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Lunar Vacation Share New Single ‘Lights Off’

Lunar Vacation have released a new single, ‘Lights Off’. The hypnotic, self-produced track marks their first new material since last year’s Everything Matters. Check out the self-directed music video for it below.

“This song feels like an open letter,” singer/guitarist Gep Repasky shared in a statement. “Naturally, I have my own meaning tied into it but whether or not it’s a letter of adoration or the final farewell, it’s not for me to say. Whether it’s about something physical or intangible, it’s also not for me to say. It could be about both or neither. It is up to the listener to create their own meaning, take what resonates with them, and use it to be the kindling wood in the growing fire of feeling, creativity, thinking and understanding.”

Read our interview with Lunar Vacation about the inspirations behind Everything Matters, and revisit our Artist Spotlight feature with the band. 

Lunar Vacation 2025 Tour Dates:

Mar 20 Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
Mar 22 Nashville, TN – Blue Room
Mar 25 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
Mar 26 Minneapolis, MN – 7th St Entry
Mar 28 Denver, CO – Lost Lake
Mar 30 Boise, ID – Treefort Music Festival
Mar 31 Seattle, WA – Madame Lou’s
Apr 2 Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
Apr 4 San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop
Apr 5 Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room
Apr 6 Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
Apr 8 San Diego, CA – Voodoo Room
Apr 10 Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge
Apr 11 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
Apr 12 Las Cruces, NM – El Camino
Apr 14 Dallas, TX – Club Dada
Apr 15 Austin, TX – Parish
Apr 16 San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
Apr 17 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
Apr 19 Pensacola, FL – Handlebar
Apr 20 Jacksonville, FL – Underbelly
Apr 22 Orlando, FL – The Social
Apr 23 Tampa, FL – Crowbar

Bob Mould on 6 Things That Inspired His New Album ‘Here We Go Crazy’

Before going into the studio, Bob Mould‘s demo-making process typically involves preparing for the type of ornamentation that might eventually decorate a song. In the early stages of the recently released Here We Go Crazy, the former Hüsker Dü frontman’s 15th solo album and first in five years, his approach was so liberatingly straightforward that he found himself resisting the thought of any kind of unnecessary polish. At the studio, backed once again by his long-serving rhythm section of drummer Jon Wurster and bassist Jason Narducy, he had something of an “allergic reaction” to the synth options available to him; alongside longtime engineer Beau Sorenson, he landed on a refined simplicity that only further invigorates the record’s visceral urgency. Breezing through in just over half an hour – though Mould handily controls the force of the wind – the record channels turbulence and uncertainty through concise, caffeinated rock songs powered by soaring hooks, crunchy, propulsive riffs, and some of the most taut songwriting of his career. “I worry for the future, I worry for the pain/ I worry myself sick about the wear and tear and strain,” he sings on ‘You Need to Shine’, looking at both past and present.

We caught up with Bob Mould to talk about the Beat Generation, first-wave punk, desert biking, and other inspirations behind Here We Go Crazy.


The Beat Generation (William Burroughs, John Giorno, Allen Ginsberg)

Do you mind sharing any memories of spending time with them? How have they been sort of collectively imprinted in your mind? 

I grew up in a small farm town in the Adirondacks in Northern New York State, and I moved to the Twin Cities, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, when I was 17 to attend university. My first semester, I had a work-study program, so I had a part-time job as well as going to school. My part-time job was working in the school’s library, and I enjoyed that work quite a bit – filing books, shelving books, putting magnetic strips in the spines of books so they wouldn’t get stolen without setting off the sensor on the way out of the library. One night, I saw this book, Naked Lunch by William Burroughs. People had cited that book in the punk scene – Patti Smith, most notably – so I sort of absconded with the book and sat and read it cover to cover. It was just astonishing – the language, the imagery, and the ideas that William was sharing. It was all new to me – this new, fantastic, bizarre, confusing world of characters and places. It had a profound effect on me as a young man. 

Years went by, and I started to get more familiar with a lot of William’s colleagues – Kerouac, Allen, and John. I remember in 1985, John Giorno reached out to me, to Hüsker Dü, to be part of a compilation album called Diamond Hidden in the Mouth of a Corpse. There were a number of other bands – Sonic Youth, Butthole Surfers, Diamanda Galás. It was a lot of our colleagues assembled for this album. I remember saying to John, “We need to do something for people with AIDS. What can we do? Can we do a challenge where everybody will donate their mechanical royalties – the publisher-side royalties – to some kind of group that would help people with AIDS?” John handled all of that, and it was a seemingly small gesture, but I think it did a lot of good. As part of the rollout of the record, Hüsker Dü went to the Bunker down in the Bowery, where William had a writing room, and John was the caretaker of the building. He lived on the top floor. That was the first time Hüsker Dü met William Burroughs. We did a photo shoot, had a conversation, and sat at the big table in the orange office chairs. William was holding court, as he always did, and he was just a fascinating person. 

As the years went on, I got closer to John, and the band got closer to William. In the summer of 1987, James Grauerholz, who handled William’s affairs, decided to organize an event called River City Reunion. It was held in Lawrence, Kansas, where William was living. James essentially brought everybody he could find from that era of writers, poets, and thinkers together for a long weekend to celebrate. It was Jim Carroll, Edie Kerouac – it was the only time I got to spend a few moments with Keith Haring. I think Tim Leary was there, Ed Sanders. It was just a who’s who of that group of writers based around City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco. It really drove home the importance of what those writers were talking about back in the day – the McCarthy-era politics of the United States, censorship being such a big thing. I learned so much from John and from William’s work, and I always carry that thinking with me. I learned so much from that work. It’s always a big part of my work to honor those ideas. 

My driver’s license and my primary home are still in San Francisco, so it’s always in the air. Despite the techification of San Francisco over the past 20 years, and now the AI-ification – despite all those changes, when I go up to North Beach and visit City Lights, I still feel all of that energy. A lot of Allen’s manuscripts are on display up there. That era of thinking in America is really important to me, especially in this day and age when we’re again faced with the specter of censorship over everyone’s heads. 

How do you see that energy or influence reverberating through Here We Go Crazy? Did you find ways of repurposing or reshaping that progressive or countercultural way of thinking?

I think structurally, if I look at a song like ‘Fur Mink Augers’, where it’s just a cut-up capture of all kinds of uncomfortable “How did I end up here?” situations – discos, broken glass, blah blah. If there’s any song on the record that grabs at that kind of kinetic free verse that William and John worked with, that would be the one I would look at and go, “Yeah, that’s a reasonable facsimile of what those guys were trying to do.” 

First-Wave Punk

What made you cite such a formative and broad influence for this list? 

