Czech music 2025: Top five albums according to Radio Vltava hosts

Jakub Čermák, known under the pseudonym Cermaque, is a Czech musician, director, and poet. He released his debut album in 2008 and has been nominated for the Anděl Award twice. Last year, he released his thirteenth album, titled Společný jmenovatel (in English, Common Denominator), which mostly revolves around the topic of love but also reflects world events such as the war in Ukraine, the violence in Gaza, and the rise of nationalism and chauvinism. Journalist David Pomahač explains why Cermaque’s latest album is among the best Czech records of 2025.

David Pomahač: I’ve been following Jakub for a very long time. I’ve seen him live many times — whether with his band, with the project Lament, or solo. I always felt that he was somehow overlooked in these discussions about the best releases of the year. So I told myself I had to do something about it and mention his latest album here. It’s his thirteenth record, which is incredible. He’s unbelievably prolific. And I don’t think he’s ever released any filler. I think the album is very accomplished, and I’d like to use this opportunity to tell Jakub that I truly respect and appreciate him. I also chose a song that features Kvietah, who is another young artist I’m very fond of.

And one singer-songwriter follows another. After Jakub Cermaque Čermák, we now have Jakub König. His current album Astronauti was picked by Radio journalist Pavel Zelinka.

Pavel Zelinka: I see Jakub more as a kind of loner who follows his own path and doesn’t look left or right. Gradually, he has been shedding the masks he used to wear. And now he’s standing almost naked, hand in hand with producer Aid Kid. By openly embracing the distinctiveness and personality of his work, I feel that he is stronger than he has ever been. His album Astronauti is like a diary that I can very easily relate to, and at the same time, musically speaking, it’s truly a delicacy.

Astronauti is the second solo album by musician, lyricist, and visual artist Jakub König, who has been active on the Czech music scene since 1994 in various bands and musical projects.

Two female musicians also appear on the list of the top five Czech albums of 2025. One of them is cellist and singer Dorota Barová. Her latest album is called Píseň pro mi. Tomáš Klement will tell us more about the musician and her newest record.

Tomáš Klement: Dorka is a well-known name, a longtime member of the now unfortunately defunct Tara Fuki. These days, you can see her live, for example, alongside Aneta Langerová or performing with the jazz ensemble Vertigo. Her new album Píseň pro mi is her tribute to the visual artist, poet, and close friend Michaela Vejnarová. Barová took her poems and, together with Miroslav Chyška and Miloš Klápště, set them to music, creating a fragile and intimate record that is entirely in Czech, except for the closing title track. And I’ve chosen the opening song, Na chvíli, which features a beautiful interplay between the cello, the voice, and Miroslav Chyška’s guitar flourishes.

Mazut is a heavy, viscous residue left after the distillation of crude oil, used as a fuel in the energy industry. And Mazut is also the new album by the Czech band B4. It was selected for Radio Vltava by David Pomahač.

David Pomahač: That’s exactly how Tomáš Procházka, the frontman of B4 and also a very distinctive theatre artist, answered me. I had asked him why the album is called Mazut, and he replied with precisely that definition, saying, “And that’s exactly what the record is about.” This band, often described as drawing on krautrock and a kind of psychedelia has released what I consider another fantastic album. Tomáš’s lyrics, which he more or less declaims in his incredibly deep baritone, really demand careful listening. And the jokes — they’re hidden. Because he delivers everything in such a seriously solemn voice, the humor isn’t obvious at first. But once you really tune in, you may find yourself suddenly laughing out loud at music like this. The song I’ve chosen is called Sačis for my lajs, whatever that may mean. I asked Tomáš about that as well, and he said, “Anything you want it to mean.”

Tomáš Klement: I still have to mention two singers who really impressed me this year. The first is Lucie Dlabolová. At a relatively mature age, she released her debut album Lucidní snění. The second is Marjari, a very young musician from České Budějovice. Her mature, beautifully produced album Setting This Place On Fire is her second record, following her debut Hey Girl. Once again, her music sits at the intersection of singer-songwriter craft and alternative pop. I’ve chosen the song Spine, which for me is the Czech single of the year. In it, Marjari expresses her own insecurity, and the chorus sounds as if she wants to run and scream everything out of herself.