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The Best Songs of March 2026

Every week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with several tracks that catch our attention, then round up the best songs of each month in this segment. Here, in alphabetical order, are the best songs of March 2026.


Aldous Harding, ‘One Stop’

The strangest, most delightful thing about the first glimpse of Aldous Harding’s imminent album is that it almost tricks you into believing you’ve never heard her music before. Even if you can sonically trace a line from 2022’s Warm Chris to Train on the Island – they were both produced with John Parish, after all – Harding stays true to the feeling that sometimes when you write, no matter how long ago the last time was, it flows like the first. In the case of ‘One Stop’, that means looping a quivering, unpredictable piano underneath prickly, playful vocal performance: “I’m gonna write what I know/ Things I ain’t known for a long time,” she sings, as if songwriting is merely a process of conscious iteration, of reminding oneself the deeper truths we tend to ignore in daily life. Harding’s humour usually has the flair of an inside joke understood by a single insider, but the next bit is almost like standup: “I met the real John Cale/ He had no words, but I don’t mind/ I packed the stage while he ate rice.” Another enigmatic artist, it seems, that’s just like us. 

Carla dal Forno, ‘Going Out’

Carla dal Forno makes a love that’s both forbidden and unrequited sound like a breeze. The first Confession of her forthcoming album is a familiar one: her romantic interest is going out with an old friend, and she can’t hide her feelings any longer. “Shouldn’t want to hold you but I do,” she sings over a clangorous, insistent bassline, and the leap to And I will is as short as that from the verse to the chorus. Against the tactile rhythm section, the Australian singer-songwriter’s pensive, reverb-drenched voice and vaporous synths remind us that this all may be a bout of wishful thinking. But at least for the duration of the song, dal Forno dresses up the possibility of their intimacy as a mathematical certainty, finally urging one half of the equation to come on and listen. The rest of us, at least, should oblige. 

Fire-Toolz, ‘Balam =^..^= Says IPv09082024 Strawberry Head’

Few artists can make the guttural splurge of a song like ‘Balam =^..^= Says IPv09082024 Strawberry Head’ sound so pristine. Not just pristine, but seamless, diffusing the boundaries between its seemingly contradictory sonic signifiers – shimmering synths, fiery screams, purring, the perfect pop song runtime – rather than balancing them. Fire-Toolz has pulled this off countless times before, but with a new album, Lavender Networks, coming out on Warp, it could serve as a gateway to Angel Marcloid’s bountiful, uncompromising world for a lot more people. So long as it remains “the new Fire-Toolz single,” you can easily recommend it as a good place to start; from then on you can probably just say Lavender Networks.

Gelli Haha, ‘Klouds Will Carry Me to Sleep’

The most gleeful song of 2026 so far comes from Gelli Haha, who put out one of the most undersung art-pop LPs of 2025, Switcheroo. Tacked on at the end of the album on streaming services but released as a standalone single, ‘Klouds Will Carry Me to Sleep’ ensures you’re paying attention. Someone in the comment section of its delightfully cartoonish video mentions the Gelliverse, and you want to be in on it. Any song that spells “clouds” like that is bound to be a little kooky, but this one earns all its absurd maximalism with a singalong hook that hasn’t escaped my brain since it was released. I don’t know if it can carry you to sleep, but it can definitely transport you to a fantasy realm where your imagination has a lot more power. “I feel you wrapped around my finger,” she declares in one of the song’s most legible lines, all the whimsy in the world at her disposal. 

Iceage, ‘Star’

Elias Rønnenfelt has released compelling music in the years since Iceage’s last album, staying in the limelight last year with his solo album Speak Daggers and an appearance on Dean Blunt’s Lucre EP. But the Danish band’s first single in half a decade is a force to be reckoned with. Instead of mystifying allure, Rønnenfelt aims for feverish eroticism that favours directness over platitudes: It’s not “Love is like a dying star,” but “You got me dying like a star,” and the ensuing “Ay ay a” does most of the talking. The group’s melodic post-punk locks into a jangly groove in the chorus, as if to render the singer’s infatuation a little less ominous. But chaos is inevitable, and Rønnenfelt grabs the opportunity to wrangle the word “Louisiana” into the strangest shapes. Is that the “you” whose “stellar winds rush so well through me”? Is it a diversion or pure devastation? For a song that’s surprisingly poppy, ‘Star’ redeems itself by ending in a nebulous collapse.

Kelsey Lu, ‘Running to Pain’

I haven’t seen enough love for Kelsey Lu’s ‘Running to Pain’, but I feel like that’s going to change around the release of the chamber-pop artist’s Dirty Hit debut, So Help Me God. Co-produced with Jack Antonoff and Yves Rothman, it rivals Lana Del Rey’s ‘White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter’ as the best thing Antonoff has had a hand in producing over the past few years. Shimmering and volcanic – with an accompanying video fittingly shot on the Spanish island of Lanzarote – ‘Running to Pain’ expands and contracts in line with Lu’s acrobatic vocals, which begin in soft resignation as they’re cradled back to the safety of pain. But the very act of running quickens the singer’s heartbeat, finding a different kind of solace in motion. During the bridge, the song reveals a turbulent dynamic with a lover who “smooth[s] like a jagged knife” – but the real dance here is with pain itself, the double-edged sword of managing it: let it go and you’ll risk your sanity, let it rush in and there’s seemingly no salvation. Enter So Help Me God.

