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Album Review: Indigo De Souza, ‘Precipice’

Vida Hasson
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Album Review: Indigo De Souza, ‘Precipice’

Indigo De Souza sings with the spirit of a child who has not yet learned to lie. Her lyrics abound with cosmic self-awareness. Precipice, released via Loma Vista Records, is De Souza’s fourth studio album since 2018. If I could predict the future, I might envision Indigo de Souza’s fans shaking their heads at Precipice. They may run to online message boards to voice their resentment of its new buoyant pop sound – much like the fans of Sharon Van Etten, who constantly bemoan any hint of a musical evolution. Yet fans of Indigo De Souza (like Sharon Van Etten) love her artistry for her lyrics, which remain a constant extraction of her deepest feelings. Only this time, De Souza shares her same vibrant, albeit somber, inner world over a new pop-inflected production background.

1. Be My Love

Children play audibly as a mother (who’s matronly raspiness sounds a bit like Rossie O’Donnel) yells something sweet like, “Come inside now,” over the sound of crickets in a dry suburban field. Their voices crackle like a forgotten lawn sprinkler while Indigo de Souza, in her voice that shines like the sun on a field of green, sings: “Be my love/ Tell me you won’t stop/ At anything.” The sound is familiar, in that we can all relate to that kind of summer ennui, the place where boredom begets imagination which then becomes magic. This opening song is a cinematic experience evocative of a Céline Sciamma film, an extended rumination on a single moment.

2. Crying Over Nothing

In ‘Crying Over Nothing’, first released as a single, a drum machine and synth serve a Hippie Sabotage crunch over the words, “I’m crying again/ Crying over nothing.” This is a pop song, certainly. The combination of catchy beats and self-deprecating lyrics will infatuate all pop music fans. About Precipice, De Souza said, “I wanted to make music that could fill your heart with euphoria while you dance along.” She must have been imagining the Charlie Brown Christmas dance, for the goofiest dance goes best with ‘Crying Over Nothing’.

3. Crush

Indigo De Souza’s lyrics have a sneaky tendency to induce a blush! ‘Crush’ is one long blush. The song’s subject: how to explain to a new lover how to pleasure you, or as the kids say, how to eat you out. It is possible to miss this theme because of the song’s pop tunes, but once awareness strikes, it is hard to ignore those boudoir flavors. “Come up to get some air…/ I missed you when you were down there,” De Souza sings before the chorus: “You’re doing it fine/ I’ll tell you when I get there.” Synth pop tunes and sentimental vocal runs give the song a sense of tangy subversion to make any listener blush, and maybe panic, in a nice way.

4. Not Afraid

‘Not Afraid’ exudes De Souza’s shift towards pop music, but she remains true to the themes that permeated her previous work. “I’m not afraid of dying/ I’m not afraid of living either,” she sings in the chorus. On her previous album All This Will End released in 2023 she sang, “I want to be a redwood tree/ Feel desert sand below my feet.” To explain this lyric, on her NPR Tiny Desk performance she said: “I think that when I die I want to be composted, and become soil, and for that soil to be used to plant a tree.” This thematic throughline proves De Souza at her core seeps through this different production’s fierce upbeatness.

5. Be Like the Water

De Souza extends credit for her new found pop sound to LA based composer and producer Elliott Kozel. His work with wildly successful artists like SZA and FINNEAS compounds radio popular sounds with De Souza’s intense emotional excavation. The lyric, “Be Like The Water/ Go where you’re going/ I won’t be sorry/ I won’t be silent,” is a mantra I have already been repeating, and perhaps nods to De Souza’s musical evolution.

6. Heartthrob

Under the electric tunes of ‘Heartthrob’ De Souza rebukes child abuse. The song performs from a child’s perspective (“God, when I grow up/ I wanna have a full cup/ A true heartthrob”) to the effect of healing an inner child. De Souza’s voice sounds forced, pushed out and tired, slightly apathetic, in a way that mocks the heartthrob cliché. As she chants the chorus “I really put my back into it,” you can almost hear her scoff. The haunting line, “He really tricked me/ I let him touch me where he wanted,” recalls a moment in Vladmir Nobokov’s novel Lolita: Humbert Humbert lists his apparently extensive attractive qualities, which, to him quantifies his heartthrob status, to the point of justifying his abuse of Lolita. This is the power of pop music, people! It sends subliminal messages submerged beneath powerful guitar riffs.

7. Dinner

‘Dinner’, the shortest song on the album, is more of a snack than a meal, but everybody loves snacks. Long live girl dinner. Such and such. The sonic waves of the synth expand like the senseless expanse of a suburban parking lot where, I gather, De Souza spends lots of time. Parking lots recur in her lyrical repertoire, i.e ‘Parking Lot’ and ‘The Water’ via All of This Will End.

