Bruce Springsteen shared another previously unreleased song, ‘Faithless’, the theme to a film that was never made. He recorded the “long-lost soundtrack” over two weeks in Florida, between the end of 2005’s Devils & Dust tour and the release of 2006’s We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. “Well, I work by the rocks of the river/ Faithless, faithless, faithless/ Then I met you,” Springsteen sings. Listen to it below.
The soundtrack is one of seven albums to be unearthed for the new compilation Tracks II: The Lost Albums, which is out June 27. “This was a really unusual collection of songs,” he said in a press release. “You could recognize details and maybe a character or two. But for the most part, I just wrote atmospheric music that I thought would fit.”
To call The Stolen Girl binge-worthy wouldn’t be doing it enough justice. At only five episodes, the series almost forces you to watch it as quickly as possible, so you can get some answers and find out how the story ends.
It’s the kind of thriller with an incredible premise, unbelievable twists, and plenty of drama to keep you hooked. Not only that, but it’s making waves worldwide after dropping on Disney+. The question is: can we expect more?
The Stolen Girl Season 2 Release Date
The Stolen Girl premiered in April 2025. At the time of writing, the show hasn’t been renewed for additional episodes.
Unfortunately, it’s also unlikely that it will. Given the ending of the first installment, we don’t really see how The Stolen Girl season 2 could potentially continue the story.
That said, we would love to be wrong. We’re also sure the creators can find a way to deliver more drama in the future, as long as they have an eager audience.
The Stolen GirlCast
Holliday Grainger as Rebecca Walsh
Ambika Mod as Selma Desai
Denise Gough as Elisa Blix
Jim Sturgess as Fred Blix
Bronagh Waugh as DI Shona Sinclair
Michael Workeye as Kaleb Negasi
What Could Happen in The Stolen Girl Season 2?
The Stolen Girl revolves around Elisa, a flight attendant who arranges an overnight playdate for her daughter. The next day, however, her daughter isn’t returned – and when she and her husband go to check, they discover that she was likely taken.
What begins as a parent’s worst nightmare then spirals into a complex investigation, over the course of which long-buried secrets and personal traumas come to light. Not only that, but Elisa is forced to confront her own traumatic past if she hopes to ever see her daughter again.
The show is wild and brimming with palpable tension, occasional red herrings, and incredible twists. Additionally, the mystery is compelling enough to keep the audience furiously pressing Next Episode.
Even so, the ending of season 1 provides enough answers to make the conclusion satisfying. If The Stolen Girl season 2 were to happen, it may follow a different mystery or pick up after a significant time jump. For now, we’ll have to wait and see.
Is The Stolen Girl Based on a Book?
Yes, The Stolen Girl is an adaptation of the 2020 novel Playdate by Alex Dahl, who also served as an executive producer on the series. If you want to compare the source material with the adaptation, it makes for a gripping read.
Dance, romance, and ambition collide in Étoile, the new series from prolific duo Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino.
After delighting audiences with shows like Gilmore Girls, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Bunheads, the two deliver a ballet comedy-drama truly captivating to watch. From mesmerising performances to fast-paced dialogue, all the hallmarks fans expect are there.
So much so that, at only eight episodes, it doesn’t seem like enough. Is there more story on the way, or will the audience have to make peace with the unknown following that explosive finale?
Étoile Season 2 Release Date
Here’s the good news: Prime Video picked up the show for two seasons from the get-go. In other words, Étoile season 2 is definitely happening.
However, the show just premiered in April 2025, so there’s no official date for when it might return just yet. We’re guessing sometime in 2026, if all goes well production-wise.
ÉtoileCast
Luke Kirby as Jack McMillan
Charlotte Gainsbourg as Geneviève Lavigne
Lou de Laâge as Cheyenne Toussant
Gideon Glick as Tobias Bell
David Alvarez as Gael Rodriguez
Ivan du Pontavice as Gabin Roux
What Will Happen in Étoile Season 2?
Étoile delves into the world of professional ballet and takes place in both New York and Paris. To call it ambitious would be an understatement.