Lily Seabird, ‘Demon in Me’

“There’s something inside of us all/ The ones who creep and they crawl in their skin/ Till it feels like it’s gonna fall off,” Lily Seabird sings on ‘Demon in Me’, as if half-remembering a quote that keeps lingering in her mind. For most of the song, she keeps them – seemingly animated by Z Zalewski’s clarinet, Michael Sabin’s trombone, and her own saxophone – at bay, poetically trying to circle it. But as the demon in her keeps picking battles, the Burlington singer-songwriter opts for an exorcism of a crescendo, letting feral guitars do the screaming. As the crescendo thins out, Daniel Snyder’s drums thunder back in at the end as if to ascertain: Game over

London’s New Ferrari Store Wants You to Buy a Jacket Now, a Supercar Later

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Turn your head at that very specific corner where Old Bond Street and Piccadilly meet, and you’ll see Ferrari’s new lifestyle hub. The Maranello brand has turned out to be way more than horsepower now. It’s slowly building a world around itself, and London, the global crossroads of culture, style, and tech, is where it wants to land.

Ferrari Style London store opening
@ferraristyle via Instagram

Who knew you could dress a 1905 Queen Anne building in a sharply contemporary interior, fully stripped of any retro baggage, and make it look this good. Ferrari Style’s creative director Rocco Iannone, Berlin-based architecture studio Gonzalez Haase AAS, and Milan’s Formafantasma collective apparently did. Portland stone façade on the outside, polished and brushed steel on the inside. 850 square meters and guests (Lewis Hamilton, Ed and Amy Westwick, and the list goes on) are greeted by three very shiny, and very red, Formafantasma sculptures, car doors made into mannequin-like constructs.

Ferrari Style London store opening
@ferraristyle via Instagram

And that shade was everywhere. From industrial sofas to leather handrails, and velvet elevators that climb from the ground floor to the Tailor Made Atelier on the first, where customers get to play designer for a bit, and the upper floor, where collectibles and installations find a new life. All this metal and concrete, and red shows up again and again, from the runway collections we’ve seen during Milan fashion week to the capsule pieces that Rocco let us get a glimpse of.

Ferrari Style London store opening
@ferraristyle via Instagram

Naturally, my brain jumps straight to that one jacket the Internet couldn’t stop obsessing over (guilty as charged). Leather on top, wool below, and a needle-punched process that locks wool fibers into lamb leather, creating the kind of degradé effect that makes you think it just happens naturally, even though every stitch is planned. The there’s the so-called Q-Cycle, a fabric that turns old tires into silk-like yarn. Jackets, bags, knitwear, whatever you want. Waste becomes luxury, a red one too.

Travis Scott’s Job at Oakley? Hiring Matthew Μ. Williams

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Turns out everything Oakley needed was Travis Scott putting his favorite designer on a payroll. The artist was just named Chief Visionary Officer last year, but Scott was already deep into Williams’ world long before. Of course, Oakley didn’t create that connection, but it created two very fitting titles for it.

Williams came up through the Kanye West creative machine, Travis came out of it, different roles, same ecosystem. When Been Trill was just getting off the ground with Williams and Virgil Abloh, Travis had the tees, soon after the ALYX belts, and eventually worked his way to Williams’ namesake label too. From streetwear to Givenchy to Lady Gaga, eyewear was only a matter of time. On March 26, Williams was tapped as Oakley’s creative director, leading apparel, footwear, and accessories.

“Growing up in California, Oakley was part of my upbringing. I have always admired the brand’s technical and innovative intent, which greatly aligns with my own process and design language. Oakley has such a rich heritage, with history rooted in both performance sports and global culture. I am honored to join the company and look forward to working together with Travis and all Oakley teams to guide the brand into a new era,” said the latest addition to Oakley’s reset. With those two in the mix, the streetwear crowd is a natural target. And who knows, they might even get along with hikers.

What Should Beginners Look for in a Handheld Intimate Wellness Device?

Choosing a first handheld intimate wellness device can feel overwhelming with so many options available today. These personal care tools serve various purposes, from muscle relaxation to self-care routines. However, beginners often struggle to identify which features truly matter for their needs and comfort level.

The right device for newcomers should balance simplicity, safety, and practical functionality to create a positive first experience. Several key features separate beginner-friendly options from more advanced models. Understanding these essential characteristics helps new users make informed decisions without unnecessary confusion or buyer’s remorse.

This guide explores the must-have features that make handheld intimate wellness devices suitable for first-time users. From materials and controls to maintenance and discretion, each element plays a specific role in the overall experience.

Handheld sex machines 

For beginners, handheld machines can be one of the most interesting options to look at because they provide direct control, adjustable movement, and a more hands-on experience. The most important thing at this stage is not picking the strongest model but choosing something that feels safe, manageable, and easy to use. That is why many people compare handheld sex machines & dildo drills based on grip, speed settings, noise level, and material quality before making a choice. Paying attention to these features can help first-time users find a device that feels more comfortable and beginner-friendly. It can also make the first experience feel less overwhelming and more in line with personal comfort levels. A well-created option gives beginners more confidence as they learn what features matter most to them.

Silicone Grip for Secure Handling

A silicone grip provides better control for beginners who use handheld sex machines and dildo drills. The soft material prevents the device from slipping during use. This feature matters most for people who have never used these products before.

Silicone provides a non-slip surface that feels comfortable in the hand. It stays secure even if hands get sweaty or wet. The material also absorbs some vibration, which makes longer sessions more pleasant.

Most quality devices include silicone grips or handles. Beginners should check that the grip fits their hand size well. A proper fit means better control and less strain on the wrist and fingers.

The grip should feel soft but stable. Hard plastic handles can hurt the hand over time. Silicone provides comfort without losing its shape or strength with regular use.

Multiple Intensity Levels for Customization

Beginners benefit from devices that provide a range of power settings. Different sensitivity levels mean what feels good varies from person to person. A device with adjustable intensity allows users to start at the lowest setting and work up to stronger sensations as comfort grows.