8. Clean It Up

Indigo De Souza’s music revolves around the depressive without dwelling on the downtrodden. Her musical accompaniment uplifts the tears that may splash on a stage monitor. There are moments in the album like ‘Clean It Up’, where the pop overlays and autotune dominate De Souza’s lyrical prowess. But if Indigo is happy, then I can be happy too. This is where she wants her music to be.

9. Heartbreaker

The greatest part of being an artist is the power to express pain through art, to create from destruction, which is exactly what ‘Heartbreaker’ sought to do. De Souza flew to LA right after a relationship ended to churn out music through her heartbreak. Although De Souza sings, “I just can’t shake it,” the song marches forward as if she already has.

10. Pass It By

A cacophony of sound, a jangly sound that oozes 80s dance beats, opens ‘Pass It By’. The song rings with happiness and genuine fun, but, like the title suggests, the song passes by quite quickly. “I know I’m just passing by/ Day into night/ All of my life” confirms that De Souza finds comfort in human transience.

11. Precipice

‘Precipice’ walks to the edge and pauses to look at the view. Her voice retains purity and wonder that seems untouched by the heartbreak and trauma about which she sings: “I feel constantly on the precipice of something horrible, or something beautiful – something that will change my life for better or for worse,” De Souza explained. Strange playback and vocal reverb elevates the song to a point, then drops us off with a delightfully ambiguous end. This choice, to jump or rise, perhaps belongs to the listener.

Jouska Announces New Album, Shares New Song ‘Pierced.’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Jouska Announces New Album, Shares New Song ‘Pierced.’

Jouska – the moniker of Marit Othilie Thorvik – has announced a new album, How Did I Wind Up Here?, which will be released October 18 via Koke Plate. The follow-up to 2023’s Suddenly My Mind Is Blank is led by the new song ‘Pierced.’, a raw and tender piece of dream-pop that digs beneath the surface. Check it out below.

“This one grew out of a shame tied to being seen at all,” Thorvik said of the new song in a statement. “I’ve always struggled with visibility. Part of me wants to be seen and heard; another part just wants to disappear. Artistry brings that tension to the surface. I often feel like I’m stepping into a role that doesn’t quite fit, exposing parts of myself I’d rather keep hidden. It feels too personal, too raw, and often uncomfortable.

She added: “This song captures that feeling. I wrote it with my partner Hans Olav Settem, who also plays guitar, bass, and synths. The drums are a blend of live and programmed elements, performed by Elias Tafjord (Sassy 009, Why Kai), with Bård Kristian Kylland (Giddygang) on Rhodes. Sonically, the track moves through a darker, hypnotic space, drawing from the music I grew up with like Massive Attack, Portishead, layered with elements of shoegaze and noise rock. The arrangement is stripped back and repetitive, almost meditative. It’s heavy, but also strangely sensual.”

How Did I Wind Up Here? Cover Artwork:

Jouska - How Did I Wind Up Here

How Did I Wind Up Here? Tracklist:

1. Courageous : Shy
2. Pierced.
3. Flower Moon
4. Why Won’t You Talk To Me?
5. Liquid Red
6. Season Of Dread
7. California
8. 2003
9. I Let It Happen
10. Should Have Seen It Coming

Book Review: In Search of Godzilla

Patrick Galvan
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Book Review: In Search of Godzilla

For about two thirds of its page count, Rick Wallach’s In Search of Godzilla: Myth, Stagecraft and Politics in Ishiro Honda’s Masterpiece fares as a surprisingly pensive study on one of the landmarks of Japanese cinema. I must confess I opened this book—which is now available from McFarland & Company—with a degree of skepticism. What could be said about the original 1954 Godzilla film that hasn’t been sufficiently tackled after decades of books, essays, audio commentaries, and magazine issues? (There’s no shortage today of material describing the picture’s making or director Honda’s intent to personify war and nuclear proliferation via a monster.) Still, I clung to hope: that, at the very least, I’d leaf through a readable assemblage of previously printed data. Hence my surprise when In Search of Godzilla began with thoughtful discourse—and my dismay with the text’s eventual devolution into unpersuasive ramblings.

On the surface, Wallach is an unorthodox and—in my view—welcome author on his chosen subject. In contrast to earlier Godzilla writers (Steve Ryfle, Ed Godziszewski, David Kalat, etc.), he admits to not holding the franchise that Honda’s film begat dear to his heart. Despite admiring the ‘54 classic—as well as Hideaki Anno’s Shin Godzilla (2016) and Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One (2023), both of which receive appendix chapters in his book—Wallach acknowledges lukewarm feelings for intervening entries and their “knockdown-dragout matches between Godzilla and other monsters.” I highlight this for a reason: a study by someone with pockets of interest in a franchise they’re not overly fond of might offer a fresh perspective and new (or at least less-discussed) information.