Throughout my career, I’ve worked in a number of different styles, I guess. From the beginning of Hüsker Dü being sort of a droney, heavier kind of band, sort of darker, and then we went through a little bit of power pop, to get to hardcore punk. So much of what was driving that band at the beginning was first-wave punk. When I was working on this album, both the writing and the pre-production, I tried to dial back the ornamentation. And when I say ornamentation, that, to me, is the later steps of production of an album. There’s a song which is written on an instrument with words, and then you figure out what the rhythm section will do with that. And then, beyond guitar, bass, and drums, there’s this extra ornamentation. It’s as if the guitar, bass, and drums are the Christmas tree in its basic form, and after the tree is put in a stand and in place, then you decorate the tree. For the production of a record, ornamentation could be synthetics – synthesizers, loops, it could be percussion, actual keyboards. 

In the past five albums, there are different levels of ornamentation. Sunshine Rock being the furthest expanse of ornamentation, where I’m writing for an orchestra and sending scores to Prague and watching them play these scores. That’s deep ornamentation. This record, I didn’t feel so bound to decorate the tree as much as I have in the past. This album, to me, if it has a touchstone, it would probably be Ramones’ Leave Home, the second album. The first album had such a profound effect on me as a young musician. The second album was not black and white – the guitar was not on one side, and the bass was not on the other. It evolved, and the songwriting came more into focus. It had this bluish artwork – I think they were standing on a roof. It was equally simple as the first album, but it brought color and a little more texture, but not as ornate as, say, End of the Century. As I was recording the album and trying to keep it simple, Leave Home appeared. It wasn’t intentional, but once I was done with the record, I was like, “Yeah, this is sort of like Ramones’ Leave Home.” 

At which point did you set the dial in terms of ornamentation?

For me, when I’m preparing songs for the band to learn, I typically do rather elaborate home demos with laid-out parts and a lot of detail. With this record, the writing was slow to come, and every time I went towards a demo where I would normally prepare ornamentation ahead of time, I stopped myself. It just felt like it was getting in the way of writing. It felt unnecessary. It felt like the words and the melodies were strong enough. And when I got into the studio after doing the basic tracks with the band, the band goes away, and I’m left with the engineer and all of these different tools. As soon as I opened up a computer to start looking for synthetics, I just had an allergic reaction to it. I looked at Beau Sorensen, my engineer, and said, “Beau, I can’t do this. I don’t want to go into the computer on this record. It’s too much.” I said, “Of all the actual synthesizers in the studio, what is the easiest to just get a sound out of and to do things?” He came back with a vintage Minimoog, and I was like, “God damn, this is perfect.” Just the default, crunchy, gritty, singular sound that is the Minimoog. I just dialed up the most basic sound, and we left it there on the desk behind the mixing board. Anytime I needed what would normally be convoluted computer ornamentation, I just walked over to the Minimoog, played a melody, and we hit record. [laughs] And that was it. 

There’s other ornamentation on the record. There were beautiful vibes at the studio with the motor, so I could get that almost simulated Leslie effect – that tremolo, vibrato kind of in-and-out-of-phase vibes sound. Just these little doorbells that wake you up during the song. It was just the simplicity of all of it. 

Coffee

What role does it play in your life or your process, and how particular are you about it? Is it about the type of coffee or the coffee place? 

It’s coffee in and of itself. It carries a lot of value for me. I guess the first thing is, I quit drinking when I was 25 – drinking alcohol. I am an alcoholic, I was an alcoholic. So I don’t have a lot of vices in my life to turn to. Coffee is a very exciting thing for me. [laughs] It’s a good stimulant in my life. I always look forward to it. I don’t have wine, and I don’t have other hard drugs, so to me, finding and enjoying coffee is really important. 

Separate from that, when I’m touring or when I’m in San Francisco or anywhere, an exciting thing for me is to try to find really good coffee shops. It’s not so much for the origin story of a particular bean, but it’s more about the idea of going into a space that is part of a community. In my hometown, it might be a place I’m familiar with, and they recognize me. When I’m touring, it gives me a look at the city or the neighborhood and things that happen at this communal space. Oftentimes in the last 10 or 15 years, coffee shops have a lot of high design involved – a lot of woodwork, just unique design. It often tells me a lot about a city. I think of coffee as a stimulant – something that takes the place of other joys that people have in life – and it’s also this place where I can get a sense of the city. 

I’m wondering if any specific places where you had coffee come to mind when you think about making Here We Go Crazy

Oh my gosh, yeah. Well, the basic tracks were done at Electrical Audio in Chicago. The late Steve Albini built this amazing cathedral for all of us to make music in. One of the things in the studio upstairs in the kitchen is a gigantic – they used to have a three-station espresso pull machine, and they’re down to a two-station, but everybody pulls their own shots and learns how to be baristas as well as making these records. So, there’s that part. The studio also had a signature drink they would make called “fluffy coffee,” where it was like a tall latte with a lot of extra foam and sweetener. That was always a ritual – you’d have one of those every day. 

The other studio where most of the work was done was Tiny Telephone in Oakland, California, and we would drink a lot of coffee there as well. A whole different way of making it – my engineer, Beau Sorensen, he’s the kind that would weigh out the exact amount, hand-grind, and then do a pour-over with one of those kettles at the exact temperature – like 97° C or whatever temperature Beau would set it at. That would be highly curated as well, and that was always a moment to stop the work and spend five minutes making coffee – just that slight pause in the day to clear your head.

Desert biking 

My desert e-bike needs to go to the shop. I had a terrible accident in late January that sent me to the emergency room. But on good days – when I’m not wiping out in the middle of the road – I usually get up early in the morning before traffic starts and before the school buses are taking children around, and I do about 20 miles on my bike. It’s an e-bike, but I rarely use the electric acceleration. I use it mostly if I’m on the main road and have to keep up with car traffic. My bike ride is all around the perimeter of the town I live in, and it’s good because I can’t do anything but hold onto the handlebars and move forward. I use that hour as almost a virtual rehearsal. I just have the new songs on loop in my head, trying to come up with ideas for words. Or, after I’ve recorded, I do the same thing, but I’m trying to embed the words, using muscle memory in my head as well, so that when I tour, I know my own songs. When I’m in San Francisco, I walk the hills doing the same thing. But the bike is good because I’m moving at a fair clip, about 20 miles per hour, just looking at nature and rehearsing the show in my head. 

You could be sitting and looking at nature, but being in motion must help with virtually rehearsing the songs, the kinetic energy of it.

Absolutely. It’s the motion, the effort, the energy of it. It’s different from a stationary bike or walking in San Francisco. That’s a completely different pace. So yeah, the bike is good. And at the end of an hour, I’m like, “Oh wow, 800 calories! Good, I’ve got my cardio for the day.” 

