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Album Review: Tyler, the Creator, ‘Don’t Tap the Glass’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Album Review: Tyler, the Creator, ‘Don’t Tap the Glass’

By writing this review, I’m already breaking the first rule of engaging with Don’t Tap the Glass, the ninth album from Tyler, the Creator: “Body movement. No sitting still.” The rap superstar is getting ahead of critics with the second rule, too, as laid out on the opening track: “Only speak in glory. Leave your baggage at home.” (“None of that deep shit,” he adds in the background, making it clear that he’s mostly addressing himself.) The third and titular rule is the most ambiguous, which is somewhat reflective of the overall balance the record strikes: it’s a straightforward rap-party project whose kineticism is undeniable, but, arriving less than a year after the densely packed Chromakopia, it also can’t help but attach itself to Tyler’s self-mythologizing canon in mature, often meta ways. Don’t Tap the Glass should keep longtime fans engaged long after the party’s over, but for at least the 29 minutes that it’s on, it both lifts you up and cools you down. Good dance music not only gets your body moving, but makes you forget yourself for a moment. For an artist as conscious of his ego as Tyler, the Creator, that’s no small feat.

1. Big Poe

Introducing his new character, Tyler, the Creator lists Don’t Tap the Glass’ rules of engagement, though sitting still hardly seems like an option as soon as the party-starting interpolation of Busta Rhymes’ ‘Pass the Courvoisier Part II’ sets the whole thing off. The rumoured Pharrell feature has now been confirmed, but far more unexpected is a Jonny Greenwood credit thanks to a tasteful sample of Junun’s ‘Roked’. So far, it’s easy to hold back the urge to dissect this thing – how much can you say about “Right now, I’m Mario, pipe down” other than to point out the superstar’s resemblance to the red-capped Nintendo mascot in the video for ‘Stop Playing With Me’?

2. Sugar on My Tongue

The opening track bleeds right into the buoyant and frenetic Italo disco of ‘Sugar on My Tongue’, which makes sense, given it’s also an extension of its freaky, lustful vibes. Tyler sure wants to make all the critics and Genius annotators out there look stupid for explaining the titular euphemism, so don’t fall into the trap; just go ahead and dance.

3. Sucka Free

Besides that instantly catchy “I’m that guy” refrain, the track is most memorable for the rapper’s switch to a California accent. It’s breezy and confident, the synths trying less to sound intergalactic than just like thick summer air.

4. Mommanem

Then comes pure heat: a high-pitched string that sounds like a harbinger of chaos, the unfettered id of someone who can’t catch his breath: “Hit it out, spit it out, get it out, huh, that’s on my mama ‘nem,” the chorus goes. The beat thunders, exhilaratingly, for a brief moment, but the resentment simply festers. If nothing else, it keeps you at the edge of your seat before you jump back up.

5. Stop Playing With Me

The only album track to get a music video – with cameos from Clipse’s Pusha T and Malice, LeBron James, and Mav Carter, no less – ‘Stop Playing With Me’ ratchets up the eerie energy of ‘Mommanem’ with rumbling techno bass, taking Tyler’s devilish sneer to the next level. Move with me, he still commands, but keep your distance. “You’re ‘and others’ if I crash this plane,” he raps hilariously. “Hated recess, I don’t play no games.” Still, he sounds like he hasn’t had this much fun in ages.

6. Ring Ring Ring

Even on his party record, Tyler craves space for vulnerability, which means going back to the funk and neo-soul stylings of Flower Boy and the emotional dynamics of phone calling – or, more specifically, the punch to the ego that is an unanswered phone call. “I had to protеct my heart/ And build the wall so tall, I couldn’t look over,” he confesses, sounding as smooth as ever.

7. Don’t Tap That Glass / Tweakin’

Tyler does another 180 with the title track’s bone-shaking New Orleans bounce, as if directly compensating for the previous track’s romantic exasperation with the album’s most aggressive rap song. As has become tradition in the rapper’s discography, it’s a climactic two-parter whose most thrilling moment hits when he drawls the word tweakin’. The most quotable line, though, comes earlier: “You ain’t gotta lie, we can smell the Ozempic.”

8. Don’t You Worry Baby [feat. Mansion McFerrin]

The track is a showcase for Madison McFerrin’s tender vocals, but ‘Ring Ring Ring’ is a much stronger and catchier neo-soul cut, and a project like Don’t Tap the Glass hardly needs two of them. Tyler reiterates its central message – “Damn, girl, you better move yo’ hips!” – but this is the moment where you might find yourself taking a break.

9. I’ll Take Care of You [feat. Yebba]

Tyler continues to take a back seat, turning a sample of Crime Mob’s ‘Knuck If You Buck’ – as well as drums from his own Cherry Bomb – into something both anthemic and nostalgic. “Wait a minute, I’m goin’ through some shit/ I can tell it’s not beginning to work,” Tyler admits, which is obviously personal, but it’s not hard to read it as a tacit acknowledgment that the edgy lyrics he reignites on Don’t Tap the Glass are starting to feel like vestiges of the past; he’s slipping into self-referentiality even without meaning to, which is typical Tyler.