The story kicks off when artistic directors Jack McMillan of the New York Metropolitan Ballet and Geneviève Lavigne of Paris’s Le Ballet National initiate an unexpected exchange of their star dancers. All in an effort to rejuvenate their struggling, albeit prestigious ballet companies.
As a result, passionate French ballerina Cheyenne Toussant moves to the US, while American choreographer Tobias Bell challenges norms in Paris. Cue up rivalries, romances, and spectacular dance numbers that will keep you glued to the screen.
Without giving away too much, the first season ends with a passionate kiss that sets up an interesting love triangle. It’s likely that Étoile season 2 will revolve around the fallout from these complicated romantic entanglements, while also allowing the other characters to shine. We can hardly wait.
Are There Other Shows Like Étoile?
If you loved Étoile, there’s a good chance you’ll also like Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino’s other series, especially Bunheads. Unfortunately, that one was cancelled too soon, so it won’t keep you busy for longer than a week.
As a result, you can expand your horizons and sample series with similar themes. The list includes Mozart in the Jungle, Smash, Tiny Pretty Things, and Find Me in Paris.
Psychological thriller You has an interesting origin story. It was a Lifetime original series before switching to Netflix ahead of season 2. Turns out, the move was beneficial, and the show quickly became a worldwide hit.
Based on the books by Caroline Kepnes, You revolves around Joe Goldberg, a serial killer with a snarky and fascinating inner monologue. Over the course of four seasons, viewers could follow his unhinged exploits, which took him from New York to Los Angeles to London.
In season 5, Joe is back in New York, where the past seems to finally catch up with him. But is this really the end?
You Season 6 Release Date
Unfortunately, the fifth season is officially You’s swan song. Netflix announced that the thriller will end with season 5 back in 2023, and is sticking to that decision. At least for now.
The final installment premiered in April 2025 and climbed to the top of the streamer’s global top 10, proving that viewers are still interested in what kind of trouble Joe gets himself into.
Given the show’s success, there’s always a chance it will make a comeback. Whether that happens in the form of You season 6 or a spin-off, only the future can tell.
But if Dexter is any indication, serial killers have a tendency to crawl out of the TV grave for more.
YouCast
Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg
Charlotte Ritchie as Kate Lockwood-Goldberg
Griffin Matthews as Teddy Lockwood
Anna Camp as Reagan/Maddie Lockwood
Madeline Brewer as Bronte
Elizabeth Lail as Guinevere Beck
What Could Happen in You Season 6?
You follows Joe Goldberg, who works as a bookstore manager in season 1. Charming but dangerous, he gets obsessed with the women he falls in love with and finds a way to infiltrate their lives.
Before long, the “romance” devolves and takes a bloody turn. Beck, Candace, Love, Marienne – no one who falls into his orbit is safe.
In season 5, Joe returns to New York under his own name thanks to his relationship with Kate, a rich heiress. He also gets his son, Henry, back and attempts to pull off his version of happily ever after. As it always happens, another woman crosses his path and makes him reconsider his priorities.
Without giving away spoilers, the show ends on a high note, with Joe’s skeletons coming back to haunt him. That said, You leaves room for a continuation, so the thriller could easily be resurrected down the line.
If that happens, You season 6 might take place years in the future. While Penn Badgley seems content to part ways with the deranged character, time away could change his mind. Or, the show could focus on one of the other characters, like Henry. When he grows up, will he follow in his father’s footsteps?
For now, fans have to settle for rewatching the episodes already available whenever they crave more Joe.
Are There Other Shows Like You?
What makes You addictive is Joe’s internal monologue, deliciously demented, and the bonkers twists. If you already miss the series, you can compensate by streaming similar titles.
The list includes Dexter, Barry, Dead to Me, Killing Eve, The Flight Attendant, The Fall, Search Party, and How to Get Away with Murder.