Ocean Beach

What makes it a special place to you? 

Well, it’s the other part of the exercise I described. In San Francisco, there are lots of hills in my neighborhood. I always loved Ocean Beach – it’s just the end of the world, it’s the Pacific Ocean. There are a few neighborhood coffee shops, but during the pandemic, it was a place I would go almost every day. I would get up at 4:35 a.m. and go out before the sun came up. Invariably, I would be one of maybe three people on the entire shoreline. There might be an old guy with a fishing pole trying to catch fish; a solitary surfer in a wetsuit carrying a board across the beach, getting in as the waves are coming in; a young woman jogging with her dog off-leash. This sets the stage, and this is in near darkness, just as the sun is coming up.

I think the reason Ocean Beach is so important for me spiritually is all of that, but also because it’s the place where I can hear myself. When I say that, it’s because I have terrible tinnitus, so I don’t have silence in my life anymore. I don’t know what that sounds like anymore. But when I go to the ocean, the sound of the waves cancels out the constant ringing in my head. During the pandemic, it was good because I could get fresh air and be away from people, but at all times, it’s as if it erases this health issue I have. So, that three or so miles of walking up and down the beach, it’s the closest I can get to silence. It’s very important for my mental health. 

It may not be silence, but it’s a calmness. Do you feel it seeping into the record in some way? 

Well, the prior album, Blue Hearts, the last song was called ‘The Ocean’. At the end of that song, there’s a long trail of layers of feedback, and then there’s a moment where a lot of it disappears. For about 15 seconds, you hear this high-pitched sound. That is the sound I live with in my head. That is what I hear when I’m not at the ocean. Maybe not this record, but that’s where the prior album ended. And if you listen to the end of that album and then put on the beginning of the new album, it should be seamless. The new album starts exactly where I left off at the ocean with the prior record. 

Berlin

This one probably feels quite fresh – I saw that you just spent a few days there, doing a show at Rough Trade. How would you sum up the significance the city has had in your life?

It’s an amazing city. I started going there in the late ’80s. I always enjoyed visiting Berlin, even away from work. There’s just something about the spirit of the city. It’s a very gritty city that’s been through a lot and contains so much history. In 2015, my now-husband and I started visiting Berlin. We went for a week, then back for three weeks, and then in 2016, we went back for three months with the intention of possibly living there. During those three months, we found an apartment and moved to Berlin in the fall of 2016. The three and a half years we spent there – we were going back and forth to San Francisco, and I was also touring through that, but the time we spent in Berlin was incredible. It was three of the best years of my life. 

I felt so at home in the city. It’s sort of the birthplace of what we think about as queer culture, during the First World War, and especially during the Weimar Republic era. To live in that history and experience the way Germans see the world, to navigate through their culture – and deal with all the paperwork [laughs] – something about it felt natural to me. It’s a very science-driven way of living, math and science, but also a very “Fuck it, this is what we’re doing” kind of vibe. I really fell in love with that. Going out clubbing in my advanced age, in my late fifties – how did I get into Berghain every single time? [laughs] I had a bike over there and would ride fifteen miles a day in Berlin. It was so set up for that kind of lifestyle. It was an inexpensive city ten years ago, and everything felt so great. 

I’ll always carry such great memories of Berlin, and I always carry the bittersweet end. In early 2020, when the shutdown happened, my husband, who studied virology in medical school, said we probably wouldn’t be able to go back. We did not get to say goodbye to Berlin. We had two friends who had the keys to our apartment go in and, on FaceTime, showed us all of our belongings. It was a yes or no on all of our possessions, and it was so surreal. All of the things we said yes to went into boxes on a boat, and it took a year for them to show up in San Francisco. That’s a strange way to leave a city.

For me, going back last week was very emotional. It was very celebratory, but also a lot of tears. A lot of, This was my life, and it was sort of ended or put on indefinite hold. To go back, and see friends, and walk my street, and look at the windows of my apartment, and wonder who has a life there now compared to the life I had, seeing friends randomly on the street – all of it was pretty overwhelming. It always stays with me.


This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

Bob Mould’s Here We Go Crazy is out now via Granary Music/BMG Records.

Best Creatine For Women: Weight Loss & Fitness

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If the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of creatine is bodybuilders and weightlifting, we want to change your mind. It’s not a supplement used by guys to bulk up. More and more women are turning to creatine to help their workouts and support weight loss. If you’ve ever wondered whether this supplement is right for you, the answer might be a resounding yes. We’ll take a look at why creatine has its advantages and see what are the best options available.

Why Should Women Take Creatine?

Creatine isn’t just for bodybuilders. It’s a naturally occurring compound found in muscle cells that helps produce energy during high-intensity exercise. For women, this means strength, endurance, and even cognitive benefits. And it’s very safe, as it’s one of the most researched supplements in the world. Studies have suggested that creatine may support lean muscle retention while promoting fat loss, so if you are trying to lose weight, add creatine to your plan.

Some common myths say that creatine causes bulkiness or water retention, but those have been largely debunked. While creatine does pull water into muscle cells, this is a good thing for performance and recovery. Plus, with proper hydration, bloating won’t be a problem.

Best Creatine Options for Women

1. Bulk Supplements Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate is the most well-researched and widely used form of creatine and it helps improve absorption and effectiveness. This compound is naturally found in small amounts in foods like meat and fish, but it’s definitely more efficient to take the supplement. This creatine powder is unflavored and easy to mix into shakes or water.

2. Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder

Like other monohydrate creatine, this one is a high-quality one that dissolves easily in water and has been tested for purity. It’s a safe choice for beginners and experienced athletes, for active women who want to improve strength without additives.

3. Thorne Creatine

If you want a supplement that’s been tested and free of sketchy additives, Thorne is what you need. It’s NSF Certified for Sport, which means it’s safe for athletes and anyone who wants a clean, high-quality option. Plus, it mixes easily and won’t leave you feeling bloated. Just remember to drink your water!

How to Use Creatine for Best Results

Taking 3-5 grams of creatine daily is the standard dosage for most women. Some opt for a “loading phase” of 20 grams daily for the first week to saturate muscle stores quickly, but this step isn’t necessary. Consistency is key, so remember to take it daily, regardless if you work out that day or not. This is how you get the best results. 

The Takeaway

In 2025, you don’t need to eat tons of meat every day to see results in your fitness journey. Just add creatine to your routine and become the strongest version of yourself.

Anno 117 Pax Romana: New Trailer and Confirmed Features

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Anno 117: Pax Romana will be the eighth iteration of Ubisoft’s popular city-building series. Foccusing on Ancient Rome the game will explore a period of history long before any other in the series.