And in many sections, In Search of Godzilla delivers. Besides saluting now-familiar stories about the movie’s production, Wallach devotes page space to historical anecdotes that paint a broader picture of the age in which Godzilla was made. He calls attention, for example, to a 1947 hoax wherein American GIs stationed in Japan took inspiration from Orson Welles’s The War of the Worlds radio drama and aired a phony broadcast about a sea serpent emerging from Tokyo Bay and attacking U.S. troops. In another fine section, the author recounts how, in 1952, a Japanese research vessel, the Kaiyo Maru No. 5, was obliterated by the oceanic volcano Myojin-sho. Wallach doesn’t outright claim the moviemakers were influenced by this tragedy, but he compellingly suggests they might’ve been due to the timing and specific imagery in the film. (Early in Godzilla’s story, ships are set aflame amid glowing patches of water, and a headline in a newspaper montage inquires if an “undersea volcano” is responsible.)

Wallach also submits cogent observations about the film’s dramatis personae. After discussing how the postwar American Occupation of Japan—which ended two years before Godzilla—attempted to institutionalize liberal ideas in the island nation, the author interprets generational gaps in thinking between the human characters. He sees, for instance, lingering nationalism in a paleontologist who lists his country as a reason for keeping Godzilla alive. (“[H]e makes clear his nationalism wasn’t killed off by the war. ‘No scientist in the world has ever seen anything like [Godzilla],’ he protests, describing it as ‘a priceless specimen found only in Japan.’”) In the younger characters, by contrast, Wallach discovers a generation influenced by the Occupation’s western values: the hero and heroine violate the feudal tradition of arranged marriage to be with the person of their choosing.

No discourse on Godzilla (1954) is complete without mention of how it first came to U.S. cinemas, and Wallach appropriately makes room for the movie’s redacted American version, Godzilla, King of the Monsters! This cut, which spliced new scenes featuring actor Raymond Burr into the story, is granted a thoughtful comparison to—funny enough—Japanese filmgoing traditions. When Occidental movies first reached the Land of the Rising Sun in the late 1800s, they often played in the company of benshi: live performers who stood near the screen to explain scenes and translate dialogue. Wallach’s book stimulates thought by comparing the role of the benshi to that of the protagonist in King of the Monsters! Burr’s character, a foreign correspondent, diegetically carries out his Japanese forerunners’ responsibilities: narrating events and spelling out details, this time for an American audience. In that (rather amusing) sense, Godzilla, King of the Monsters! embodies an old Japanese entertainment custom that wasn’t even present in its Japanese counterpart.

As indicated, there is much good within In Search of Godzilla. (The Stagecraft of the title refers to an interesting if not always accurate chapter comparing sequences and even movements of the monster to Japanese theater.) Unfortunately, even some of these worthy sections contain problematic passages. Wallach attempts early on to compare Godzilla to Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. While a beginning detail—that Honda worked on a film authored by Moby Dick’s Japanese translator—is a fine place to start, a later conclusion—that the director “likely” took influence from Melville because a puppet used to depict Godzilla seems, in one shot, to have a crooked jaw (something the whale in Moby Dick is plainly stated to have)—proves flimsy. Worse yet is later on, when Wallach devotes a speculative chapter to Godzilla’s ecology. I understand—and in fact share—the fascination with animals both past and present, but writing that attempts to explain nature’s construction of Godzilla is the sort of detritus expected of fourth-rate convention panels. The beast’s atomic breath, we’re advised to consider, began as a means of self-defense and crippling prey—because a lack of webbed fingers (apparently) makes him a poor swimmer. And his dorsal fins, says Wallach, might’ve evolved as a “sexual attractant” to impress female Godzillas….

Sadly, the book bounces back only somewhat with its appendix chapters on Shin Godzilla and Godzilla Minus One. The author makes a few decent comparisons to earlier observations (recalling the 1954 monster’s apparent shapeshifting—caused by the staff toggling between shots of different props—to make a connection to the constantly evolving beast in Shin; mentioning that Minus One, a period piece, takes place in the same year as the earlier mentioned radio hoax), though both essays stop rather than end. My impression remains that they’d been added primarily to inflate the word count.

In Search of Godzilla is in significant need of editing. Although Wallach is a capable wordsmith with an impressive vocabulary (I paused to look up “askance,” “fin de siècle,” etc.), his text is littered with typos. (The name of Japan’s Showa emperor is misspelled “Hirahito”; one sentence begins, “Aws [sic] Takashi Shimura’s face…”; another features a period in place of a comma: “The name of his boat, the Glory Maru. was also the name of the first ship sunk…”) Of further hindrance are numerous factual errors. Three times it’s claimed that Godzilla composer Akira Ifukube was the son of a Shinto priest—a mistake that furthermore negates Wallach’s attempt to draw a religion-based connection between Ifukube and director Honda, whose father was a Buddhist monk. (Ifukube’s father, incidentally, was an imperial soldier and, later on, a policeman and bureaucrat.) The author repeats the disproven myth that Honda directed a sequence in Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990). And while he dedicates a decent chapter to comparing Honda to Kurosawa, he flubs in claiming that Kurosawa worked as an assistant on Honda’s later films, when in fact the reverse was true. (In Wallach’s defense, this was probably a Freudian slip.)

