Latest Western music releases [December 2025]

MAWA (Make America Wavy Again)French Montana x Max B

French Montana x Max B – MAWA (Make America Wavy Again) [Official Video]

French Montana and Max B, rappers who represent New York, are known as longtime allies who have championed the “wavy” aesthetic since the late 2000s, building a lineage of melodious street rap.

Max B was only just released in November 2025 after a long prison term.

The two reunited on a new track that dropped in December 2025.

Its title features a wordplay twist on a political slogan, overflowing with their trademark nonchalance and bravado.

From a dreamy, cinematic intro to the interwoven flows of the pair, the structure evokes both nostalgia and a statement of the here and now.

The release is considered a stepping stone to the next chapter of the legendary Coke Wave series, with a full project, Coke Wave 3.5: NARCOS, slated for January 2026.

A must-listen for heads who’ve been following the Coke Wave lineage.

Donkey-Boy (FT. OLAN MONK)Ghost Mountain

GHOST MOUNTAIN – DONKEY-BOY FT. OLAN MONK (official video)

Ghost Mountain, who commands a unique presence in the underground hip-hop scene.

Known as a co-founder of the collective Haunted Mound, he has gained a fervent following for his dark aesthetics that draw on motifs of horror, gothic imagery, and desolate rural landscapes.

After largely stepping away from the spotlight around 2021, he made a comeback in 2025 with the mixtape October Country.

In December 2025, he released a new track featuring Olan Monk as a guest.

A stream of images—trains, rivers, clouds—that symbolize movement and boundaries unfolds like cinematic cuts, depicting the instability of relationships and the fear and allure of moving forward.

It’s a lyrical track that emphasizes melody and vivid scene-setting, perfect for introspective nights.

Damascus (ft. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey)Gorillaz

Gorillaz – Damascus ft. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey (Official Visualiser)

Known as the world’s first virtual band for their innovative fusion of music and animation, Gorillaz have released a boundary-crossing collaboration in December 2025 featuring Syrian singer Omar Souleyman and rapper Yasiin Bey.

It opens with shimmering, ’80s-style synths, then unfolds into a layered sound that fuses repetitive rhythms rooted in Middle Eastern dance music with hip-hop.

This track is the lead single from their album The Mountain, slated for release in 2026, and was recorded across multiple cities including London, Damascus, and New York.

It was also performed live at “Together For Palestine,” where it drew an ecstatic response.

A must-listen for anyone who wants to experience a celebratory groove where sounds from different cultures intersect.

BellinghamHeadie One

Headie One – Bellingham (Official Video)

As a rapper representing UK drill, Headie One rose from Tottenham in North London to the world.

His debut album Edna, released in 2020, reached No.

1 in the UK, making him an iconic figure of a street-born artist at the peak of the mainstream.

His new track, released in December 2025, bears the name of football superstar Jude Bellingham.

Anchored by the heavy basslines characteristic of drill, its buoyant, baile funk–like rhythms set bodies in motion, achieving a danceable aggression.

The mellow shade added by sampling Future’s “Solo” also lands nicely, resulting in a balance where hardness and emotion coexist exquisitely.

A winner’s mentality—staying at the top from a young age—runs through the lyrics.

It’s a perfect track for the club or a workout, whenever you want to elevate your mindset for a decisive moment.

A Pure ExpressionI Promised The World

I Promised The World – A Pure Expression (Official Music Video)

I Promised The World is a five-piece post-hardcore band based around Dallas, Texas.

Founded by frontman Caleb Molina in response to the loss of his father in 2020, the project frames music as a “response to grief.” Their signature sound reinterprets early-2000s screamo and metalcore aesthetics through a modern lens.

The track here is their advance single following their move to Rise Records.

Its dynamic leap from quiet to explosive, along with throat-ripping screams colliding with emotive melody, is truly affecting.

The music video, limited to 240p resolution, has also drawn attention for evoking mid-2000s internet culture.

The song will appear on their self-titled EP, I Promised The World, slated for release in January 2026.

A must-listen for anyone seeking a track where intensity and delicacy coexist.

OutsideJ Hus, Skepta

J Hus, Skepta – Outside (Official Audio)

A collaboration between two titans of UK rap that London proudly claims dropped in December 2025.

This track by J Hus and Skepta opens the surprise EP “Half Clip.” The producer is JAE5, who has been behind many of J Hus’s signature hits, and it turns out the skeleton of this song was made seven years ago.

It brilliantly fuses an Afrobeat-derived bouncing groove with the hard-edged pulse of UK rap, with surging low end and nimble percussion creating an effortless forward drive.

Both artists keep their delivery cool and unembellished, sliding over the beat with a poise and confidence that stands out.

The track entered the UK Singles Chart at No.

83, making its presence felt even in the crowded year-end season.

A must-listen for anyone who wants to experience the current pulse of the UK street scene.

Let It All OutLEISURE

Let It All Out

Leisure is a collective-style band based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Starting from a laid-back session on the west coast of Muriwai in 2015, they’ve become known for a sound that centers on electronic music while fluidly crossing genres like funk, disco, and alternative R&B.

Each member is a seasoned talent with their own projects, and in 2023 one member won the APRA Silver Scroll Award for Benny’s “Glitter,” highlighting their strong reputation as producers as well.

In December 2025, they released a track that had been performed to great acclaim on the tour for their album “Welcome to the Mood.” The song features a dazzling, French touch–inspired piano riff intertwined with a groovy disco-funk bassline, building to a cathartic, exhilarating release in the chorus.

Lyrically, it portrays unwavering support for a loved one and the importance of putting that connection into words now.

It’s a perfect track for a nighttime drive or as party background music.