First Listen Fridays – New Music to Know – 31st October 2025
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First Listen Fridays is back and better than ever this week, with ten fresh tracks handpicked by our Editors Tom and Kloe. With new music so good it’s scary, your Halloween weekend will be sorted with top tunes to see you through. Explore new music from Big L and Nas, Cat Burns, and ROSALÍA as we close out a strong October for the music industry.
Tom’s Picks
ROSALÍA FT. Björk & Yves Tumor – Berghain
Always at the forefront of pushing the boundaries of pop music, the return of ROSALÍA is welcomed. Immediately, you are greeted by violins and strings that wouldn’t look out of place at The Proms. The choir vocals mixed with a soprano-esque performance from our lead create an epic atmosphere to match the musicality on display. The inclusion of Björk’s commanding presence and Yves Tumor’s direct delivery gives the song new characteristics, keeping you on your toes. This was an experience of a track, and it leaves me intrigued and excited for ‘LUX‘. Certainly not what I expected from a track called ‘Berghain‘.
Buy the track here.
Layyah – Feel Like
Having won last year’s The Rap Game UK, it has been a productive 2025 for Layyah. This latest release has a late-summer vibe with the acoustic guitar, pounding kick drums, and sweet autotuned vocals. The flow just floats nicely over the beat, whether singing or rapping, as she details the intimacy between her and this person. Credit must go to JB Made It on this vibey beat and the rising star on vocals, who shows her multifaceted artistry.
NOTION FT. Willow Kayne – WAITING
Back with another banger, NOTION is hitting us once again with some top-tier UKG. Teaming up with Willow Kayne, her distinctive vocals fit this wavey beat to a tee. On the production front, the blarey synths, distorted, almost robotic vocals, and persistent kick drums make for mesmerising sounds. A bit more low-key than some of this producer’s more bassier efforts, it still delivers as a dancefloor filler.
Buy the track here.
Jimothy Lacoste – Petal Therapy
North-West’s Jimothy Lacoste always has plenty of music for his fans to delve into. This one has a different vibe with a spoken-word conversation where he speaks to a therapist. The beat reminds me of something Four Tet would produce, and its tranquil nature fits the conversation at hand. Certainly, a different vibe from this artist, but another example of his creativity.
DJ Lag & Djknator FT. Thobeka – WaWaWa
With a new mixtape out in a couple of weeks, the King of gqom is ready to get you moving once again. Teaming up with fellow South African gqom producer, Djknator, they have an anthem on their hands. The bouncy synths, the bass, and the scattered kick drums bring the energy, while Thobeka brings the vibes with a spirited vocal showing. This track is sure to have you shaking your hips, a leg, and all other body parts. We eagerly await the release of ‘Southside‘!
Buy the track here.
Kloe’s Picks
Cat Burns – How To Be Human
This is a record pulled straight from the diary of a young, relatable girl on a journey. Cat Burns is one of the finest voices in UK music, and her take on loss, heartbreak, and twenty-something overwhelm is exceptional. Her sophomore album dropped today, and the title track is doing numbers. However, the entire record deserves a listen. A true journey from cover to cover, we hear about the most turbulent years in her life in her own words.
Buy the track here.
Chxrry – Groupie
Chxrry isn’t a new name on the R&B scene, at least not to anyone tapped into the genre. However, she is still on the up-and-coming circuit, and records like these reflect her potential. This is an intoxicated, feel good sultry single. Furthermore, this is hot off the heels of her ‘it-girl’ anthem of the summer, ‘Main Character‘, that received a lot of love from influencers and industry tastemakers. ‘Groupie‘ doesn’t require much thinking, it’s simply a catchy track for the girls from an artist with plenty of promise.
Buy the track here.
Knucks – MASQUERADE
British-Nigerian musician Knucks is a fine example of London talent. After his previous album ‘ALPHA PLACE‘ racked up over half a billion streams since release, and clinched him a MOBO award for Best Album, we have been eagerly anticipating a new release. ‘A Fine African Man‘, his newest record, is a statement of identity and ambition as he opens up on two years spent in Nigeria in his youth. His conscious lyricism is excellently displayed on ‘MASQUERADE‘, and defines him against his contemporaries. He is truly one of my favourites right now.
Tyler, The Creator – MOTHER
You’re probably sick of me writing about this artist but I can’t stop. I must shout out the deluxe edition of his 2024 LP ‘CHROMAKOPIA‘ which dropped this week. It comes armed with a new track ‘MOTHER‘ at its helm. Interestingly, this was one of the first tracks he recorded for the the original album, and Tyler felt it deserved to see the light of day. “I wrote more but I could only fit so much.” he said on Instagram. In the record he relays his mama’s wisdom of staying true to himself and to be wary of sinners around him. It adopts a thumping, low-key yet not-low key aggressive tone that he is known for, that adds to the greatness of the record. What’s not to love?
Buy the track here.
Big L and Nas – u ain’t gotta chance
Two of the greatest MC’s to ever come out of NY have paired up in a long-awaited post-humous release. Not many MC’s, dead or alive, can get away with an album entitled ‘Return Of The King‘, but Big L can. His timeless lyricism is hard, humorous and unbelievably clever. This whole record deserves a listen, from that rare gem of a Mac Miller verse or even to hear him trade smack-talk with Method Man. Even Jay-Z makes an appearance in an epic 7 minute freestyle. However, I can only choose one record to highlight so I will go with my favourite MC, Nas. Together they deliver something that sounds straight out of the golden era. It’s every rap fans dream.
Follow IndustryMe on Instagram, Threads, X, or YouTube. Press play on our First Listen Fridays playlist below to enjoy all our top picks. Read last week’s picks here. Don’t forget to follow the playlist on Spotify below or Apple Music.
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