Most quality devices include at least three to five different power levels. This variety helps users find the right amount of stimulation for their body. Someone new to these devices should look for clear controls that make it easy to adjust intensity mid-use.

The ability to customize power also matters because sensitivity can change. Factors like stress, hormones, and time of day affect how the body responds. A device with multiple settings adapts to these natural variations instead of forcing users to settle for a one-size-fits-all approach.

Gradual intensity increases help prevent discomfort for first-time users. Starting too strong can create an unpleasant experience that discourages further exploration. Devices with smooth transitions between levels provide better control over the experience.

Quiet Operation for Discretion

A quiet motor matters for beginners who value privacy. Noise levels can affect comfort and confidence, especially for those who live with roommates or family members. A device that runs silently allows users to relax without worry about others noticing.

Most quality devices now feature motors that produce minimal sound. However, power and silence should work together. A device that sacrifices strength for quietness may not provide the experience a user wants.

Beginners should test or research the noise output before purchase. Many modern devices balance strong sensations with discreet operation. This combination helps new users feel more comfortable as they explore intimate wellness.

Battery-powered options tend to run quieter than some older models. Rechargeable devices often incorporate advanced motor technology that reduces vibration noise. These features make it easier to use the device in shared living spaces without drawing attention.

The right device should let users focus on their experience rather than external concerns. Sound levels play a direct role in how relaxed and present someone feels during use.

Rechargeable Battery for Convenience

A rechargeable battery makes life easier for beginners who want to avoid the hassle of buying replacements. These devices use USB charging, which means users can power them up with the same cable they use for phones or tablets. This feature saves money over time and reduces waste.

Most modern handheld intimate wellness devices come with lithium-ion batteries that hold a charge well. A single charge typically provides 45 to 60 minutes of use, which covers multiple sessions. This amount of power works well for people who use their device a few times per week.

USB-rechargeable models also deliver stronger and more consistent power than battery-operated options. The motor maintains its intensity throughout the entire charge cycle instead of weakening as disposable batteries drain. This consistency helps beginners get the results they want every time.

Cordless rechargeable devices provide better portability too. Users can keep them in a drawer without the need for a dedicated storage spot or worry about battery leaks. The freedom from wires and battery compartments creates a simpler, cleaner experience for new users.

Waterproof Design for Easy Cleaning

A waterproof device makes hygiene simple and stress-free. Beginners can rinse their device under running water after each use, which removes bacteria and residue quickly. This feature also allows users to take the device into the shower or bath if they prefer.

Most modern devices use waterproof silicone materials that resist water damage. These materials prevent moisture from entering the battery compartment or motor. As a result, the device lasts longer and performs better over time.

Cleaning becomes faster with a waterproof design. Users can apply gentle soap directly to the device and rinse it thoroughly without worry. This process takes only a minute or two, which encourages consistent cleaning habits.

Devices without waterproof protection require more careful maintenance. Users must wipe them down with damp cloths instead, which takes more time and effort. Therefore, waterproof designs provide clear advantages for people who want convenient and thorough cleaning.

Look for devices with IPX7 ratings or higher. These ratings confirm the device can handle full water immersion for short periods.

Conclusion

A beginner should focus on three main factors before they purchase their first handheld intimate wellness device. The device needs to provide simple controls, easy-to-clean materials like medical-grade silicone, and adjustable settings that allow users to start at lower intensities. Safety features matter just as much as functionality, so buyers should verify the product includes proper certifications and clear instructions for use. The right device helps someone feel confident and comfortable as they explore their personal wellness needs without stress or confusion.

Discovering Exceptional Vape Flavours: The 10 Motives Collection

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Vaping enthusiasts know that flavour selection can make or break the entire experience. With thousands of options flooding the market, finding truly exceptional blends that satisfy your palate becomes increasingly challenging. The search for quality flavours that deliver consistency, authenticity, and genuine enjoyment often feels endless. However, thoughtfully curated collections designed around specific flavour profiles and user preferences simplify this process considerably. This guide explores what makes a vape flavour exceptional and introduces you to collections crafted to elevate your vaping experience.

What Makes a Vape Flavour Exceptional

Authenticity and depth

Truly exceptional vape flavours capture the genuine essence of their inspiration. Rather than artificial or flat interpretations, quality flavours offer layered, nuanced profiles that evolve on the palate. Whether representing fruity notes, dessert indulgence, or cooling sensations, authentic flavours feel genuine and satisfying.

Consistent performance

Great vape flavours deliver reliable experiences with every use. Quality manufacturers maintain rigorous standards, ensuring each bottle tastes identical to the last. This consistency builds trust and loyalty amongst dedicated vapers.

Smooth throat hit and vapour production

Beyond flavour, exceptional vapes balance throat hit with vapour production. The right combination enhances overall satisfaction, creating a complete sensory experience rather than prioritising flavour alone at the expense of other elements.

Exploring Popular Flavour Profiles

Fruity and refreshing blends

Fruity flavours dominate vaping preferences for excellent reasons. From tropical combinations featuring mango and passion fruit to berry medleys blending strawberry and blueberry, fruity options offer brightness and variety. These flavours work brilliantly throughout the day, particularly for morning or afternoon vaping sessions.

Decadent dessert flavours

Dessert-inspired vapes satisfy sweet cravings without the calories. Custard, chocolate, caramel, and cream-based flavours deliver indulgent experiences perfect for evening vaping or rewarding moments. These complex profiles often improve with time, developing deeper character as they age.

Menthol and cooling sensations

Menthol flavours provide crisp, refreshing experiences appealing to many vapers. Whether pure menthol or blended with fruits, cooling flavours invigorate the palate and offer relief during warmer months or when seeking refreshment.

