What does it mean to give new meaning to objects in an age defined by digital saturation, fractured attention, and semantic overload? For curator Yanru Hu, the answer lies not in spectacle but in structure. Her curatorial practice takes seriously the proposition that objects are not neutral carriers of form but active participants in meaning-making. With a background in choreography and a deep engagement with interdisciplinary theory, Yanru has emerged as a practitioner uniquely attuned to how things—materials, gestures, arrangements—speak, transform, and re-signify.
This approach was most clearly articulated in Substance & Recoding, a group exhibition held from 29 May to 1 June 2025 at Mezzanine, Orion Business Centre, Surrey Canal Road, London. Yanru served as the lead curator of the project, which was situated in an artist-run space known for dialogic formats. Conceived as an inquiry into what she terms “semantic turbulence” — the condition in which everyday objects lose their fixed referents and begin to oscillate between past meanings and speculative futures — the exhibition drew on semantic turn theory and Yanru’s experience in performance-led environments. Rather than presenting a static display, Yanru curated the show as a discursive environment—a living system of semiotic play.
Substance & Recoding Exhibition
The exhibition featured a diverse set of works spanning sculpture, installation, glass, metal, and interactive media. What linked them was not aesthetic similarity but a shared logic of recoding. One installation reassembled consumer waste into ritual configurations, invoking both ecological anxiety and ancestral memory. Another presented a set of mirrored objects that distorted viewers’ reflections, destabilising visual identity in real time. Throughout the space, audience engagement was subtly choreographed: motion-sensitive lighting, shifting sightlines, and intentional thresholds slowed down movement and invited reconsideration. The works did not simply occupy space; they recalibrated it.
“In my curatorial work,” Yanru notes, “I am less interested in representation and more in transformation. What can an object become once its function is suspended? What new stories emerge when we disrupt its expected context?”
OOO Exhibition Poster
These questions are further explored in OOO, an exhibition co-curated by Yanru in response to Object-Oriented Ontology. Rather than viewing objects as tools awaiting human interpretation, OOO positions them as autonomous agents with internal logic and vitality. Through installations, images, sound, and material-based interventions, the exhibition suspends the utilitarian gaze and asks audiences to encounter objects on their own terms. “No explanation. No naming. No use. Let the object simply be,” reads the exhibition text—an echo of Yanru’s ongoing resistance to prescriptive meaning. Here, objects collide, withdraw, and respond, shaping a sensory field led by non-human presence.
This shift from “What do I see?” to “How are objects occurring?” is emblematic of Yanru’s broader curatorial philosophy: interaction over interpretation, provocation over prescription. Whether in Substance & Recoding or OOO, she curates cognitive architectures—environments that host alternate modes of knowing.
A participatory logic threads through both projects. In Substance & Recoding, modular objects invited reconfiguration. In OOO, viewers became part of a relational ecology in which meaning was continually deferred. The exhibitions function not as closed narratives but as dynamic fields of propositions. They owe as much to Yanru’s earlier career in choreography as to critical theory—walls become pauses, sightlines accelerations, materials cues. Just as a choreographer anticipates kinesthetic response, she maps the audience’s sensorial script.
But beyond spatial intelligence, what distinguishes her curatorial practice is its philosophical depth. In a culture where images and objects are ceaselessly recoded by commerce and media, she positions the exhibition as a space of resistance and re-seeing. Her curating performs a kind of reverse engineering: pulling apart familiar categories and reassembling them speculatively. Whether exploring semantic turbulence or decentralising the human, her exhibitions stage environments where objects ask new questions, and viewers must learn to listen differently.
In an era where the boundaries between information and materiality blur, Yanru’s curatorial method insists that objects are never just things. They are systems under tension, stories in waiting, agents of disruption. What she gives us is not a fixed meaning, but a renewed mode of attention—an invitation to re-enter the world of objects with curiosity, humility, and wonder.
Esports has come a long way from basement LAN parties and small online forums. Today, it commands audiences of millions, fills arenas once reserved for traditional sports, and generates billions in revenue. This transformation didn’t happen overnight—it was the result of years of growth, innovation, and community development. From amateur beginnings to professional leagues, the path esports has taken is a testament to the digital age and changing entertainment preferences. Its success represents a unique blend of gaming passion, technological innovation, and a new era of digital spectatorship.