The most recent iteration, Anno 1800, saw the player build their city and civilisation through the Industrial Revolution, while the majority of other Anno titles also follow historical routes (including the original game, Anno 1602), two have taken futuristic approaches with the games 2070 and 2205.

Anno 117: What We Know So Far

We know that players will be able to dawn the toga of a Roman emporer and construct their idea of an ideal ancient city in two provinces of the empire: Latium, the region of Western Italy where Rome lays, and Albion, the Celtic land inspired by Great Britain. As the story progresses you must make your choices on how you wish to develop your civilisation, do you want to spread the culture of Rome, or return to the traditions of the Celts?

Staying true to the Anno model, the game will focus on construction and city-building rather than the combat and conquest focus of most Rome-focussed games.

Trailer and Release Date:

The trailer for Anno 117 revealed a series of interesting insights into the games story and new mechanics being introduced to the series.

We learn that players will follow the journey of a young governor tasked with rebuilding a region devastated by a natural disaster, turning the land into a bustling social and economic hub for the empire.

However, something’s goes wrong in your journey and you find yourself exiled to Albion, left in the unknown corner of the empire will you return to what you know and build your society around Roman tradition, or find new influence in the Celtic routes of the land you now preside over?

To help you along this journey, Ubisoft are launching a number of game-changing new mechanics and features.

One fans have long called for is modular ships, allowing a greater level of customisation in your naval units.

You must weigh up the pros and cons of adding the modules, for example oars may allow your ships more flexibility as they are no longer relying on the force or direction of the wind, but they require more supplies to feed the soldiers tasked with rowing and take up vital storage space.

While the game has a strong focus on story and world-building, players will still have the chance to choose how they wish to expand their influence: whether you want to build relations diplomatically and trade with your neighbours, or conquer their lands for yourself, Anno 117: Pax Romana is a city-building dream for history buffs.

The game will be available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S

Best Vitamin C Serums

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Skincare is as important as any other part of self-care. Brands, doctors, and influencers talk about its importance, not just for looks but for your skin’s health. When so many people say different things and so many products are available on the market, it’s hard to know what works. But vitamin C is one of those things that is universally agreed to help. So let’s see which ones are the best and help you find the right one for you.

Why Add Vitamin C to your routine?

Vitamin C serums are used to brighten skin and protect it from damage. It is an antioxidant ingredient that helps fight free radicals, boosts collagen production, and evens skin tone. Regular use can lead to a healthier, more radiant complexion. However not all vitamin C serums are equal, and finding the right one depends on their concentration, formulation, and skin compatibility. 

Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum

Skincare has gone from a simple routine to a worldwide obsession, and no one does it quite like Korea. This one has a gentle formula that brightens without irritating the skin. It contains 10% vitamin C with ginseng and niacinamide, so if you have sensitive skin or are a beginner looking to introduce vitamin C into your routine, this is a safe start. The lightweight texture absorbs quickly, but it is also the kind of product where the results take some time.

person holding dropper

Doctor Althea 377 Advanced Whitening Serum 

The K-beauty world has done its wonders, and the Doctor Althea 377 Advanced Whitening Serum is another Korean gem that works brilliantly. If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, you should have this one on your radar. It combines vitamin C with 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid, a stable form that helps brighten the skin without irritating it. It’s a good pick for beginners who want an effective yet gentle introduction to vitamin C.

Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster 

Another highly effective serum from a popular brand is the C15 Super Booster, with 15% stabilized vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid. It works to visibly brighten the skin, reduce fine lines, and protect against environmental damage. The lightweight texture makes it suitable for most skin types, but it may be too strong for extremely sensitive skin.

person holding white plastic bottle pouring white liquid on white ceramic mug

Drunk Elephant C-Firma HydraBright Serum 

This vitamin C serum is ideal for oily skin, and it has a lightweight formula that absorbs quickly without clogging pores. With a blend of 15% vitamin C, ferulic acid, and pumpkin ferment extract, it brightens while also mildly exfoliating. Vitamin C is usually a delicate ingredient and can degrade when exposed to light or air, but the formula here stays fresh longer, even though some find the initial scent a bit strong.

 

If you’re not sure where to start, go for a gentle formula and apply it a few times a week. Vitamin C can do wonders for your skin, as long as you find what works and are consistent.

Our Culture’s Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2025

The weather is finally turning, and the dark days of winter are over. Earlier this week I was able to sit outside, get some sun, and indulge in some great books — though it’s back to cloudy days in DC for now, it’s a spell of good things to come. Enjoy our picks for the best books to dig into during spring, spanning essay collections, urgent novels, and dazzling stories.

Harriet Tubman: Live In Concert, Bob the Drag Queen (March 25)

RuPaul’s Drag Race winner, comedian, and recent The Traitors star debuts with her first novel, where Harriet Tubman returns from the dead with a wish to record an album about her life with the help of Darnell, a gay music producer whose career blew up in his face. Its conversations on Blackness and queerness show Bob is just as talented and funny on the page as she is on the mic.

The Agonies, Ben Faulkner (March 25)

A hypnotic debut that pulls from Albert Camus and J.D. Salinger, The Agonies is a character study of an unstable young man for whom “the trials of youth become a torrential odyssey of dislocation and disorientation” as he moves towards a dastardly act of violence.

Trauma Plot: A Life, Jamie Hood (March 25)

Written as a send-up to our culture’s obsession with ‘trauma porn,’ or the insatiable hunger for bad stories and perfect victims, Jamie Hood reckons with three decades of sexual violence. Pulling from artists like David Lynch and Ovid, she asks what we ask of survivors, and if that can change. 

Paradise Logic, Sophie Kemp (March 25)

The Pitchfork writer and Columbia professor makes her debut in Paradise Logic, a bizarre, brilliant novel where Brooklynite Reality Kahn embarks on the quest to become the greatest girlfriend of all time to an apathetic guy. “When you are age twenty-three… every terrible thing you do puts you one inch closer to the gods,” she writes. Boldly funny and interesting.

Counting Backwards, Binnie Kirshenbaum (March 25)

The author of the hilarious and bizarre Rabbits for Food, about a woman’s humorous outlook at being trapped in a psych ward, comes Counting Backwards. A man diagnosed with Lewy body dementia lives his final years with his wife in New York City, showing the best of Binnie Kirshenbaum’s mordant, cutting comedy.

Barbara, Joni Murphy (March 25)

In her atmospheric and thoughtful follow-up to 2020’s Talking Animals, Joni Murphy crafts Barbara, a starlet living in the wake of her father’s involvement in the Manhattan Project. As her career blossoms and her star rised, she reflects on her life as an artist who values the work above all else.