10. Tell Me What It Is

The party has been winding down for a while, but ‘Tell Me What It Is’ is an emotional send-off that finds Tyler opening up more than he has on the last three tracks. “I can buy the galaxy/ But can’t afford to look for love,” he sings, wondering if there’s traffic to his soul. If half of the record is Tyler celebrating having broken through the glass ceiling of fame, he lends equal weight to the other half, which is still insecure as about affairs of the heart – the thing, of course, that the glass ultimately stands for. Short as it is, the album’s journey is satisfying yet unresolved, an invitation to a party that leaves you with bigger questions than you anticipated. Tyler has asked these ones before, in more elaborate and conceptual ways. But sometimes, the truth hits harder when there’s sweat dripping down your spine and your breath runs thin.

Daniel Avery Announces New Album ‘Tremor’ Featuring Alison Mosshart, yeule, Walter Schreifels, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
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Daniel Avery Announces New Album ‘Tremor’ Featuring Alison Mosshart, yeule, Walter Schreifels, and More

London-based producer Daniel Avery has signed to Domino and announced his first album for the label, Tremor. Releasing on Halloween, the record features contributions from Alison Mosshart (The Kills), yeule, Walter Schreifels, bdrmm, Julie Dawson (NewDad), Ellie, yuné pinku, Art School Girlfriend, and more. The shimmery and enveloping lead single ‘Rapture in Blue’, out today, has vocals from Cecile Believe and guitar from Ride’s Andy Bell. Check it out below.

“This is a living and breathing collective,” Avery said of the new album, which was mixed by Alan Moulder and David Wrench and mastered by Heba Kadry. “Since the earliest recordings, Tremor felt like a studio in the sky, a space in time through which we could all pass as artists. It’s the welcoming spirit of acid house with the doors flung open wider still to allow in every influence from my musical journey: the warmth of distortion, the stillness inside intensity, the transcendental beauty of noise… They have always been there in my music but now it feels like those ideas are being transmitted in Technicolor. This is a record for the post-rave comedown kids, the guitar heads and anyone else who wants to come along for the ride. Everyone is welcome.”

Tremor Cover Artwork:

Tremor cover artwork

Tremor Tracklist:

1. ⁠Neon Pulse
2. Rapture in Blue [feat. Cecile Believe]
3. Haze w/ Ellie
4. ⁠A Silent Shadow  [feat. bdrmm]
5. New Life [feat. yunè pinku]
6. Greasy off the Racing Line [feat. Alison Mosshart]
7. Until the Moon Starts Shaking
8. ⁠The Ghost of Her Smile [feat. Julie Dawson]
9. Disturb Me w/ yeule
10. In Keeping (Soon We’ll Be Dust) [feat. Walter Schreifels]
11. Tremor
12. ⁠A Memory Wrapped in Paper and Smoke
13. ⁠I Feel You [feat. Art School Girlfriend]

Flock of Dimes Announces New Album ‘The Life You Save’, Shares New Single

Konstantinos Pappis
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Flock of Dimes Announces New Album ‘The Life You Save’, Shares New Single

Flock of Dimes – the project of multi-instrumentalist and producer Jenn Wasner – has announced her third album, The Life You Save, which arrives on October 10 through Sub Pop Records. The follow-up to 2021’s Head of Roses is led by the gentle, twangy single ‘Long After Midnight’, which is accompanied by a Spencer Kelly-directed video. Check it out below and scroll down for the album cover and tracklist.

Wasner recorded the new album at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Montrose Recording in Los Angeles, California. She also produced the LP, with additional production from Nick Sanborn, engineering by Adrian Olsen and Alli Rogers, mixing by Adrian Olsen, and mastering by Huntley Miller.

“My previous records, generally, have been a summary of things I had already been through— experience,” Wasner explained in a press release. “But this record is different. It is an attempt to report from inside of a process that is ongoing and unfinished, from which I will likely never fully emerge as long as I am alive: my struggle within the cycles of addiction and co-dependency.” Read her full statement below, too.

The Life You Save Cover Artwork:

The Life You Save Cover Artwork

The Life You Save Tracklist:

1. Afraid
2. Keep Me in the Dark
3. Long After Midnight
4. Defeat
5. Close to Home
6. The Enemy
7. Not Yet Free
8. Pride
10. Theo
11. Instead of Calling
12. River in My Arms
13. I Think I’m God

Jenn Wasner:

My previous records, generally, have been a summary of things I had already been through— experiences I had observed and reflected upon, reporting back from some amount of distance. But this record is different. It is an attempt to report from inside of a process that is ongoing and unfinished, from which I will likely never fully emerge as long as I am alive: my struggle within the cycles of addiction and co-dependency.

I set out trying to make a record about other people.

Their problems, their struggles, their addictions.

