MIKE has announced a new album, Showbiz!, which will arrive on January 31 via his own label 10k. Today’s announcement comes with the release of the new single ‘You’re The Only One Watching’, which follows last month’s ‘Pieces of a Dream’. MIKE co-directed the song’s accompanying video with longtime collaborator Ryosuke Tanzawa, and you can check it out below.
Earlier this year, MIKE joined forces with Tony Seltzer for the album Pinball.
In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on November 29, 2024:
Australian duo Good Morning have released their eighth album, The Accident. Liam Parsons and Stefan Blair tracked instrumentals in Greece last August, while lyrics and mixing took place in Joshua Tree in November, and final touches were added at Melbourne’s York Street Recorders in February. “We’re not really fighters (we’re way too passive for that), but given that we’re making a new record at the same time as already getting sick of thinking about the old one, an air of burn out and band related bum out seems to find its way into much of the lyrics,” they explained. “For the first time in a long time, there is no new Good Morning record being worked on as this one is coming out, and no plans to tour.”
The Party Never Ends, which is billed as Juice WRLD’s final posthumous album, has arrived. It boasts guest appearances from Eminem, Fall Out Boy, the Kid Laroi, Benny Blanco, and Nicki Minaj. The rapper’s state shared a trailer for the LP starring actor Eric Roberts, who plays the role of a grandfather who tells his grandchildren about “the legend of Juice WRLD.” “I went to all the concerts. I listened to every project and freestyle, but the last album — it was really worth the wait,” Roberts said in the Steve Cannon-directed clip.
British producer Mark Barrott has released a new album, Everything Changes, Nothing Ends, via Reflections. The orchestral ambient record is dedicated to the artist’s late partner, Sara Kult-Smith, following her death last year. In a statement, Barrot called it “the story of how life can change and be snatched away in the blink of an eye,” continuing: “But this is not a sad story, it’s a story of joy, love, grief and gratitude for what was. It is also my most ambitious album to date, conceived in the weeks after Sara’s death, as I worked with orchestras and choirs across Europe, trying to find the right sonic language to portray the Tsunami of emotions that were running through my body, mind and soul. Whilst this is my story, I hope that for someone, somewhere, it brings joy and maybe comfort for those of us that are just trying our best to get through the night. Keep going and stay safe…the light does come back.”
Juanita Stein has unveiled her fourth solo LP, The Weightless Hour, via Agricultural Audio. The Howling Bells frontwoman previewed the follow-up to 2020’s Snapshot with the single ‘Mother Natures Scorn’. It sees the singer reuniting with Depeche Mode and Blur collaborator Ben Hillier. “I think making records is a really powerful way of letting go of experiences,” Stein said. “I’m allowing myself to kiss things goodbye.”
The Innocence Mission – the husband-and-wife folk duo of Karen and Don Per – are back with a new LP, Midwinter Swimmers. The follow-up to 2020’s See You Tomorrow was preceded by ‘This Thread Is a Green Street’ and the title track. “There is a companionship about Karen’s voice, and a realistic joy and gratitude, in the midst of life’s difficulties, that she is expressing here on songs like ‘Sisters and Brothers’,” Don Peris said in a press release. “I feel bolstered and comforted by them.”
total tommy – the moniker of Sydney-based artist Jess Holt – has dropped her debut album, bruises, today via [PIAS] Recordings. Holt wrote the album during a period in which she went through a breakup, moved cities, came out as queer, and met her now-wife. “That was a really big time,” she said in a press release. “I grew so much, I learnt so much about myself; I mostly feel like an adult now.” She worked on the songs alongside producer and longtime collaborator Mark Zito of Fractures, seeking to capture the energy of the project’s live show.
Bedsore, Dreaming the Strife for Love; The Last Poets, Africanism; Aisha Badru, The Sun Still Rises; Sech, Tranki, Todo Pasa; Jakob Bro, Taking Turns; Rikuto Fujimoto, Distant Landscapes; Jaeychino, Artwork III; Gregor Tresher, False Gods.
