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20 New Songs to Listen to Today: Little Simz, Great Grandpa, and More

There’s so much music coming out all the time that it’s hard to keep track. On those days when the influx of new tracks is particularly overwhelming, we sift through the noise to bring you a curated list of the most interesting new releases (the best of which will be added to our Best New Songs playlist). Below, check out our track roundup for Wednesday, February 26, 2025.


Little Simz – ‘Flood’

Little Simz has announced a new LP, Lotus, out May 9 via AWAL. It’s led by the creeping, cinematic ‘Flood’, which features production from Miles Clinton James and guest spots from Obongjayar and Moonchild Sanelly. The track is accompanied by a black-and-white video by Salomon Lighhelm.

Julien Baker and TORRES – ‘Tuesday’

Julien Baker and TORRES have shared a new song today, which is Wednesday, called ‘Tuesday’. Tuesday is the name of the girl TORRES sings about, using country music tropes to revisit the ways passion can be bound up with shame. “And if I could only go back in time/ I’d rewrite our whole story,” she admits. “And now I know that your shame was not mine/ And I am perfect in my Lord’s eyes.”

Great Grandpa – ‘Ladybug’

Great Grandpa have shared a new single from their upcoming album Patience, Moonbeam, ‘Ladybug’, which is vibrant and explosive. “Every once in a while you find yourself tripping on a beautiful day with a best friend and stumble into the middle of a stranger’s wedding in a park,” the band explained. “It’s always these small fickle, fleeting moments we’re seeking that can never be bottled or sustained. What good luck does the ladybug bring? We scream together for those shared seconds of unadulterated joy. We’ll feel ok when it comes back again right? Kid Cudi did it first.”

Jane Remover – ‘Dancing With Your Eyes Closed’

Jane Remover has shared a clubby, hard-hitting new single, ‘Dancing With Your Eyes Closed’. It’s taken from the forthcoming album Revengeseekerz, following previous cut ‘JRJRJR’, which we named one of the best songs of January.

Billy Idol – ‘Still Dancing’

Billy Idol has announced his first album in 11 years, Dream Into It, which is out April 25 ad features Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett, and Alison Mosshart of the Kills. “‘Still Dancing’ is really a reflection of my whole journey,” Idol said of the lead single. “From the punk rock period through to now. And I’m still looking towards the future, still living the life I set out to live.” He continued: “At the start of the song I’m recalling the early times in London, when I was living in squats or at friends’ apartments, all my belongings in a plastic bag. Everybody at home or work told you what you were doing was never going to happen. But punk rock gave me an opening. I was surrounded by people who loved the music as deeply as I did and you were going to throw caution to the wind, believe in what you were doing and grab on for dear life. As the song says, there have been many moments along the way where I’ve been self destructive. But what’s seen me through is that unflinching belief in the music that started all those years ago. That’s been the greatest gift of all.”

Eli Winter – ‘Cracking the Jaw’

Eli Winter has announced a new album, A Trick of the Light, with the eerie and enveloping ‘Cracking the Jaw’. The Chicago-based guitarist described it as “the closest thing I have to a pop song. It’s quite dark in comparison to my past work—a car about to crash. I began playing it on solo tours, and its focus tightened as I rehearsed and performed it with Tyler Damon, Sam Wagster and Andrew Scott Young. Almost everything you hear comes from the lucky thirteenth take. On some level I hope it sets the title to music.”

Deerhoof – ‘Overrated Species Anyhow’ and ‘Sparrow Sparrow’

Deerhood have dropped a pair of stirring songs, ‘Overrated Species Anyhow’ and ‘Sparrow Sparrow’, whose proceeds will go to The Trevor Project. “Every penny from this release goes to The Trevor Project, because in the new world we want to create, we need today’s trans youth to grow into tomorrow’s trans adults,” the group said. “This ‘Double B-Side’ is meant as a life beam to anyone who has been feeling dehumanized by mainstream society lately. Anyone who didn’t find themselves in the rankings of which races, nationalities, genders, or belief systems have equal value. Anyone who sees life on earth as something more than some capitalist death match. Anyone who got thrown under the bus in the past year’s race to the bottom. Anyone who isn’t one of 2781 billionaires who’ve taken control of the world. Anyone refusing to lick the fascist boot.”

more eaze & claire rousay – ‘lowcountry’

more eaze and claire rousay have shared a new cut from their collaborative EP no floor. Like previous outing ‘limelight, illegally’, ‘lowcountry’ alludes to a San Antonio bar where the pair used to hang out, glitching it to life. “There’s a throughline of the track’“limelight, illegally’ to this, where some of the bartenders who worked at Limelight moved to Lowcountry,” more eaze explained. “This is the most unhinged track in a way. When we decided this one was ‘lowcountry’, claire was adding a lot and pushing it. I decided, “OK, I’m going to push it even more, too.”

Free Range – ‘Storm’

Free Range, aka Chicago singer-songwriter Sofia Jensen, has shared a heart-warming new song called ‘Storm’, which will appear on their sophomore LP Lost & Found. “I have a song on my last record that some people mistook for being a song about touring, when in fact I had never been on tour at the time when I wrote the song. So this song was my intentional ‘song about tour,’” Jensen explained. “It’s about the whiplash that you start to feel when you’re constantly leaving home, as well as the excitement and emotional extremes that come with it.”