Maria Somerville is a singer-songwriter who grew up in Connemara on the west coast of Ireland. She later relocated to Dublin to attend college and released her first LP, a hushed, ethereal collection of ambient pop songs called All My People, while living there. Her music drew inspiration from the landscape of her youth, and during the pandemic, she moved back to Connemara, settling into a house near where she was raised. While working on her wondrous, illuminating new album Luster, released via 4AD, she also started hosting the Early Bird Show every Monday and Tuesday morning on NTS Radio, and enlisted the help of artists including J. Colleran, Brendan Jenkinson, guitarist Olan Monk, and Lankum’s Ian Lynch. Tim Robinson, a Connemara-based cartographer, visual artist, and author who came up in our conversation, wrote: “Often when visitors ask me what they should see in this region I am at a loss. A curious hole in the ground? The memory of an old song about a drowning? Ultimately I have to tell them that this is a land without shortcuts.” Maria Somerville takes her time, remembering, finding direction, so that when words come up short, her music can still lead the way.
We caught up with Maria Somerville for the latest edition of our Artist Spotlight series to talk about moving back to Connemara, the process behind Luster, her collaborators, and more.
How do you feel now that you’ve started playing the new songs live?
It feels quite cathartic, actually, to play the new songs. They take on new forms every night. There’s a vulnerability to releasing the music; even just releasing singles or song after song, it’s kind of like, “Okay,” and then you can stay hidden. But it’s ultimately so nice, and there’s been such nice audiences so far. It’s been quite emotional.
People have naturally traced a line between your two albums: a feeling of homesickness turning into a kind of homecoming. Listening to Luster makes me feel like that line is actually blurred – like some part of that longing is fulfilled, but there’s also something new created in its place. When you moved back to Connemara, how were things different than you expected? What were some things you appreciated not just about being there, but having grown up there?
That was really special for me. When you’re 17 or 18, you don’t really appreciate things; I just wanted to leave and be anonymous and explore. I met a lot of great people that were formative for music, but when I went back, the stillness and the pace of life were very important. With the people there, as an adult, I was able to be part of the community. Knowledge gets lost along the way, so I was picking up things that I wouldn’t in the city. I don’t necessarily know in terms of music, how to separate the two – personally, maybe subconsciously, how it affected what was coming through me.
Was there a different kind of anonymity in going back than what you sought in the city?
It’s different in Connemara, because there’s so much space, and the landscape – it’s not just buildings. I had a good group of friends as well who had moved back, who played on the record, like Olan Monk and Roisin Berkley. There’s other groups who are putting on shows. A lot of people in Ireland didn’t quite get the hang of learning Irish, so we have other friends who are kind of spreading that teaching. There were just things that we were doing while I was there, and it felt really good. There’s obviously older people in the community who I would have grown up with, but I also had some peers out there. I’m sorry, I feel like I’m not answering your questions properly. [laughs]
No, that’s something I picked up on, too – even though you may say it’s an inward-looking album, it doesn’t feel lonely to me. I’m curious how separated the process was between workshopping the songs on your own and fleshing them out with your collaborators.
Yeah, I demo everything myself. I would work on that for a long time and have lots of ideas floating that I then come back to and try and flesh out. I did a sound engineering course in Galway many years ago, so I had that basic recording set up as a foundation. It was fun for me being able to do it in Connemara rather than a studio because I got to engineer things like the harp or some of the guitars from my friend Henry Earnest on ‘Garden’. Then Olan, who lives not too far away, I would go to their house and do some sessions there. But it would be kind of after. And then some things stayed the same, like ‘Halo’ and ‘Carrib’ were pretty much the first take, The ‘Garden’ vocals are the demo that came out; I tried to rerecord it, but it didn’t happen. A lot of it is a mixture of my own recordings and stuff that I did with others.
In terms of establishing a routine and the music you were consuming, did hosting the Early Bird show on NTS feed into your songwriting process?
During the pandemic, it kept me connected in a way, so that was a nice anchor to have every Monday and Tuesday. Getting up at six is a nice part of the morning. I was exposed to so much music that there wasn’t really a break when I was also writing. I mean, some of the stuff on Luster is pretty Early Bird. Some of the stuff was written before, but I’m sure, subconsciously, there’s something in there from being exposed to and influenced by different sounds.
The more time I spend with Luster, the more I appreciate its flow and sequencing. It seems to almost follow the order in which the songs were written, even if they weren’t necessarily. How intuitive was putting together that flow?