At the end of the day, In Search of Godzilla: Myth, Stagecraft and Politics in Ishiro Honda’s Masterpiece is one of those books with enough strong parts to leave me wishing I could give it a wholehearted recommendation. Individual sections are rife with data and arguments that, to my memory, aren’t widespread in studies about the ‘54 movie—thereby rendering said parts valuable to casual consumers and well-read enthusiasts alike. However, the weaker sections deflate under the pressure of unconvincing arguments and diatribes that drone on past their welcome. Perhaps this text would’ve fared better, as a friend of mine suggested, in essay form. But as a book, Rick Wallach’s Godzilla tome is a genuine mixed bag, featuring doses of genuine interest and crippled by nonsense.

Book of Dead vs Gonzo’s Quest: Which Slot Is Truly More Advantageous?

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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Book of Dead vs Gonzo’s Quest: Which Slot Is Truly More Advantageous?

The enduring debate between Book of Dead and Gonzo’s Quest centers on which slot game offers players better long‑term value. While both titles have achieved iconic status among online casino enthusiasts, they cater to slightly different playstyles and risk tolerances. This comparison is intended to highlight the nuances of each game, though individual outcomes will inevitably vary and further investigation into your chosen casino’s specific settings is recommended.

Key Metrics Overview

Below is a side‑by‑side comparison of the most critical metrics. Keep in mind that volatility ratings and RTP (Return to Player) percentages can differ slightly depending on casino operator, jurisdiction, and game version.

Slot Game RTP Range Volatility Maximum Payout Paylines Distinctive Mechanic
Book of Dead 84.0% – 96.21% Very High ~5,000× stake 10 Expanding Symbol in Free Spins
Gonzo’s Quest ~95.97% Medium–High ~2,500× stake 20 Avalanche Reels + Multiplier

At first glance, Book of Dead may appear to offer a marginally higher theoretical return, assuming you’re playing the 96.21% version, yet its extreme volatility suggests that wins will be less frequent but potentially very large. Gonzo’s Quest, by contrast, seems to trade off a small portion of RTP for more consistent, cascading wins driven by its Avalanche mechanic.

For those exploring these titles on lesser-known platforms, be sure to check the risks and details outlined at https://lucky-7-bonus.com/unlicensed-casinos.

Gameplay and Feature Comparison

Book of Dead employs a classic 5×3 reel setup with ten fixed paylines. The central attraction is its free spins round: when three or more scatter symbols land, you receive ten free spins, and a single symbol is randomly chosen to expand whenever it appears. The expanding symbol can cover entire reels, which might lead to dramatic payouts, though many spins outside the bonus feature can pass without significant wins. Some players find this high‑risk, high‑reward structure exhilarating, while others feel it requires sizeable bankroll buffers to weather prolonged dry spells.

In contrast, Gonzo’s Quest introduces a more modern 5×3 grid with 20 fixed paylines but replaces traditional spins with Avalanche reels. Each winning combination removes the winning symbols, allowing new ones to tumble down. With each consecutive Avalanche in a single spin, the win multiplier increases (up to a maximum of 5× in the base game and up to 15× during Free Falls). This mechanism tends to produce more frequent small‑to‑medium wins, which some experts suggest can make your session bankroll last longer and feel more engaging. The Free Falls bonus, triggered by three or more bonus symbols, awards ten free avalanches with higher multipliers, yet it rarely matches the single‑spin jackpot potential seen in Book of Dead.

Feature Book of Dead Gonzo’s Quest
Free Spins 10 spins, retriggerable 10 Free Falls (tumbling reels)
Bonus Mechanic One expanding symbol per spin Multiplying Avalanches
Maximum Multi‑spin Win Up to full‑reel expansions Up to 15× multiplier in Free Falls
Session Dynamics Fast pace, sporadic big wins Steady rhythm, frequent small wins

Some players prefer the narrative immersion of Gonzo’s Quest, with its animated conquistador and jungle backdrop, whereas others gravitate toward the Egyptian-themed drama and simplicity of Book of Dead. It’s likely that your aesthetic preference will influence how satisfying the gameplay feels, even before considering raw math metrics.

Profitability and Playing Strategy

Determining which slot is “more profitable” depends heavily on your personal goals and risk profile. If you are drawn to high‑variance experiences and are comfortable accepting long stretches without notable wins, Book of Dead might be more aligned with your playstyle. This game is designed to deliver rare but potentially life‑changing hits; however, you might require a substantial bankroll to avoid early depletion.