Hana Vu – ‘Records’

Hana Vu has unveiled a new EP, Movies, which features stripped-down versions of songs from last year’s Romanticism. It also opens with a fittingly pensive new song called ‘Records’. “I really wanted to capture the feeling the early demos on Romanticism had,” Vu wrote. “No frills, just pure emotion. Really the saddest possible versions of these songs.”

Shura – ‘Richardson’ [feat. Cassandra Jenkins]

Shura has teamed up with Cassandra Jenkins for the wistfully warm ‘Richardson’, which precedes her upcoming full-length I Got Too Sad for My Friends. “I fell in love with Cassandra’s record at a low point in my life,” Shura shared in a statement. “It felt like an armchair I could crawl into. It accompanied me on long walks I took around my apartment in Greenpoint. I always knew I wanted to work with Cassandra on something. After a few conversations it became obvious to the both of us that it had to be this song. That Cassandra would accompany me here. A song about walking, thinking, and trying to find comfort somewhere, as Cassandra’s voice accompanied me on those walks then.”

Dirty Projectors, David Longstreth & s t a r g a z e – ‘At Home / Circled in Purple / Our Green Garden’

David Longstreth has shared a three-song suite from Song of the Earth, the upcoming song cycle performed by his band Dirty Projectors—Felicia Douglass, Maia Friedman, Olga Bell—and the Berlin-based chamber orchestra s t a r g a z e, conducted by André de Ridder. “Past reports of Dirty Projectors going full prog are greatly exaggerated; until now I’ve never released an album with a straight-up suite of songs,” Longstreth said of the suite. “As the slashes in the title imply, this is a three-song suite. It’s just the way it happened. Consider it an entry in your ‘A Day in the Life’ / ‘Paranoid Android’ / ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ / ‘Sicko Mode’ category: a sprawling journey that feels like slipping into a dream. A kaleidoscopic river-of-consciousness.”

Miya Folick – ‘Felicity’

Ahead of the release of her new album Erotica Veronica on Friday, Miya Folick has shared one final preview. ‘Felicity’ leans on the lesser-known definition of the word: “finding appropriate expression for one’s thoughts,” which, according to Folick, is “a cornerstone of the album: putting language to how I feel, which I didn’t do for so long because I didn’t know it was a feeling I was allowed to have.”

Deradoorian – ‘Set Me Free’

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Deradoorian has announced a new LP, Ready for Heaven, arriving May 9. It’s led by the striking and heavenly ‘Set Me Free’. “This album is partly about watching humanity erode,” Deradoorian explained. “It’s about mental struggle, and it’s avowedly anti-capitalist. I mean; would we have all these identity labels we have to live by, if we didn’t live in a capitalist world?”

No Windows – ‘Return’

No Windows have announced a new EP, The Great Traitor, which will be out May 9, with the mesmerizing and ominous ‘Return’.Suz “When I wrote [the lyrics for] Point Nemo I was very much a teenager and very hormonal still,” the duo’s Verity Slangen said. “I think this EP is coming out of that a little bit. For me, it’s a mediation between being a younger person to being someone in my 20s who’s figuring things out a bit more.”

Thanya Iyer – ‘Low Tides’

‘Low Tides’ is the lead single from Montreal artist Thanya Iyer’s third album, TIDE/TIED, which lands April 30 via Topshelf. The alluring, kaleidoscopic tune “is about moving through those spaces where we lose our ability to dream – drowned in stagnation – numbness – despair – but also continuing to hold the quiet strength, hope, and trust needed to carry us forward,” according to Iyer.

Maria Usbeck – ‘Mantarraya’

Ecuadorian-born, Brooklyn-based artist Maria Usbeck has announced a new record, Naturaleza, sharing the enchanting, groovy ‘Mantarraya’ along with the news. “Humanity stands at a breaking point; we’ve lost our bond with the natural world,” Usbeck said in a statement. “We deem ourselves superior, advanced, yet it’s only through harmony and a symbiotic relationship with nature that we can avert an inevitable doom.”

Smut – ‘Dead Air’

Chicago band Smut — vocalist/lyricist Tay Roebuck, guitarist Andie Min, bassist John Steiner, guitarist/synthist Sam Ruschman, and drummer Aidan O’Connor – is back with a new song called ‘Dead Air’, which absolutely soars. The group recorded the track in New York with Aron Kobayashi-Ritch (Momma) at a studio in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Suzzallo – ‘Tsunami Waves’ [feat. Ben Gibbard]

Rocky Votolato’s new band Suzzallo are releasing their debut album, The Quiet Year, on May 2. Votolato formed Suzzallo after the tragic loss of his child in a car accident, and the poignant new song ‘Tsunami Waves’, which features Ben Gibbard, deals with the immediate aftermath. “Deep grief can feel like literally being knocked off your feet by huge waves that come out of nowhere when you least expect it,” Votolato shared. “Every other memory you have puts you underwater. I think that’s why I was drawn to this imagery and I thought tsunami waves were the perfect metaphor and concept to describe what I was going through. I needed art and songwriting more than I ever have before making this record, and I’m so grateful I had distorted guitar sounds to channel all this loss into. This song is about finding your resilience even as the waves keep coming at you. Couldn’t be happier with how the song turned out and it was such a joy and honor to get a chance to work with Ben Gibbard on it as well. I love everything he added to it, especially his backups and the bass 6 he played in the post-chorus, which I think created one of the prettiest moments on the album.”

