A new Netflix series has the internet buzzing, mainly due to the fact that it’s a live-action adaptation of a popular Japanese manga.
Bet, which debuted on the streaming service in May, is set at a private school where gambling determines social status. When a Japanese transfer student shows up, chaos ensues.
The show hit the Netflix top 10 in 32 countries, proving once again that viewers can’t get enough of thrilling teen dramas. Not only that, but a big chunk of the show’s fanbase is already asking for more.
Bet Season 2 Release Date
Betarrived on Netflix on May 15, 2025. At the time of writing, the service hasn’t officially renewed the series for additional episodes.
That said, Bet Season 2 could still happen. Netflix sometimes wait a while before giving the green light. As long as viewing numbers are good, we’re gearing up for an exciting announcement. Depending on how production goes, more episode could premiere as early as 2026.
Bet Cast
Miku Martineau as Yumeko Kawamoto
Ayo Solanke as Ryan Adebayo
Eve Edwards as Mary Davis
Clara Alexandrova as Kira Timurov
Hunter Cardinal as Michael
Anwen O’Driscoll as Riri Timurov and Wendy
Aviva Mongillo as Dori Ahlstrom
What Could Happen in Bet Season 2?
Bet is set at St. Dominic’s, an exclusive private boarding school for the global elite. The main story revolves around Yumeko, a mysterious transfer student with exceptional gambling skills. In a place where underground gambling dictates the social hierarchy, that’s unlikely to go unnoticed.
Soon, Yumeko’s arrival challenges the established order. It also puts her at odds with the powerful Student Council. Even so, Yumeko is driven by revenge, and will do anything it takes to reach her goals.
The first season ends with Yumeko succeeding in her quest, but the story is far from over. Turns out, there’s more at play than she initially thought.
Bet Season 2 might follow her as she goes on the run, but we don’t really see that happening. Instead, we’re guessing she’ll be back at the school, trying hard to make the people who wronged her pay for their misdeeds.
Either way, the stakes will get even higher. Consider us sat.
Is Bet Based on a Book?
No, but it’s a loose adaptation of the Japanese mangaKakegurui – Compulsive Gambler by Homura Kawamoto and Tōru Naomura. The manga was also adapted into an anime with the same name, available on Netflix.
It’s been forever since quirky anthology Love, Death + Robots debuted new episodes. Thankfully, the long wait ended in May, when Netflix dropped Volume 4. Consisting of 10 episodes, it made a splash, reaching the streamer’s top 10 in 24 countries.
While the fresh lineup of shorts might hold over fans for a while, questions about what’s next will soon start surfacing. Are there more ambitious animations on the way? Here’s what we know so far.
Love, Death + Robots Season 5 Release Date
At the time of writing, Netflix hasn’t officially renewed the series. On the bright side, that doesn’t mean Love, Death + Robots Season 5 isn’t happening. The service can take time to analyse viewing metrics and decide which way to go.
In other words, hope isn’t lost. As a downside, fans might have to wait a while for a fresh infusion of sci-fi tales. Season 4 arrived three years after Season 3. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we won’t have to wait until 2028 for Volume 5.
Love, Death + Robots Cast
Fred Tatasciore (6 episodes)
Scott Whyte (5 episodes)
Emily O’Brien (3 episodes)
Nolan North (3 episodes)
Josh Brener (3 episodes)
Chris Parnell (3 episodes)
What Is Love, Death + Robots About?
Love, Death + Robots is an animated anthology series. Each episode is different, featuring its own animation style and tone. At its core, the show blends science fiction, fantasy, horror, and dark comedy into bite-sized stories.
Ranging from hyper-realistic CGI to hand-drawn animation, episodes deliver striking visuals and captivating narratives. Think robots exploring a post-apocalyptic Earth, soldiers facing supernatural threats, or sentient yogurt taking over the world.
The series is created by Tim Miller, the director of Deadpool, and executive produced by David Fincher. However, each episode is made by a different team of artists.
“One of my biggest joys in making LDR — and I think David shares this feeling — is when artists or directors make choices you would never make. Their ideas, shot choices, angles, sense of timing — whatever — is something foreign to your visual language but also awesome!,” Miller said.
In Volume 4, we get an eclectic mix that includes a reimagining of a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, a tale about a cat plotting world domination, and a mockumentary starring smart household appliances. Love, Death + Robots Season 5 can’t come soon enough.
Are There Other Shows Like Love, Death + Robots?
Not really, as the anthology aspect and varying animation make Love, Death + Robots stand out. There might be episodes you don’t like, and episodes you love deeply, which is exactly what makes it so special.