Tilt, Emma Pattee (March 25)

Annie is nine months pregnant, shopping for a crib at IKEA when a massive earthquake hits the Pacific Northwest. The only option is to walk across the wreckage of Portland to try and find her husband, encountering kindness and desperation and a range of responses to dealing with tragedy along the way.

Hey You Assholes, Kyle Seibel (March 25)

The prolific short story writer’s first book, the beautifully-titled Hey You Assholes, concerns itself with the misfits of society, described as the “lovechild of George Saunders and Seinfeld.” Seibel’s stories are bold, funny, bizarre, and this should be a treat.

Blazing Eye Sees All: Love Has Won, False Prophets, and the Fever Dream of the American New Age, Leah Sottile (March 25)

The journalist Leah Sottile’s newest investigation turns itself to New Age promises — from innocuous artifacts like tarot and crystals to worldwide movements like Love Has Won. They’re able to mutate and shapeshift into dangerous ideologies, enfolding antisemitism, nationalism, and science denial; required reading for anyone interested in how the COVID-19 pandemic seriously rocked a lot of Americans’ brains.

Mrs. Lilienblum’s Cloud Factory, Iddo Geffen (April 1)

Recipient of the 2023 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature for his debut Jerusalem Beach, Iddo Geffen returns with a satire of corporate culture, this time in a disruptive family business. Eli Lilienblum capitalizes on his mother’s invention that can turn sand into rain, but when the whole world finds out, he’s left wondering who to trust amongst the possible shareholders.

The Snares, Rav Grewal-Kök (April 1)

In a thrilling debut that grapples with identity and conformity, Neel Chima is recruited to join a new federal intelligence agency with overwhelming power and little restrictions. Set in the last years of George W. Bush’s presidency, Neel is tasked with surveilling possible terrorism suspects, but is disheartened when most of the men look like his Sikh family, and the cost of his own morality mounts after a devastating misfire. 

A/S/L, Jeanne Thornton (April 1)

Jeanne Thornton’s newest novel A/S/L blends literature with technology as it introduces three friends who meet online in 1998 to craft the game Saga of the Sorceress. Years later, they all end up in New York City, unbeknownst to them, but their unfinished game keeps knocking at their minds.

Sky Daddy, Kate Folk (April 8)

From the author of the ambitious and delightful short story collection Out There, Kate Folk’s debut novel Sky Daddy, where Linda, a woman sexually obsessed with planes, upends her life to move towards her true desire, which is dying in a catastrophic plane crash. A warm and bonkers look at female obsession, shame, and desire from one of our best writers.

M Documents, Kevin Nguyen (April 8)

From an editor at The Verge, Kevin Nguyen’s second novel is the timely and satirical Mỹ Documents, a speculative tale of Vietnamese assimilation and ambition. When Jen and Duncan are forced into near-future internment camps, their sibling, Ursula, a journalist, uses their information to her advantage to skyrocket her career, even at the cost of her own family.

Exit Zero, Marie-Helene Bertino (April 22)

Author Spotlight alum follows up her brilliant breakthrough Beautyland with Exit Zero, her first short story collection in a decade. Described as “haunting” and “delightfully strange,” Bertino’s way of looking at the world continues to dazzle. 

What’s Left: Three Ways Through the Planetary Crisis, Malcolm Harris (April 15)

Historian and scholar Malcolm Harris returns with a diagnosis of our planet — we’re headed towards doom via rampant consumerism and government negligence. Laying out three intricate but plausible solutions, that through capitalism, socialism, or communism, Harris shows that the best mindset is not pessimism but public action, now: “That’s what’s left, and that’s worth doing,” he writes. Galvanizing, well-researched and realistic.

Friends of the Museum, Heather McGowan (April 15)

Spend a day in the turmoil of a prestigious New York museum as Diane Schwebe, its director, fends off its lawyer and an assorted crew of workers, including a line cook, curator, and costume designer, each of whom pulls at her. In the vein of The White Lotus, after the museum’s annual gala, someone will be dead by the break of day.

Atavists, Lydia Millet (April 22)

In this linked story collection from the Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Dinosaurs, Lydia Millet goes into the depths of American psyches in a fractured, post-pandemic world. From futurists to insurrectionists to cosmetologists, Millet’s rendering of contemporary thought is astute and brilliant. 

Girl On Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves, Sophie Gilbert (April 29)

The Atlantic staff writer investigates our culture’s obsession with misogyny, violence, and vulnerability, coming from and manipulating women themselves. Notable chapters include the Riot Grrrl movement of the nineties, reality television catfights, girlbosses, and the peril of the confessional female auteur. Sophie Gilbert’s debut is intelligent and enlightening.

Fireweed, Lauren Haddad (April 29)

When Beth, a white woman, goes missing in the rural town of Prince George, Canada, the community explodes into action — protests, searches, billboards. But when Rachelle, an Indigenous woman with two kids, mysteriously vanishes, it goes unnoticed. The difference plagues Jenny Hayes, a housewife who embarks on a misguided and complicated search for Rachelle. Fireweed is a thorny and bold debut with all the makings of a thriller.

Awakened, A.E. Osworth (April 29)

The author of We Are Watching Eliza Bright — my personal favorite book of 2021 — returns with Awakened, a fantasy-tinted novel acting as a response to JK Rowling’s increasingly unfortunate viewpoints. Four trans witches who have separate powers (being able to understand any language, unlimited travel, etc) band together to try and halt a malicious AI that threatens to tear apart their coven written in Osworth’s heartfelt, clever style.

The Sleepers, Matthew Gasda (May 6)

In the new novel from playwright Matthew Gasda (“Dimes Square,” “Doomers”), four New Yorkers come against the version of themselves they’d prefer to be. The Sleepers is filled with leftists, academics, actors, and cinematographers who all exemplify what happens when hypocrisy infiltrates our identities. 

The Manor of Dreams, Christina Li (May 6)

The YA author’s first adult novel is a gothic horror mystery where Vivian Yi, the first Chinese woman to win an Oscar, is suddenly dead. Her children are shocked when her gorgeous California estate is left to a separate family instead, and when both groups move into the manor, they find that Vivian’s memory isn’t the only thing that haunts them.

GULF, Mo Ogrodnik (May 6)

In GULF, the prismatic debut from filmmaker and professor Mo Ogrodnik, five different women find their lives intertwined — a young Saudi mother trapped in a climate-controlled box of a home, a Filipina woman haunted by the toll a flood took on her family, a Syrian woman in an arranged marriage to a jihadist, and a white museum creator who reckons with her involvement as she meets an Ethiopian teen whose dreams have ended in the Arabian Gulf.