Tobacco and classic profiles

Traditional tobacco flavours appeal to vapers seeking familiarity. Quality tobacco blends offer sophisticated, grounded experiences, often incorporating complementary notes like vanilla, honey, or spice for added dimension.

Finding Your Ideal Flavour Match

Personal preference assessment

Consider flavours you naturally enjoy in everyday life. Do you prefer sweet treats, fresh fruits, or herbal notes? Your existing taste preferences often translate directly to vaping flavour selection. This foundational understanding guides your exploration effectively.

Gradual exploration

Rather than committing to large quantities of unfamiliar flavours, explore gradually. Purchase sample sizes or smaller bottles initially, allowing you to discover preferences without significant investment or waste. This methodical approach prevents disappointment and waste.

Seeking curated collections

The 10 motives vape collection represents a thoughtfully assembled range of exceptional flavours, each selected to cater to different palates and preferences. Rather than navigating endless generic options, curated collections streamline discovery, presenting quality alternatives specifically designed to satisfy diverse vaping preferences and styles.

The Benefits of Curated Flavour Collections

Quality assurance

Curated collections typically feature rigorous quality standards. Each flavour undergoes careful selection and testing, ensuring only exceptional options reach vapers. This saves time and reduces the likelihood of purchasing disappointing products.

Diverse representation

A well-curated collection covers diverse flavour categories, ensuring something appeals to every preference. Whether fruity, sweet, cooling, or classic, comprehensive collections accommodate varied tastes without overwhelming options.

Simplified decision-making

Rather than evaluating thousands of generic options, curated collections present pre-selected alternatives. This significantly simplifies decision-making, particularly for newer vapers uncertain where to begin.

Common Questions About Flavour Selection

How do I know which flavour strength to choose?

Flavour intensity varies between products. Beginners often prefer subtle flavours, whilst experienced vapers enjoy bolder, more pronounced tastes. Start conservatively and adjust based on your preferences as you develop your palate.

Will flavours affect my vaping device?

Some flavours impact coil longevity more than others. Dessert and sweet flavours tend to caramelerise coils faster than fruity options. This is normal and doesn’t indicate quality issues, simply a characteristic of the flavour type.

Can I mix different flavours together?

Absolutely. Flavour mixing, or “chasing,” allows creative experimentation. However, start with small quantities to ensure combinations work well before committing larger amounts. Some pairings create delightful results whilst others clash unexpectedly.

How often should I change flavours?

This depends entirely on personal preference. Some vapers develop strong loyalties to particular flavours, vaping the same option indefinitely. Others enjoy rotating regularly. Both approaches are perfectly valid.

What if I don’t like a particular flavour?

Vaping preferences are subjective. If a flavour disappoints, explore alternatives. Most vapers try numerous options before discovering their favourites. Persistence and experimentation yield rewarding results.

Conclusion

Discovering exceptional vape flavours transforms your entire vaping experience. By understanding what constitutes quality, exploring diverse profiles, and seeking thoughtfully curated collections, you’ll confidently find flavours that genuinely satisfy. Whether preferring fruity refreshment, sweet indulgence, cooling sensations, or classic profiles, taking time to explore ensures your vaping journey remains enjoyable and rewarding. Start exploring today and discover the exceptional flavours that elevate your experience.

The Rise of AI Tools in Creative Workflows

Creative work tends to move in uneven waves rather than clean steps. Some moments feel active and full of direction, others feel stuck without a clear reason. Ideas follow that same pattern, arriving as incomplete thoughts, rough edges, or small details that don’t yet know what they belong to.

That unevenness was never a problem on its own. It was just how things worked.

What has changed is everything sitting around that process. The parts between idea and output are getting lighter, faster, less dependent on manual effort. Not in a way that replaces creativity, but in a way that changes how much resistance there is while moving through it.

The Strange Weight of Starting

Starting is rarely about lack of ideas. It’s usually the opposite.

Too many directions appear at once, none fully formed, all slightly competing for attention. Picking one feels arbitrary, so nothing gets picked. That pause can stretch longer than expected.

AI tools interrupt that moment in a very low-key way.

They don’t wait for clarity. They produce something immediately. A rough draft, a loose outline, a structure that didn’t exist before. It might be wrong. It might be messy. That doesn’t matter much.

What matters is that there is now something to react to instead of an empty space to solve.

And that alone changes momentum.

Fragments That Finally Sit Still

Most creative input begins as fragments.

A quick voice note recorded while walking. Half a paragraph typed without much planning. A line that sounds better spoken than written. These pieces usually make sense in isolation, but lose shape when revisited later.

They’re real, just unstable.

AI tools take that instability and turn it into something more fixed. Not polished, not final, just readable enough to hold onto. That shift is subtle, but it matters.

Instead of trying to remember what was meant, there’s something visible to work with.

Ideas stop floating and start settling.

Work That Used to Break Focus

Creative workflows are full of small interruptions that don’t look important on their own.

Searching through recordings for a specific moment. Rewriting the same idea in slightly different forms. Cleaning notes so they can be shared. None of it is difficult, but it breaks concentration repeatedly.

And concentration is harder to rebuild than it looks.

AI reduces a lot of that repetition without drawing attention to itself. It processes, organizes, and converts material in the background. No real pause, no shift in attention away from the actual thinking.

Just fewer moments where progress gets interrupted for mechanical reasons.

When Tools Disappear Into the Process

The most effective tools tend to be the ones that stop feeling like tools.

They don’t interrupt. They don’t ask for decisions. They just handle a narrow task and step back again, leaving the rest of the process untouched.

Something like AI transcription services fits that pattern. Spoken material becomes written text without needing repeated playback or manual reconstruction. A step that used to sit quietly inside almost every workflow simply stops being necessary in the same way.