Even so, you could try adding series with similar themes to your watchlist. We recommend Black Mirror, The Twilight Zone, Electric Dreams, and Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
The latest entry in Netflix’s acclaimed true crime franchise chronicles the relentless pursuit of Islamic extremist Osama bin Laden in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Via exclusive interviews with United States Government officials, viewers can find out more about what happened behind the scenes – and how the world’s most wanted man was finally stopped.
With a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, the three-part docuseries is a revelatory watch for anyone interested in how the manhunt went down. But will there be a sequel?
American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden Season 2 Release Date
American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden landed on Netflix in May and quickly climbed to the top of the streamer’s global top 10. Not only that, but it amassed 12.6 million views in only five days. The success is for good reason given that it tells a complete and compelling story.
As a result, American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden Season 2 is unlikely to happen. That said, the American Manhunt franchise might tackle other cases in the future. We’ll have to wait and see.
American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden Cast
Tracy Walder
Michael Morell
Cindy Storer
Gina Bennett
Leon Panetta
Cofer Black
Gary Berntsen
Ben Rhodes
What Is American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden About?
Like the title suggests, American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden delves into the decade-long global pursuit of Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks. Directed by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan, the series features interviews with key intelligence and government personnel.
Over the course of three episodes, viewers get an in-depth look at the military strategies and political decisions that unfolded in secure rooms. They all culminated in the 2011 Navy SEAL raid on bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. All in all, the audience can be privy to rare firsthand accounts of the entire operation.
While American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden season 2 doesn’t seem in the cards, this isn’t the first installment in the franchise. You can also check out American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing and American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson.
At the time of writing, there’s no news on what an upcoming American Manhunt docuseries might cover.
Are There Other Shows Like American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden?
If you need more gripping documentaries for your watchlist, there’s plenty of choice available. You might want to check out The Rise of ISIS, Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror, and Mind of a Monster.
Drama The Looming Tower might be up your alley as well.
Online casinos have exploded in popularity over recent years, offering players an exciting and convenient way to enjoy gambling from the comfort of their own homes. With hundreds of games available—from slots and table games to live dealer experiences—finding the right fit for your preferences can seem overwhelming. However, discovering your perfect online casino gaming style is essential to maximise both your enjoyment and your chances of success. This beginner’s guide will walk you through the key steps to identify the games and strategies that best suit your personality, budget, and goals.
Understanding the Basics of Online Casino Gaming Styles
Before diving into the vast world of online casinos, it’s helpful to understand that players generally fall into different gaming style categories. These styles are influenced by factors such as risk tolerance, preferred pace of play, and interest in strategy versus pure chance. Knowing which style aligns with you will guide your game choices and help you enjoy the experience to the fullest.
Broadly speaking, gaming styles can be divided into casual players, strategic players, high-risk players, and low-risk players. Casual players tend to play for fun and entertainment rather than aiming to make money. Strategic players enjoy applying tactics and skills to improve their odds. High-risk players are comfortable with larger bets and higher volatility for the chance of big wins, while low-risk players prefer smaller bets and longer playtime with lower stakes.
While these are general categories, many players find themselves somewhere in between, and that’s perfectly fine. Luckily, online casinos cater for all types of players, and bettors can access a wide range of sites to find games that align with their style. Bettors often visit sites not on GamStop 2025 because these international sites, which are licensed abroad and bypass the UK’s strict rules, are known for their flexibility and massive game libraries. With so many titles on offer, it means that all styles of players can find games and experiences to suit their preference.
Step 1: Assess Your Risk Tolerance
The first step in finding your online casino gaming style is understanding how much risk you are willing to take. Risk tolerance affects everything from the games you choose to how much you bet and how you manage your bankroll. If you enjoy the thrill of chasing big jackpots and don’t mind the possibility of losing your stake quickly, you might identify as a high-risk player. Slots with high volatility and progressive jackpots are often appealing to this style. Alternatively, if you prefer steady gameplay with smaller wins and minimal losses, low-risk games like blackjack, baccarat, or low-volatility slots could be more suitable. Knowing your comfort level with risk helps you avoid frustration and burnout. Remember, gambling should be entertaining, not stressful.
Step 2: Decide How Much Time You Want to Spend
Your available time for gaming is another important consideration. Some players enjoy short, casual sessions that fit into a busy schedule, while others prefer longer sessions that allow them to immerse themselves in the game. If you have limited time, quick games like online slots or instant-win games might be perfect. For players who enjoy deeper involvement and longer play, table games such as poker or blackjack offer more strategic depth and engagement. Setting realistic time limits also encourages responsible gambling and prevents sessions from negatively impacting your day-to-day life.
Step 3: Explore Different Game Types
Once you have a clearer idea of your risk tolerance and time availability, it’s time to explore the wide variety of games online casinos offer. Trying different games will help you discover which ones you enjoy most and suit your style.