The early days: Modems, LANs, and passion projects
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, competitive gaming was primarily a grassroots movement. Enthusiasts gathered in internet cafés or connected via dial-up modems to compete in games like Quake, StarCraft, and Counter-Strike. These communities were tight-knit and driven by passion, not profit. Most players were motivated by fun and the thrill of competition, not by the promise of prize money or fame.
Despite limited infrastructure, these early tournaments laid the groundwork for what was to come. LAN parties, often held in garages or rented halls, created a sense of camaraderie among players. Small cash prizes and peer recognition were enough to attract talent and grow competitive scenes. These informal networks of tournaments and clans set the foundation for structured leagues, fan loyalty, and early esports fame. The dedication of these early players built the esports culture that thrives today.
The streaming revolution and rise of viewership
A significant turning point in the mainstream acceptance of esports came with the rise of live streaming. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming allowed players and fans to connect like never before. Suddenly, anyone with an internet connection could watch top-tier gameplay, learn from the best, and become part of the conversation. It gave amateur players a platform to grow their audience and pros a new way to monetize their skills.
The accessibility of streaming changed everything. Not only did it bring exposure to games and players, but it also enabled monetization through subscriptions, donations, and sponsorships. As tournaments became easier to broadcast, production values increased, and audiences grew exponentially. This evolution of access was crucial in attracting investors and advertisers, who recognized esports as a valuable entertainment platform.
It’s in this era that new revenue streams emerged, including advertising, merchandise, team sponsorships, and affiliate marketing. Related industries such ascsgo gambling sites also began developing around the popularity of esports, offering fans additional engagement options and further embedding esports into mainstream entertainment culture. These platforms provided fans with opportunities to interact with matches in real-time, adding another dimension of excitement to tournaments.
Esports organizations, sponsorships, and mainstream media
As audiences grew, so did the professionalism of esports organizations. Teams like Team Liquid, Fnatic, and T1 transitioned from hobbyist collectives into multi-million-dollar brands. These organizations began signing players, hiring coaches, marketing professionals, and even sports psychologists. Structured training schedules, contracts, and performance bonuses became standard.
Mainstream brands—Red Bull, Intel, Nike, and even Mercedes-Benz—started sponsoring events and teams. These endorsements provided legitimacy and significant funding, allowing esports to rival traditional sports in marketing reach and visibility. In many ways, esports became part of pop culture, with teams collaborating with fashion brands, musicians, and influencers to expand their reach.
Additionally, the introduction of franchise leagues, particularly in games like Overwatch and League of Legends, brought a traditional sports structure to the scene. With city-based teams, regular seasons, and playoffs, these leagues appealed to broader audiences and reinforced esports’ staying power. Television deals and multi-platform broadcasting rights brought esports to living rooms and sports bars around the world, increasing its legitimacy in the eyes of the public.
Arenas, prize pools, and global events
Today, esports tournaments take place in iconic arenas such as Madison Square Garden, the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, and even entire venues dedicated to gaming. Events like The International for Dota 2, League of Legends World Championship, and CS2 Majors attract global audiences in the tens of millions, both online and in person. The scale of production at these events now rivals that of the Super Bowl or the Olympics.
Prize pools have reached unprecedented levels—The International 2021 had over $40 million in prize money. These figures demonstrate not only the profitability of esports but also the immense passion from fans who crowdfund these prizes through in-game purchases and crowdfunding campaigns. It’s not just about competition—it’s a shared experience between fans, players, and organizers.
Governments and institutions are also acknowledging esports’ potential. Countries like South Korea, China, and Denmark recognize esports as an official sport, offering athletes visas and infrastructure support. Universities across the globe now offer esports scholarships and degrees in game-related fields. This kind of institutional backing has further stabilized the industry and opened doors for young talents to pursue esports professionally.
Cultural impact and the future of esports
Esports has significantly shaped digital culture. Influencers and pro players like Faker, s1mple, and TenZ have become celebrities, with millions of followers across social media. These individuals have used their platforms to promote esports to wider audiences and influence the next generation of gamers. Their content blends gaming, lifestyle, and culture, reaching fans well beyond the gaming niche.
