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Guest “Best of 2025”: Justin Nardy of Expert Work Records

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Curious what notable personalities in the scene think was great this year? So is TGEFM! So we reached out to some of our favorite luminaries ranging from musicians, label personnel, and more for their “Best of 2025” lists. Now, listen: TGEFM is not a taskmistress. Contributors can write these out however they want. So if it doesn’t actually look or read like a list… and sometimes it really is just a list with no other observations! Who cares?

As the force behind Expert Work Records and a longtime participant in the indie and underground ecosystem, Justin Nardy’s perspective blurs the line between fan, collaborator and curator. The result is a deeply personal snapshot of pieces that fit together in the patchwork of 2025.

Top Ten Labels that we love and think you should check out (that aren’t Expert Work Records):

1.Computer Students
2. Solid Brass 
3. Spartan
4. Dipterid
5. The Ghost Is Clear
6. Forge Again
7. Landland
8. Hex
9. Better Days Will Haunt You
10. Sweet Cheetah

Top Ten Bands I saw live this year:

  1. Kraftwerk 
  2. Black mountain 
  3. Takaat
  4. Mdou Moctar
  5. Built to spill
  6. The foundry field recordings 
  7. Bitchin Bajas
  8. American Motors
  9. Park
  10. Austin Hook Band

Top Ten Records I put out on Expert Work Records this year:

  1. We Contain Multitudes– Minako
  2. Drill For Absentee– Strand of A Lake Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
  3. Denude– A Murmuration of Capitalist Bees
  4. Some Soviet Station– Some Soviet Station
  5. Tekulvi– In Recognition of Your Significant Accomplishments
  6. The Elusive– Sometimes Sounds Collapse
  7. Orwell– Orwell 1995 Discography (30th anniversary edition)
  8. Haii Usagi– s/t 2xLP
  9. Knub– Crub
  10. Amputee Set– Live in 2003 7″

Top 20 new releases this year: (not reissues)

  1. The Jesus Lizard– Rack
  2. Belonging– Hollow Cells
  3. We Contain Multitudes– Minako
  4. Drill For Absentee– Strand of A Lake Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
  5. Plosivs– Yell At Cloud
  6. Stereolab– Instant Holograms On Metal Film
  7. Tortoise– Touch
  8. FACS–Wish Defense
  9. Young Widows– Power Sucker
  10. Denude– A Murmuration Of Capitalist Bees
  11. Spares– s/t EP
  12. Swami John Reis– Time To Let You Down
  13. Takaat– Is Noise Vol. 1
  14. Shiner- BelieveYouMe
  15. Chat Pile and Hayden Pedigo– In The Earth Again
  16. Bitchin Bajas– Inland See
  17. Lifeguard– Ripped and Torn
  18. Knub– Crub
  19. Algernon Cadwallader– Trying Not To Have A Thought
  20. Flowting Clowds– 7″