And because it doesn’t demand attention, it quickly becomes invisible.

Useful Without Needing to Be Perfect

AI output often lands slightly off.

A word misheard here, a sentence broken in the wrong place there, a bit of context missing somewhere in between. It happens often enough to be expected.

But that doesn’t reduce its usefulness.

What matters is whether it’s close enough to build on. If it is, then it already saves time. Adjusting something that exists is easier than rebuilding it from scratch. The effort shifts from creation to correction.

That’s the real role these tools occupy. Not finished work, just usable starting points.

Control That Doesn’t Feel Like Control

There’s a quiet shift that happens when tools start producing early versions of work.

Control doesn’t disappear, but it changes shape. Instead of creating everything from zero, there’s already something present before any decision is made.

That can feel helpful. It can also feel slightly directional.

Because early structure tends to influence later choices more than expected. Even when it’s wrong, it sets a path that decisions begin to orbit around.

So the process becomes less about pure creation and more about response.

Collaboration Without the Bottleneck

Sharing creative material has always carried friction.

Audio needs context. Notes need explanation. Different people interpret the same material in slightly different ways, which slows down alignment.

Before anything progresses, everyone has to get on the same page first.

AI reduces that delay.

Once spoken content becomes text, it can be shared instantly and understood more directly. The same material is visible to everyone in the same form, without needing to replay or reinterpret it individually.

Discussion becomes tighter, more focused, less about access and more about content.

The Quiet Risk of Over-Refinement

There’s a subtle effect that comes with easier editing.

When cleaning up work becomes simple, it becomes easy to overdo it. Irregular phrasing gets removed. Repetition disappears. Everything starts to align too neatly.

Clarity improves, but character can thin out.

Creative work often depends on those uneven parts. The slight awkwardness in phrasing, the rhythm that doesn’t fully smooth out, the small imperfections that feel human rather than manufactured.

Removing too much of that changes the tone, even if the structure becomes cleaner.

Work Without Hard Boundaries

Another shift happens in how stages blend together.

Drafting, editing, organizing, refining—these used to feel like separate steps with clear transitions. Now they overlap more often, blending into a continuous loop.

Something gets generated, adjusted, reshaped, and reworked without a clear stop in between.

The structure of the process becomes less segmented. Less start-and-stop, more ongoing adjustment.

Not necessarily faster, just less interrupted.

Still Driven by Human Judgment

Despite all the automation around it, the core of the work hasn’t moved.

Deciding what matters. What stays. What gets removed. What actually carries meaning. Those choices remain human.

AI doesn’t understand intent. It doesn’t understand relevance beyond pattern recognition. It can generate possibilities, but it can’t choose direction.

It supports the process without defining it.

That separation is still the key point.

Where It Settles

AI tools are not transforming creative workflows in a dramatic way. They are settling into them quietly, handling parts of the process that used to slow things down without changing the nature of the work itself.

Less time spent on repetition. Less interruption between steps. Less friction moving from idea to form.

The unpredictability remains. The uneven rhythm remains.

It just travels through the process with fewer obstacles in its way.

Sculptor Spotlight: Zoe Dufour

Zoe Dufour (b. 1990, Thailand) is an artist and sculptor, currently maintaining a studio in Northern California. Her work is primarily centered on the human form as a direct visual way to communicate to one another in an emotional or allegorical way.  She studied with Gerald Heffernon and at the Ashland Academy of Art before graduating from Grand Central Atelier in NYC. Following her graduation, she worked at the prestigious Studio EIS and led the sculpture program at Grand Central Atelier until 2019.

After a decade of living and working in NYC, Zoe opened Saypience Sculpture in California in 2019 and continues to work on a wide variety of projects across the United States, the most recent of which is a monumental scale bronze sculpture of Harriet Tubman, installed on Binghamton University’s Campus in New York in 2025.

Our Culture spoke to Zoe about her early inspirations, artistic collaborations and all that we can learn about the human form from sculpture.

How did your love for sculpting begin? Was there a moment early on when you realised it was the right medium for you?

I think I always loved three dimensional mediums, I took ceramics classes when i was a child and would create all kinds of animal sculpture. I loved all tactile crafts, and would design and sew stuffed animals too. However, I didn’t know sculpting could be a career until I was 23, when I met my mentor and teacher Jiwoong Cheh. I took his class in my third year at Grand Central Atelier, and I immediately loved sculpting. It felt like something I could love, even on the days I was struggling with it. I saw how Cheh had made his career work, and it gave me some tangible examples of how possible it is to sculpt professionally, and I just threw myself in that direction.

In works like Mental Growth, you bring together florals and sculpture in a really distinctive way. How did that idea develop, and what draws you to working with floral forms?

For that piece, I worked with an incredible florist, Alyssa Benner, who I met through mutual friends. I had asked her if she wanted to collaborate with me on some new sculptures I was making that were also vessels, and she was excited to make compositions together.

I also personally just love growing things and including organic materials in my work. I come from a family of farmers and spent a lot of time outside with plants, and I am fascinated by ethnobotany. I think there is a lot to explore in how we co-evolve and intersect with our environment, and plants are a huge part of that equation.

Your figures often emphasise expression rather than neutrality, from furrowed brows to subtle shifts in gaze. What draws you to capturing that fuller range of emotion?

I think as humans, we are all trying to understand the human condition. We all struggle with the meaning of life, love, loss, hope, joy, anger, sadness… and that overlap in experience we can share is what allows us to connect across time and social structures. I’m interested in being able to create reciprocal relationships between my work and the viewer that are built on pathos. Expressions are fleeting, so capturing one feels like a way to call a viewer into feeling with the art, rather that being a bystander.

What has working in sculpture taught you about the human form?