Games like CS2, Valorant, and League of Legends serve as both competitive platforms and cultural hubs. International competitions and national pride have further solidified esports as a legitimate global sport. Crossovers with the fashion and music industries—such as virtual concerts or exclusive in-game cosmetics—showcase how esports continues to innovate its appeal.
With technological innovations like VR, AI coaching, and cross-platform integration, the future of esports promises even greater interactivity and inclusivity. The next frontier may include mobile esports dominance in emerging markets, blockchain integrations, and augmented reality spectator experiences. The pace of innovation ensures that esports remains on the cutting edge of entertainment.
Conclusion
Esports’ journey from obscurity to mainstream stardom reflects broader societal shifts in technology, media, and entertainment consumption. With powerful streaming platforms, corporate investment, global fanbases, and growing institutional support, competitive gaming has firmly established itself as a legitimate and lasting part of modern culture.
Its economic impact, cultural relevance, and global reach continue to expand. As the ecosystem matures, esports is likely to stand alongside traditional sports not as a competitor, but as a complementary force redefining the future of global entertainment. Whether you’re a casual viewer, a dedicated fan, or a player dreaming of the big stage—esports has proven it’s here to stay.
Gambling has long been more than just a pastime—it’s a narrative device, a metaphor, and a cultural force. From classic literature to blockbuster films, the thrill of risk and reward weaves itself into stories that captivate audiences. Whether it’s a high-stakes poker game or the spinning reels of best online casino in Australia, gambling motifs create tension, drama, and character depth. This article explores how gambling culture influences storytelling across mediums, shaping the way we experience conflict, chance, and human nature.
The Role of Chance in Narrative Tension
Gambling isn’t just about money but rather about uncertainty. Writers and filmmakers use it to reflect the uncertainties of life. A single bet in a narrative can turn the character’s fate upside down. Imagine James Bond’s poker face or the desperate gambler in Dostoevsky’s “The Gambler.” These aren’t just entertainment; they embody our fears and desires.
Casinos and betting halls are the perfect settings for moral dilemmas. The booming casino atmosphere makes you feel every decision is cranked up by 100%. Aussie online pokies are designed to create short stories of hope or loss thanks to quick spin. Storytellers today utilize these rhythms to create luckier narratives.
Key Insights Into Gambling’s Storytelling Power
A shift in gambling has altered storytelling, supported by data to back it. From blockbuster movies to psychological studies, we are constantly inundated with risk and narrative. Some important facts show the dynamics of these relationships.
Over 70% of heist films feature a gambling scene, with 2023’s “The Card Counter” grossing $5 million globally.
In literature, gambling metaphors appear in 1 in 3 crime novels published since 2020.
Trusted online casinos report that 45% of players engage for the narrative thrill, not just winnings.
Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit” spiked chess set sales by 250% in 2020, proving risk-based stories drive real-world action.
AU online casino ads use cinematic storytelling techniques, with 60% featuring character-driven plots.
Why High-Stakes Scenes Resonate With Audiences
Humans are wired to respond to risk. A good gambling scene appeals to the hope, despair, and thrill of uncertainty. Directors create tension through close-ups of trembling hands or that slow reveal of the card. The same techniques aren’t too far away from how trusted online casinos design their UX, using tension-inducing animations and celebratory sounds.
As interactive media has grown, gambling and storytelling have become intertwined. In games like “Red Dead Redemption 2”, winning or losing a poker hand can mean life or death. The language of gambling sets up stakes. “All in,” “double down.” No matter what story gets told, one will conjure gambling imagery.
Moving away from Casinos to Streaming
The stories about gaming have changed from backroom to mainstream. Programs including Peaky Blinders glamorise the underworld, while documentaries look into the psychology behind betting . Apart from that, Aussie online pokies come with mini-stories that turns a spin into a story.
This shift reflects broader changes in how we view risk. In a world of risky markets and social media bets, storytelling reflects what we’re drawn to games of chance. When wathing a thriller or spinning digital reels next, notice the mechanics of gambling in action shaping the narrative (i.e. why we are hooked).