Slots are the most popular online casino games, known for their simplicity and variety. From classic fruit machines to themed video slots with exciting bonus features, there’s something for everyone. Slots are ideal for casual and high-risk players alike, as you can choose low or high volatility options. Table games like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat offer a more traditional casino experience and involve an element of strategy, which appeals to strategic players who enjoy thinking through their decisions. Live dealer games combine the convenience of online play with the atmosphere of a real casino, streamed live with real dealers. They provide social interaction and realism, ideal for players who miss the traditional casino vibe. Speciality games such as bingo, keno, and scratch cards offer alternative forms of entertainment and can be a fun way to mix up your sessions. Don’t hesitate to try demo versions or free play options first. This allows you to experiment without risking real money.
Step 4: Consider Your Budget and Bankroll Management
Your financial situation and how much you’re willing to spend also influence your gaming style. Setting a clear budget and practising good bankroll management are key to enjoying online casino gaming responsibly. Casual or low-risk players often prefer smaller bets spread over multiple games to maximise playtime. High-risk or thrill-seeking players may place larger bets but should be prepared for more significant swings in their bankroll. Whichever style you identify with, always stick to your budget and avoid chasing losses. This discipline keeps the experience fun and sustainable.
Step 5: Reflect on Your Goals and Motivation
Ask yourself why you want to play online casino games. Is it purely for entertainment? Are you aiming to win some extra cash? Or, do you enjoy the strategic challenge of certain games? Understanding your motivation will help you stay focused and pick the right games. If fun and relaxation are your priorities, focus on games that entertain and offer a low-pressure environment. If you want to improve your skills and possibly earn profits, games like poker or blackjack, where strategy plays a significant role, might be better suited to you.
Step 6: Develop Your Own Style Over Time
Finding your perfect gaming style is a journey, not a one-time decision. As you gain experience, your preferences may change. You might start as a casual slot player and later become more interested in strategic table games. Keep an open mind and continue to explore new games and strategies. Online casinos often introduce new games and features, so staying curious will keep your sessions fresh and exciting.
When choosing an engagement ring, the jewelry must reflect your partner’s inner world, lifestyle, and aesthetic vision. Yet, in today’s vast range of market conditions, selecting a high-quality sign of love that emphasizes your loved one’s essence is challenging.
Rare Carat, a platform recognized as America’s leader in fair advice, is a fantastic solution for picking immaculate jewelry. It takes into account the tiniest details, from your budget to the design.
Recommendations for the Perfect Choice of Jewelry
Accurate decision-making begins with a comprehensive knowledge of the partner’s personality. The Rare Caratplatform’s functionality allows you to effortlessly and quickly filter alternatives based on financial capabilities and the technical features of the stone and metal. In addition, dozens of sorting opportunities mean adjusting offers based on your loved one’s individuality.
Let’s look at examples of personalities and the rings that best suit them.
Eco-Conscious
Rare Carat is the perfect place to buy high-quality lab-grown diamonds. This is a 100% moral choice, reasonable in cost, and predictable in grade.
Free consultations with certified gemologists allow you to be sure of the supplier’s reliability, the stone’s certification, its purity, and eco-friendliness.
Minimalist
Minimalistic people will appreciate simplicity and restraint:
VVS2 diamonds with their purity are an outstanding choice, since minimalism does not mean giving up a premium rate.
White gold or platinum, combined with a simple setting, is an undeniable beauty that does not require excessive details.
A laconic style with an emphasis on the stone.
The platform’s transparent policy helps ensure the diamond’s quality. You can read honest customer reviews directly on the product page without leaving the website.
Creative Personality
For artistic people, it is worth considering a more non-standard solution that exists outside templates and frames:
The ideal shapes of stones here are marquise, heart cut, pear shape, or cushion cut.
Ornate frames, asymmetrical decorations, and additional inserts of mini-stones are original expressions of love suitable for creative natures.
Engravings on the frame and inserts with colored stones are excellent for balancing chic and originality.
The ability to view the jewelry in a 360-degree model and magnification will allow you to conveniently select a detailed, spectacular ring with a multi-layer design.
Romantic Nature
A sentimental and dreamy romantic will appreciate:
Elegant classic options such as 2.5-carat round-cut lab diamonds.
Options inspired by timeless classics, often found in cinema and popular culture, include halo or hidden halo styles.
Refined jewelry made of pink or white gold perfectly highlights the beauty of the stone.
Also, pay attention to vintage options, such as heart-shaped cuts or figured rings, which look beautiful on the finger.
Dynamic and Active
The ideal jewelry parameters for those always on the go combine beauty, durability, and functionality. Choose symmetrical stones with a comfortable and tight fit, without sharp corners.