Conversely, if you value a more consistent stream of smaller payouts that can keep your balance afloat and potentially extend your play session, Gonzo’s Quest may be better suited. Its Avalanche mechanic subtly rewards perseverance and often produces a sense of momentum as multipliers climb. Some players report that the steady cadence of avalanches makes losses feel less abrupt and more manageable, suggesting that psychological endurance factors into perceived profitability.

Regardless of choice, sensible bankroll management is essential. It might help to set loss limits and win‑target thresholds in advance. For Book of Dead, consider smaller bet sizes to prolong play through dry spells. For Gonzo’s Quest, slightly larger bets can amplify the benefit of chained multipliers without overwhelming variance.

Final Thoughts

There is no definitive “better” slot between Book of Dead and Gonzo’s Quest, each serves a distinct niche:

  • Book of Dead suits players seeking adrenaline‑charged, high‑risk gameplay, with the potential for spectacular single‑spin payouts. It likely offers a marginal RTP edge in its highest‑paying versions but demands tolerance for roller‑coaster bankroll swings.

  • Gonzo’s Quest appeals to those who prefer a smoother, cascade‑driven experience, with frequent small wins and a steady rising multiplier gauge that can create memorable bonus rounds. Its slightly lower RTP may be offset by a more engaging play rhythm and extended session longevity.

Ultimately, your ideal choice will depend on whether you favor big, rare hits or consistent, incremental rewards. It may be worthwhile to trial both games with modest wagers to gauge which mechanics and volatility align best with your gaming philosophy. As always, because payout rates and game settings can vary by casino, further research into your specific operator’s version of each slot is recommended before committing significant funds.

Patrick Shiroishi Announces New Album ‘Forgetting is Violent’, Unveils Song

Konstantinos Pappis
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Patrick Shiroishi Announces New Album ‘Forgetting is Violent’, Unveils Song

Japanese-American multi-instrumentalist and composer Patrick Shiroishi has announced a new solo album, Forgetting Is Violent, which arrives September 19 via American Dreams. Leading the LP is the achingly elegiac ‘There is no moment in my life in which this is not happening’, which features Haining, China-raised, Berlin-based artist and vocalist otay::onii. Check it out below.

Forgetting Is Violent also features contributions from Aaron Turner (SUMAC, ISIS), Gemma Thompson (Savages), Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer), and Mat Ball (BIG|BRAVE). “I think it stems from my love for collaboration,” Shiroishi commented. “I’ve been a part of a lot of ensembles, a lot of different free improvised stuff. And a lot of that playing is where I gain new insight into what I can develop further in my solo practice.” In addition to his involvement in groups like The Armed and Fuubutsushi, Shiroishi has collaborated with Chelsea Wolfe, Algiers, Xiu Xiu, Dirty Projectors, Che Chen, and Claire Rousay.

“Stemming back to my ancestors, and the stolen land that we live on—there’s just so much of this racism that is so alive and well, and so apparent, and continues to be apparent in our country and around the world,” Shiroishi said, reflecting on the album’s meditations on racism and colonialism. “Something that cannot be forgotten.”

“That act of sharing and bringing it up, even though it’s difficult,” he continued, “it makes us feel like we’re not alone. And I think that’s important, especially in a time where it’s just so fucking grim, that we can support each other and be together, that there is hope in the future….”

Forgetting Is Violent Cover Artwork:

forgetting is violent cover artwork

Forgetting Is Violent Tracklist:

1. “To protect our family names [feat. Aaron Turner]
2. “Mountains that take wing” [feat. Gemma Thompson, Aaron Turner]
3. “…what does anyone want but to feel a little more free?” [feat. Aaron Turner, Faith Coloccia]
4. There is no moment in my life in which this is not happening” [feat. otay::onii]
5. One last walk with the wind of my past
6. Prayer for a trembling body
7. To become another being there has to be some kind of death
8. Trying to get to heaven before they close the door [feat. Mat Ball]

Margaret Qualley Shares New Jack Antonoff-Produced Songs as Lace Manhattan

Konstantinos Pappis
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Margaret Qualley Shares New Jack Antonoff-Produced Songs as Lace Manhattan

Margaret Qualley has a new musical alter ego, Lace Manhattan, and today she’s released two new songs: ‘ODDWADD’ and ‘In the Sun She Lies’. The songs are set to appear in Ethan Coen’s upcoming film Honey Don’t!, and Coen co-wrote them, with Qualley’s husband Jack Antonoff on production. ‘ODDWADD’, unlike most of the music Antonoff has produced, is a hard-hitting dance track, while ‘In the Sun She Lies’ hews much closer to his work with Lana Del Rey. Check them out below.

Qualley created the Lace Manhattan persona while on the set of Honey Don’t!, in which she stars as a private investigator. Both songs are accompanied by music videos directed by her co-star Dixie Normus under the moniker Talia Ryder. The film arrives in theaters August 22.