Paradise Season 2: Cast, Rumours & Release Date

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As one of the most intriguing shows to come out so far in 2025, Paradise has a lot going for it. The stacked cast and behind-the-scene talent are just the beginning.

While the show might look like a political thriller at first sight, once you finish the pilot, you realise there’s more to Paradise than meets the eye.

Even better, the series keeps viewers guessing with each episode, ensuring they’ll have no choice but to come back for more.

No wonder they’re already curious about what the future will bring – and whether the Paradise gang will be back with even twistier twists in the future.

Paradise Season 2 Release Date

At the time of writing, the first season of Paradise is ongoing, with the finale scheduled for March 4. That said, fans can breathe easy. The series has already been renewed for season 2.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait a while for Paradise season 2 to roll out. Depending on the show’s production schedule, new episodes might arrive in early 2026.

Paradise Cast

  • Sterling K. Brown as Agent Xavier Collins
  • James Marsden as President Cal Bradford
  • Julianne Nicholson as Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond
  • Krys Marshall as Special Agent in Charge Nicole Robinson
  • Sarah Shahi as Dr. Gabriela Torabi
  • Aliyah Mastin as Presley Collins

What Will Happen in Paradise Season 2?

We honestly have no idea. While a lot depends on how the season 1 finale wraps up, show creator Dan Fogelman is likely to have other surprises in store for when the series returns. He already has a three seasons plan all mapped out.

“Each season of the show is a slightly different show, within the same show with the same characters,” Fogelman told THR. Umm, okay?

If you haven’t streamed Paradise yet, we won’t spoil things for you, but you should gear up for a wild ride. Essentially, it revolves around a Secret Service agent tasked with protecting the President of the United States. When the latter is found dead, chaos ensues as the agent tries to piece together what’s really going on.

While the person responsible for the killing has been a mystery so far, star Sterling K. Brown teases that the culprit will be revealed in the season finale. Depending on who it was, things will likely evolve in surprising ways from there. We are sat.

Are There Other Shows Like Paradise?

If you want something else to binge until Paradise season 2, you might like Fogelman’s previous series This Is Us. While the focus is on family rather than political intrigue, it’s also known for its twists and penchant for flashbacks.

Other shows Paradise fans might like include Lost, The Leftovers, Designated Survivor, 11.22.63, The Night Agent, and The Diplomat.

Gel blasters

Gel blasters are toy guns that fire small, gel-like balls, frequently mentioned to as “gellets.” These gel balls are classically made from super-absorbent polymer and can be saturated in water to enlarge before being overloaded into the blaster. When fired, the gel balls gust upon influence, creation them comparatively safe and less painful than old-style airsoft pellets.

Gel blasters are general for fun shooting, like to airsoft or paintball, and are usually used in strategic or combat-themed games. They are preferred for their moderately low cost and ease of use. The balls are recyclable, making them more ecologically friendly associated to other shells options.

Some key opinions about gel blasters contain:

  1. Care: Gel blasters are generally measured safe for recreational use, but it’s significant to wear defensive eyewear to stop injury from the gel balls.
  2. Rules: In approximately spaces, gel blasters are measured or prohibited, alike to airsoft or paintball guns. Continuously checkered local laws earlier buying or using a gel blaster.
  3. Diversity: They come in various designs, approaching real firearms or innovative models, and can be motorized by electric motors, springs, or compressed gas.

Is gel blaster painful?

Gel blasters are frequently not very aching compared to other firing sports like airsoft or paintball. The gel balls that they shoot are made from soft, water-absorbent material and explosion on influence, which means they don’t knockout as hard as old-style airsoft balls or paintballs.

However, the pain level can depend on a few factors:

  1. Distance: The earlier the shot, the more obvious the impact may be. At near range, you might feel a slight bite, but it’s typically not intolerable.
  2. Velocity: The control of the gel blaster also marks how much it damages. Higher-powered gel blasters can hit firmer than lower-powered ones.
  3. Clothing: If you’re wearing defensive equipment like long sleeves or a vest, the influence will be much less obvious.
  4. Location of Impact: Getting hit on sensitive parts, like your face or bare skin, may upset more than getting hit on clothed areas.

What is the purpose of a gel blaster?

The main determination of a gel blaster is recreational fun, precisely in fake battle or strategic shooting games. Comparable to airsoft or paintball, gel blasters deliver an immersive experience for players who enjoy viable games, target practice, or casual shooting. Here are some of the main resolutions and usages of gel blasters:

  1. Recreational Play and Tactical Games: Gel blasters are often used in team-based or separate wars, similar to paintball or airsoft. Players can involve in fake battle scenarios, which can comprise detention the flag, elimination, or strategic objectives.
  2. Skill Development: Gel blasters can assistance players develop their gunfire accuracy, hand-eye direction, and teamwork in a fun and safe way. They’re great for people who enjoy working their goal and reaction times.
  3. Safe Alternative to Paintball and Airsoft: Gel blasters are measured less painful than paintball and airsoft guns, creation them an good-looking selection for those who need to enjoy strategic shooting without the risk of bumps or the mess related with paintballs. The gel balls also break on influence, making cleanup easier and more environmentally friendly.
  4. Low-Cost Entertainment: Associated to paintball, gel blasters incline to be inexpensive, with lower continuing costs for bullets since gel balls are refillable to some degree and don’t require luxurious CO2 or compressed gas refills).
  5. Training and Simulation: Some people use gel blasters for training purposes, such as involved fight situations or refining their shooting skills in a low-stakes, measured environment.
  6. Collecting and Hobbyist Interest: There is also a community of fans who enjoy gathering gel blasters due to their full, realistic designs, which often copycat real-world weapons. This interest is occasionally powered by a love of tactical tackle and imitation.