Happiness Forever, Adelaide Faith (May 13)

Sylvie has the terrible problem of being in love with her therapist. Her day job as a veterinary nurse and her little brain-damaged dog Curtains don’t offer relief, but one day she meets Chloe, who understands her completely. As her therapist threatens to cut off their sessions, she has to figure out a new way of independent living. 

Love In Exile, Shon Faye (May 13)

After her landmark book The Transgender Issue, the trans writer Shon Faye discusses love in all its forms, beginning with the love she thought she didn’t deserve as a child. Now a collective rather than individual issue, love has been politicized, capitalized upon, and debated, and Love In Exile is an attempt to bridge the gap in our minds and return to a more pure version of it.

Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKULTRA, John Lisle (May 20)

Historian and author John Lisle, PhD, visits the CIA’s MKULTRA scam last century, headed by chemist Sidney Gottleib to oversee a slew of deadly experiments on unwitting strangers for the purpose of psychological torture and mind control. Uncovering the depositions right from the perpetrators and the victims themselves, Project Mind Control shines light on an embarrassing and terrifying aspect of U.S. history.

Aggregated Discontent: Confessions of the Last Normal Woman, Harron Walker (May 20)

Culture critic and pop culture journalist Harron Walker’s first essay collection interrogates womanhood, cis and trans, as someone figuring themselves out on the internet in the early 2010s. Mixing memoir, journalism, fanfiction, criticism and more, it’s sure to be an entertaining and smart debut.

The Stalker, Paula Bomer (May 27)

Billed as an ‘Untalented Mister Ripley’ and ‘Dumb American Psycho,’ The Stalker follows a charming young man with endless confidence that preys on women in 90s New York. Convinced of his own intelligence and somehow able to squirm into any position or status he desires, he inflicts damage on women in Paula Bomer’s “portrait of a sociopath as a young loser.” 

Disappoint Me, Nicola Dinan (May 27)

The up-and-coming trans author of Bellies returns with Disappoint Me, where Max, a poet and tech worker, decides to switch up her life by pivoting to heteronormativity. She finds good company in Vincent, a lawyer, who has his own baggage of his own; a whirlwind and explosive trip to Thailand and a mother who isn’t sure about her son dating a transgender woman.

Freelance, Kevin M. Kearney (May 31)

A satire about our queasy relationships to labor, artificial intelligence, and parasocial relationships, Freelance’s nineteen-year-old protagonist Simon McNamara is in love with a cigarette-smoking camgirl while driving for HYPR, an infamously shoddy rideshare app. But HYPR’s AI starts speaking to Simon directly, promising financial success and telling him to tune out protests from the public against the company’s near-abusive policies, and he has to decide if this is more than just a shitty, temporary first job.

The Impact of Thoughtful Design on Home Comfort

Have you ever wondered why some homes feel instantly inviting? Thoughtful design—paying attention to layout, colors, materials, and even décor elements like art posters—can transform any space into a comfortable retreat.

In places like Oklahoma City, where the real estate market continues to thrive, more homeowners and buyers are recognizing the value of a well-designed home. Thoughtful design not only boosts comfort but can also increase a home’s appeal and value, making it a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to create a lasting sanctuary.

In this blog, we will explore how thoughtful design can impact home comfort, transforming spaces into places that truly feel like home.

Creating Space for Functionality and Flow

One of the biggest factors in home comfort is functionality. When each room has a clear purpose and flows easily into the next, it creates a sense of calm. Functional design focuses on layout and arrangement, ensuring there’s enough room to move comfortably and that each space is equipped for its intended use. This doesn’t mean you need a huge space; even in smaller homes, strategic design can improve how a room feels and functions.

For example, open floor plans are popular for creating more openness and connection between rooms, while closed layouts can offer more privacy. Consider how you use each room daily and organize furniture and decor to make movement easy and natural.

Upgrading with Quality Materials

Another key to thoughtful design is the use of quality materials. Durable and comfortable materials improve both functionality and comfort in any room. For example, upgrading materials in a bathroom can create a more enjoyable experience and add to the room’s overall appeal. Working with experts like Zintex Remodeling Group of Oklahoma City can help you make material choices that suit both your needs and aesthetic preferences. From countertops to tile options, choosing the right materials makes a difference in how a space feels and performs over time.

Investing in materials that are both beautiful and practical ensures that your home remains comfortable and easy to maintain. Quality materials look great, hold up under everyday use, and contribute to a sense of satisfaction in each room.

Incorporating Natural Light

Natural light can change the way a room feels, adding warmth and openness that artificial lighting may not achieve. Rooms with good lighting feel more inviting, and daylight can even boost mood and energy levels. Large windows, skylights, or well-placed mirrors can bring natural light deeper into a space, making it brighter and more comfortable.

If adding more windows isn’t an option, consider lighter paint colors or sheer window treatments that maximize the natural light you already have. Thoughtful placement of mirrors can also reflect sunlight into darker areas of a room. By allowing natural light to play a role, you can make any room feel fresher and more inviting.

Choosing Comfort-Driven Furniture

Furniture is another area where thoughtful design greatly impacts comfort. Pieces that support relaxation and function enhance the overall feel of a room. Think about how you use each space and choose furniture accordingly. In the living room, for example, comfortable seating makes it easier to unwind and enjoy family time or entertain guests.

Avoid furniture that is too large or overwhelming for the space, as this can make a room feel cramped. Modular furniture, which can be rearranged to suit different needs, is an excellent choice for homes where flexibility is important. Furniture that balances comfort with style makes it easy to create a space that works well and looks great.

Adding Personalized Touches

Comfort is often tied to the feeling of familiarity, which is why personal touches make a home feel uniquely yours. Thoughtful design goes beyond functional aspects to include decor and elements that reflect your personality and interests. Displaying family photos, artwork, or souvenirs from trips makes a space more meaningful.

These personal touches don’t need to be large or elaborate. Small items like framed photos, artwork, or cozy blankets can add warmth and character to a room. By surrounding yourself with things that bring happiness, you create a more comfortable and enjoyable home environment.

Creating a Cohesive Color Palette

Color has a significant effect on mood and comfort. A cohesive color palette makes rooms feel more connected and harmonious, contributing to an overall sense of calm. When choosing colors, consider how different shades affect your feelings. For example, blues and greens are often associated with relaxation, while warmer colors like beige or soft yellows bring warmth.

Incorporate colors that resonate with you and support the intended use of each space. Soft, neutral colors in bedrooms encourage rest, while lively tones in shared spaces add energy. A well-thought-out color palette can create a seamless flow throughout the home, making each room feel thoughtfully connected.

Using Lighting to Set the Mood

Lighting plays a major role in setting the tone for each room. Thoughtful lighting choices can make a space feel cozy, energized, or relaxed, depending on the desired effect. Use a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting to achieve the right balance in each room. For example, soft lamps create a warm, inviting glow in living rooms and bedrooms, while focused task lighting works well for kitchens and workspaces.