In my time sculpting, I’ve studied from life extensively, and I learned that we are all the same, essentially. We are all variations of the same pattern, which is really beautiful.
I love that the kind of observation required to study from life doesn’t contain the same type of negative judgments we often apply to people’s bodies societally. It’s an almost abstract way to see, where everything that makes up a person becomes a series of forms that just are, and are lovely the way they are. Observing people this way has made me more aware of my own subconscious biases.

Do you see your sculptures as portraits of specific individuals, or more as emotional states?

Generally a little of both. Most sculptures are based on an individual, but I do like the adage “in the specific lies the universal”. I’m trying to capture something that others can relate to, in that individual.

What are you currently exploring that feels new or different in your practice?

I’m experimenting with some new mediums, and some new methods of making that are textile-based. I’m sourcing more materials locally that are inspiring to me.  I’m still in a research phase, but I’m hoping to have a small body of new work at the end of this year.
I’ve been trying to dissolve some of the rigidity I have in how I conceive of my work, that was created in my time in a hyper-academic training.

It is easy for me to stay in the pursuit of technical skill, rather than making art that has a narrative with the skill I have, because learning is such a rabbit-hole, and so compelling.

Are there any artists or creatives you have felt especially inspired by lately?

I love Ruth Asawa, and I’ve been looking at work by Noe Kuremoto, Hidaka Ohmu, and Do Ho Suh. I’m also rereading David Abrams.

Credit: Brandon Blaylock

Natrava BEETS+ Powder Review: The Beet Supplement Built for Energy, Gut Health, and Cardiovascular Support

Your body produces less nitric oxide as you age. Less nitric oxide means narrower blood vessels, rising blood pressure, and that persistent mid-afternoon energy crash that no amount of coffee seems to fix. Most beet supplements only address half of that problem. Natrava BEETS+ Powder takes a different approach, stacking organic beet root with prebiotics, B vitamins, and adaptogenic mushrooms into a single daily scoop. Here is what we found when we reviewed it.

What Is Natrava BEETS+ Powder?

Natrava BEETS+ Powder is a daily beet root supplement formulated by Natrava Health, a US-based wellness brand that works with doctors, nutritionists, and food scientists to develop its products. The powder comes in a cherry-berry flavor, mixes with 8 to 12 oz of water or a smoothie, and contains 15 calories per serving.

The broader formula approach

Unlike most beet powders that stop at a single active ingredient, BEETS+ combines organic beet root, inulin prebiotics, a full B-vitamin complex, turmeric, and adaptogenic mushrooms into one scoop. You can see the full breakdown on the Natrava ingredients page. That multi-system design is what separates it from standard nitric oxide powders.

How powder fits a daily wellness routine

The powder format makes it easy to build a consistent daily habit. Verified buyers consistently mention taking it first thing in the morning, often blended with a collagen supplement or added to a smoothie. One buyer noted it “blends very easily and isn’t gritty at all,” which matters for people who have been burned by chalky, clumping beet powders before. A frother comes included with the powder.

Ingredients Breakdown

BEETS+ Powder discloses every ingredient with exact amounts, which puts it ahead of most competitors who rely on proprietary blends. Here is what is inside each scoop.

Organic Beet Root for heart health and blood pressure support

Each scoop contains 2,500mg of organic beet root powder with 200mg of dietary nitrates. When you consume nitrates, your body converts them into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps your blood vessels relax and widen. That means better blood flow, healthier blood pressure, and more oxygen reaching your muscles and brain.

Prebiotics for gut health and digestion

BEETS+ includes 2,000mg of inulin, a natural fiber derived from chicory root, alongside a digestive enzyme blend. Inulin acts as food for the beneficial bacteria already living in your gut. The result is better digestion, less bloating, and a healthier gut over time, something most beet powders completely ignore.

B vitamins for energy support

The formula includes Vitamin C, B6, B12, Thiamin, and Niacin. These B vitamins help your body convert the food you eat into usable energy at the cellular level. That is why the energy you feel from BEETS+ is clean and steady rather than a sharp caffeine hit that fades an hour later.

Turmeric, superfruits, and added formula depth

Each serving also contains 45mg of turmeric, 45mg of Reishi mushroom, and 45mg of Cordyceps. Turmeric helps keep inflammation in check, while Reishi and Cordyceps are adaptogenic mushrooms that support immune function and stamina. These ingredients are rare in beet powders, and BEETS+ lists the exact amount of each one on the label.

Claimed Benefits

Energy support

BEETS+ supports energy through two distinct pathways: nitric oxide-driven improvements in blood flow and oxygen delivery, and direct cellular energy metabolism via the B-vitamin complex. Users on the product page report feeling a difference in energy levels within the first one to two weeks of consistent use. The energy lift is described as clean, steady, and stimulant-free, not a sharp spike followed by a crash.

This also makes it a strong fit for people dealing with fatigue tied to circulation issues. When blood vessels are narrow, less oxygen reaches your muscles and brain. Symptoms like brain fog, low motivation, and mid-afternoon exhaustion can all trace back to reduced nitric oxide availability, and BEETS+ targets that root cause directly.

Gut health support

The 2,000mg inulin dose feeds beneficial gut bacteria, and the digestive enzyme blend supports comfortable day-to-day digestion. As the gut microbiome improves, users often notice better regularity, less bloating, and more stable energy throughout the day. The University of Exeter study referenced above also found that changes in oral bacteria, driven by beet root nitrates, improved nitric oxide conversion, suggesting a direct connection between microbiome health and cardiovascular benefit.

Cardiovascular support

This is the formula’s primary strength. Nitric oxide helps blood vessels relax and widen through a process called vasodilation, which supports healthy blood pressure and circulation.