Reliable frames such as bezel, flush, and low-profile settings are most convenient for everyday wear in a dynamic rhythm of life. Instead of small elements, replacing a visually clean option with elegant engraving is better.
Conservative Personality
For those who appreciate time-tested values, classic setting options that have not lost their relevance, such as cathedral, solitaire, halo, vintage, or pave, are excellent symbols of the durability of feelings.
White gold, platinum, and yellow gold are universal elite choices here that emphasize status. Combining small diamonds without bright stones emphasizes the main stone’s geometry and the product’s sophistication.
A Conscious Safe Choice Reflecting the Depth of Your Feelings
Each love story is unique, meaning its symbol should also be special and unique, like your loved one. When selecting a symbol of your feelings and making significant promises, it is critical to consider the technical characteristics and beauty of the ring and your partner’s lifestyle and tastes.
On Rare Carat, you can compare more than a million natural and lab-grown diamond offers from more than 250 trusted suppliers. The marketplace is a market leader with 4.9/5 reviews on TrustPilot and Google, which allows you not to worry about quality and fully focus on choosing a unique product that reflects the personality of your loved one. Rare Carat is about a reliable solution that is filled with meaning and symbolism at the same time.
Cerrone and Christine and the Queens have teamed up for a new single called ‘Catching feelings’. The first preview of an upcoming four-track EP, the infectious collaboration follows the pair’s live reimagining of Cerrone’s iconic 1977 dance hit ‘Supernature’ at the Paris Olympic Games. It arrives with an accompanying video directed by Christine and the Queens’s Rahim Redcar, which you can check out below.
Extendable tables have gained overwhelming popularity in the UK owing to their ease of use and modern design, making them ideal for contemporary UK lifestyles and interiors. UK homeowners are now able to appreciate the importance of space in their homes. Besides their practicality, extendable tables have exquisite designs that can match the elaborate decor of modern homes.
I have highlighted some practical benefits, competitive context, and market designed around EU features that show why extendable tables are perfectly balanced for modern UK homes.
The Evolution of Extendable Tables in UK Interiors
With the recent global shifts, the UK has been working toward more flexible and multi-purpose interior spaces since the pandemic began. This is epitomised by extendable tables, which include furniture tailored to a family’s needs, whether for dinner, a party, or remote work.
It allows for compact everyday use and an easy change in functionality for larger events, which makes them perfect for city apartments and luxury homes.
Key Design Trends Driving Popularity
Multifunctionality and Flexibility
Multi-purpose Design is common in modern UK homes, included in which is open plan living. Changeable to suit the lifestyle, extendable tables can switch from a small dining surface to a large table used for serving guests or as a workspace. From a mobility lifestyle to modern-day aesthetics, extendable tables are essential in contemporary life where rooms need to adapt to evolving activities without clutter.
Aesthetic Versatility
The last few decades have seen the trend of matching dining sets. Modern interiors have incorporated a more flexible approach that offers a variety of styles. This includes flexible tables, which are valued both for their function and their ability to suit different decorations. These tables can seamlessly blend into any minimalist, maximalist, or biophilic design and serve as powerful tools for aesthetic balance.
Material Innovation and Finishes
Sleek and modern premium materials such as oak and walnut are now preferred by the market because of their durability, texture, and finish. Natural wood grains offer rustic charm while marble and glass add sleek elegance. These materials and texture options transform flexible tables from simple functional objects to centerpiece statement items of the house. For instance, an oak extending table combines timeless appeal with practical adaptability, making it a popular choice for modern interiors.
Technological Enhancements
Technological advances in furniture have changed the way flexible tables are operated, making them user-friendly. Modern smooth sliding extensions and touch controls allow effortless expansion and contraction of the tables. These simple features increase the appeal of flexible tables in busy homes, upscale living spaces, or any luxurious setting where convenience is essential.
Practical Benefits for Contemporary UK Homes
Space Efficiency
In a city like London, where urban space is usually limited, space-saving furniture can be of great help. Compact multifunctional dining and kitchen areas are ergonomically enhanced through foldable extended tables, which can transform to accommodate seating for large gatherings without infringing upon floor area.
The construction of multifunctional furniture, such as drop-leaf tables or wall-mounted shelves, that is non-intrusive wall furniture, can dramatically alter modern perceptions of available space in confined rooms, as stated by The Guardian.
Versatility for Changing Needs
The user’s needs are met by adapting extendable tables. Whether one is enjoying a family meal, hosting a dinner party, or leisurely working from home, they provide ideal solutions.
This kind of adaptability reduces the number of furniture pieces required, streamlining and simplifying the layout of the room while increasing efficiency.