Adjustable lighting allows for flexibility, letting you change the mood to suit different times of day or activities. Thoughtful lighting choices enhance comfort and make it easy to adapt a room’s atmosphere whenever needed.

Embracing Minimalism for a Calming Effect

Minimalist design focuses on simplicity and functionality, creating spaces that feel open and uncluttered. By limiting excess items, you allow each piece to have a purpose and reduce visual clutter. This approach to design helps create a calm, orderly environment that promotes relaxation and comfort.

Minimalism doesn’t mean empty spaces; it means choosing pieces carefully and focusing on quality over quantity. Thoughtful arrangement of essentials in each room enhances comfort and allows you to fully enjoy the space. Embracing a minimalist style can bring a refreshing sense of peace and clarity to your home.

Ultimately, thoughtful design can transform a house into a home that supports comfort and well-being. Small changes, such as improving lighting, adding personal touches, or incorporating quality materials, make a noticeable difference. Consider how each design choice affects your daily experience and contributes to the comfort of your home. What simple adjustments could bring you the most satisfaction? By thinking carefully about each detail, you’ll create a space that reflects your needs, values, and personal style, making it a place where you feel truly at ease.

Jewelry Store Near Me

Jewelry store near me, there are numerous well-known jewelry stores across the USA. Here are approximately of the general ones, both national chains and local stores:

National Chains:

  1. Kay Jewelers
  2. Zales
  3.  Jared The Galleria of Jewelry.
  4. Tiffany & Co.
  5. Helzberg
  6. Blue Nile
  7. High-End Jewelers:
  8. Cartier
  9. Bvlgari
  10. Harry Winston

Jewelry Trend in USA

Jewelry comes in a wide diversity of styles, ingredients, and types.

  1. Rings
  • Engagement Rings Classically specified when offering marriage, engagement rings frequently feature a diamond or other valuable stone.
  • Marriage Bands: A sign of marriage, regularly worn after the marriage ceremony.
  • Assurance Rings: A assurance ring, infrequently given as a pre-engagement or a sign of love and loyalty.
  • Style Rings: These cover statement rings, cocktail rings, and casual designs made from many metals and stones.
  • Infinity Rings: Often assumed to spot vital anniversaries or milestones, containing a nonstop band of gemstones, often diamonds.
  1. Necklaces & Pendants
  • Chains: Modest or pretty metal chains, often worn alone or with a hanging.
  • Lockets: Attractive pieces that hang from a chain, which could be symbolic like crosses or initials or virtuously decorative.
  • Ornaments: Necklaces with a small case that holds a photo or reminder inside.
  • Bands: Tightfitting necklaces worn around the neck, often made of velvet, metal, or leather.
  1. Earrings
  • Stud Earrings: Minor, simple earrings that be seated directly on the ear part, frequently containing a gemstone or pearl.
  • Hoop Earrings: Round earrings that ring around the earlobe, accessible in a wide range of sizes and designs.
  • Dangle Earrings: Jewelries that hang below the earlobe and move easily, addition a lively element to the project.
  • Drop Earrings: Like to dangle earrings, but with a lengthier, more organized drop.
  • Ear Cuffs: A fresher trend that wraps about the ear, often damaged without a intense.
  1. Bracelets & Bangles
  • Tennis Trinkets: A wristlet offering a nonstop line of diamonds or gemstones set in a metal band.
  • Attraction Necklaces: Bracelets adorned with jewels that can indicate individual milestones or interests.
  • Cuffs: Wide, solid bracelets that classically fit carefully around the wrist.
  • Bangles: Thin, stiff bracelets that slide over the hand, often worn in lots.
  • Link Bracelets: Made from linked metal links, contribution a elastic design.
  1. Brooches & Pins
  • Brooches: Attractive pins that are classically worn on clothing, cast-off as a fashion addition or as a statement piece.
  • Jots: Smaller than badges, pins are often more refined but can feature difficult designs or imagery like a birthstone pin.
  1. Anklets
  • Simple Bracelets: Thin metal chains worn round the ankle, often containing a charm or small ornament.
  • Decorated Bangles: Stylish anklets made with beads, crystals, or gemstones.
  1. Jewelries & Necklaces for Men
  • Dog Tags: Military-inspired overhanging necklaces, often scratched with personal information.
  • Chain Necklaces: Simpler, masculine chains worn without pendants or with minimal designs.
  • Cross or Religious Accessories: Religious-themed pendants, often worn for divine or fashion reasons.
  1. Custom & Artisan Jewelry
  • Numerous jewelers in the U.S. offer custom jewelry designs where the customer can select their materials, stones, and styles, permitting for modified pieces.
  • Artist Jewelry: Handmade jewelry made by free creators or small jewelry shops, often using lone materials and methods.

Why custom made engagement rings are so popular in Dallas 2025

Custom-made engagement rings have develop mainly popular in Dallas and many other cities in 2025 for several reasons. Dallas, recognized for its dynamic and booming population, proposals a unique mixture of cultural effects and increasing demand for personalization in many aspects of life, including jewelry.