There were actually quite a few different sequences. ‘Stonefly’ was always the last on the sequences before the final one. I’d always be happy to take collaborators’ advice on those things. But there was an instinct at the very end – I changed the whole sequencing. The two sides have different feelings and different tones and sounds and frequencies, maybe. But how to articulate that in a way that makes sense, I’m not sure.
In following that instinct, did you feel like the record encapsulated the wave of time in which you recorded the album, between 2021 and 2023?
Definitely, I feel like it’s a capsule of that period of writing and making and feeling and being.
The title, too, feels like the perfect capsule, and the way it appears on the album cover really sets the tone for it. I love that it’s a different texture on the actual physical copy. What was the thinking behind it?
I’m always leaning towards minimal artwork. The view from my window at home – there’s these beautiful rocks that the light shines off, whenever it was raining anyway. It felt like it also summed up the music and the place. But the artwork, I was working with Nicola Tirabasso, who does a lot for 4AD. He was just sending ideas and saw that font; I’d been asking for something hand-drawn, and that one just felt like it worked. I love the texture and the photo of the insert.
There are varying levels of clarity in your lyrics in terms of how they’re heard in the music. I’m curious how conscious you are about which words peak out in the mix and which drift into it more; ‘Halo’, for example, feels hazier to the point of wordlessness. I understand that intentionality is harder to articulate, but are there limits to what you feel comfortable expressing through language?
With ‘Halo’, it’s probably more similar to some of the tracks on All My People. From a production point of view, it was whatever served the song; I had somebody who was mixing who thought that it was good to clean up the vocals, but it was a purely creative production decision to keep it this way. I recorded it with all of these effects, and it just served the nature of the song, more so than ‘Violet’, I guess, or ‘Spring’. It’s important to hear and have the lyrics or the voice more upfront. But maybe there is something in me that I’m still uncomfortable with expressing certain deeper themes.
Is that something you’re conscious of when it’s just words on a page, before you weave a song around them?
I generally always start with guitar and voice; I wouldn’t start with words. So I’d start first with the guitar melody, and after I’ll work out the lyrics. It just depends on the style of song I’m writing. ‘Trip’ was obviously more of a ballad-y kind of tune. ‘Halo’ was drenched in reverb when I was demoing it. Generally just whatever happens from the start, it kinda ends up going that way. There’s always a magic in the first take that when I try to go back and change it, for certain songs, it doesn’t really work. Whereas things like ‘Projections’ – I’m indebted to people who worked on it with me, like Finn [Carraher McDonald] and Henry, because it evolved from the demo hugely. That was a nice part of the process with Luster – I could only take things to a certain stage, and it was brilliant to work with people to see where things could go.
One thing that makes the record not feel so insular, but rather inviting, is that you sing about everything that is inviting you to be a part of your surroundings, to dig through the core. That’s a thread that you draw across the album, seeing what’s hidden beneath the surface. What makes you curious about the ways the world is, not just not what it seems, but inexplicably more than that?
Maybe that’s one thing from spending more time in Connemara. I was definitely reading a lot John O’Donohue, The Invisible World, and those kinds of thresholds. I suppose it was just coming through me from being there and having time.
Is there a part of that perspective that you’ve carried over into your life now, especially as you take these songs on tour?
Just looking, you know, keeping your eyes open. Even if you’re in the city, you can still see something beautiful somewhere. I remember there was a line by this artist, Dorothy Cross, that lives in Connemara. She’s incredible, and there was a quote from her, which came from Joseph Beuys. She said, “To be of it, to be in it, not to be looking at it.” And they were talking about the bug and the earth. And she was saying, “I want to be in it – in it physically,” like, “I don’t want to just paint beautiful landscapes.” She finds things that are washed up in the sea, like shark skin, things that maybe people don’t find as interesting. I remember that stuck with me for a long time. I suppose taking your time – I was feeling that there. I’m trying to carry that. It’s definitely harder for us all on tour, to have that grounding. [laughs] But we’re trying.
I like that quote. There is a lot of into with this record – I guess that’s the yearning.