Wednesday Release New Song ‘Pick Up That Knife’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Wednesday Release New Song ‘Pick Up That Knife’

Wednesday’s set at Primavera Sound 2023 was one of my highlights of the festival, but I didn’t get to catch Death Grips’ performance that year. If you did, and you remember someone throwing up in the pit, we now have confirmation that it was none other than Wednesday’s Xandy Chelmis. The incident is referenced in the band’s piercing new single ‘Pick Up That Knife’, the latest from their forthcoming album Bleeds. Check it out via the Sara Melosh-directed video below.

“’Pick Up That Knife’ is a song that revolves around feelings of helplessness, when every minor inconvenience hurts double cause you’re close to giving up,” bandleader Karly Hartzman explained. “It’s also about when our pedal steel player Xandy threw up in the moshpit during the Death Grips set at Primavera Sound in 2023.”

Bleeds, the follow-up to 2023’s Rat Saw God, is due for release on September 19 through Dead Oceans. ‘Pick Up That Knife’ follows previous cuts ‘Elderberry Wine’ and ‘Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)’.

Keyboard Games for Mac: Improve Typing Speed

Prince Addams
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Keyboard Games for Mac: Improve Typing Speed

With the rise of voice commands, many people don’t type anything anymore. It’s now a skill that’s being overlooked. But believe it or not — it’s nice to sharpen your typing skills. So, typing shouldn’t be boring. Likewise, you can do it with fun on the side. Whether you’re prepping for school or work, there are several keyboard games for Mac to improve your typing speed. From adrenaline racing to story-driven adventures, there’s so much to explore. Let’s boost your words per minute with these typing games!

Top Five Keyboard Games for Mac

  • Keyboard Warrior: Speed Typing

Keyboard Warrior: Speed Typing is simple, fast, and addictive. Specifically, it’s a 60-second speed typing game. The goal is to type as many words as you can before they exit the screen. Similarly, you only have to type the word and hit the spacebar. Seven levels increase difficulty. It even has detailed information about your performance to gauge your improvements.

  • TypeRacer

TypeRacer allows you to play without downloading anything. Yup, it’s a browser-based game. At the same time, that means you can play against real people around the world. The game is a massive online multiplayer typing match. Likewise, it gives you a block of words. The player who types it faster with fewer mistakes wins. It’s simple but surprisingly thrilling.

  • Nitro Type

Nitro Type is another typing game mixed with the thrill of racing. Also, the game is designed to boost typing skill development. Besides that, it offers slick and competitive gameplay. Particularly, you need to type quicker to make your car reach the finish line faster. It’s ideal for those who want to practice typing with a side of turbo boost.

  • TypingClub

TypingClub may not be a typical game. However, it’s still fun and highly effective. This one is a compelling way to know how to type. It also has structured lessons and mini-games. Plus, it provides feedback on your performance.

  • Epistory – Typing Chronicles

Epistory – Typing Chronicles is for players who don’t want a straightforward typing game. This one enhances your keyboard mastery without you even knowing. Specifically, you’ll get to play as a muse who needs to uncover mysteries, fight opponents, and collect inspiration. Similarly, you can control everything with a keyboard. And there’s even adaptive difficulty to match your skill set.

Final Key

Let’s remove the notion that typing is like doing homework. With these keyboard games for Mac, you can turn typing into fun finger gaming workouts.

Harry Potter Games for Mac

Prince Addams
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Harry Potter Games for Mac

Playing and wanting to play games on a Mac device can be frustrating at times. It’s like trying to cast a spell with a broken wand. Or worse, you don’t even have a magic wand. At the same time, many game developers skip macOS altogether. Likewise, the magical world of Harry Potter hasn’t always been easily accessible on Apple devices. But don’t stress — we’re here to help you! If you’re tired of finding games that will satisfy your love for spells and magical duels, you’re in the right place. We’ll list down some of the best and charming Harry Potter games for Mac.

Top Five Harry Potter Games for Mac

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone captures Harry’s first years at Hogwarts. This action-adventure game allows players to take on the role of the chosen one. Similarly, users will train as wizards and must master the magical world. Also, you’ll get to encounter popular characters from the series and various challenges.

  • LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is also a game that focuses on the early years of Harry Potter at Hogwarts. Specifically, it combines puzzle-solving and LEGO humor. You can also learn spells, create potions, and go on wizarding adventures. Plus, gamers can choose to play as Harry, Ron, or Hermione.

  • Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery enables you to become an official student at Hogwarts. Yes, you don’t just get to play as existing characters. You’re going to make your own! Particularly, you will experience learning spells, brewing potions, solving mysteries, and a lot more. Players can also try Quidditch and go on quests.

  • LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 is the continuation of Harry Potter’s journey at Hogwarts — LEGO style! The game takes players through the dark and more intense chapters of the series. Likewise, you will face new characters and new challenges. Advance your dueling skills and unlock more than 100 characters.

  • Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy allows you to experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Also, this title delivers an open-world action RPG gameplay. Specifically, the missions are to be a student, find allies, and defeat dark wizards.