Are gel guns for kids?

Gel blasters or gel guns are often advertised as toys for older kids and adults, but they are usually suggested for users over the age of 12 or 14, liable on the precise model and local regulations. While gel blasters are comparatively safe, there are still some significant security deliberations to keep in mind:

  1. Age Recommendations: Many gel blasters com are intended with safety topographies and are suitable for older children, teens, and adults. However, they may not be appropriate for very young children due to the possible for eye injuries if proper protective equipment like goggles isn’t worn.
  2. Safety Gear: Since gel blasters shoot minor gel balls at a reasonable speed, wearisome protective equipment like eye protection is vital. Younger users who aren’t aware of safety defenses might be more vulnerable to injury if they aren’t oversaw.
  3. Supervision and Guidelines: It’s important for kids to have adult management when using gel blasters, mainly since the guns can look like real guns and may be wrong for actual weapons. In some areas, this could cause concerns with safety or law implementation. Parents should guarantee that children comprehend how to safely use the blaster and respect safety rules.
  4. Fun for All Ages: While kids can relish gel blasters, many adults also contribute in gel blaster games or use them for target practice, so it’s not just a kids’ toy. The interest is popular among people of all ages who like the modest, tactical nature of gel blaster games.

In which countries Gel blasters is prohibited and allowed with local laws

  • Australia
  • United Kingdom
  • Canada
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Singapore
  • Malaysia
  • New Zealand

Do gel blasters stain clothes?

No, gel blasters usually do not stain clothes. The missiles used in gel blasters, known as gel balls or gellets, are made from water-absorbent polymer that surges when saturated in water before being used. These gel balls are intended to eruption on influence, leaving no rest behind.

Since the gel balls are clear and made mainly of water, they dissolve upon impact and don’t leave permanent symbols or dyes like paintballs or airsoft pellets might. They are typically non-toxic and biodegradable, so if there are any scripts, they are effortlessly washed out with water.

However, if you get knockout with a gel ball while wearisome light-colored or delicate clothing, it’s always a decent idea to check for any fragments of the gel after playing. In very infrequent cases, if the gel balls aren’t correctly hydrated or are used after ventilation out, they could consent overdue a small mark or remainder that may need to be washed off.

Conclusion               

In conclusion, gel blasters proposal a fun, safe, and attractive way to enjoy strategic shooting games and recreational play. They are an outstanding substitute to other shooting sports like paintball and airsoft due to their comparatively low impact and non-toxic, biodegradable gel balls, which don’t tint clothes and cause negligible pain upon impact.

Key Points:

  1. Fun and Safe: Gel blasters are intended for recreational use, provided that a reasonable experience similar to paintball and airsoft, but with less pain and chaos.
  2. Safety Considerations: Good safety equipment, particularly eye protection, is important to ensure a safe experience, as the gel balls can origin injury if they knockout sensitive parts.
  3. Legal Status: While gel blasters are permissible in many countries, there are regions with severe regulations or bans due to security concerns or their similarity to real weapons. Always check local laws before purchasing or using one.
  4. Minimal Staining: Gel balls are complete from water-based polymers, so they classically don’t tint clothes, and any scum is easy to clean.
  5. Environmental Impact: Most gel blasters use recyclable gel balls, which brands them an environmentally friendly other compared to paintball indicators that leave paint splashes.

Sony Pictures bring FANY Studios’ 100 Choices to UK Screens

A new game show, which is set to be a major competitor for the 1% Club could be coming to our screens very shortly. The show sees participants being given 100 different choices to a question with only one being correct. The question is impossible to answer right away and to narrow down the possibilities, contestants need to tackle five physical challenges.

Shows are Taking a New Dynamic Format

As the years go by, it seems that game shows are adopting whole new formats, which helps to give people at home the chance to engage with the action. Netflix’s reality show The Circle has inspired an online game where people communicate through a social media app. They can be themselves, or pretend to be someone else, to risk being eliminated. You also have Adventures Beyond Wonderland live, an online casino game based on the Wheel of Fortune show. In this game, when you make your bets, the host spins the wheel. The flapper then points to a segment, and if this is the segment you bet on, you win prizes. You also have Magic Dice bonus segments, which takes you to a special side game. The game shows how unique twists can be made to a classic game format.

With online games like this increasing in popularity due to the new format and exciting engagement opportunities, it’s not surprising to see this movement translating to new shows coming to UK TV screens.

The Success of the Japanese Game Show

The new game show, which has been acquired by Sony Pictures Television, is going to be launching at the London Screenings at some point in 2025. Laura St. Clair from Sony Pictures Television has said that this is a unique take on comedy entertainment and game shows as a whole. As the game show has a central format premise which has been very successful in the past, it’s suitable to adapt for both weekend studios and location shoots. With the 1% show being so successful, it’s safe to say that shows like this are taking the market by storm right now.

Although we don’t know what exact format the show is going to take, in terms of the physical challenges that are going to be presented, it’s an exciting concept. The fact that the show is quiz-themed as well means it should attract a big audience, especially with the success of shows like The Chase and the 1% Club.