And it’s universal, I suppose. It’s not just about one specific place.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Gold bracelets are part of those timeless accessories available for ages that lift an outfit. With 2025 already here, style things like well-formal day pieces. In this guide, we cover eight must-have gold bracelets that can work for almost any jewelry collection and will be sure to add sophistication and versatility.
1. Classic Chain Bracelet
Jewellery boxes will never be without the classic chain bracelet. Worthy of wearing every single day yet still playful enough to dress up or down, this line offers a classic and modern masterpiece in one. Made using gold-tone links, this adjustable gold chain bracelet provides a touch of elegance to an outfit without being overbearing. It adds an elegant, polished touch, either on its own or layered with others.
2. Bangle Bracelet
Bangles have been trending for centuries now, and no sign of stopping either. These little solid gold circles can be worn alone or in multiples for a dramatic impact. Because of their uniform shape and shiny finish, they work perfectly with all types of outfits. Bangladesh’s versatile nature of bangles makes it no surprise that these are a necessity each gem steward must have.
3. Cuff Bracelet
Cuff bracelet: What a bold and modern style. Cuffs are a popular bracelet; however, unlike a typical bracelet, they will never close entirely, accommodating varied wrist sizes. They come in multiple widths and styles, and can be engraved with complex designs or left untextured for a minimalist effect. A gold cuff is dramatic and refined, so it should be a statement piece in any collection.
4. Charm Bracelet
Armed with personalization, charm bracelets are customized with multiple charms that can each tell a story about interests or experiences. Gold charm bracelets take this idea of personalization and combine it with the sexy glimmer of gold, for one singular accessory that is perfectly you. Since charms can be added or removed, these bracelets change over time and tell a story of their own depending on the owner of the bracelet.
5. Beaded Bracelet
Clasping strands of similarly beaded blocks of gold together would make the beaded bracelet adorably fashionable and glam as well. These bracelets usually consist of a variety of bead sizes or are combined with other materials such as gemstones to create colors and textures. In addition to their visual appeal, the tactile quality of beaded bracelets provides a fun wearing experience that offers an unexpected statement piece.
6. Tennis Bracelet
The tennis bracelet, one of the most elegant styles, features a single strand of gold and gemstones (often in the form of a continuous line of diamonds). This bracelet is quite elegant and minimalist, which makes it a preferred choice for formal occasions as well. A tennis bracelet is a beautiful piece of jewelry that adds a level of luxury and class to any collection.
7. Link Bracelet
Link bracelets consist of loops of gold connected, and they are a classic and trendy choice. With a range of delicate to chunky link types, these bracelets can be customized to fit any style. They are specifically designed to be resistant yet trendy so that you can wear them daily as well as in special events.
8. Filigree Bracelet
The filigree bracelet is perfect for anyone who loves elaborate designs. Bracelets made with fine threads of gold are a work of art that can never be the same. This is because they are light and airy, making them perfectly suited for adding some elegance without overshadowing other accessories.
Closing Thoughts
Gold bracelets remain at the top of the list of must-have items in your jewellery box in 2025. Whether it’s the all-time favorite classic chain or a charm bracelet that can stay catchy with a little bit of personalization, these pieces cater to all. The different styles of bracelets offer something special and allow any outfit to be balanced. These eight gold-made bracelets are bound to be a perfect fusion of tradition and contemporary, thus serving a timeless elegance that stays with you the longest and prepares you for any occasion.
Stormwater management is essential for environmental health and community safety. Good sampling and monitoring equipment will furnish the fundamental data required for analyzing water quality and regulating pollution.
When you pick the right tools, you will have effective management practices, which in turn result in better-protected ecosystems and human communities. If you want stormwater sampling explained well and understand how to choose the right equipment for it, this post will help. So, read on.
Understanding the Basics
Before considering equipment selection, it is worth noting that you must first understand the fundamentals of stormwater sampling. Stormwater is water from precipitation, such as rain or snow, that moves over pavement, rooftops, and other surfaces. This type of water can absorb pollutants, transferring them into bodies of water.
Monitoring is the measurement of water quality through parameters such as pH, turbidity, and various types of pollutants. These processes are essential for regulatory compliance, environmental quality, and urban planning.
