies in 2025.







 

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