This matters especially for women in perimenopause and menopause. Estrogen plays a protective role in the body’s natural nitric oxide production. As estrogen levels decline, nitric oxide availability can drop by 30 to 50%. 

That drop contributes directly to rising blood pressure, reduced circulation, and symptoms that many women write off as “just aging”: brain fog, hot flashes, spider veins, hair thinning, and low energy. These are not random. They share a common upstream cause in diminished nitric oxide.

Taste, Mixability, and Convenience

Powder format pros and cons

BEETS+ Powder has a cherry-berry flavor with no earthy beet taste, which is the most common complaint about competing beet powders. It mixes cleanly into water without grit, and the included frother eliminates any clumping. 

Each serving is 15 calories with no added sugar. The one trade-off with any powder is that it requires preparation, which adds a step compared to popping a gummy. For anyone already making a morning smoothie, that step is essentially zero extra effort.

Who likes powders more than gummies

The powder format suits people who want to maximize the formula they are getting per serving. Gummies have size and sugar constraints that limit how many active ingredients they can carry. 

The BEETS+ Gummies, for instance, focus on beet root extract, grape seed extract, and Vitamin C, a targeted cardiovascular formula. The powder carries all of that plus prebiotics, a full B-vitamin stack, turmeric, and adaptogenic mushrooms. People who track their blood pressure, manage their gut health actively, or prefer a morning wellness drink tend to favor the powder.

Pros and Cons

What makes the powder more comprehensive

Pros Details
Full ingredient transparency Exact amounts disclosed for every ingredient
Prebiotic layer 2,000mg inulin not found in most beet powders
B-vitamin complex Supports clean energy without stimulants
Adaptogenic mushrooms Reishi and Cordyceps add immune and endurance depth
Third-party tested Lab results published on the quality page
US-manufactured GMP-certified, FDA-registered facility
30-day guarantee Full refund if you do not notice results

Why some users may still choose gummies

The gummies are a genuinely great option for portability and grab-and-go convenience. They carry no mixing requirement, fit in a bag or a pocket, and still deliver the core nitric oxide support the formula is known for. Users who travel frequently or prefer not to start their morning with a drink ritual often find the gummies easier to stick with long-term. Both formats are effective. The choice comes down to lifestyle fit and how comprehensive you want your daily formula to be.

Natrava Powder vs Other Beet Powders

Ingredient breadth

Most competing beet powders are built around a single active ingredient. SuperBeets Heart Powder, for example, is primarily fermented beetroot crystals with no vitamin complex and no prebiotic layer. Natrava BEETS+ discloses 2,500mg organic beet root, 200mg nitrates, 2,000mg inulin, a five-vitamin complex, and 135mg of adaptogenic mushrooms and turmeric across three separate ingredients. That is a substantially broader formula at comparable or lower pricing when purchased on subscription.

Gut-health support angle

The 2,000mg inulin dose is genuinely rare in this category. Most beet supplement brands, including Force Factor Total Beets and Organifi Red Juice, do not include a prebiotic component at a meaningful dose. For anyone dealing with digestion issues alongside their cardiovascular goals, that distinction is significant. BEETS+ addresses both systems in a single scoop, which removes the need to stack a separate prebiotic supplement.

Daily usability and routine fit

SuperBeets has a documented taste problem, with multiple third-party reviewers describing it as earthy and difficult to drink daily. BEETS+ cherry-berry flavor consistently earns praise from verified buyers for being genuinely enjoyable. The included frother, zero grit texture, and clean taste lower the barrier to consistent daily use, and consistency is what drives results with any cardiovascular supplement.

Final Assessment

Best for energy and gut health support

BEETS+ Powder is a strong choice for anyone whose energy dips are tied to circulation, digestion, or micronutrient gaps. The B-vitamin complex and inulin prebiotic work alongside the beet root nitrates to address energy from multiple angles. Users typically report noticeable energy improvements within one to two weeks, with gut comfort improvements following as the microbiome adjusts to regular inulin intake.

Best for people who want a more complete formula

For adults who want one morning supplement that covers cardiovascular health, gut support, clean energy, and anti-inflammatory support, BEETS+ Powder is a hard formula to match at its price point. It is third-party tested, manufactured in an FDA-registered GMP-certified facility, and backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. At roughly $34.95 per month on subscription, that works out to just over a dollar a day. As with any supplement that supports blood pressure, consult your doctor before starting if you are currently on blood pressure medication.

Esports: No Longer Niche, Betting Dominance in 2026

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The number that keeps landing with a thud is USD 17.5 billion. That is the estimated global value of the esports betting market in 2026, a figure that would have sounded like fan fiction a few years ago, and it sits beside another telling stat, 23% of bettors in the US now touch esports in some form. The whole scene went from bedroom brackets to a category sportsbooks take seriously, and it happened fast.

If you want a clean doorway into the numbers, start with TipsGG eSports data and then zoom out. The story is bigger than one title, one region, one shiny app feature. It is volume, repetition, habit, and the way live competition fits modern attention spans.

The shift, from niche pastime to a betting routine

People still argue about should video games be considered a sport, as if the label decides whether money follows. Money already followed. Audience growth did the heavy lifting, with over 600 million projected viewers in 2025, and the betting layer simply latched on to that scale. You can feel it in the calendar too, because tournament participation is up 45% in five years, which means more matches, more lines, more moments where a bet feels like a small, tempting click.

Two drivers sit at the center, and they are blunt. Live betting surged, with North America leaning into real-time markets as the tech got smoother and faster. Mobile did the rest, because nearly 60% of bettors use mobile platforms, and a phone makes wagering feel like checking a score, not making a decision that deserves a pause.

