As album releases slow down toward the end of the year, October brings ten standout records ranging from The Avalanches’ sample-heavy nostalgia to Fontaines D.C.’s icy rock.
The Avalanches Mine Forgotten Audio Archives on No Bad Memories
The Australian music wizards return with a 31-track fantasia titled No Bad Memories. After three albums of sample-heavy, guest-packed production, the group finds inspiration in the nostalgic pull of obsolete technology and advertising.
It operates as a kaleidoscopic collage where a Carly Simon deep cut rubs shoulders with Mike Patton voicing fictional video game commercials.
For others, it remains a purposeful critique and celebration of consumer culture.
Fontaines D.C. Deliver Dour Stadium Rock on Dopamine Chamber
Ireland’s Fontaines D.C. enter their fifth album, Dopamine Chamber, as a festival-headlining, stadium-filling rock band. Fame has done little to brighten their perspective.
The 11 tracks rely on icy synths and Grian Chatten’s morose delivery.
Troye Sivan Explores Liminal Spaces on She’s The Best
Troye Sivan’s fourth album, She’s The Best, explores the spaces between the club, touring, and the limelight of celebrity. Written after ending his tour with Charli xcx, the record follows Sivan entering his 30s.
While the artist views this collection as uglier than his previous pop hits and club heaters, the production demonstrates clear maturity. The project features contributions from Madonna and Sir Ian McKellen.
Sampa The Great Honors Zamrock Roots on Nu Zamrock
Sampa The Great’s third album was shaped by the discovery that her blood uncle, George Kunda, was a founding member of the pioneering 1970s Zamrock band WITCH. Nu Zamrock merges that psych-rock and African rhythm fusion with poetic hip-hop and soul.
Fuzzy guitars and syncopated grooves anchor bars that address spiritual potency and industry condescension. The back half softens through collaborations including a surprise feature from Sia.
Queens of the Stone Age Embrace Imperfection on Perfecth
Following their gothic, unplugged makeover on Alive at the Catacombs, Queens of the Stone Age return with their ninth album, Perfecth. Josh Homme’s offering showcases a mellow, spacey strum on “Easy Street” and the folksy “From The Cliff”.
Other tracks include “Insignificant Other”, channeling ’70s Fleetwood Mac, the eerie “Mono”, and Sunday’s Bowie-esque strut.
Sycco follows her J Award-winning debut Zorb with soft synths on her second album, Look Up, processing complex feelings into breezy tracks like “All That I’ve Been Feeling” and “Wait Up”. Wishy delivers Nature’s Pill, candy-coating late ’90s radio-friendly rock with shared vocals between Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites.
London-based Australian producer HAAi describes her third album, DIGITiSE, as the ravey big sister to 2025’s HUMANiSE, featuring nocturnal trance, glitchy vocal phrasing, and subterranean beats. Meshell Ndegeocello enlists an enormous cast of guests for her covers album Synonym, featuring Anohni, Cat Power, and Willow Smith.
Rounding out the month, Dan Sultan pairs up with UK hit-maker Guy Chambers for Little Miracles.
