There's no such thing as "old" music
From new wave to the nineties and forth
So, 2025 is almost coming to an end. A good time for me to start something new. Something which has been evolving in my head for a long time now. I call it Sonic Nurse - your independent Amsterdam-based guide for new music. With “new” I don’t mean the latest artists the popular music industry is talking about. I mean new discoveries which can either be a this years’ release, or, for example, music from the 80s. Because, there is no old or new music - only music you have already heard and music you haven’t. Sonic Nurse is about undervalued music that deserves a lot more recognition. It’s good music which can be found off the beaten track.
Now is the perfect timing for me. To experiment a bit. To share with you my favourite discoveries from this year including my favourite tracks. And to prepare for 2026, as from that moment I’ll be sending you new music monthly. This newsletter is for adventurous, open-minded music fanatics who are longing for new inspiration. I won’t give you long lists and lots of texts. I’m rather looking for a focus: a curated short list of the music I find most interesting and which I hope you’ll dive into. I wish this can be a central place for you to discover great music, because there’s so much to share!
2025 DISCOVERIES
Blanche Biau - Heartcore
Blanche Biau is a solo project hailing from Zurich and London. Expect sad but dreamy songs with mainly distorted guitars, haunting synths, a steady drum machine and ethereal vocals. Heartcore is a dark, melancholic record, however, it’s a very good one for hazy dance floors. It’s the artist’s sophomore album following her debut Maraudé from 2021.
dark wave | minimal wave | post punk | shoegaze
helen island - silence is priceless
helen island is the solo project of cross-disciplinary artist Léopold Collin, who’s based in Paris. This album is the second physical release on the Amsterdam label Knekelhuis, but there’s much more to find online. Collins voice is always filtered which gives an unique sound. This combined with ripped samples, stripped down beats and a lo-fi production gives the music a relaxed character. Perfect for a laid-back evening.
electronic| lo-fi | alternative pop | triphop
Joanne Robertson - Blurrr
Joanne Robertson is a musician, painter and poet based in Glasgow. She’s known for her work with friend and artist Dean Blunt, but also made a couple of solo records with Blurrr being her sixth. This album - like most of her work - is based on improvisation and sounds very minimalistic. It’s just Robertson’s whisperlike voice in combination with her acoustic guitar alongside contributions from cellist Oliver Coates. The music is emotional, fragile really, and absolutely grows on you after a few spins.
lo-fi | minimal folk | experimental | DIY
james K - Friend
james K is the project of New York vocalist and producer Jamie Krasner. Krasner is an established name in the experimental and club scene of NYC, however, her solo work feels much more esoteric. Friend is her third album and has this very dreamy, almost hypnotic sound. She experiments with 90s electronic styles like trip-hop, jungle and break beat, but in combination with downtempo beats, pop elements and her angelic voice it results in a beautiful, soothing and warm unity. The album brings back this 90s vibe without sounding outdated.
trip-hop | dream pop | downtempo | experimental
Damon Edge - Grand Visions
Damon Edge is best known as the founder and frontman of American post-punk / industrial band Chrome. In 1986, he released his third solo album Grand Visions: a true new wave banger. Some Chrome or Damon Edge albums require a rather patient listener, however, the melodic, danceable Grand Visions is very easy to love.
new wave | post-punk
Opal - Happy Nightmare Baby
Opal is the American band which evolved into Mazzy Star after singer/bassist Kendra Smith left the band. She left the band during the tour of their only album Happy Nightmare Baby (1987) and was replaced by Hope Sandoval. Compared to the ethereal music of Mazzy Star, this album has a rather neo-psychedelic sound, influenced by bands like The Doors and Velvet Underground. Though, the music of both bands have the same dreamy feeling. While Mazzy Star eventually achieved the commercial success that Opal never had; Happy Nightmare Baby is definitely of equal value.
neo-psychedelia | paisley underground | dream pop