The stories told about gambling culture have had many impacts on how they are told. We love hearing stories about risk no matter the medium, whether it is through film, literature, or digital. As audiences, we don’t just watch the gamble—we feel it. And that’s the mark of truly compelling storytelling.
In Of Self, Time, and Trembling Silence, curator Ziyi Xiong presents a controlled phenomenological environment that foregrounds latency, perceptual ambiguity, and spatial deceleration. Installed at Batsford Gallery and featuring the work of Zhengwei Fan, the exhibition invites the viewer into an extended encounter with the works’ shifting formal and emotional registers. Xiong’s curatorial logic draws on Henri Bergson’s concept of durée (time understood not as sequential but as qualitative and indivisible) and Roland Barthes’s notion of the “writerly” text (wherein meaning emerges through interpretation rather than instruction). The exhibition space is organised to impede quick comprehension and support durational, affectively charged looking.
Fan’s works oscillate between esoteric, chromatically saturated compositions and stark, grayscale studies of isolation, the medieval alchemical principle of coincidentia oppositorum in full force. The transition from the cosmic and symbolic to the intimate and humane produces a dialectical rhythm within the viewing experience: rather than presenting a unified stylistic mode, the curatorial framing permits and highlights dissonance. The interplay between colour and monochrome, abstraction and figuration, generates perceptual instability and reinforcing the show’s investigation of interiority and temporal fragmentation.
Installation view: Zhengwei Fan, Self, Time, and Trembling Silence.
The exhibition is conceptually oriented around a notion of inwardness–specifically, the self as a fragmented and temporally unstable construct–that embraces Henri Bergson’s idea of durée, in which time is experienced as qualitative, fluid, and indivisible rather than measurable or sequential. In this sense, the curatorial design supports a non-linear temporality: it invites the viewer not to progress through the exhibition in a rational sequence, but to dwell within overlapping psychological and affective states. The audience begins with low-saturation works, reduced lighting, and unresolved compositional structures. Fan’s early grayscale images evoke psychic opacity and constrained gestures. As the exhibition progresses, chromatic intensity emerges, but the overall curatorial tempo remains measured. Xiong maintains a deliberate slowness that foregrounds perception as a mode of inquiry.
This restraint extends to the spatial juxtapositions Xiong establishes. One work depicts a luminous orange figure radiating against a dark background, its anatomical interior abstracted into visible vectors. In an adjacent piece, a solitary figure appears seated beneath a sharply angled shaft of light. In its balancing of dissonant visual registers–vibrant and austere, symbolic and observational–Xiong echoes the older philosophical logic of synthesis, where oppositional forces are not resolved but held in productive suspension. She does not annotate or mediate the tension between these modes of address: instead, the viewer is asked to reconcile affective and compositional discontinuity through their own interpretive labour. Curatorial authorship is enacted here not through intervention but through the structuring of proximity and duration.
Installation view: Zhengwei Fan, Of Self, Time, and Trembling Silence.
Xiong deliberately avoids the normative tools of exposition (didactic wall texts, thematic signposting, or institutional framing devices), using the exhibition space as what Roland Barthes terms a “writerly” site: one in which meaning is produced through viewer engagement rather than curatorially imposed. The atmosphere remains consistent throughout: subdued, reflexive, temporally porous. Curatorial practice here becomes an apparatus for organising time, affect, and attention, producing a spatial model of sustained interior inquiry, whereas time, memory, and selfhood become privileges of presence, attunement, and the slow emergence of thought.
FKA twigs has released a bubbly, upbeat track called ‘Perfectly’, her first new music since January’s EUSEXUA. twigs produced the track with Koreless and Xquisite Korpse, who are credited as co-writers along with Amy Wadge and Ethan P. Flynn. “and so the offerings begin again… if EUSEXUA was the tip of the tongue, PERFECTLY is the oesophagus… i wonder what lays in the belly of the beast,” twigs wrote on Instagram. Find out for yourself below.
David Byrne has shared ‘She Explains Things to Me’, the second single from his forthcoming album Who Is the Sky?. Following lead cut ‘Everybody Laughs’, the track was inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s book Men Explain Things to Me and scans as a wholesome twist on the mansplaining phenomenon. Check it out below.