Durability and Stability
Extendable tables serve more than just a practical use. They can be a focal point of the room with their sculpted bases and bespoke designs, which add style and sophistication. This dual role of form and function is a key reason for their rising popularity in contemporary interiors.
Aesthetic Focal Point
Apart from the extendable tables’ practicality, these tables can also stand out as sculptures. They can enhance decor sophistication and add style due to their custom designs, smooth finishes, and carved bases. This tells that their sculptural attribute, alongside their use, is the reason for their increased adoption in contemporary decor.
Market Context and Consumer Trends
Sofas or chairs that are stylish yet functional have become highly sought after because of the sustainable innovations in the construction sector that the UK luxury interior design market is focusing on as a result of rising eco-friendly sensitisation alongside an increase in disposable income. That specialised niche is adamantly dominated by bespoke solutions in the form of extendable tables, which perfectly match the lifestyle and spatial requirements of the users.
Moreover, the rise of online shopping has provided users with a portfolio of extendable tables to choose from, making it easier for them to find designs that fit the theme of their homes and personalise them for their use.
Customisation and Bespoke Design
To achieve the best design for the house, craftsmen of interior decoration put their heads together during turnkey projects, designing one-of-a-kind custom-made extendable tables that ensure the home is decorated in a coherent set of styles.
Bespoke pieces are designed not only for style and spatial harmony but also to blend precision detailing of the extensions that can be revealed without changing the design on the surface. Such craftsmanship enhances both the functional and luxury appeal of the furniture.
Conclusion
When it comes to flexible, extendable tables, these pieces combine fashion and functionality to accommodate UK interiors in 2025. The technologies and materials developed for constructing these tables make transforming spaces even in urban apartments and high-end luxury residences effortless.
They provide utility alongside elegance, helping homeowners transform living spaces to suit the modern lifestyle.
There’s something ghostly about Jichi Zhang’s practice, but not in a haunted-house way — more like the feeling of breath fogging up a sheet of glass that’s already on the verge of disappearing. Born in Hohhot, China, in 2001 and now living and working in London, Zhang emerged through the alternative arteries of contemporary art: from Central Saint Martins’ experimental XD pathway to an Erasmus stint in Berlin. His work, however, barely reads as “sculpture” in any conventional sense. Instead, it hovers somewhere between surface and space, figure and residue. Using things that most people would throw away without a thought — plastic wrap, packaging remnants, industrial coverings — Zhang slows them down, listens to their fragility, and gives them just enough of a nudge to begin something without ever finishing it. In his hands, post-industrial detritus becomes a medium for gestures so quiet they border on the invisible, like a whisper meant not for your ears but your skin.
The works in am, his upcoming solo show at Absent Gallery in Guangzhou, stretch this ethos to near evaporation. Titled after a verb stripped of its action, am suggests a state of half-arrival, half-disappearance. These aren’t installations that confront the viewer — they barely assert themselves as objects. A plastic sheet curls inward from humidity, a crease folds like muscle memory, and a corner lifted by air trembles slightly before settling back into inertia. This is not drama; it’s duration. There’s no narrative arc, no visual climax, no clean takeaway. Zhang doesn’t force material into meaning — he waits. A sheet of plastic taped to a wall becomes a site of unlearning, its edges blurring between surface and space, presence and pullback. To stand before his work is to recalibrate one’s sense of time, to tune into the micro-tensions of the almost-nothing, the nearly-here.
And yet, there’s a kind of insistence beneath the delicacy. Zhang’s practice, though slow and quiet, is not passive. It refuses the spectacle economy of contemporary art with the elegance of a gesture barely made. He is spectacle-proof, not out of cynicism but conviction. His pieces dissolve the structures of visibility, undoing what it means for art to be “looked at.” Instead, they ask to be dwelt with, approached closely, but never owned or solved. In a group show, his work might be mistaken for residue left behind after takedown — until you notice the way the light holds it, or how your breath moves it slightly, and suddenly, there it is: not gone, but choosing to remain just barely. The slow collapse of form becomes not a failure, but a method. Zhang’s fragility isn’t precious — it’s political. It’s a mode of resistance against the clean, the clear, the complete. His practice says: to persist, we do not need to be loud. We need only to be there, trembling, translucent, and still.
Your 2024 publication in Scientific Reports on neural networks and gas molecular movement stands out. How does your scientific inquiry intersect with your artistic process?