The potential of the show is well and truly undeniable as it combines the thrill of having a physical challenge with the high-stakes quiz format. With only one answer being right out of the 100 choices available, people will have to think differently and strategically as they navigate each challenge. The unique mix will also encourage people to play at home as they can participate in the question format, with the excitement of having physical challenges to mix up the pace. As we continue to move into 2025, it seems that the near-future for UK television is looking bright, and that overseas shows coming to the UK are providing a number of new and exciting opportunities.

Eli Winter Announces New Album ‘A Trick of the Light’, Shares New Single

Eli Winter has announced a new album, A Trick of the Light, which will arrive on May 2 via Three Lobed. Leading the follow-up to the Chicago-based fingerstyle guitarist’s self-titled album is the darkly enveloping ‘Cracking the Jaw’. Check it out below, and scroll down for the album cover and tracklist.

A Trick of the Light finds Winter working with the likes of David Grubbs, Mike Watt, and Kiran Leonard. According to the guitarist, the record has “nothing to do with genre or idiom or homage or pastiche. It has everything to do with learning what the music wants, how it feels, and trusting when it wants something or doesn’t want it.”

Discussing ‘Cracking the Jaw’, Winter said: “The closest thing I have to a pop song. It’s quite dark in comparison to my past work—a car about to crash. I began playing it on solo tours, and its focus tightened as I rehearsed and performed it with Tyler Damon, Sam Wagster and Andrew Scott Young. Almost everything you hear comes from the lucky thirteenth take. On some level I hope it sets the title to music.”

Trick of the Light Cover Artwork:

Trick of the Light Tracklist:

1. Arabian Nightingale
2. For a Fallen Rocket
3. Cracking The Jaw
4. Ida Lupino
5. A Trick Of The Light
6. Black Iris On A Burning Quilt

Track-by-Track Review: Ichiko Aoba, ‘Luminescent Creatures’

Luminescent Creatures takes its name from the closing track of Ichiko Aoba’s previous effort, 2020’s Windswept Adan, an enchanting and richly rendered record that expanded both the Japanese singer-songwriter’s palette and audience. Working with arranger Taro Umebayashi and creative director Kodai Kobayashi, Aoba’s ambitious vision for that project included a script for an imaginary movie, telling the story of a girl who is exiled to Adan Island. By the end, Aoba wrote in the album’s companion book, “the body of the girl had vanished instead, transformed and reborn into a variety of living things.” That may leave the island uninhabited by humans, but Aoba has no trouble furthering the fantastical journey, breathing music into all other life forms that permeate the universe she’s built around it. Inspired by her visits to Japan’s Ryukyu Archipelago, she augments her field research with vivid imagination and luscious orchestration, so that the immense can feel improbably immersive. “Inside each of us there is a place for our stars to sleep,” Aoba sings on ‘Luciférine’, diving beyond a place, beyond sleep, into dreams.


1. COLORATURA

An array of hummed voices and a single piano note usher us into the world of Luminescent Creatures, the ocean as Aoba imagines it: awash in colour and light. Tender waves give way to a raging storm, which drags a pirate ship – void of humanity but serving, perhaps, as a vessel for the listener’s point of view – underwater. As the song’s second half rises, it mirrors the opening of an eye, met with a flood of quiet, sparkling beauty. It’s only a first glimpse, but it already feels like a privilege to have taken the dive.

2. 24° 3′ 27.0″ N 123° 47′ 7.5″ E

The album’s second track has a situating effect, rooting Aoba’s oceanic wandering in a specific tradition. These are the coordinates of the lighthouse on Japan’s southernmost Hateruma island, where the local community taught Aoba a folk tune to sing at a ceremony. It remains mostly unadorned, but the lightest touches amplify its resonance. 

3. mazamun

‘mazamun’ transports us to the edge of the galaxy, but Aoba’s sound only grows softer and prettier the further she zooms out. I could try to describe this swirling lullaby of a song, but the instrumentation strikes as the purest manifestation of Aoba’s own resplendent language: “Weaving drops of rain as a gift for the bugs and roots/ A message from mycelium/ Open your map, and let a raft of light float upon/ The roars of the sea.”

4. tower

Aoba may once again be gazing at the sky, but the longing in ‘tower’ is more familiar, romantic, earthbound: the windowsill kind. The track, like so many of Aoba’s compositions, sways with whimsy, but there’s a sense of anticipation in each pause, a willingness to disrobe the appearance of magic for a real response – for the chance to indulge, put plainly, in one last dance. Throughout Luminescent Creatures, light of all forms represents something everlasting and cosmic. Here, it’s a small confirmation, the warmth of three words whispered in one’s ear, perhaps for the final time.

5. aurora

Have you ever seen the northern lights? I did for the first time this year, and I wish I had ‘aurora’ to soundtrack it. Acoustic and softly sung, audibly instinctual, the song encapsulates the feeling of being consumed by nothing but “that beautiful sky/ where borders melt/ see how they melt.” There are times when the beauty spread before your eyes is so indisputable that you can’t help but see, but Aoba nudges us to see the truths etched deeper within: We’re not connected to any of it, just part of the same tremendous whole.

6. FLORA

“Is it true that we are reborn so many times over?” Aoba asks at the start of ‘FLORA’, and the song, hushed in its dreaminess, seems to evade an answer. But in her lyrics, Aoba’s imagination springs up. A lost ship, perhaps the one that sunk us into Luminescent Creatures, offers tears from a grey sky. A song, fragmented as it may be, never ends. “These forms are not ours,” Aoba concludes, but their radiance hardly ever wanes.