“Many times I have marveled at how a friend (usually a female friend) seems to clock what is going on in a film between characters way before I do,” Byrne explained in a press release. “Sometimes I understand poetry, but sometimes I need help. Though inspired by the Solnit book ‘men explain things to me’ there is a huge difference- mansplaining is usually unasked for, in this case I am the one asking.”
Skullcrusher has announced a new album, And Your Song is Like a Circle, which arrives October 17 via her new label home Dirty Hit. Today, Helen Ballentine has unveiled the lead single ‘Exhale’, her first new music since under the moniker since 2022’s Quiet the Room. The track swirls with inspiration and lets it all out in a wondrous haze. Ballentine conceptualized its accompanying video in collaboration with director Adam Alonzo and shot it in Upstate New York in and around her mother’s house. Check it out below.
“’Exhale’ is about noticing the moment when a song is first conceived,” Ballentine explained. “There is a part of me that wants to stop there and leave the song unfinished, before structure settles in and the song evolves. Instead, I allow it to form & accept whatever it may become. This process feels natural, like taking a pause at the top of your inhale before letting it all out. Maybe through acknowledging this process I can feel more at peace with change in general. When thoughts, words & sounds interact in a certain way they can reveal a path forward. Sometimes I want to linger before this path, in a space that feels hidden and safe, but in the end I take the path & surrender to change.”
Ballentine tracked the new album at home, with Aaron Paul O’Brien in Los Angeles, and co-producer Isaac Eiger (Lauren Balthrop, Cassandra Jenkins) in New York. “I like thinking about my work as a collection, and every time I add more to it, I’m adding a rock,” she remarked. “Eventually it might form a circle. Each time Imake something, I’m putting another line around the body of work. It feels like I’ll be trying to trace it for my whole life.”
They say loving is tough. But nothing’s tougher than being in a long-distance relationship. One day, you’re sharing a couch while streaming. Then, all of a sudden, you can’t even steal fries off each other’s plates. So, the next best thing is sharing a screen while playing the best Steam games out there. With the library of games, couples will surely find titles that will keep the love alive. To get things started, here are five solid picks to try.
Five Steam Games for Long-Distance Couples
Project Zomboid
Project Zomboid will test your love for one another. Nothing says commitment more than surviving a zombie apocalypse together. Play with your partner in the multiplayer mode and navigate a zombie-infested sandbox. Also, you get to fight, build defenses, loot houses, and manage hunger. However, the ultimate challenge is to remain alive.
Unravel Two
Unravel Two is a heartwarming, story-driven game. As a couple, you will play as yarn characters. In particular, you need to solve challenges and form friendships along the way. At the same time, the game allows you to explore enchanting worlds together. The more puzzles you solve, the more special abilities you unlock.
Among Us
Among Us proves that every relationship needs a pinch of chaos. Likewise, this game presents teamwork and betrayal — in space! Plus, you can even invite your friends to play with you. The group will take turns becoming the impostor. Specifically, that player needs to go on a mission of taking out the crew. And the rest of the group will have to determine who’s the impostor before everything is too late.
Castle Crashers
Castle Crashers is an arcade adventure game on Steam. You and your partners will work as knights and save the princesses. Also, users need to defend the kingdom and smash some castles. You can even unlock several characters and weapons on your way to victory.
Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 offers team-based shooter gameplay. Similarly, players can choose from more than 40 extraordinary heroes. Team up with your partner, and the ultimate goal is to emerge victorious! At the same time, your journey together will uncover conflicts and surprise team-ups. Become a true power couple by flanking together and protecting each other.
What Did We Learn Today?
Distance doesn’t have to mean disconnect. With the right Steam games, having endless gaming dates is possible. Likewise, you may not be physically together, but you’ll be doing fun stuff with each other. And honestly, that’s what counts.
Loving someone is no joke. But so is being away from the one you love. Similarly, long-distance relationships take effort, trust, and a great deal of creativity. All of that is to maintain a strong and deep connection. With technology, you can feel closer through texts and video calls. However, that can feel repetitive over time. But there’s an underrated solution — gaming together. If you don’t know where to start, try some of these Xbox games we’ve listed for you!