Identifying Your Needs
Needs-based analysis is key to effective equipment selection. Think about the main goals of the monitoring program. Are they to align with regulations, preserve natural ecosystems, or cope with urban systems? The data and hardware types differ for each goal.
Site conditions, including features of the terrain where the equipment will be used, climate, and existing infrastructure, will also be a big factor in the type of equipment chosen. Knowing this helps in limiting your options.
Types of Equipment
Different stormwater sampling and monitoring equipment are available. For example, automatic samplers may take samples either at fixed time intervals or when certain events happen (e.g., rainfall). These devices are great for long-term, permanent sampling.
For comparison, grab samplers individually and take samples by hand, allowing for more control of exactly when a sample is taken. The next category is sensors and probes that provide real-time measurements for parameters and allow you to instantly know how your water quality is doing, like temperature, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen, to mention a few.
Assessing the Functions of the Equipment
Sampling and monitoring equipment have many features that need to be evaluated. It will be durable and resistant to weather, which is a necessity for outdoor equipment that gets a lot of exposure to the elements. The high-quality data that is collected based on the sensitivity and accuracy of its equipment makes these features a must-have for accurate results.
But do not overlook the ease of use and maintenance, too, as they will affect the efficiency of your operations and your long-term costs. Integration with other systems and the ability to connect to data remotely are important new features as well.
All Brands are Different
Looking at different brands and types expands knowledge about available options. We don’t specifically call out brand names here, but check around for manufacturers who offer quality and reliability.
Research in the form of reviews, case studies, and expert opinions can provide important insights into how a product performs. Analyzing their warranties, customer support, and service choices can all be useful in deciding on a product.
Budget Considerations
Although equipment choice can often be constrained by budget, consider not just the upfront price tag but also the ongoing financial commitment. Even if high-end models can provide sophisticated features, they might not be required.
When assessing options, factor in potential savings from increased efficiency or decreased maintenance. Logistics should reflect the purpose of the program as much as possible while being cost-effective.
Regulatory Compliance
Stormwater management and compliance with regulatory standards are key focus areas. Select equipment that complies with applicable guidelines and standards developed by local, state, or federal authorities.
Lack of compliance can lead to penalties and derail project success. Know the relevant regulations and ensure equipment specifications meet them. Similarly, reaching out to experts or regulatory bodies is an additional form of guidance.
Training and Support
Accessing various stormwater sampling equipment can be challenging without adequate training and support, and providing good training to operators to utilize the full capability of the equipment. Most manufacturers provide training programs or materials to help you with this.
Having access to tech support can also help mitigate problems or get the most out of the gear. Appropriate investment in training and support ensures greater effectiveness and reliability of monitoring activities.
Conclusion
Picking the right stormwater sampling and monitoring equipment involves a thorough appraisal of needs, types of equipment, features, budget, and regulation compliance.
When you consider these factors, you will be able to choose tools that improve efficiency, meet compliance, and aid in human health. The right choice of equipment not only supports the monitoring objectives but also sustainable water management practices. Better stormwater management can benefit communities and ecosystems through informed choices.
The 9-to-5 grind is fading as digital nomads redefine work and lifestyle. Unbound by location and driven by freedom, they’re thriving from Bali to Barcelona. Fast Wi-Fi, strong coffee, and rooftop co-living fuel a borderless life where flexibility matters more than routine, signalling a new economy centred on autonomy, experience, and living without limits.
A Cultural Shift in Work and Life
Remote work was once a perk. Now, for many, it’s the default. The new age has normalised Zoom meetings from kitchen tables and Slack messages sent from mountain lodges. This shift didn’t just disrupt corporate culture, it catalysed a movement.
Digital nomadism represents a broader cultural trend: a desire for autonomy over location, schedule, and even income streams. In this freedom economy, people are designing lives that prioritise experiences over possessions, time over money, and meaning over metrics.
The Rise of Tools for the Unbound
With this shift has come a wave of new platforms and tools. Co-working apps like Croissant and Deskpass let nomads tap into flexible spaces across the globe. Services like Nomad List offer data on the cost of living, weather, and community vibes in hundreds of cities. Meanwhile, cloud-based everything, from banking to productivity suites, ensures that mobility never compromises efficiency.