DJ Koze has shared a new track, ‘Pure Love’, which features Damon Albarn. It’s the first single from the German musician’s upcoming LP Music Can Hear Us. The follow-up to 2018’s Knock Knock is billed as “a 64-minute return trip into space and back,” and it’s set to arrive on April 4 via Pampa. Check out ‘Pure Love’ below.
Kesha has released a new song, ‘Delusional’. She co-wrote the song with Madison Love and Zhone, the latter of whom also co-produced it. Check it out below.
‘Delusional’ follows July’s ‘Joyride’, Kesha’s first song since being freed from Dr. Luke’s Kemosabe Records in December of last year. Upon announcing ‘Delusional’, Kesha was accused of using AI-generated art for the track’s cover art, though she has yet to address the backlash.
Ex-Vöid have released a new track, ‘Pinkhead’. It’s taken from their upcoming album In Love Again, which was led by the single ‘Swansea’. Check it out below.
In Love Again, the follow-up to 2022’s Bigger Than Before, is set to arrive on January 17 via Tapete Records.
A newcomer to online casinos has only a few steps to take to start playing for money. Modern gambling clubs offer a comfortable interface and a large assortment of gambling entertainment.
At the Bruno Casino showcase, you can find roulette, poker, and Baccarat emulators. Large gambling clubs also offer lotteries, tournaments, and a showcase with live dealers. However, professionals recommend choosing honest online slot machines.
Video slots do not require any skills and abilities from the player. In fact, all you need to do is choose the size of the bet and start spinning the reels. Somehow influencing the result of the drawing, the user cannot practically.
Everything is determined by the random number generator. This is a special combination in the software code, which each rotation calculates differently. Therefore, the probability of falling out several wins in a row is extremely low.
At the same time, this does not mean that the user does not get a chance to be on the plus side. In modern slots, a unique bonus program is thought out. This is a prize system that has wild cards, scatter symbols, and free scrolls. Due to this, you can compensate for past losses and catch large coefficients.
Prepare yourself in just a couple of minutes. A newcomer to online casinos needs to go through several stages:
Operators of gambling clubs give users hints. Find them on the main page of the official site.
One of the mistakes of beginners is to play several slot machines at once. Do not do this. It is impossible to thoroughly study each game. It is better to stop at one of the simulators and train in it.
Start exclusively with demo mode. Only in the free version will you be able to understand the mechanics and bonus set of slot machines. In addition, it will help to understand what deposit is better to start with.
The user should pay attention to the reviews. You can read them in social networks, Telegram, or on closed forums. Here you can, firstly, learn about whether it is worth playing in a particular casino. Secondly, it will give information about slots in which real jackpots have been snapped.
Usually these games are on the main page in the popular tab. In other casinos, this selection can be called the top of the week or month. Here are always added simulators that users run more often than others.
Another clue for the player can be a tape of recent payments. Such have many licensed casinos. Here you can see which emulator appears in the selection with a win more often than others. This means that the slot machine is maximally heated and ready to give out a win after the first few spins.
By the way, you should not forget about the terms of withdrawal of winnings. Jackpots in the casino newbies can withdraw only in instalments, and it can take up to several months.
The automotive industry is full of dynamic opportunities, and one of the most lucrative roles within car dealerships is that of Finance and Insurance (F&I) managers. These professionals are responsible for crucial financial and insurance-related transactions, making them indispensable to a dealership’s operations. We’ll explore how much F&I managers typically earn, the factors influencing their income, and how specialized F&I Training programs can open doors to success in this rewarding career.
Finance Manager Training is an F&I School provider, approved by the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision, specializing in preparing automotive, RV, and powersports dealerships to develop the next wave of skilled F&I Managers.
Before diving into salary specifics, it’s essential to understand what an F&I manager does. Finance and Insurance managers handle financial transactions related to car purchases, including securing loans, presenting warranty options, and selling additional insurance products. Their role bridges the gap between customers and lenders, ensuring that all paperwork is accurate and in compliance with regulations.