I struggled for many years to give myself permission to write about this subject–worried that I was telling someone else’s story, a story that was not mine to tell. The work felt hazy and obscured; I was confused, and I struggled. The beauty of songwriting, at its best, is that it puts you in touch with your subconscious–a place where you can only tell the truth. Many of those truths were hard to accept. Some I don’t, even now, feel fully ready to say. But through this process, I came to understand that I was struggling with this record because I wasn’t being honest with myself. I was so deeply entrenched in the system in which I was raised that I thought I was outside of it, and the ways in which I continued to participate remained invisible to me.

But slowly, painstakingly, through this work I began to realize—I am not apart from all of this. I have been performing my role from a distance, but I am still engaged, still connected:

I’m inside it, after all.

As it turns out, this record is not someone else’s story–it is mine, the story of my life. A life spent believing I had escaped, and that I deserved to feel guilty for doing so. A life in which I believed that the right combination of words, actions, effort, and expense could somehow change others’ behavior. And a life in which blindness to my own patterns caused me to hurt others, and prevented me from finding the true love and acceptance I yearned for.

The belief that you can rescue others comes from more than one place, internally speaking. The part that is easiest to see and acknowledge is the one that stems from love, good intentions, and a genuine desire to offer care and support. But there’s an uglier side, and that part is harder to look at—the ego, the pridefulness, the belief that you are better, stronger, somehow more deserving than all the rest. That through your attempts to control others’ behavior, you can somehow secure a sense of safety for yourself.

I know the rules, but I ignore them,
I think I’m good enough to pull this off.

Or, more simply:

I think I’m god; I know I’m not.

For me, that was the puzzle piece that finally made it all make sense. But it was also the piece that was the hardest to hold. It took a long time for me to build up enough love—not for others, but for myself—that acknowledging this truth would not break me. I understand now that I’m not the savior, not the hero, not the chosen one. I’m spinning in my own wheel, a bundle of addictions and adaptations and blind spots, just like everybody else. And there is a beauty to that, along with a kind of freedom.

In the end, it is my hope that this record exists as a testament to the depth of my love for those I cannot save, and that it might provide some comfort for anyone who is still learning how to love and live for themselves.

Ruoyu Zhang’s Asemic Ecologies: Poetic Scores, Cultural Matter, and the Resonant Threshold of Language

Abbie Wilson
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Ruoyu Zhang’s Asemic Ecologies: Poetic Scores, Cultural Matter, and the Resonant Threshold of Language

In a contemporary art landscape often driven by interpretation, clarity, and symbolic capital, Ruoyu Zhang’s work offers a compelling counterpoint. Her practice unfolds not through narrative construction, but through gestures that vibrate—marks that do not seek to communicate, but to resonate. Working between painting, printmaking, performance, and ecological thinking, Zhang constructs what she calls “asemic ecologies”: rhythmic constellations of language, matter, and body that do not speak in words, but in atmospheres.

Born in Chongqing in 1999 and educated at the Rhode Island School of Design, Zhang draws upon diverse conceptual lineages—material ecocriticism, posthumanism, asemic art, biodynamic agriculture—to articulate an artistic language that is less about symbolic meaning and more about relational presence. At the heart of her practice lies an ongoing engagement with asemic writing, a form of mark-making that suspends semantic intention and foregrounds the gesture of writing itself. “Asemic writing,” she notes, “does not attempt to communicate any message other than its own nature as writing, which is a shadow, an impression, and an abstraction.” Yes, asemic writing is not meaningless—it is meaning deferred, dispersed, translated into rhythm and form.

butterfly
Mixed media on canvas
20 x 15 inches

Zhang’s artworks operate as sites of negotiation between material agency and perceptual ambiguity. In her recent exhibitions, Collective Marks and Strokes of Imagination and Collective II, two major pieces—butterfly and Celestial Kinship #2—embody different stages of this unfolding language. Butterfly is spontaneous and intuitive, a raw dance of line and color that hovers between abstraction and recognition. Celestial Kinship #2, in contrast, is more refined: a layered field of asemic scores where visual rhythm, ecological texture, and bodily inscription converge into a shared poetic structure. These works mark a transition—from expressive authorship toward a form of co-composition where pigment, gesture, and environment write together.

Zhang’s distinct contribution to contemporary art lies in her ability to bridge rigorous theoretical frameworks with a materially grounded practice, in which her choice of substances embodies both tactile complexity and cultural memory. Substances such as wine, coffee, cochineal, and soil are not just pigments; they are time-bearing entities, embedded with processes of fermentation, decay, and transformation. Informed by biodynamic philosophy, she treats matter not as medium, but as co-agent. These substances behave, resist, participate. They crack, bleed, settle. And in doing so, they speak—not in words, but in pulses, temperatures, and durational rhythms.

Celestial Kinship #2
Oil, natural wine, cochineal insects, coffee, napa cabbage on canvas
54 x 42 inches

“These materials perform in the work as much as I do,” Zhang explains. “They are alive, porous.”