7. Cochlea

This is a chiming instrumental interlude; think of it as boundaries melting. 

8. Luciférine

After a series of more understated tracks, ‘Luciférine’ is glowing and grandiose in that way that Windswept Adan fans will appreciate. With layers of harp, violin, and flute rising over a bed of rippling piano, it’s a wondrous, multi-faceted journey, one that relishes in the joy of movement more than the pursuit of a destination. It swims, waltzes, swallows, and sighs, as if stumbling upon the biggest relief in the universe. “Here, life can be found from long before words were ever born.” Found, and ceaselessly reborn.

9. pirsomnia

Flickering and spectral, ‘pirsomnia’ focuses on “the sound of awoken voices blooming,” as Aoba sings on the previous track – elevated, if only for a moment, with the help of booming orchestration.

10. SONAR

How can a single droplet hold seven colours? How can it tremble? These are not questions Aoba’s music is concerned with; it simply hears, absorbs. Her vocals are often gentle, but here they teeter on the edge of fragility. It’s her own voice that glimmers beyond the darkness, and it couldn’t be more breathtaking. 

11. 惑星の泪 (Wakusei No Namida)

On a human level, few musical styles feel as raw as the fingerpicked acoustic ballad. It’s a deeply familiar form for Aoba, who embraces it on Luminescent Creatures’ closing track, while interweaving it, crucially, with the sound of wind. Aoba’s prompt was for Taro Umebayashi to make a synthesizer “sound like stardust blowing in the wind,” but her voice only sounds firmer, more resonant – far from a quiver. According to Aoba, the synthesizer ultimately reaches a frequency that’s imperceptible to humans, an offering to all earthlings. “A gift for the bugs and roots.” And a gesture, like the whole album, that leaves the rest of us humans teeming with appreciation.

What You Need to Know About Personal Injuries – Causes, Recovery, and Legal Rights

Injuries can be caused by various situations and circumstances, and the type of injury itself depends on the force of the impact, the type of accident, and even on the body’s reaction to the injury. They can happen at work, in traffic accidents, in nature or even in everyday situations: it is important to deal with them and learn not to repeat them.

The consequences of injuries, depending on their nature, can be short-term, but sometimes they also leave permanent consequences, thus affecting psychophysical health. An insight into the most common types of personal injuries, along with knowledge of the proper steps to take after they occur, aids in the recovery of the injured. It is useful to know whether we are entitled to fair compensation.

Let’s take a look at the types of injuries and the treatments that follow them, with the aim of supporting victims in their quick recovery.

The most common types of personal injuries

One of the most common types of injuries are bodily injuries, which often occur as a result of falls, traffic accidents or accidents at work. Physical injuries can be minor, such as bruises and scratches, minor contusions, or serious, such as broken bones, injuries to internal organs, and injuries to the head or spine.

Minor bodily injury can occur in everyday situations, such as slips and falls, while more serious injuries include broken bones, head or spinal injuries that can lead to permanent disability.

Depending on the severity of the injury, injured persons may require various forms of medical treatment – ​​from pain medications to surgical interventions and long-term rehabilitation. In some cases, injuries can cause permanent consequences, which is why it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner.

One specific type of personal injury relates to sports injuries, which are particularly common among people who engage in physical activities or sports. Injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments, as well as sprains and strains, can occur during overuse, accidents during exercises or sports competitions.

Injuries can range from mild, which can be repaired with rest and first aid, to joint injuries, ligament injuries that require surgical intervention. 

First Steps After Injury

When an injury occurs, the best solution is to react quickly and correctly. In the case of minor injuries, basic first aid may be sufficient, while in the case of more serious injuries, an ambulance should be called immediately. If the injury is serious, the most important step is to stabilize the injured part of the body to avoid worsening the condition. In the case of injuries such as broken bones, stab wounds, internal injuries or spinal injuries, the victim should remain as still as possible and avoid any movement that could lead to further damage.

In case that injured part of the body is sensitive or if there are open wounds, the first step is to stop the bleeding, apply cold compresses to reduce swelling, and then seek medical attention immediately.

If the person is unable to move, it is best to call an ambulance or, if the injury is minor, go to the nearest health facility. If the injured person needs to be hospitalized, the doctors will continue with further diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Legal Assistance and Damage Compensation

For many injury victims, understanding their rights and options for seeking compensation can be confusing. Hiring a personal injury attorney can be key to a successful case. The lawyer will help the victim clarify his rights, explain what steps are needed to obtain compensation and help him get fair compensation as quickly as possible. This process includes gathering medical reports, witness statements, and proving the responsibility of the party that caused the accident.

Compensation for damages may include coverage of medical expenses, loss of income due to inability to work, but also compensation for pain and suffering, as well as psychological trauma suffered by the victim. Depending on the legal framework and the nature of the injury, compensation for damages can be significant, and the process can involve lengthy negotiations or even court proceedings.

Injury Documentation and Incident Reporting

One step that should not be overlooked after an injury is proper documentation. This includes recording all the circumstances of the accident and the condition of the injured person. Also, if there are witnesses, their testimony can be of crucial importance. The recorded data includes the date, time, place of the accident, as well as a description of the incident itself. Also, all medical procedures and therapies that followed the injury should be recorded.

Reporting the incident to the authorities is also important, especially in cases where the injury was caused by a car accident, an accident at work or other situations where the other party is responsible.