Traditional sportsbooks stepping in also matters. They bring payment rails, customer support, promotions, and a kind of legitimacy that some esports-native books never bothered with. Add regulatory progress across Europe and parts of Asia-Pacific, and suddenly the friction drops. People do what is easy. They repeat what is easy.

Stats spotlight, the market is big and it is still stretching

The global picture in 2026 is already loud, then it gets louder when you look forward. From USD 17.5 billion in 2026, projections point to USD 55.5 billion by 2035, riding a 13.7% CAGR. That is not a gentle slope, it is a long climb where operators keep finding new footholds.

Revenue-per-user hints at how mainstream the behavior has become. Worldwide, average revenue per user is expected to hit USD 35.60 by end-2026. The US angle is even sharper, with USD 1.1 billion revenue projected by 2028 and USD 53.80 average revenue per user. Those numbers do not come from a tiny cult audience. They come from repetition, from casual bettors mixing esports into the same wallet as other sports.

Game share is the part everyone wants to argue with, because fandom has ego. Still, the split is clear in 2026 estimates:

League of Legends sits at 70% market share, Dota 2 holds 15%, CS:GO takes 10%, and everything else fights over 5%. I do not love monopolies, but I understand them. LoL has a relentless event ecosystem and familiar teams, so bettors get comfortable. CS:GO is tagged as the fastest-growing slice at 10%, helped by match volume and younger fans who treat updates and meta shifts like weather.

This is where the “is gaming a hobby” debate gets oddly useful. A hobby can be sporadic. Betting markets need routine. Esports built routine through constant competition, then betting followed the rhythm.

Regions, regulation, and where the action clusters

Europe still carries a huge chunk of the global load, around 35 to 40% of activity in 2026 estimates, with the UK and Germany often cited as core engines. Regulation does not just allow betting, it shapes how products are built, how odds are displayed, how marketing behaves. People underestimate that design pressure.

Asia-Pacific lands around 30%, and it is rising as markets become more structured. North America sits near 25%, and it is often framed as the live betting leader, which tracks with the tech-first, app-first habit there. The regional split also explains why certain titles feel “bigger” in different places, even when global share says otherwise. Culture still edits the market.

Mobile being near 60% of bettors globally matters here because it flattens geography. A bettor in one region is only a few taps away from the same match a bettor elsewhere is watching. That shared immediacy is a strange kind of globalization, built on notifications and short attention.

And yes, pros and cons of video games keep coming up in the background. One “pro” is that esports is endlessly watchable. One “con” is that the loop can be sticky, and betting makes it stickier. People do not need a lecture to feel that tension, they just need to notice how often they check results.

2026 trends that are shaping the next phase

Operators are chasing three things at once: trust, speed, and differentiation. Blockchain for secure bets shows up in the conversation because it promises cleaner verification and a modern aura, even if most users only care that withdrawals work. Mobile apps keep getting refined, because that is where the volume lives. Partnerships with gaming orgs and broader gaming ecosystems also keep expanding, because attention is the real currency, and it is expensive to buy from scratch.

There are constraints too. Gambling restrictions still exist in around 30% of markets, which means growth is uneven and sometimes forced into odd shapes. Consolidation is another reality: the top 10 operators control 35% of revenue. That can make the market feel stable, then suddenly brittle, depending on what those operators decide to prioritize.

In the US, the category is framed as one of the fastest-growing, and the projected USD 1.1 billion by 2028 keeps being used as a north star. I suspect the bigger story is product habit, not the headline number. When a bettor can move from a traditional sport to a LoL map bet without thinking, the category line dissolves.

Closing thought, the market is already here

Esports betting in 2026 is not a quirky sidebar, it is a USD 17.5 billion global market with clear leaders, clear regions, and a mobile-first engine. If you are tracking where it goes next, follow the live products, the regulatory openings, and the titles that never stop scheduling matches. The rest is momentum.

ARC Raiders: Blue Gate Communication Tower Key Location Explained

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If you recently picked up the Blue Gate Communication Tower Key in ARC Raiders, you’re probably trying to figure out where it actually works. Keys in ARC Raiders are incredibly rare items that unlock specific doors across different maps, giving you access to hidden rooms, extra loot, and sometimes quest objectives. However, the game does not do a great job of telling you exactly where to use a key when you find one, and in many cases, the key might not even have a use on the map you picked it up from, which makes figuring things out all the more confusing.

As the name suggests, the Blue Gate Communication Tower Key is used in the Blue Gate region near Pilgrim’s Peak. It opens a door beneath the communication tower, leading into a basement-level room that is easy to miss unless you know where to look. As there’s no marker to show you the entrance, it can be a bit tricky to pin down the exact spot, so here’s where to use the Blue Gate Communication Tower Key in ARC Raiders.

ARC Raiders: Blue Gate Communication Tower Key Location Explained

You need to use the Blue Gate Communication Tower Key in ARC Raiders near Pilgrim’s Peak in the northeastern part of the Blue Gate region. The locked door is located beneath the large communication tower overlooking the area. From the base of the tower, head toward the structure and enter through the eastern-side doors if you’re coming from the south. If you’re approaching from another side, just loop around the building until you reach the same entrance on the eastern side.

Once inside, keep to the right-hand side of the hallway since the locked door is on the right, tucked along the eastern wall. You will then need to use the Blue Gate Communication Tower Key to open it and get inside. The loot here works a bit differently compared to other locked rooms, with much of it stored inside breachable computer cabinets.

You can typically find a weapons crate, a grenade case, three black materials boxes, residential and valuable drawers, multiple breachable computer cabinets, and loose Medical, Mechanical, and Electronics loot. The overall value of the loot is pretty decent; however, the more important reason you’ll need this key comes later. The room is required for the Groundbreaking quest, so unlocking it early will keep you from having to double back later.

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