Fieno
oil, coffee, charcoal, coco coir on canvas
20 x 15 inches

This approach resonates with the theoretical frameworks of material ecocriticism and posthumanist thought. Zhang treats language, nature, and the body not as separate domains but as entangled participants in a shared ecology. As material ecocritic Serenella Iovino writes, “The world we write in is the same world we decay within.” In Zhang’s practice, this idea becomes tactile: cracks and sediment become text; surface tension becomes syntax. Her asemic scores, then, are not anti-linguistic but trans-linguistic—modes of writing that do not point to a referent, but instead immerse the viewer in an experience of affective language beyond language.

Her paintings function less as compositions and more as sites of attunement, where the viewer is asked not to interpret but to resonate—entering rhythm rather than decoding symbol. As she puts it: “The viewer is not a reader, but a resonator”—a body invited into rhythm rather than meaning. This shift—from deciphering to sensing—suggests a broader philosophical gesture: a refusal of linguistic mastery, and a reconfiguration of authorship as ecological participation.

Her conceptual rigor is matched by a refined aesthetic sensibility. Each mark in Zhang’s work carries both the immediacy of gesture and the weight of accumulated time. Her compositions do not demand understanding; they invite presence. In doing so, Zhang contributes a powerful voice to the discourse on post-linguistic art, offering an alternative to anthropocentric authorship and challenging the boundaries of language, sensation, and matter.

Untitled Map
Oil, coffee, resin, birch concentrate, on canvas
16 x 21 inches

In a cultural moment increasingly shaped by legibility and algorithmic readability, Zhang’s asemic ecologies offer something vital: a space for slowness, for ambiguity, for sensation that exceeds clarity. Through rhythm, material, and untranslatable attention, she composes a living poetics—one that entangles human and nonhuman, text and texture, language and breath.

From Obscure Code to Cultural Icon: How Bitcoin Price History Shaped Public Perception

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From Obscure Code to Cultural Icon: How Bitcoin Price History Shaped Public Perception

Cryptocurrency is more than just a currency; it has become a symbol in today’s culture. Bitcoin, in particular is known for its volatile nature. The first digital currency was made available to the public back in 2009 and has had an impact on a number of industries ever since. So let’s take a closer look at how Bitcoin’s history has shaped public perception.

Since Bitcoin was introduced, it has come a long way. Not only have other coins been created, expanding the market even further, but public perception has changed a lot. Now there are more users than ever, discovering the advantages of using digital currency.

The Bitcoin origin story and its early price days

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency and was available to the public on January 9, 2009. It was created by an anonymous computer programmer (or group of programmers) under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The digital currency’s first real-world Bitcoin transaction occurred on May 22, 2010. Laszlo Hanyecz spent 10,000 BTC on two Papa John’s pizzas.

The bitcoin price history shows just how slow it was in the beginning. The value of Bitcoin was essentially zero when it was first introduced. Its price only started to increase in 2010, reaching $0.10-$0.30. It wasn’t until February 2011 that Bitcoin’s price broke the $1 mark. Bitcoin was the first of its kind, which is why so many people were unsure of it and whether they could trust it. The first few years of the currency were slow as more people were getting their heads around it. However, as technology evolved alongside it, people’s understanding of the currency was too.

Public sentiment through highs and lows

Public opinion has played a huge role in Bitcoin’s price history. While there have always been enthusiasts and skeptics, there have been a number of events that have shaped public perception as a whole. Bitcoin is extremely volatile, so it’s only natural that it has had its extreme highs and lows.

2013 is one of the first examples of this. During this time, there was a lot of discussion surrounding Bitcoin and cryptocurrency as a whole. In previous years, it was a niche topic that not many people understood. However, when Bitcoin broke $100 for the first time, this was a signal that the currency was a legitimate asset.

2017 was another high for the digital currency. It saw Bitcoin going from around $1,000 in January 2017 to nearly $20,000 by December. This was Bitcoin’s first mainstream price explosion and of course, caught the attention of the media and public. Bitcoin very quickly went from being “weird internet money” to a speculative asset.

There was a lot of excitement surrounding the currency. However, this quickly changed in early 2018 as Bitcoin’s price began to plummet. By December 2018, BTC had dropped to around $3,000, which represented an 85% loss. It wasn’t just Bitcoin; a number of other coins dropped too, with some becoming worthless. There were a number of reasons for this, from the hype burning out and scams to market correction and regulatory pressure. However, this drop ended up being quite damaging to Bitcoin’s reputation, as again, many people changed their stance on the digital currency.

Media and artistic portrayals of Bitcoin

Since Bitcoin’s release, it has not only had an impact on the financial world. It’s become used in several industries and is a symbol in media and art too. There have been a number of documentaries like “Banking on Bitcoin” that have not only helped to get the word out on the digital currency, but also educate the public too. The currency has also been featured in popular TV shows, including The Simpsons and Mr. Robot.

There have been a number of artistic interpretations of the currency that can be seen in art pieces, graffiti and even on the coins themselves. It’s media and art that has helped to ingrain the digital currency more deeply into our culture. Bitcoin’s iconic B symbol is becoming as recognizable as the American dollar sign.