In those cases, the accident scene report can be crucial to the subsequent legal battle. The police or other competent institutions can provide documentation confirming that the accident was recorded and that the cause of the injury was beyond the victim’s control.

Prevention of Personal Injuries

Personal injury prevention is crucial in reducing the number of accidents and serious consequences. By means of education about safety at work, in traffic and during daily activities, as well as by using appropriate protective equipment, the risk of injuries can be significantly reduced. For example, in traffic, the use of seat belts is mandatory, while in sports, such as cycling, protective helmets and other safety devices are required.

Also, proper physical preparation and stretching before physical activities can help prevent sports injuries. Workplaces can also implement safety measures to protect workers from injury, such as providing hand, eye or hearing protection, depending on the type of work.

Conclusion

Personal injuries are a serious challenge that can have long-term consequences on health and quality of life. Quick reaction, properly provided first aid, appropriate medical care and timely legal assistance are key to a quick recovery and realization of the right to compensation. 

With timely and systematic procedures, victims of injuries can return to a normal life as soon as possible, while at the same time exercising the rights that belong to them as compensation for the damage suffered.

Julien Baker and TORRES Share New Single ‘Tuesday’

About a month ago, Julien Baker and TORRES announced their collaborative album, Send a Prayer My Way, sharing the single ‘Sylvia’. It was a Wednesday, which is a day that a lot of press release go out, and today (Wednesday, February 26), we get to hear another song from the LP called ‘Tuesday’. (Could have pushed it a day earlier!) Tuesday is in fact the name of the song’s subject, a lover in TORRES’ past whose memory is bound with shame. “And if I could only go back in time/ I’d rewrite our whole story,” she sings. Check it out below.

Send a Prayer My Way, which also includes the early single ‘Sugar in the Tank’, arrives April 18 via Matador Records.

How to Get Playlisted on Spotify And Get Your Music Heard

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Spotify is the leading streaming service globally and has been recognized for having 271 million monthly active users. It is not only about music availability—Spotify was the first to innovate a new way of music consumption and has become a significant discovery platform for artists all over the world. Although conventional discovery avenues remain relevant, these include radio, press, and social media platforms, a large portion of the discovery is now occurring within the consumption platforms themselves.

There are three primary ways through which Spotify adds new music to its users: editorial playlists, algorithmic playlists (like Daily Mix), and last but not least, curated and generative playlists. Despite the first two methods being rather hard to use, Spotify editorial lists are readily available to anyone with a Spotify for Artists account.

In this article, we will focus more on the second one and give tips on ensuring that your music or the artists you represent have the highest chance of getting on Spotify playlists. This is a simple guide on submitting music for Spotify playlist consideration.

How to submit your music for Spotify playlists: 6 suggestions

Spotify playlists are thus a very competitive place, so to get your music on there, you must do everything right. But there are some pretty basic things that you can do to help your music along, and we’re going to walk you through that below:

1. Focus on your best song

Even when you love every track in your album, you should know that even top-tier artists don’t get their entire album featured on a Spotify playlist: only the most catchy and appealing songs are allowed to be on the playlist. You probably already have a good idea of what music you want to submit that your fans love and, given its potential, could grab the attention of a new listener—or even the Spotify editorial team.

You might have analytics from various platforms showing that your audience has different favorite tracks. Either way, choose carefully and focus on getting that one song featured on a playlist.

2. Pay attention to your metadata

Every song must be backed up by proper and detailed metadata information to get the correct credit and earnings for your music. This is especially important if you want that track to be considered for a Spotify editorial playlist. Accurate metadata will also help to associate the song with your Spotify profile and build your audience, and if you are the songwriter, maybe even your streaming earnings.

3. Submit your track at least one week BEFORE its release

Today, you can submit your music to an editorial playlist just before the song goes public.
In order to do so, your song should be available on your Spotify artist profile before it’s released. Yeah, I know, it’s a bit tricky to understand… let me try to explain:
When you’re using a music distributor service, you have the option to choose your release date.
Take into consideration it takes a week or two for the distributor to place your song on the different streaming platforms, and also consider you can submit your music to editorial playlists up to a week before the song goes live, so it’s safe to say you should schedule your release. weeks after you upload it to the music distribution service. Don’t know which distributor to work with? Check out the best music distribution services, and choose the one that fits you best. 

Credit: Depositphotos.com

4. Submit your music to curated playlists

Getting your music on curated playlists can boost your streams and increase your chances of getting on Spotify’s algorithmic playlists. In order to trigger the algorithm, you’ll need to generate real organic traffic in the first week of the release and at least 8,000 to 10,000 streams. 

This can be done by using an organic Spotify promotion like One Submit, which can help you get on playlists fast and efficiently. But there’s no magic trick here; you’re music needs to be top-notch in order to convince the curators to place your music on their playlist. 

5. Develop your narrative outside of Spotify

The Spotify editorial team doesn’t rely solely on your activity within the Spotify platform. In the end, being a more recognized artist or simply being more established in the industry dramatically increases your chances of getting accepted. This means improving your profile on other platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and Facebook, creating your profile on other websites, and making sure you market your name through marketing.

6. Become verified

In the past, you needed at least 250 followers to get verified on Spotify, but it’s been simplified now: all you need to do is create an account with Spotify for Artists. It is a reasonably straightforward but critical process for getting playlisted on Spotify.

Good luck with your music.