FiveXBOX Games for Long-Distance couples
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley provides a quiet digital life in the countryside. As players, you and your partner will work on a farm. Together, you will try to turn overgrown fields from your grandfather into a home. Specifically, your job is to plant crops, raise animals, mine, fish, and start an orchard. Work together to maximize resources and develop the local community.
Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise is the complete opposite of the first suggestion. This one delivers chaos. As hunters in the village of Kamura, you and your loved one will go on a quest to prevent the rampage in your area. Likewise, you will gather weapons and track monsters. Each monster you take down will result in new materials to create stronger equipment.
KeyWe
KeyWe caters to couples who want less serious games. It’s a fun puzzler title. Also, players will take on the role of two kiwi birds. Partner up to work in a post office. All you have to do is get the messages delivered on time — whatever it takes.
Human: Fall Flat
Human: Fall Flat is another light-hearted game. This one is set in floating dreamscapes. The main objective is to navigate a castle by overcoming all kinds of weird obstacles. At the same time, each dream level features new surroundings to explore. So, prepare to flop, stumble, and fumble in this hilarious platformer.
Overcooked
Overcooked will test your cooking chemistry with your partner. But the twist is you’ll have to work in unusual kitchens. Similarly, the mission is to become master chefs by cooking different dishes. However, you also have to make sure that customers get served on time, or they will leave.
What Did We Learn Today?
There’s no reason to settle with Facetime and Messenger. Your long-distance relationship can thrive better with Xbox games. Likewise, gaming isn’t just about passing time. It’s about creating it together. Who knows, playing together might even open new core memories and shared experiences.
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 15, 2025.
Jeff Tweedy – ‘One Tiny Flower’, ‘Out In The Dark’, ‘Stray Cats In Spain’, and ‘Enough’
Jeff Tweedy has announced a triple album, Twilight Override, and shared not one, not two, not three, but four songs from it. ‘One Tiny Flower’ is whimsically breezy, ‘Out in the Dark’ is sparkling, ‘Enough’, ‘Stray Cats in Spain’ is the most touching, while ‘Enough’, the project’s closer, is described by Tweedy as “a summation.” He explained, “This is the light you’re working towards the whole record. It is the light that just comes to terms with–okay, it’s never gonna be enough. It’s never gonna be fully okay. You’re never gonna completely fill yourself up with all this stuff you love. You’re endless, you’re deep, you’re insatiable…if you’re doing it right. Stop thinking so fucking much about things that you can’t control.”
The Autumn Defense – ‘The Ones’
As if Jeff Tweedy announcing a triple album weren’t enough, the Autumn Defense – the duo of longtime Wilco members Pat Sansone and John Stirratt – have announced their first album in more than 11 years. Here and Nowhere will be released on October 10, and the breezily contemplative ‘The Ones’ is out now. The track is “a meditation on impermanence, and wrestling with the loss of people and things that have been meaningful in a life,” according to Sansone. “Musically, the song takes inspiration from some songs that were popular on the radio in my childhood, in which now I recognize a certain eeriness or disquiet. I thought this musical backdrop fit well with the theme of the fading of a familiar world.”
They Are Gutting a Body of Water – ‘trainers’
Few – if any – modern shoegaze bands can make fuzz sound as all-consuming as They Are Gutting a Body of Water, who are back today with the announcement of a new album LOTTO. Singer Doug Dulgarian described ‘trainers’, which only adds fuel to the argument, as “a vignette, a day in the life; desiring something wholesome while still grappling with the reality presented clearly by my subconscious. I’ve built this life for myself, idealizing escape like we all do, I live in this house built on what I can only perceive to be bad decisions and shame, of comfort and distraction. walk to the store to buy some dumb thing that won’t help, after fantasizing about escaping it all. glance back at the comfort of my house and consider staying outside in the world tonight, because the escape isn’t big enough, it just never is.”
Amanda Shires – ‘A Way It Goes’
“I can show you how he left me/ Paint a picture, growing flowers for nobody/ But I’d rather you see me thriving” are the opening lines on the first single off Nobody’s Girl, Amanda first album since her divorce from Jason Isbell. It’s nothing short of devastating. “Nobody’s Girl is what came after the wreckage, the silence, the rebuilding,” Shires shared. “It’s about standing in the aftermath of a life you thought would last forever and realizing no one is coming to save you.”