Note: Considering the nature of MacBooks when it comes to gaming, some of these titles require workarounds. To know how, visit: How to Turn a MacBook into a Gaming PC.

Final Spell

There may be fewer options, but there are still some awesome Harry Potter games for Mac. Anyways, there are also workarounds to access the Windows-only games. So, the wizard gaming continues!

20 New Songs Out Today to Listen To: Flock of Dimes, Rachel Bobbitt, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
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20 New Songs Out Today to Listen To: Flock of Dimes, Rachel Bobbitt, and More

There’s so much music coming out all the time that it’s hard to keep track. On those days when the influx of new tracks is particularly overwhelming, we sift through the noise to bring you a curated list of the most interesting new releases (the best of which will be added to our Best New Songs playlist). Below, check out our track roundup for Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

Flock of Dimes – ‘Long After Midnight’

Flock of Dimes, the solo project of multi-instrumentalist and producer Jenn Wasner, has announced a new LP, The Life You Save. It’s led by the tender and twangy new single ‘Long After Midnight’, which comes paired with a video by Spencer Kelly. “I live my life among the lucky ones/ When things are bad I never let them know,” she sings. “When you come from where I come from/ There’s only so far you can go.”

Rachel Bobbitt – ‘Hands Hands Hands’

Toronto singer-songwriter Rachel Bobbitt has announced her debut album, Swimming Towards the Sand, arriving October 17 via Fantasy. Leading the record is the sweepingly cathartic ‘Hands Hands Hands’, which reminds me of a gritty Samia ballad. “’Hands Hands Hands’ is equal parts dream and experience—the first verse built around the experience of losing a loved one from afar, and the second verse a surreal depiction of the feelings of helplessness and horror that can accompany grief,” Bobbitt explained. “The chorus is borrowed from a children’s song from the 1870s—a song my grandfather used to sing constantly, called ‘Reuben and Rachel’.”

C.Y.M. – ‘Catania’ and ‘Justify’

C.Y.M. is the duo of Vampire Weekend’s Chris Baio and electronic producer Michael Greene (aka Fort Romeau), and they’re back today with two new songs, ‘Catania’ and ‘Justify’, which are slinky and enveloping. “‘Justify / Catania’ is the first taste of a journey that began in January 2020,” the band shared. “This journey involves many places (Los Angeles, London, Glasgow, Paris & Lagos) and many extremely talented collaborators (we’ll be telling you all about them soon). There’s a long road ahead, for now we hope you enjoy the beginning of this ride. ”

Daniel Avery – ‘Rapture in Blue’

London-based producer Daniel Avery has detailed his first album for Domino, Tremor, which features Alison Mosshart (The Kills), yeule, Walter Schreifels, and more. The shimmery, hypnotic lead single ‘Rapture in Blue’ boasts vocals from Cecile Believe and guitar from Andy Bell of Ride and Oasis.

Avalon Emerson – ‘Sort of Like a Dream’ [feat. Anunaku] and ‘You’re My World’ [feat. Priori]

Avalon Emerson has shared two new songs, ‘Sort of Like a Dream’ and ‘You’re My World’. Kicking off her just-unveiled Perpetual Emotion Machine EP, they’re both thrillingly kinetic.

Ada Lea – ‘midnight magic’

Ada Lea has shared another offering from her forthcoming album when i paint my masterpiece. ‘midnight magic’ harbours a cosmic intimacy, and Alexandra Levy had this to say about it: “I felt like I was taking a leap of faith with this surreal approach — and it felt good to trust that the song knew best. In an artist talk, Margaux Williamson said her new body of work took her 8 years to complete, and said ‘I am constantly needing to remind myself that the hand knows better than the brain.’ I nodded Yes. When it came time to record the vocals, a lot had happened since the initial recording session, the most significant being a second trimester pregnancy loss. It was grueling. As soon as I physically could, I started singing and resumed working on the album again. As I sang the first lines of this song, which go ‘angel, promise me this,’ I immediately burst into tears because I knew that the song was for my baby.”

Kieran Hebden and William Tyler – ‘Spider Ballad’

Kieran Hebden and William Tyler have unveiled ‘Spider Ballad’, the second single from their collaborative 41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s. Following their cover of Lyle Lovett’s ‘If I Had A Boat’, the track ebbs and flows with beautiful subtlety.

WILDES – ‘All I Get’

London-based singer-songwriter WILDES, born Ella Walker, has announced her sophomore album All We Do Is Feel – out September 12 – with the stirring ‘All I Get’. “Writing ‘All I Get’ really took me on a path I wasn’t expecting, both in its messaging and how the production emerged,” WILDES reflected. “It was a liberating song to write – I had spent months musing on how little I had, how so much had been taken from me emotionally, leaving me feeling bereft – but I realised in writing it, that ‘all’ I had left was in fact abundant and rich. Left in the wake of that break-up was evidence that I had really lived and loved, I had received so much support from those around me, and I had made it through a transformative period that pushed me into becoming a better person. This song makes me feel like a living thing.”