The scientific paper and my artistic work come from different toolkits, but they share a fundamental concern: the search for structures that emerge from chaos, from noise. In the case of the neural networks and gas molecular simulations, I was exploring invisible patterns, how stochastic movement might still yield knowable outcomes under the right conditions. I think of my artistic process similarly. I work with discarded, soft, barely-there materials—plastic films, packaging, industrial sheeting- and instead of imposing form, I observe how they behave under light, air, and pressure. Both practices involve a kind of observation without domination. You set up conditions, then let something reveal itself. In that sense, science sharpened my sensitivity to systems, to the poetics of instability and emergence.
Your work spans diverse cities—London, Berlin, Suzhou, and Guangzhou. How has movement between these places shaped your approach to sculpture and installation?
Each city imposes its rhythm, its surface tension. Berlin taught me to value slowness and withholding—how not everything needs to be explained. London offers a collision of exposure and immediacy, pushing me to articulate more precisely what is at stake in a material gesture. Suzhou and Guangzhou, in contrast, carry a kind of ambient density, rich in texture, scent, and humidity. I think these shifts have tuned my relationship to space. In Guangzhou, something leans into you—heat, breath, architecture. In London, space recedes slightly; it waits for activation. I’ve learned to let work behave differently depending on where they are. My installations don’t try to “fix” a place; they try to listen to its atmosphere.
You’ve studied at two major art institutions—Central Saint Martins and UdK Berlin. What have you carried from these pedagogical environments into your current practice?
What I carry isn’t methodology so much as attitude. Central Saint Martins taught me how to act instinctively, to generate without over-theorising. UdK gave me a license to slow down, to undo habits, to let doubt become productive. But more than content, it’s the friction between these spaces that shaped me. Moving between institutions forced me to become more aware of context and to recognise how institutional language shapes artistic behaviour. That distance gave me freedom. It allowed me to practice without always needing to perform understanding.
As someone born in Hohhot and now immersed in European art institutions, how do your cultural roots inform your work? Are you ever conscious of expectations placed on artists from China working internationally?
My relationship with cultural identity is often indirect and subterranean. I don’t begin with it, but it finds its way into the work through texture, restraint, and rhythm. There’s a kind of internal logic in traditional Chinese aesthetics, about folding, layering, impermanence, that feels deeply aligned with how I think about material. I resist the idea of “representing” a culture. Instead, I try to embody a sensibility.
That said, there are expectations, some subtle, some overt. There’s often a desire for narrative clarity, for identity to be legible or marketable. I don’t necessarily reject those pressures, but I don’t conform to them either. I’m interested in opacity as a form of resistance. To let a work remain ambiguous, even unreadable, is a way of insisting on a more complex authorship, one not easily mapped by geography.
You participated in a dialogue with a highly institutional space in your 2024 group show, Re-Activate at The National Gallery. How do you negotiate the boundaries between traditional fine art institutions and more experimental or transient exhibition contexts like adventure playgrounds or public parks?
I see these contexts not in opposition, but as parts of a spectrum. The National Gallery gave me a framework of historical weight, of controlled space and regulated silence. That environment demands a certain kind of precision. By contrast, working in an adventure playground or a public park introduces unpredictability—air currents, children’s footsteps, and weather. The materials I work with are light plastics, translucent films, and I respond to these changes viscerally. So the work becomes more porous, more responsive.
In both cases, what I’m trying to do is similar: to stage conditions for attention, for slowness. The institution offers one kind of frame; public space offers another. My job is not to control either, but to allow the work to negotiate its presence within them. Sometimes the most delicate gesture, a fold, a flicker, can survive both.
In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on May 23, 2025:
Stereolab, Instant Holograms on Metal Film
Stereolab are back with their first album in 15 years, Instant Holograms on Metal Film. “The idea to record a new LP came into focus around spring/summer 2023 and we started recording in January 2024,” Tim Gane said of the album’s creation. “There were no rehearsals, as usual. We started again from scratch. ‘Always a beginner’ is my attitude to things, just feeling my way through. Music is just an exciting adventure and I don’t have any trepidation about doing it or presenting it to others. What comes out comes out.” The result is one of their most open-hearted, forward-looking, and essential collections to date. Read the full review.
Florry return looser, more playful, and electrifying than ever with Sounds Like…, their new album out now via Dear Life. Recorded in Asheville’s Drop of Sun studios with Colin Miller, the follow-up to 2023’s The Holey Bible was preceded by the tracks ‘Pretty Eyes Lorraine’, ‘Hey Baby’, and ‘First it was a movie, then it was a book’. To bring it to life, bandleader Francie Medosch, who cites the Jackass theme song as “a really big influence on the new album,” enlisted collaborators including Jon Cox (Sadurn, Son of Barb) on pedal steel, John Murray on electric guitar, Collin Dennen on bass, Will Henrikson on fiddle, Katya Malison (Doll Spirit Vessel) on vocals, and Joey Sullivan (Bark Culture) on drums.
