Sound Check - Best Albums March
The albums we can’t stop talking about in March
A column where NMM ranks each new album we listened to in the previous month. Whether we wrote a review or not, we aim to sum up our monthly listens so you know how to get the good stuff.
It’s been a minute since we last dropped a Sound Check, but March more than makes up for it. From one of the most anticipated alternative releases of the year to a huge K-pop comeback and a run of consistently strong indie records, there’s plenty to get stuck into. Not everything here is a must-return, but the top end of this list is seriously strong and pretty tough to separate.
1. Don Broco – Nightmare Tripping
Don Broco’s fifth record arrives with far less fanfare than we’d expect, but Nightmare Tripping might just be their best work yet. The Bedford band lean fully into their genre-blending instincts here, moving between metal, pop, and electronic ideas without ever losing energy. It doesn’t quite hit the individual highs of tracks like T-Shirt Song or Action, but what it does offer is amazing consistency. Even the unexpected Nickelback feature on the title track works far better than it has any right to. This is a record that feels confident, fully realised, and packed with attitude from start to finish.
2. Harry Styles – Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally.
As covered in our full review, Harry continues to refine his place in modern pop with a record that leans heavily into groove, warmth, and accessibility. The disco influence is clear throughout, giving the album a smooth, easy-going feel that rarely overreaches. It’s not a dramatic reinvention, but it doesn’t need to be. The strength lies in how polished and cohesive it all feels. Harry knows exactly what he’s aiming for here, and for the most part, he hits it.
3. Courtney Barnett – Creature of Habit
I’m always a sucker for a southern hemisphere indie record, and Barnett delivers once again. Creature of Habit is packed with her signature dry wit and observational songwriting, turning everyday thoughts into something surprisingly engaging. Tracks like Mostly Patient and Sugar Plum highlight exactly why she remains one of indie’s most reliable voices. It might not reinvent her sound, but the writing is sharp and endlessly catchy.
Charlotte Sands rounds out a seriously strong top four this month with Satellite, a polished and emotionally direct pop-rock record that thrives on big hooks and clean production, check out our full review for more. Elsewhere, FCUKERS lean fully into the indie sleaze revival on Ö, delivering a laid-back dance record with standout moments like Lucky and if you wanna party…. RAYE’s This Music May Contain Hope is easily one of the most ambitious releases here, packed with huge orchestral moments and theatrical flair, though its length and theatre style intensity can make it a demanding listen. Snail Mail’s Ricochet offers a solid mix of jangly indie rock and light shoegaze textures, but doesn’t quite stick in the same way as some of the stronger entries above. Finally, BTS return with ARIRANG, a comeback record rooted in Korean influences. While I can’t fully speak to that side of it, it lands more as a polished but fairly generic pop album overall.