How public perception continues to evolve

15 years on and Bitcoin is still very current in our society today. You can now use the currency in a number of different industries, from online casinos to retail stores. It has had its ups and downs, but as the years have gone on, more and more users are backing it. Thanks to technology, cryptocurrency is a lot more accessible, as well as the resources that are helping the public to understand it even more. Of course, there are still a lot of skeptics out there. Especially as the crypto market is a lot less regulated than the stock or forex market for example. There’s a lot more risk as there is a lack of regulation.

However, it’s not just public perception that matters anymore. As the currency became more successful, governments started to weigh in with laws and regulations. Countries like China, Egypt, and Morocco have imposed bans or strict restrictions on cryptocurrency use. There are also still a lot of countries that are undecided about the currency, meaning the future is still very uncertain.

Bitcoin has transformed into a powerful cultural and financial symbol. Its dramatic price swings, from near-zero to nearly $70,000 have not only fueled investor curiosity but also sparked global debate, artistic expression and media fascination. What began as an obscure code has undeniably reshaped how we think about money, technology and the future.

Sofia Segalla: Review by Anthony Fawcett

Anthony Fawcett
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Sofia Segalla: Review by Anthony Fawcett

By Anthony Fawcett, the esteemed art critic and historian, once served as John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s personal curator. His illustrious career includes introducing Man Ray to London, collaborating with icons like Andy Warhol, and assuming pivotal roles in leading art institutions. Fawcett is renowned for his 80 historical interviews with legends such as Francis Bacon, David Hockney, Jean Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Julian Schnabel, Gilbert & George and many others.

And as imagination bodies forth

The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen

Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing

A local habitation and a name.

— William Shakespeare

Sofia Segalla is a trailblazing, incendiary artist and fashion designer who was born in Moscow. Multi-talented, her oeuvre includes drawing, collage and fashion, utilizing her digital toolbox. Ceaselessly changing forms, her work is imbued by ‘Post-Soviet’ visual culture.

Segalla trained in fashion design and describes her artworks as rooted in “the intersection of visual art becoming a ‘wearable identity’.” Influenced by early Pop culture, she uses herself and her clothes to create a very personal mythology.

“Human imagination, by the invention of myths, has created a cosmos consonant to our preconceptions, a cosmos in which causation is passionate and is an expression of love or hate, in which there are heavenly powers to be placated by the same means that are found efficacious with earthly monarchs, in which the whole gamut of human emotions is projected upon the outer world in all its variegated confusion.”

— Bertrand Russell, Myth and Magic, 1954

In Segalla’s The Diary Project (2023 – present) she has created over 120 digital illustrations (A4 and A3) documenting the clothes she is wearing every day when she leaves her house.

“My body, my drawings – they are my language. My work doesn’t need to speak – IT IS the speaking!”, she has explained.

In 8/12/24 (100 GBP) we see Segalla in a decidedly Vivienne Westwood outfit accentuated in the painterly digital drawing. Wearing a Westwood-style outsize tartan cape, a flowing pink chiffon scarf, red leggings, with red ‘can’ headphones, and holding in her outstretched right hand an opened flip-phone. In this image she portrays herself as an icon, a muse, and perhaps an ‘influencer’.

Segalla’s myriad changes of exotic costumes bring to mind the performance artist and celebrated icon himself, Daniel Lismore. And before him, the flamboyant Leigh Bowery, whose life is the subject of a retrospective right now at Tate Modern. In many of her ‘poses’ Segalla looks almost doll-like, and behind each digital drawing there are handwritten quotations or poems, all in Russian. She has spoken often of her vulnerability and of being an immigrant, and I suspect that she misses Russia a lot. Recently, she did return to Moscow to work on some new projects.

But now they’re near. Before them glisteningAlready white-stoned Moscow runs,Like fire, with golden crosses quivering,Its ancient domes gleam in the sun.

Oh brothers! How my heart was happyTo see the churches, bell-towers clanging,

The gardens, courtyards, crescents’ sweepBefore me opened suddenly!

— Alexander Pushkin, 1826

Sofia Segalla has deservedly already won several awards, including the “Emerging Virtuoso Prize” given by the Lumen Art Gallery in their Drop the Light exhibition, and been published in numerous international magazines.

“Drawing. Dressing. Not quite speaking. Not quite silent.” A fitting quote from Segalla to end on. I greatly look forward to following her exciting and unique career!

Such tricks hath strong imagination,

That if it would but apprehend some joy,

It comprehends some bringer of that joy;

Or in the night, imagining some fear,

How easy is a bush supposed a bear!

— William Shakespeare

Fashion as Empowerment: How Statement Dressing Is Shaping Modern Femininity

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Fashion as Empowerment: How Statement Dressing Is Shaping Modern Femininity

For centuries, fashion has been dismissed as frivolous—an afterthought in conversations about identity, politics, and power. But today, that’s changing. Across runways, red carpets, and everyday wardrobes, fashion is being reclaimed as a radical form of self-expression, especially by women challenging outdated norms and expectations.