This multifaceted role makes F&I managers some of the highest-paid employees in a car dealership.
The salary of an F&I manager varies based on factors such as location, experience, and dealership size. On average, F&I managers in the U.S. earn between $90,000 and $150,000 annually, with some experienced professionals in high-performing dealerships making upwards of $200,000 per year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the automotive finance sector continues to experience steady demand, contributing to the competitive salaries in this field.
F&I managers typically have a base salary complemented by performance-based commission. The commission is tied to the sale of financial products, which means their earning potential is closely linked to their ability to upsell products such as extended warranties, GAP insurance, and other add-ons. A high-performing F&I manager can significantly boost their earnings by excelling in these areas.
Several factors determine how much an F&I manager can earn:
Salaries are higher in metropolitan areas or regions with a high cost of living. For example, F&I managers in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago often earn more than their counterparts in smaller towns.
Larger dealerships with high sales volumes generally pay their F&I managers more due to increased business and higher revenue potential.
Entry-level F&I managers earn less than seasoned professionals. Experience brings not only a higher salary but also better commission opportunities.
Professionals with specialized training or certifications, such as those offered by Finance Manager Training School, are in higher demand and command better salaries.
Becoming a successful F&I manager requires more than just on-the-job experience. Formal training can significantly improve your knowledge, skills, and earning potential. This is where Finance Manager Training School plays a pivotal role.
Finance Manager Training School offers comprehensive programs designed to prepare aspiring F&I managers for the challenges of the job. These programs cover critical topics such as:
The training provides in-depth knowledge of finance and insurance operations, giving you the confidence to handle complex customer interactions.
Certifications from reputable training schools add credibility to your resume, making you a more attractive candidate to dealerships.
Trained F&I managers often secure higher salaries and better commission rates compared to those without formal training.
Training programs offer connections to industry professionals, mentors, and potential employers, helping you build a strong professional network.
Many F&I managers start their careers in sales or customer service within a dealership. This helps them build foundational skills and understand the automotive industry.
Formal training is crucial for mastering the intricacies of the F&I role. Programs like those offered by Finance Manager Training School provide the specialized knowledge required to excel.
Some states require F&I managers to hold specific certifications related to finance and insurance. Ensure you meet these requirements before applying for positions.
Leverage your training and certifications to secure a position. Highlight your expertise in financial products, compliance, and customer service during the interview process.
Stay updated on industry trends and regulations to maintain your competitive edge. Ongoing education and professional development are essential for long-term success.
The demand for skilled F&I managers is expected to grow in the coming years as the automotive industry evolves. With advancements in digital tools and the increasing complexity of financial products, dealerships need knowledgeable professionals who can navigate these changes effectively.
By investing in specialized training through programs like Finance Manager Training School, aspiring F&I managers can position themselves for a lucrative and fulfilling career.
F&I managers play a vital role in car dealerships, ensuring smooth financial transactions and maximizing profitability. Their earning potential, while already impressive, can be significantly boosted with the right training and skills. For anyone considering a career in this field, enrolling in a program like Finance Manager Training School is an excellent first step toward achieving success.
Whether you’re new to the industry or looking to advance your career, the combination of formal training, experience, and dedication can pave the way for a high-paying and rewarding role as an F&I manager.
Despite significant challenges, the Ukrainian gambling industry stands out for Igor Zotko’s key role in combining business growth with social support. Focusing on aligning business goals with deeply rooted social responsibility, the businessman leads PIN-UP Ukraine.
Expanding Horizons in the Ukrainian Gambling Market: Igor Zotko’s Strategies During the Conflict
Ukraine has made significant progress since legalizing gambling in 2020. The initial licensing phase started in early 2021 under the supervision of the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL).