Guerilla Toss – ‘Life’s a Zoo’
Guerilla Toss have shared another preview of their Stephen Malkmus-produced fifth LP, You’re Weird Now. The joyously overstimulating ‘Life’s a Zoo’ also features vocals from Malkmus, as well as Ben Katzman vocals and guitar.
King Princess – ‘Cry Cry Cry’
King Pricess has shared a new single from her forthcoming album, Girl Violence, and it’s full of angst. “You’re gonna cry, cry, cry when you hear this,” she sings on the track, which is “about a friendship with a lady that did not work out,” according to Mikaela Straus. “Sometimes two divas create an explosion.”
Upchuck – ‘Forgotten Token’ and ‘Un Momento’
After sharing the Ty Segall-prodyced single ‘Plastic’ last month, Upchuck have announced a whole album produced and mixed by the indie rocker. I’m Nice Now, the Atlanta punk outfit’s third LP, is led by two weighty yet cathartic tracks, ‘Forgotten Token’ and ‘Un Momento’. “In this world of constant distractions and stressors it’s important to keep your mind, body, and spirit sane and sound enough to continue through this seemingly never-ending fight,” singer KT reflected. “Being a POC, by default, you’re gonna have that rage. You’re gonna have that desire for change, and that desire for the fuckery to end.”
Stay Inside – ‘Oh, Longshoreman’
Brooklyn emo band have announced a new album, Lunger, arriving October 3 on Tiny Engines, with a nocturnal, self-assuring new song ‘Oh, Longshoreman’. The follow-up to last year’s Ferried Away was co-produced by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Chris Johns and Brian DiMeglio.
Daphni – ‘Clap Your Hands’
When Dan Snaith implores you to ‘Clap Your Hands’, you simply cannot relent. Daphni’s new single is as enchanting as the recent ‘Sad Piano House’, but with a lot more oomph.
”this is a bit of a vibe shift from the restraint of sad piano house… i made this one for a set at Rainbow Disco Club in Japan and have been playing it everywhere ever since,” Snaith commented. “i’ve got a whole bunch of unreleased daphni stuff ready to go and i’m pretty much letting what fans are asking me about the most decide what comes out next. it feels great to know that there are people who have heard it in my sets that are waiting for it. it’s simple and intuitive – once i’d got the basic idea together the key was to just get out of the way and not overcomplicate it. just to make sure it hit hard and that the timing was right so that it keeps you waiting for new elements to come in just long enough.”
Winter – ‘Without You’
“This song is diving into that feeling of longing, of what we call in portuguese ‘saudades’” Samira Winter shared of her latest single Adult Romantix single. “It’s a word that is not translatable to English and describes a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for something or someone that is absent, lost, or unattainable.” Winter makes it feel graspable.
Wombo – ‘Spyhopping’
Wombo have shared a whimsical, off-kilter song called ‘Spyhopping’, which is lifted from their upcoming album Danger in Fives. Vocalist Sydney Chadwick explained: Spyhopping is a behavior by marine animals like whales, where they are checking their surroundings by poking one eye out of the water while keeping the rest of their body safely underneath. The lyrics resemble my broken train of thoughts, going from one direction to the next, and my attempt to ‘reel it in’ and become centered again. Like being underwater, and needing to, every now and then, resurface for clarity.”
The Sophs – ‘Death in the Family’
Recent Rough Trade Recordssignees The Sophs have dropped a hooky yet vulnerable new song, ‘Death in the Family’. Frontman Ethan Ramon said it’s “one of the most personal songs I’ve ever written. It confronts my complicated relationship with shame, and how, at a certain point, I had convinced myself I’d rather grieve a loved one than take any kind of accountability. Releasing it almost feels like purging those thoughts. Maybe it’s because I finally feel like I’m explaining myself clearly. Maybe I feel protected by my vulnerability. All I know is it means something to me.”