The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die – ‘Dissolving’

TWIABP have delivered another preview of their upcoming record Dreams of Being Dust, which is fuzzy and despondent before erupting at just the right moment. Lead vocalist David F. Bello explained: “Lyrically ‘Dissolving’ is set in the woods late at night, too far from home, alone enough to notice how fuzzy the boundary is between you and the rest of the outside world. You remember that your skin is always shedding into particles of dust, and there isn’t much difference between you and the trees and the dirt. No matter how old you become, you’re still developing, changing, and growing into something new. Even once you are nothing but a memory, you will have evolved and will haunt the air. Donna Haraway’s ‘A Cyborg Manifesto’ says ‘a cyborg would not recognize the Garden of Eden; it is not made of mud and cannot dream of returning to dust.’ You are made of mud and you can dream of returning to dust.”

Case Oats – ‘Nora’

Case Oats, the Chicago-based band led by Casey Gomez Walker, have previewed their debut album Last Missouri Exit with an introspective yet upbeat track called ‘Nora’. “Sometimes you find yourself in a relationship with someone who clearly loves their ex,” Walker said. “You kid yourself, thinking it might not be true, or that they might start loving you. You stick around. But in the end they won’t. So this song is a love letter to my ex’s once and future lover. If they’re meant to be together there’s no use in being mad. I’m genuinely thanking her for releasing me from that situation and celebrating her love. I don’t see why anyone should be mad at real love. It should be honored. So in this song I’m saying I love you to her, I’m glad you’re here now, I can see now.”

bloodsports – ‘Rosary’

bloodsports – the Brooklyn band comprising Sam Murphy (guitar/vocals), Jeremy Mock (Guitar), Liv Eriksen (bass/vocals) – have announced their debut LP, out October 17. The haunting and dramatic ‘Rosary’ accompanies the news, and Murphy had this to say about it: “This song was written about a relationship that I ended, and reminiscing about the feelings months after the fact. Lyrically, it’s a very bittersweet song. It looks back positively on the time that was spent but there’s also a layer of regret about the things that never quite came to fruition. It’s strange to sing live now because the relationship that it’s referencing has since been rekindled but I can still connect to those feelings from back then.”

TOPS – ‘Annihilation’

The latest single from TOPS’ Bury the Key is called ‘Annihilation’, but don’t let that freak you out; it’s still a sleek indie pop tune. Thematically, it’s “about navigating a world on the edge of collapse,” according to the band. “It’s easy to fear the future but in the end nothing is ever finished and you just gotta follow your heart. It’s like a mix of complacency and surrendering.”

Hunx and His Punx – ‘Wild Boys’

Hunx and His Punx throw it back on ‘Wild Boys’, the latest single from their first new album in 12 years, Walk Out on This World.

Silver Gore – ‘Dogs in Heaven’

Silver Gore – the London-based duo of Ava Gore and Ethan P. Flynn – have shared their entrancing debut single, ‘Dogs in Heaven’. It’s inspired by the comfort that Gore found as a child in repeatedly watching the animated film All Dogs Go to Heaven before later discovering that one of the child actors had in fact been murdered by her father. “I spent lots of hours alone, watching this film with our family dog,” Gore recalled. “This song is about making decisions and the unexpected consequences that come from them.”

Peyton – ‘Not Your Girl’

Houston R&B artist Peyton is back with news of her next album, Au. The follow-up to 2021’s PSA is out September 12, and the lead single ‘Not Your Girl’ is out now. “I used to think I had to beg to be loved,” Peyton commented. “Now I know that real love, romantic or not, feels natural and freeing. You don’t have to force it, and you definitely don’t have to shrink for it.”

Joyeria – ‘I don’t know, who cares?’

Speedy Wunderground signee Joyeria has served up a new single, ‘I don’t know, who cares?’, which is caustic yet playful. “Losing your mind is such a terrible thing, and you’ll be the last to know,” it begins.

Far Caspian – ‘Whim’

Ahead of the release of his new album Autofiction on Friday, Far Caspian has offered one more hazy yet driving track, ‘Whim’. It follows the title song, ‘An Outstretched Hand / Rain From Here To Kerry’, and ‘First Day’.

Pynch – ‘Post-Punk / New-Wave’

London-based group Pynch have announced their latest album, Beautiful Noise, out October 3. Lead single ‘Post-Punk / New-Wave’, as the title suggests, is pretty meta. “We wanted to announce Beautiful Noise with Post-Punk / New-Wave because it captures the playful spirit of the record and in a way tells the story of the band through its lyrics,” guitarist/vocalist Spencer Enock explained. “It’s an ironic but sincere take on making DIY music in the modern world and I love that it feels like a pop song without really having a chorus – like a slacker rock Band on the Run.”

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