The Grand Stage: Inside the World of Dota 2 Tournaments

Professional Dota 2 tournaments represent the pinnacle of competitive gaming, where strategic depth, mechanical prowess, and team coordination converge in spectacular fashion. From humble online qualifiers to the grandeur of The International, these events have shaped the landscape of modern esports.

The phrase Professional Dota 2 tournaments represent the pinnacle of competitive gaming, where strategic depth, mechanical prowess, and team coordination converge in spectacular fashion. From humble online qualifiers to the grandeur of The International, these events have shaped the landscape of modern esports.

The phrase dota 2 tournaments has become synonymous with high stakes competition and dramatic storylines. The competitive circuit features a carefully structured system of Majors, Minors, and regional leagues, creating a year-round ecosystem that keeps fans engaged and provides teams with consistent opportunities to prove themselves on the international stage.

The evolution of tournament formats has been particularly fascinating to observe. The DPC (Dota Pro Circuit) has undergone several iterations, each aimed at striking the perfect balance between regional representation and global competition. This system has helped nurture talent across all regions while maintaining the highest competitive standards.

Prize pools in Dota 2 tournaments continue to set industry standards. The International, with its crowdfunding model through the Battle Pass system, regularly breaks records for esports prize money. This financial ecosystem has helped professionalize the scene, allowing players and organizations to focus entirely on competitive excellence.

The meta-game at major tournaments provides a fascinating window into Dota 2’s strategic depth. Each event sees teams bringing innovative drafting strategies and unexpected hero combinations. The interplay between different playstyles – from Chinese methodical approaches to European aggression – creates compelling narratives and exciting matches.

Production value at premier Dota 2 events has reached new heights. Tournament organizers like PGL, ESL, and WePlay have pushed boundaries with creative stage designs, augmented reality integration, and engaging broadcast talent. These elements combine to create an immersive viewing experience that rivals traditional sports broadcasts.

Regional dynamics add another layer of intrigue to international tournaments. Western Europe, Eastern Europe, China, and Southeast Asia each bring distinct approaches to the game. The clash of these regional metas at major tournaments often leads to strategic innovation that reshapes how Dota 2 is played at all levels.

The role of analysts and commentators has become increasingly sophisticated. Expert panels break down complex strategic decisions, while play-by-play casters translate the chaos of team fights into compelling narratives. This combination helps make high-level Dota 2 accessible to viewers of all knowledge levels.

Tournament scheduling and format innovation continue to evolve. Double elimination brackets, group stage experiments, and various playoff formats have all been tested to find the perfect balance between competitive integrity and viewer engagement. Each major tournament brings refinements to these systems.

The impact of international tournaments extends beyond just competition. These events serve as gatherings for the global Dota 2 community, fostering cultural exchange and creating lasting friendships among fans from different regions. The sense of community at these events is palpable and helps sustain the game’s popularity.

Looking ahead, the future of Dota 2 tournaments seems secure despite the evolving esports landscape. The combination of deep strategic gameplay, passionate community support, and professional tournament organization has created a sustainable ecosystem that continues to attract new viewers and players alike.

 has become synonymous with high stakes competition and dramatic storylines. The competitive circuit features a carefully structured system of Majors, Minors, and regional leagues, creating a year-round ecosystem that keeps fans engaged and provides teams with consistent opportunities to prove themselves on the international stage.

The evolution of tournament formats has been particularly fascinating to observe. The DPC (Dota Pro Circuit) has undergone several iterations, each aimed at striking the perfect balance between regional representation and global competition. This system has helped nurture talent across all regions while maintaining the highest competitive standards.

Prize pools in Dota 2 tournaments continue to set industry standards. The International, with its crowdfunding model through the Battle Pass system, regularly breaks records for esports prize money. This financial ecosystem has helped professionalize the scene, allowing players and organizations to focus entirely on competitive excellence.

The meta-game at major tournaments provides a fascinating window into Dota 2’s strategic depth. Each event sees teams bringing innovative drafting strategies and unexpected hero combinations. The interplay between different playstyles – from Chinese methodical approaches to European aggression – creates compelling narratives and exciting matches.

Production value at premier Dota 2 events has reached new heights. Tournament organizers like PGL, ESL, and WePlay have pushed boundaries with creative stage designs, augmented reality integration, and engaging broadcast talent. These elements combine to create an immersive viewing experience that rivals traditional sports broadcasts.

Regional dynamics add another layer of intrigue to international tournaments. Western Europe, Eastern Europe, China, and Southeast Asia each bring distinct approaches to the game. The clash of these regional metas at major tournaments often leads to strategic innovation that reshapes how Dota 2 is played at all levels.

The role of analysts and commentators has become increasingly sophisticated. Expert panels break down complex strategic decisions, while play-by-play casters translate the chaos of team fights into compelling narratives. This combination helps make high-level Dota 2 accessible to viewers of all knowledge levels.

Tournament scheduling and format innovation continue to evolve. Double elimination brackets, group stage experiments, and various playoff formats have all been tested to find the perfect balance between competitive integrity and viewer engagement. Each major tournament brings refinements to these systems.

The impact of international tournaments extends beyond just competition. These events serve as gatherings for the global Dota 2 community, fostering cultural exchange and creating lasting friendships among fans from different regions. The sense of community at these events is palpable and helps sustain the game’s popularity.

Looking ahead, the future of Dota 2 tournaments seems secure despite the evolving esports landscape. The combination of deep strategic gameplay, passionate community support, and professional tournament organization has created a sustainable ecosystem that continues to attract new viewers and players alike.