Water From Your Eyes – ‘Playing Classics’
The first single from Water From Your Eyes’ upcoming album It’s a Beautiful Life hinted at the record’s amalgamation of influences, and ‘Playing Classics’ is a straight-up dance track. As soon as Rachel Brown says “Look,” she has your attention. “’Playing Classics’ started as an attempt to transform an existing guitar piece that I had stalled on into a dance number after Rachel requested that the next album have a disco song on it – the original version was 12 minutes long,” Nate Amos explained. Brown added, “It was probably my favorite instrumental that Nate sent so it was my favorite to work on lyrically. I love disco and dance music and I had been begging him to make a super dance targeted track. I was focusing on the idea of dancing in a club despite the world falling apart outside. It was written during Brat Summer, so Charli definitely had an influence.”
Ducks Ltd. – ‘Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken’
Ducks Ltd. have teamed up with Lunar Vacation for a shimmering take on Camera Obscura’s ‘Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken’. “I first heard the Lloyd Cole song ‘Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?’ when a friend played me Rattlesnakes, which became a favorite,” Ducks Ltd. guitarist/vocalist Tom McGreevy explained. “Later I realized the Camera Obscura track was a nod to it, and I was instantly hooked—it’s an indie pop classic that channels ’80s UK influences into something fresh. We originally covered it during a radio session around Harm’s Way, and after playing it on tour, we decided to record it properly. Gep from Lunar Vacation did a killer vocal arrangement that elevated it.”
Pile – ‘Bouncing In Blue’
Pile have shared ‘Bouncing in Blue’, the wistful final single off their forthcoming album Sunshine and Balance Beams. Per a press release, it’s “a track about releasing control, letting go of certainty, and finding freedom from expectation.”
Margo Price – ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ [feat. Jesse Welles]
Margo Price has teamed up with Jesse Welles for a new single, ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’, which comes paired with a video that pays homage to Bob Dylan’s ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’. “This song began as a poem a few years ago and was initially inspired by poet Frank Stanford,” Price explained. “My husband and co-writer, Jeremy Ivey, found the idea I had scribbled from my abandoned notebook, and we resurrected it with a melody. The whole thing came together in ten minutes in one of those lightning bolt moments where you’re tapped into something bigger than yourself. I wanted to remind people of all the places and ways that we are still allowed to dream even when the outside world seems like a nightmare.”
Wyldest – ‘All It Would Take Is a Phone Call’
Wyldest is back with a stirring new song, ‘All It Would Take Is A Phone Call’, along with a video she filmed on the moors of Connemara in Western Ireland. “I came across a big egg-shaped monument called the Marconi and was fascinated by it,” she shared. “It was in the middle of nowhere – standing alone as a tribute to Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of the first wireless telecommunication device. I thought, ironically, that was a great link.”
Drain – ‘Stealing Happiness From Tomorrow’
Drain has dropped a ripper called ‘Stealing Happinness From Tomorrow’, taken from their upcoming album …Is Your Friend. It comes with a video showng the band on the road, where they spend most of their time, without their founding drummer Tim Flegal, who’s had to sit sit out recent shows as he fights cancer at home.
Saul Williams, Carlos Niño & Friends – ‘Sound then Words’
International Anthem has announced Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends At TreePeople, a new collaborative LP that’s out August 28. It was recorded in December in Los Angeles’ Coldwater Canyon Park, on the grounds of the conservationist organization TreePeople. Previewed by the track ‘Sound then Words’, the record features Kamasi Washignton’ ontenor sax, the group includes Nate Mercereau on samples and guitar synthesizer, Aaron Shaw on flute and saxophone, Andres Renteria on a bunch of different forms of percussion, sound design and electronics from Francesca Heart, and Maia on flute, vibraphone, and vocals.
Verses GT – ‘Your Light’ [feat. George Riley]
Verses GT – the duo of Jacques Greene and Nosaj Thing —have announced their self-titled debut LP, arriving September 12. The hazily intoxicating lead single ‘Your Light’, featuring George Riley, is out today. “It’s been inspiring to trust our instincts and go for it,” Jason Chung (Nosaj Thing) shared. “It feels even more meaningful doing this now, after each of us has put out a few solo records.” Philippe Aubin-Dionne (Jacques Greene) added, “I feel like trust is the key word and concept around this project, this is a 50/50 relationship and the give-and-take that comes with it.”
Groceries! – ‘Angel Number’
‘Angel Number’, the new single from Groceries!’s debut album Human Extinctions, is a delicate stunner. The record will self-released this Friday, July 18.