In this cultural shift, statement dressing has emerged as a quiet (and sometimes not-so-quiet) act of resistance. It’s not just about sequins or tailoring—it’s about autonomy, confidence, and how we show up in the world. And for many women, power now looks like feathers, sparkle, and structured silhouettes that refuse to be ignored.

What It Means to Dress Loud in a World That Asked Us to Be Quiet

Feminist expression through fashion isn’t new—but it is evolving. Once, empowerment might have meant blending in: neutral tones, practical lines, and minimalism designed not to offend. But now, more women are choosing to stand out rather than shrink in.

Embellished jumpsuits, bold colours, and sharply tailored co-ords are no longer just fashion statements—they’re identity statements. They say: I belong in this room, I deserve to be seen, and I’m not asking for permission.

This new era of dressing is emotional and political. It doesn’t apologise for femininity—instead, it uses it as a tool of strength.

The Rise of the Power Piece

We’re seeing a new kind of power dressing emerging—one that blends classic tailoring with ultra-modern embellishment. It’s unapologetically bold, drawing from both masculine silhouettes and hyper-feminine textures.

Brands pushing this aesthetic forward are creating a new visual language for empowerment. Designers like Nadine Merabi are at the forefront—redefining what it means to dress with intention through sharp silhouettes, intricate detailing, and materials that are designed to command attention.

Why the Jumpsuit Reigns Supreme

Among the most powerful pieces reshaping modern femininity is the jumpsuit. Once a utilitarian garment, it’s been reborn as a go-to outfit for bold women who want fashion that works hard and speaks loudly.

Contemporary designers are turning the jumpsuit into a symbol of modern power—bridging practicality and glamour, comfort and control. Whether styled for work, a wedding, or a rooftop afterparty, today’s luxury jumpsuits are the armour of women who lead, create, and disrupt.

They allow for movement, presence, and a sculptural kind of elegance—and their impact is undeniable.

Partywear as Protest

Even the idea of “dressing up” has shifted. What was once seen as superficial or performative is now embraced as a form of visibility and agency. When a woman chooses to wear a sequinned co-ord or a crystal-embellished dress, she’s not just showing up—she’s declaring herself.

In a society that often equates softness with weakness, feminine-coded style is a challenge to binary thinking. It pushes back against the idea that power must look masculine to be taken seriously.

Emerging Voices and Cultural Shifts

This movement is being fuelled by a new generation of designers and creatives who understand the cultural weight of fashion. They aren’t just making clothes—they’re building narratives around confidence, ownership, and freedom. Their work lives in the space between beauty and purpose.

And this aligns with a wider shift in the culture: one that celebrates identity over uniformity, and personal agency over prescriptive ideals.

Designers like Nadine Merabi are redefining power dressing with elevated fashion staples for the unapologetically bold woman.

Final Thought

Statement dressing is more than just a trend—it’s a form of modern storytelling. It’s how many women choose to show the world who they are, without saying a word.

And in a time where visibility is power, every feather, every sequin, every tailored seam is a reminder: femininity is not a weakness. It’s a force.

Horror Games for Mac Free

Prince Addams
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Horror Games for Mac Free

Macs not being able to run popular video games is not news anymore. Similarly, they often require workarounds and other alternatives. So, Apple users got used to it — eventually. But Mac owners don’t have to miss out on the scares. From creepy hallways to scary creatures, there are free horror games for Mac. Yup, there’s no need to boot up a Windows PC. Besides being free to play, they will surely leave you sweating and screaming a little. Check out this list to find your shortcut to sleepless nights.

Top Five Free Horror Games for Mac

  • Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion

Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion dares you not to get fooled by pastel ghosts. The game claims that it’s terrifying and deceptive. Specifically, it challenges you to survive 1000 scary rooms. And every room features various monsters and creatures. It starts as a cute haunted house adventure, then turns into a nightmare when you start running for your life.

  • The Static Speaks My Name

The Static Speaks My Name is a first-person exploration game. At the same time, it explores different vibes including dark, sad, quiet, and weird. In short, the game is unsettling in a skin-crawling way. The point of the game is to play as the man who obsesses over a painting. Also, this game focuses more on psychological dread than jump scares. If you like story-driven horrors, try this one!

  • Slender: The Eight Pages

Slender: The Eight Pages delivers the classic horror game vibes. Particularly, users will take on the role of a person who’s in a forest at night. Similarly, the goal of the game is to use your flashlight to find eight notes/pages throughout the area. Aside from that, you can’t interact with anything else. It’s just you and the shadows.

  • The Dark Mod

The Dark Mod is a haunted game that combines stealth and horror. Players will need to sneak through dark mansions and ruins to accomplish missions. But the twist is that you’ll need to avoid threats while doing the objectives. The longer you play, the more intense it gets.

  • Dead Frontier

Dead Frontier makes you do everything you can to survive a zombie apocalypse. Likewise, you need to fight and stay alive against infected beings. At the same time, you have to explore the post-apocalyptic world to find weapons. It’s the ultimate survival game against the undead.