Elusive, bleary, and liminal as it may feel, it takes little time for Smerz’s new album to wrap its arms around you. The Copenhagen/Oslo-based duo of Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt led Big city life with the exquisite intimacy of ‘You got time and I got money’, which was followed by ‘Roll the dice’ and ‘Feisty’; yet it’s worth sticking around for even more low-key deep cuts like ‘A thousand lies’ and ‘Big dreams’. “Some of the songs are pieces of advice to ourselves,” the duo remarked. “Some are doorways into dreams. Some songs are secret wishes. Some are written for someone who is not here. And some are predictions.”
These New Puritans have dropped a striking new album, Crooked Wing, via Domino. Haunting yet radiant, the group’s first LP in six years was produced by Jack Barnett and Bark Psychosis pioneer Graham Sutton and executive produced by George Barnett. “This album is both more surreal & somehow more direct than anything we’ve ever done,” George commented. “A crooked wing is an ear, you have one on each side of your body, and they have a rippled shape. Maybe if you’re lucky they can help you fly.” Caroline Polachek is there to aid in the effort on the standout single ‘Industrial Love Song’.
Moontype have followed up their impressive 2021 debut Bodies of Water with a new LP, I Let the Wind Push Down On Me, via Orindal. The 11-track effort was produced by Katie Von Schleicher and Nate Mendelsohn, who keep things minimal even as the group’s arrangements feel more expansive. “I have gotten better at being alone, and found ways to feel strong and powerful in myself,” singer/bassist Margaret McCarthy. “I’m better at having the relationships I want to have and setting the boundaries I want to set. For this record, I didn’t shy away from dark or hard things, like loneliness, sadness, anger, and disconnection.” It sounds airy, sure, but in the way the vaguest sensations can take over your whole body.
Home Is Where have gone country on their latest album, Hunting Season, which follows 2023’s The Whaler. You could hear them opting for louder, more familiarly emo renditions of some of the songs – not least when Bea MacDonald is singing “I’ve been exploding my whole life” on ‘Stand – Up Special’ – but the band’s embrace of the genre is so whole-hearted it’s just as cathartic. And then there’s ‘Roll Tide’, the penultimate 10-minute epic whose magnitude speaks for itself. “I was homesick and Gram Parsons and The Flying Burrito Brothers’ first record specifically sounded like home,” MacDonald explained. “When we traveled as a band, the music that opened us up the most was country music like Parsons or Hank Williams. Listening to The Gilded Palace of Sin during the winter of ’21 opened a new tour tradition: when the weather is nice, the sun is shining, hopes are high, I put on that record and without fail every time something memorable happens.”
Brothers Ron and Russell Mael have returned with MAD!, their 28th Sparks record and first since 2023’s The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte. Marking a move from Island to Transgressive, the unsurprisingly witty yet unpredictable record was self-produced by the LA duo and features the advance singles ‘Do Things My Own Way’ and ‘JanSport Backpack’. “I think there is a certain respect for wit, too, that is lacking even in some great bands,” Ron Mael told Mojo. “But as far as a philosophy, we’re kind of too deeply involved in the thing to even know what that is.”
Teeny Lieberson – who is currently a member of Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory but has also played in in Luke Temple’s Here We Go Magic and led TEEN – has come through with an arresting new album under the moniker Lou Tides. Marking her debut full-length, Autostatic! was made co-producer Bartees Strange – who explored a similarly campy horror aesthetic on his latest album – and features collaborators including Lieberson’s longtime drummer Sarah Galdes, her sister, musician Lizzie Loveless, drummer Vishal Nayak, producer Miles Francis, and mixer Chris Connors. “Transformation is an important and consistent process in my songs,” she explained. “I believe this record captures periods of stasis, but also the birth of new ideas, new selves. I wanted to run away from the ghost of myself, but I had to let her be shown. How else do we grow?”
Sophia Kennedy, Squeeze Me; Lindstrøm, Sirius Syntoms; Dirty Nice, Planet Weekend; Ganavya, Nilam; Kuru, Stay True Forever; Year of No Light, Les Maîtres Fous; SEDONA, Getting Into Heaven; Cola Boyy, Quit to Play Chess; Louise, Confessions; Angel Snake / Monopoly Child Star Searchers, Snakinist Sand Form; CDSM, Convertible Hearse; emptyset, Dissever; TajMo, Room on the Porch; Pachyman, Another Place; Skunk Anansie, The Painful Truth; Pan Amsterdam, Confines; SENNA, Stranger to Love; Casanora, The Year of the Jellyfish; Death in Vegas, Death Mask; Joe Jonas, Music For People Who Believe in Love; The Northern Territories, A Star In Orbit Still.