KRAIL’s public dispelling of any misconceptions about Igor Zotko’s ties to Russia confirm the integrity of the supporter’s activities and the legitimacy of the PIN-UP license. Eventually winning the case, the businessman protected his brand’s reputation despite the slander. He also dispels myths about illegal commissions with the Diia app, calling on the media to be accurate. Thanks to PIN-UP Ukraine’s fiscal responsibility and compliance with the law, Opendatabot recognizes it as a leader in the gambling industry.
“This year, we faced an information attack to discredit our brand. Winning the court case against the media only confirmed our unshakable reputation,” comments Igor Zotko.
As an indicator of their commitment to community support and resilience, Forbes Ukraine and PIN-UP have initiated grants to empower businesses in conflict-affected regions. In addition:
Zotko has created a comprehensive support system within the company:
Under the leadership of Igor Zotko PIN-UP Ukraine demonstrates a business model that combines significant social contributions with commercial success.
Imagine, for a moment, a world where GNX arrived with no industry-shaking feud in its rearview. Kendrick Lamar could probably make an album like it at several points in his career, but there’s no doubt it’s a hard pivot from 2022’s contemplative and messy Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. As the surprise follow-up to a series of historic diss tracks, however, capping off a year that saw him knocking out the biggest rapper on the planet to be crowned the greatest (and released without warning but deliriously just in time to make many publications’ year-end lists), it makes complete sense. But you can’t ignore the fact that the artist who looked so nakedly inward on Mr. Morale is the same one who spent 2024 taking victory lap after victory lap. GNX could have been another one of those in album format, which is something the world did not need. What the record – snappy, invigorating, and tireless – manages to achieve is fuelling back our hunger while delivering something quite beyond any fan’s expectations.
The Buick GNX is both a symbol of Lamar’s success and a link to his past – the model he recently purchased is the same one his father used to take him home from the hospital after he was born – and he spends much of the album reflecting on his journey to the top. GNX is an infectiously celebratory album, but Lamar makes sure to remind us he hasn’t forgotten where he comes from. “Top used to record me back when it was poor me/ And now we at the round table for what assures me/ I guess my motivation was the yearning for independence/ Poured everything I had left in the family business,” he raps of his time with Top Dawg Entertainment on ‘heart pt. 6’, the latest in the ongoing series that Drake, in his final and arguably weakest response to Lamar, tried to flip against him. Whether he’s still conflicted is a different question: there’s little effort to reconcile past and present or wrestle with the contradictions of every role he’s supposed to represent. It’s all there, but it comes out in unabashed confidence rather than unwavering uncertainty.
Lamar has gone from reminding himself that “you can’t please everyone” (on Mr. Morale’s ‘Crown’) to reassuring us, over and over again, that he deserves it all. (Although people have been quick to take those words at face value – there’s at least a hint of wistfulness to ‘man at the garden’, more of a manifesto than a personal record.) Only the presence of God – literally, on ‘reincarnated’, which also sees him inhabiting the lives of John Lee Hooker, Billie Holliday, and Tupac Shakur, once someone he could imagine “probably” relating to – could shake him out of place. GNX harnesses the bottled-up energy of the past year into one of the most immediate and concise records of his career, scrubbing away some of the heady poeticism that had a way of clouding his superstatus to render it, in fact, immutable. The thrill isn’t so much that something so great dropped out of nowhere, but in the way Lamar’s established greatness appears so sharply condensed.
GNX’s righteous fury, unfortunately, comes with a side of the kind of pettiness that made most of us glad the Drake beef came to an end. It might be one of the best songs of the year, but I’m glad ‘Not Like Us’ is not on here, even though its exclusion has only fuelled speculation about another Kendrick project on the horizon. At its best, the album keeps up the momentum without leaning too far into it; ‘tv off’ reunites Lamar with producer Mustard in triumphant frenzy to create a viral moment that feels like more than an imitation of ‘Not Like Us’. ‘heart pt. 6’ is far from a response to Drake, instead considering how best to funnel down his own impact, image, and generational talent, a theme that intensifies on ‘hey now’. That one also has Mustard on production, along with longtime collaborator Sounwave and his Red Hearse bandmate Jack Antonoff, who are credited on nearly every song – its bounce is as slick and menacing as Lamar’s delivery, which acknowledges we’re in banger territory while sneakily sharpening his pen.