One Last Scream

With these horror games for Mac, Apple gamers have their nightmare buffet served. There’s no need for heavy gaming rigs or fancy setups to get the chills. Just grab your Mac and prepare to scream.

Can You Play FIFA on Mac?

Prince Addams
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Can You Play FIFA on Mac?

With the global popularity of football, many fans want to experience the thrill of the sport — even through video games. That’s why FIFA is one of the most iconic football games in the world. However, if you’re a Mac user, things might get a lot trickier. Likewise, some would even give up and say it’s nowhere to be found. However, there’s always hope, even for Apple devices. Stick around and find out the answer to the question: Can you play FIFA on Mac?

Is It Possible to Play FIFA on Mac?

Let’s get straight to the point. No, you can’t play FIFA on Mac. At least, not natively. The developer behind FIFA, also known as EA FC, hasn’t released a Mac-compatible version for a long time.

According to CloudDeck, EA Sports’ reasons are the small market size and some technical matters. Similarly, it’s no surprise that the gaming community of Mac users is smaller than that of Windows. Also, FIFA games require a specific system. And Mac devices do not commonly have it. So, that means more work for developers, and they don’t want that. With that said, you can still play the game through different workarounds.

Here are some alternatives to play FIFA games on Mac:

  • Option 1: Xbox Cloud Gaming

The most popular method is Xbox Cloud Gaming Services. Likewise, it’s probably the most hassle-free method. If you have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you can stream FIFA games directly from your browser. Plus, there’s no need to install anything. All you need is a good and stable internet connection. It’s basically a plug-and-play solution.

However, that depends on the version of the game you want to play. MacHow2 says that FIFA 23 has been removed from Xbox Game Pass. On the other hand, EA FC24 is available through Xbox Cloud. Unfortunately, the latest version (FC25) is not yet accessible through the same method.

  • Option 2: airGPU

If you want to try your luck at playing the latest edition of EA FC, then this one is a good pick. Unlike other virtual machine methods, this one allows you to download pretty much anything. At the same time, MacHow2 says that it’s not blocked by EA’s anti-cheat software. But it does not come cheap.

  • Option 3: CrossOver

This workaround is an app that allows you to run programs that create a Windows environment on your Mac. But it might not be the best choice for newer versions of the game. It’s also mostly recommended when playing older FIFA titles.

Final Whistle

With this article, you can stop wondering whether you can play FIFA on Mac. Yes, there’s no official macOS support. But there are plenty of workarounds to make it possible. Similarly, the important thing is knowing your Mac model to select the right option.

16 New Songs Out Today to Listen To: Cate Le Bon, Bright Eyes, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
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16 New Songs Out Today to Listen To: Cate Le Bon, Bright Eyes, 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 Tuesday, July 22, 2025.

Cate Le Bon – ‘Is It Worth It (Happy Birthday)?’

Cate Le Bon has previewed her upcoming Michelangelo Dying with a new song, ‘Is It Worth It (Happy Birthday)?’, which gets at the album’s emotional core. It arrives with an accompanying video directed by frequent collaborator H. Hawkline.

Bright Eyes – ‘1st World Blues’

Bright Eyes go ska on their new song ‘1st World Blues’, and it’s quite catchy. “‘1st World Blues’ is an homage to ska in all its waves,” the group explained. “From Desmond Decker to Tim Armstrong, we’re just happy to add our track to the bin. The video is inspired by NYC 90s hip hop, which like ska, has a long tradition of unifying people & using celebratory music to convey subversive political themes. To be played loud. Windows down. Summertime.”

Teethe – ‘Push You Forever’

Southern slowcore band Teethe have unveiled ‘Push You Forever’, a swaying, beautifully pensive track that serves as the final preview of their forthcoming album, Magic of the Sale. It comes paired with an animated video by Rosa Sawyers.

Automatic – ‘Mercury’

Automatic – the trio of Izzy Glaudini (synths, vocals), Halle Saxon (bass, vocals), and Lola Dompé (drums, vocals) — have announced a new album, Is it Now?, which will be released September 26 via Stones Throw. It’s led by ‘Mercury’, an infectious song with a throbbing bassline. Its lyrics are a reminder “not to fall into nihilism or cynicism, to instead see life through a bit of a spiritual lens,” according to Glaudini. “Despite the horrible shit constantly happening, life can still be mysterious and beautiful. I wanted to lean into a sense of dreaminess, and to have the verses feel like a dark lullaby.”

Nation of Language – ‘Under the Water’

Nation of Language have shared ‘Under the Water’, a glistening new track from their upcoming LP Dance Called Memory. The band’s Ian Devaney commented: “This was the last one to make the cut before we turned the record in. We’d always had a lot of enthusiasm for the track, but the studio schedule had gotten a bit unwieldy over the holidays and an arbitrary deadline had been set to be done with LP4 prior to leaving for a January tour in Australia supporting IDLES. As such we’d turned in the final album mixes for mastering before getting on the plane and I’d resigned myself to saving ‘Under the Water’ for some subsequent release down the line. But somewhere over the Pacific Ocean while trying to sequence the album clarity set in that despite our love for rigid adherence to the production calendar, we wanted it on there. So before soundchecks on the other side of the planet we hooked up all the synths we’d brought with us in the greenroom, remotely concocting the version you hear now. If it somehow sounds distinctly of the southern hemisphere, now you’ll all know why.”