Some shows demand your attention. And Tonight No One Descends doesn’t. It just appears — like a feeling you’ve had before but never quite found the words for.
The newest project from Prickly Ash Theatre, a collective led by Chinese female designers with a gift for turning feeling into form, And Tonight No One Descends is less about plot and more about sensation. A 60-minute climb through trauma, identity, and the performance of pain, the play moves in quiet, haunted circles — never trying to resolve what it can simply let hang in the air.
It opens simply: someone enters an abandoned building, with no clear reason why. As they ascend floor by floor, surreal scenes begin to unfold, each one reflecting some psychological knot — childlike hope, arrested anxiety, self-sabotage dressed up as power. There’s a stranger, too, waiting in the shadows. They collect X-ray vinyls, believing the more broken and distorted the image, the more valuable it becomes.
It’s a metaphor, of course, but the show never rubs your nose in it. It lets it sit — odd, shimmering, uncomfortable.
Jasmin Yumin Li directs with a featherlight touch, focusing on physical theatre and behavioral rhythm more than visual language. Her dramaturgical approach draws from body-based performance and movement improvisation, allowing the piece to unfold like breath — inhale, exhale, descent, stillness.
The two performers, Mary Emma He and Alina Zhou, embody two contrasting facets of a single character’s psyche. A (played by Mary) reflects performative optimism, while B (Alina) expresses a desire for self-erasure. Their presence on stage becomes a delicate, embodied dialogue between survival and surrender — a fractured, entangled psyche attempting to reconcile its contradictions. Their movements drift apart, then draw close again, like tides within the same body. In silence, they communicate volumes. You begin to feel as if you’re eavesdropping on someone’s internal monologue — private, unfinished, raw. Each gesture reveals a different facet of the self: as a presence, as a memory, as something just on the edge of language.
But what really gives And Tonight No One Descends its staying power is how lovingly it’s been built. This is a designer-led piece in every sense of the word. Inini Xinyi Yin, who serves as both Creative Producer and Video Designer, fills the space with strange, flickering visuals that feel pulled from old Tumblr archives and digital ghost stories. Think VHS static, glitchy dreamscapes, fragments of memory looping on repeat.
Ruolin Lei’s set design doesn’t try to dazzle — it hums, quietly, unsettlingly. There are no grand reveals, no clunky scene changes. Just space, shifting as the characters do.
Xinyi Huang, who wrote the script and designed the costumes, leans into a Jirai Kei aesthetic — ruffled edges, soft chaos, vulnerability that’s styled but never inauthentic. The characters wear their pain like fabric, stitched and fraying in all the right places.
Lighting by Yuqing Wang flickers between soft melancholy and clinical brightness, sometimes disappearing altogether. Her work never screams for attention — it lets shadow and silence do the talking. And behind the scenes, Hongrui Yao keeps the world spinning as Stage Manager, …with behind-the-scenes support from producers and stage management – including Haoming Li, Jingwen Lu, and Tianhui Fu – who helped hold the framework steady while allowing the piece to breathe and evolve from within. And yet, for all the technical precision, the show doesn’t feel polished in the glossy, overproduced sense. It feels lived in. You can sense the hours spent by Jieming Lan, Yuxin Lin, and others behind the seams, quietly shaping something that’s both fragile and fearless.
What the play captures — beautifully, achingly — is that specific kind of emotional murkiness where trauma meets performance. It explores what happens when pain becomes identity, when suffering is curated for validation, and when letting go feels more terrifying than holding on.
There’s no catharsis, no moral-of-the-story. Just a slow, thoughtful climb to somewhere uncertain. And maybe that’s the point. Sometimes, surviving is the story.
By the end, you’re not entirely sure what’s changed — but something has. And it stays with you.
At times, the timing of a blue blood-pack prop slightly undercut the visual atmosphere, with premature leaks catching light too early. It’s a minor production wrinkle – but one that reveals how tightly the show’s sensory world is choreographed.
Florry return looser, more playful, and electrifying than ever with Sounds Like…, their new album out now via 
Elusive, bleary, and liminal as it may feel, it takes little time for Smerz’s new album to wrap its arms around you. The Copenhagen/Oslo-based duo of Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt led Big city life with the exquisite intimacy of ‘You got time and I got money’, which was followed by 
These New Puritans have dropped a striking new album, 
Moontype have followed up their impressive 2021 debut Bodies of Water with a new LP, 
Home Is Where have gone country on their latest album, 
Brothers Ron and Russell Mael have returned with 
Teeny Lieberson – who is currently a member of Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory but has also played in in Luke Temple’s Here We Go Magic and led TEEN – has come through with an arresting new album under the moniker Lou Tides. Marking her debut full-length, 
