At the moment, Australia really is a hotbed of seriously good music, and mostly of a psychedelic and power pop bent. The latest – and perhaps the best – is the brilliant Way Dynamic.

Headed up by Dylan Young who has played with Cool Sounds and Good Morning and probably more, he’s released ‘Massive Shoe’, and it just so happens to be one of the best albums of the year!

A kinda creaky, fuck it leave the mistakes in DIY gem, ‘Massive Shoe’ is littered with ear worms and deceptively great songwriting that’s sure to win over anyone who listens to it.

And while the ramshackle approach would suggest something that’s thrown together – don’t be fooled – this is actually a layered, cohesive record that features hypnotic parts, sweet melodies, killer guitar work, and hidden in the mix, harmonium, double bass, clarinet, saxophone and all manner of gorgeous textures that’s going to leave new fans turning evangelical about getting other people on board with this sensational album.

If you’re going to start anywhere, to get you to listen to the rest of the LP, ‘People Settle Down’ is about as infectious a tune as you’re likely to hear this year. Loose, catchy, vibey and with call-and-response sections bouncing around with a chubby organ, it’s one of those pieces of music that feel like they come really easily to a songwriter, but only if that songwriter is absurdly talented.

The album is littered with bangers of different stripes – ‘The Others’ is a groovy little chugger, ‘I Was The Dancer’ is White Album awesomeness, and ‘In Review’ melds West Coast gorgeousness with McCartney-esque shed pop.

It’s genuinely brilliant, top to bottom, as albums go. This might just be the sleeper hit of 2026

It’s little wonder that Dylan Young has friends in high places already, with the likes of Elton John, Zane Lowe and Elijah Wood counting themselves as fans, and support slots for MJ Lenderman, Waxahatchee, and Black Country New Road.

Technically, this was released in 2025 on a Aussie indie label called Spoilsport, but it’s been rerelased this year with greater support – and given that this is the first time we’re hearing it and desperate to let people know how brilliant it is, we’re counting it as a 2026 release.

Because for all the nods to folk rock, ’70s Beach Boy nods, grotty slacker stylings, Beatley songwriting craft, Kevin Ayers singularity and more, this is simply an album that feels utterly timeless, with all the right elements of pop music rolled into one glorious thing.

If you enjoyed Cameron Winter’s solo album, went crazy for the Slippers LP, then this needs to be on your radar. Playful melodies and reflections on human connections sometimes gone awry, Way Dynamic is 100% one of the finest records you’re going to hear in any year, and you absolutely need to get on the bandwagon right now – don’t dawdle.

It’s an easy-going LP, and one that feels very special indeed.