But right from the opening track, ‘wucced out murals’, you get the sense that Lamar could have let the dust settle a little longer. (Though that would only give him time to address Drake’s regrettably timed legal actions.) He takes aim at Snoop Dog for sharing Drake’s ‘Taylor Made’ freestyle on Instagram and Lil Wayne for being displeased at his Super Bowl slot, which sounds like detritus as soon as he moves on; it dilutes the project’s significance by freezing it in time, especially since Lamar does have deeper concerns to parse out. More importantly, he’s here to entertain, getting things moving with the instantly catchy ‘squabble up’ before rattling off in different directions. GNX may trade the insular and introspective flows of Mr. Morale for better accessibility and more venom, but it’s not a course correction; without much to prove, he’s free to eclecticize his sound, which helps when the producers tend to manifest each style with clean, raucous precision.
The album not only covers more musical ground than you’d expect – careening from ‘squabble up’ to ‘luther’, a soulful duet with SZA that beautifully builds on a sample of Luther Vandross – but also finds Lamar gradually yielding more of it on the rapping front. Whether focusing his attention on the underground of his native LA is an admirable means of platforming up-and-coming rappers or securing his mainstream stature is up for debate, but it does add to the dynamism of the album, especially on the dizzying posse cut that is the title track. The most notable guest, of course, is SZA, who also joins Lamar on the closing ‘gloria’, whose titular character turns out to be – shocker – a metaphor for his own relationship with writing. It’s cut in the vein of Mr. Morale’s discomfiting ‘We Cry to Together’, though it lacks that duet’s raw melodrama. Choosing such a dependable collaborator, though, makes for a fitting conclusion – there’s a level of familiarity and even comfort between them that suggests this battle with self, inescapable even in his biggest glories, might, however inconspicuously, be a shared one. He may never come out on top, but he keeps at it, if only because no amount of money or accolades can compare to where his pen can take him. Lest he come close to forgetting, GNX is ultimately there as a reminder.
Decca Records has today announced Chet Baker Re:Imagined, a new tribute album marking the 70th anniversary of Chet Baker Sings. It’s set to arrive on April 15, and it’s led by dodie’s cover of ‘Old Devil Moon’. Listen to it below.
“How lucky am I to get to live in the world of Chet’s soft playful croons for this gorgeous collection?” dodie said in a statement. “So fun to marry our styles and lean into a jazzier side. Chet Baker was my number one artist in 2023 (apparently a top 5% fan) so I was just thrilled to be asked to pick a favourite – (although that part was difficult) and spend time with his gorgeous version of Old Devil Moon and dream up how we could team up.”
The compilation also features contributions from an array of international artists, including Matt Maltese, Matilda Mann, Joel Culpepper, Ife Ogunjobi, Hohnen Ford, Eloise, Poppy Daniels, and Puma Blue from Britain, Benny Sings from the Netherlands, Stacey Ryan from Canada, Delaney Bailey and mxmtoon from the US, South Korean Sara Kang, and Australian-Filipino grentperez.
Chet Baker Re:Imagined Cover Artwork:
Chet Baker Re:Imagined Tracklist:
1. Silver Lining – Joel Culpepper
2. That Old Feeling – Eloise
3. I’m Old Fashioned – Sarah Kang
4. I Get Along Without You – Hohnen Ford
5. There Will Never Be Another You – Matilda Mann
6. Old Devil Moon – dodie
7. It’s Always You – Puma Blue
8. Speak Low – Ife Ogunjobi
9. I’ve Never Been In Love – Poppy Daniels
10. Time After Time – Benny Sings
11. Like Someone In Love – Stacy Ryan
12. My Funny Valentine – Matt Maltese
13. I Fall In Love Too Easily – mxmtoon
14. But Not For Me – grentperez
15. While My Lady Sleeps – Delaney Bailey
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