  1. Personalization & Unique Expression
  • Individuality: More pair today want a ring that replicates their exclusive relationship. Custom rings permit for a design that is truly one-of-a-kind, merging specific preferences and expressive elements that signify their love story.
  • Tailored Designs: In Dallas, with its rising artistic and design communities, people are progressively observing for ways to make their appointment ring stand out and express their own personal story over the design and gemstones used.
  1. Dallas as a Hub for Luxury and Fashion
  • Dallas has seen evolution in both luxury living and fashion, and tradition jewelry turns seamlessly with the city’s culture of individuality. Custom engagement rings permit clienteles to select precise materials, gemstones, and designs that bring into line with their personal style, whether it’s modern, vintage, or completely unique.
  • With a mix of high-end jewelers and self-governing artists, Dallas offers a comprehensive selection of places to create a custom ring, which adds to the overall demand.
  1. Access to Highly Skilled Jewelers
  • Dallas claims many brilliant jewelry designers and craftsmen who specify in custom pieces. Many pair are drawn to the chance to work straight with designers to make somewhat that’s not only beautiful but also well-crafted and made to last.
  • The occurrence of professional jewelers accomplished in custom design, mainly in well-established districts like the Dallas Design District, types it easier for people to discover their options.
  1. Increased Interest in Ethical and Sustainable Jewelry
  • Custom-made engagement rings give purchasers the chance to select moral and maintainable materials, such as conflict-free diamonds or lab-grown diamonds. Many people in Dallas, with its liberal and socially-conscious societies, prefer rings made from correctly sourced materials that bring into line with their values.
  1. Technology and Innovation in Design
  • With progressions in 3D printing and CAD Computer-Aided Design technology, tradition jewelry design has become more available and detailed. Pair can now create a ring that meets their careful specifications in terms of shape, size, and design, and they can even imagine it before it’s made.
  • Many Dallas jewelers offer 3D versions or prototypes of rings, allowing the couple to see the design up close before promising, making the custom process feel less scary.
  1. Emphasis on Craftsmanship and Quality
  • Many people in Dallas desire high-quality, handcrafted jewelry over bulk-produced pieces. Custom engagement rings proposal superior craftsmanship, and clienteles are able to select quality materials that will last a lifetime, addition value and meaning to the ring.
  • This stress on quality over quantity echoes with the cultured tastes of many in the city.
  1. Influence of Social Media and Celebrity Culture
  • With the increase of social media and influencers showcasing unique engagement rings, tradition designs have grew important visibility. Many couples are stimulated by photos on Instagram, Pinterest, or celebrity ring trends, prominent them to look for a custom engagement ring that glasses these creative and modified styles.
  • Dallas peoples, like those in other major cities, are progressively unfair by global trends, and custom rings permit them to stay ahead of the arc.
  1. Growing Desire for Investment in Timeless Pieces
  • Many people in Dallas view appointment rings as long-term reserves, not only as symbols of love but also as inheritances to pass down through groups. Tradition rings permit for greater control over the materials and design, safeguarding the ring is of permanent value both expressively and financially.
  1. Support for Local Artisans and Small Businesses
  • Supportive local artistes is a rising tendency in many city areas, including Dallas. Custom rings are often crafted by self-governing jewelers or small businesses, and many customers enjoy the idea of supportive local talent rather than buying mass-produced jewelry from large chains.
  1. Meaning and Sentiment
  • Custom rings can join elements that are meaningful to the couple, such as birthstones, favorite gemstones, or themes that reflect common experiences or passions. The romantic value that a custom-designed appointment ring holds is often more important to couples than procurement a standard ring from a store.
  1. Favorable Economy and Disposable Income

Diamond based Jewelry

Comparable we talk about the diamond base jewelry Bova Diamonds and Shira Diamonds are both companies that offer custom engagement rings and fine jewelry that are located in Dallas.

Pokémon Legends Z-A: What We Know So Far

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Pokémon Legends Z-A will be the ninth generation of the treasured series, acting as the official sequel to Pokémon X and Y

The game, developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, will return the series to Luminose City last seen in X and Y, with the city having undergone significant redevelopments its familiar boulevards will be filled with new discoveries and hidden gems.

With the release set for late 2025, this list has everything you need to know to start catching ’em all immediately.

Inside the new-look Luminous City

The city is reshaping itself to become a place for people and Pokémon to live together in harmony, with new facilities and shops to use, new green “wild zones” where you can battle and catch the roaming Pokémon, all while the iconic Prism Tower remains as the centre of the city.

As the game will play out entirely within Luminous City, the wild zones have been created in place of the traditional shrubbery where players are used to finding their Pokémon.

New Battle System

Another major change to the traditional Pokémon experience comes with how battles operate. In previous titles, “Pokémon took action once per turn”, but in Pokémon Legends: Z-A “Pokémon will move around [the arena] in real time” and “unleash their moves when their trainers command them to”.

Game Freak continue to explain the system saying: “There will be new gameplay mechanics to consider, such as the precise timing for swapping out your Pokémon or using moves, the different lengths of time moves will take to launch, and how big an area the moves will impact. This unprecedented style of Pokémon battling is one of the most thrilling parts of this title.”

Return of Mega Evolutions

Mega evolutions were introduced as a powerful new feature in X and Y. Their ability to transform battles and overpower their enemies has made it a fan favourite ability that will be carried into Z-A. The ability is explained as a process that “goes beyond the limits of regular Evolution.”

“Only certain Pokémon can Mega Evolve.​ Doing so imparts power greater than regular Evolution by temporarily unleashing the energy hidden within the Pokémon. Pokémon change their appearance when they Mega Evolve, and certain Pokémon may even change types.​”

Starter Pokémon Revealed

All Pokémon game’s start with one crucial decision: what Pokémon will you start your journey with? The original trio, Squirtle, Charmander and Bulbasaur, launched the pattern of a choice between ‘water’, ‘fire’, and ‘grass’ which has been followed since.

The only two starters who did not fall into these categories have been Eevee in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee and Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow and Let’s Go, Pikachu. 

Pokémon Legends: Z-A will see Totodile (water), Tepig (fire) and Chikorita (grass) join the player as their first choices.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be available on Nintendo Switch in late 2025.

Civilization 7: Upcoming DLC’s and Updates

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After a rocky release, Civilization 7 aims to stabilise its reputation with a series of updates and DLC’s coming to the game in March and April.

March has already seen the game’s first major DLC, Crossroads of the World Collection (Release 1), and major update 1.1.0.

The second release of Crossroads of the World is set to launch at the end of the month alongside update 1.1.1, while April will bring with it the Right to Rule Collection DLC and update 1.2.0.

The free updates aim to give players a more balanced and user-friendly game, with consistent UI, AI and gameplay changes made to improve the feel and structure of the new release.

Crossroads of the World Collection

The two parts of the Crossroads of the World DLC bring a host of new civlizations, leaders, and unique world wonders to the game.

Part 1 brought Carthage and Great Britain to the game, while part 2 will include Bulgaria and Nepal. Players will be eager to get their hands on each civilizations unique abilities, equipment and units and be able to live out the histories of some of the world’s most famous empires.

Additionally, the two DLC’s will include two new leaders you can choose to command you Civilization, Ada Lovelace and Simon Bolivar. Both have unique abilites related to their historical roles, with Simon improving war support and making it easier to build on newly conquered land, while Ada gives you access to greater levels of science development.

Crossroads of the World will also include four new Natural Wonders to discover, Machupuchare, Mount Fuji, Vihren and Vinicunca.

Right to Rule Collection

While the details of the Right to Rule Collection have been limited, we do know that it will follow a similar structure to Crossroads of the World, with various releases throughout April-September and a number of civilizations, leaders and world wonders coming to the game.

So far, we know that Genghis Khan and Lakshmibai will join the current cast of leaders, and Assyria, Dai Viet, Qajar and Silla will become new civilizations.

Unfortunately, we still have to wait for the details of each new character and country and what abilities and unlocks they will bring to the game.

We also know that there will be four new World Wonders for players to construct throughout their game, but the exact details of these wonders is also so far unknown.

Civilization 7 and its new DLC’s is available on PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S