Mac DeMarco – ‘Holy’

Mac DeMarco has shared a new single from his upcoming album Guitar, ‘Holy’, which is both relaxed and uneasy in its mysticism. Of the accompanying video, the musician said, “I waded around in the ocean fully clothed for a couple hours and completely filled my boots with seawater. There were some other shots on some rocks I kept trying too, but in the end the clip of me falling in the garden and eating the apple was best. Thank you for listening.”

Kitba – ‘Hold the Edges’

Brooklyn-based harpist and singer-songwriter Kitba has announced a new album, Hold the Edges – out September 19 via Ruination – with the subtly emotive title track. “This song means so many things to me,” Kitba said in a press release. “It began as a sort of mantra I used through a challenging moment I was finding difficult to move through, but over time it shifted and the meaning transformed. What started as a desire to hold onto definition became an invitation to go beyond it. This song also unlocked an important texture of the album – the first time Zubin Hensler (who produced the record) put my voice through formant-shifting I burst out crying. It was such an involuntary, physical response to hearing something reflected back to me that I heard in my body.”

Superchunk – ‘Stuck In a Dream’

Superchunk have previewed their upcoming album Songs in the Key of Yikes with ‘Stuck in a Dream’, which is very fun. “Based on an actual dream that wouldn’t end, it’s a late-in-the-sequence upbeat number put there to reward everyone who’s listened that far,” Mac McCaughan explained. “Voted song most likely to become ‘fastest and most requested song on the record we never play live’ à la ‘Her Royal Fisticuffs’ and ‘Slow Drip,’ but I think we will learn it for real. Great backing vocals by Laura King.”

Joanne Robertson – ‘Gown’

The UK musician Joanne Robertson has announced a new album, Blurrr, which finds her working with cellist, composer, and producer Oliver Coates. It lands on September 19 via AD 93. Lead single ‘Gown’ is foggy and truly entrancing, an acoustic ballad that stirs emotion by partly drifting into the background.

Jobber – ‘Pillman’s Got a Gun’

Jobber’s latest single, ‘Pillman’s Got A Gun’, is inspired by pro wrestler Brian Pillman. “The song grew out of my profound appreciation and fascination with Pillman after learning more about his iconic moments and his life,” bandleader Kate Meizner explained. “Some references are overt, but his story made me think a lot about how the pressure that comes with cultivating a chaotic persona can trap you in a cycle of constantly trying to outdo yourself.”

Folk Bitch Trio – ‘Hotel TV’

Folk Bitch Trio have shared ‘Hotel TV’, a stirring new single from their imminent debut LP Now Would Be a Good Time. The track is about “having a sex dream about somebody else while next to your partner, and your partner being a liar,” according to Jeanie Pilkington.

Shallowater – ‘Highway’

“Dirtgaze” band Shallowater have announced a new album, God’s Gonna Give You a Million Dollars, arriving September 5. Recorded at Drop of Sun Studios with Alex Farrar (MJ Lenderman, Hotline TNT, Waxahatchee), it’s led by the poignant new song ‘Highway’, which takes its time before suddenly exploding.

Cold Gawd – ‘Golden Postcard’

Cold Gawd have come through with a swirling, romantic new song called ‘Golden Postcard’. “It’s for new lovers: something that evokes the rush of a burgeoning relationship. It’s lustful, hopeful and consuming,” bassist/vocalist Cameron “Duck” Burris commented. “Those feelings might be idealized but they’re nevertheless palpable.”

Liquid Mike – ‘Claws’

Liquid Mike are back with a hooky, anxiety-ridden tune called ‘Claws’. It’s lifted from their upcoming album Hell Is an Airport, which is due September 12.

dog eyes – ‘bluebird’

Ahead of the release of their blue bird rain cloud EP on Friday, dog eyes have unveiled an endearing new song, ‘bluebird’. If it reminds you of being a kid, that’s intentional. “’Bluebird’ feels like the foundation of our songwriting,” the duo’s Davis Leach explained. “There’s a playful, almost childlike attitude to the lyrics that comes out when we write together. Simple lyrics like ‘gray rain cloud over ur head, blue birds sing over mine’ contrast with a cinematic instrumental track with heavy piano chords and clarinets playing a new melody below the lyrics.”

Fcukers – ‘Play Me’

Fcukers – the dance-pop duo of of Shanny Wise and Jackson Walker Lewis – are back with a bouncy, dizzying tune, ‘Play Me’, co-written and produced by Kenneth Blume (fka Kenny Beats). It comes paired with a video shot by Shanny.

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