If you’ve been following Noisy Headspace since its inception in 2023 (not too long ago, actually!), a practice we’ve been doing since then is having a mega playlist that includes all the latest releases throughout the year.

From singles to lone tracks to full albums, we add them on a weekly basis into this mega playlist for fellow music lovers to doom scroll through and choose what they want.

The idea first came from our editor Farhira Farudin, who wanted to make her year-end curation process easier. The playlist began as a private library for her to stay updated with the latest local releases, but soon enough it felt too mega to keep to herself.

So why not share it with everyone else?

This year, we want to make this playlist feel a bit more official than before. We understand that for some of you, this is where you get the latest releases from, so we want to make things pretty and tidy for you. We had the pleasure of working with an extremely talented local illustrator, Abigail Goh, for the cover art, and she will walk you through her process here.

Before that, here are a few FAQs to explain how the playlist works:

How often do you refresh the playlist?

We refresh the playlist on a weekly basis.

How do I get my music added into the playlist?

Simply email us at noisyheadspace@gmail.com to request your music to be added. We can’t guarantee a reply (sorry, our inbox is terribly clogged!), but we can assure you that we won’t miss your releases.

What are the requirements to be added?

We keep curation to a minimum because we genuinely want this to feel like a huge, chaotic but exciting stream of music. Think of it as proof that the indie scene is constantly releasing something new. The general rule of thumb is that you must be a Malaysian or Malaysian-based artist and not signed under a major label. Distribution deals are completely fine, ‘cause we understand how the industry works.

We also don’t add demos, only official releases. Once your demo is officially released, we’ll add it when the time comes.

Why are December releases included?

Good question. Our playlist includes releases from mid-December of the previous year. This eases the process of curating year-end lists because we need time to properly sit with late December releases before deciding if they should be included. Ignoring them wouldn’t be fair because, to be honest, the scene releases tons of great music towards the end of the year.

So anything that comes out after our mid-December cutoff is eligible for the next year’s playlist.

Does being added mean you’ll review my music?

Not necessarily. The mega playlist and our editorial coverage operate separately. Being added into the playlist does not automatically guarantee a review, feature or interview. That said, we are always listening, and sometimes things naturally grow from there.

Can I submit a release that came out earlier this year?

Yes, as long as it falls within the current year’s eligibility window. If you missed sending it earlier, just email us and we’ll slot it in accordingly.

Does it have to be on Apple Music?

Yes. For now, the mega playlist lives on Apple Music, so your release needs to be available there for us to add it. If that changes in the future, we’ll let you know.

Find your next favourite songs in the playlist here.