Alongside mainstream platforms, digital nomads are increasingly also turning to fringe ecosystems that offer even more control, especially when it comes to how they entertain, spend, and manage their time online. For instance, when it comes to iGaming, some international players would prefer to explore a casino not on GamStop, as part of a larger trend of individuals seeking services that mirror a lifestyle that is mobile, accessible, and minimally restricted.
For digital nomads, especially those moving between countries, these platforms offer more flexible options without the geo-restrictions or signup barriers often associated with UK-licensed providers.
Leisure in Motion
Contrary to the cliché, being a digital nomad doesn’t mean working all day with a cocktail in hand. Burnout is real, and balancing exploration with productivity requires structure. Many nomads carve out specific routines: coworking before lunch, a language class in the afternoon, and downtime with digital platforms, whether streaming shows, gaming, or engaging with online hobbies. Leisure becomes a conscious part of the work-life blend.
Just as a remote professional might choose a city with great hiking trails to unwind, they may also prefer entertainment platforms that offer them more control and freedom, free from geographic or regulatory constraints.
The Economics of Choice
Living as a digital nomad isn’t just about chasing sunsets, it’s a strategic economic move. Many earn through freelance gigs, remote contracts, or by building startups and passive income streams. Navigating multiple currencies, payment systems, and time zones, they rely on tools like cryptocurrencies, borderless banking (such as Wise or Revolut), and flexible payment platforms to stay agile.
This demand for financial flexibility shapes how nomads unwind as well, as they seek services and platforms that mirror their need for autonomy. Whether for work or leisure, these tools help maintain balance and consistency in a constantly shifting lifestyle.
Building Community Across Borders
While freedom is central to the digital nomad lifestyle, so is connection. Constant travel can be isolating, which is why many nomads actively seek out communities designed for remote professionals, through meetups, coworking hubs, or language exchanges.
These interactions go beyond networking; they foster a sense of belonging in ever-changing environments. Cities like Lisbon, Medellín, and Tbilisi have become magnets for nomads not just because of affordability or infrastructure, but because of the vibrant, welcoming cultures they offer. In a life without fixed roots, shared experiences and local friendships become the foundation for stability and growth.
What Lies Ahead?
As governments start to recognise the economic contribution of digital nomads, visa programmes are emerging to accommodate them. Countries like Estonia, Portugal, and Barbados now offer specific visas aimed at remote workers, legitimising a lifestyle that, until recently, was seen as a temporary workaround.
What hasn’t yet caught up is regulation around global digital services. Most national frameworks still assume that users are static; that someone logging in from Manchester today will still be there tomorrow. But for the growing number of people who live across time zones and borders, that assumption no longer holds. This makes fringe services a growing part of how digital nomads navigate life, finance, and entertainment.
Conclusion
The freedom economy is more than a trend, it’s a shift in values. As more people seek autonomy over their time, place, and resources, tools that enable this lifestyle will continue to thrive. What digital nomads are quietly proving is that life doesn’t need to follow a conventional structure to be successful or fulfilling. It just needs to be mobile, intentional, and unrestricted.
The Bully of Barkham Street is a work of juvenilia, written by Mary Stolz and published in 1963. It was a companion piece to A Dog on Barkham Street, which had been published two years earlier. I read them both as a preteen in the 1970s. (There is also, as I just discovered, a third title in the series: 1985’s The Explorer of Barkham Street, which seems akin in its gratuitousness to The Godfather Part III.)
The protagonists of ADog on Barkham Street are the young Edward Frost, his best friend Rod, and their families. Crucial to the book’s development is the arrival of Edward’s free-spirited Uncle Josh and his dog, Argess.
Edward is plagued by his next-door neighbor, Martin Hastings, the lumbering bully of the block, hated and feared by the neighborhood kids and scorned by the adults. In TheBully of Barkham Street, Martin becomes the protagonist. The narrative is drawn from his viewpoint, with Edward Frost and company the secondary characters.
The Bully of Barkham Street made a colossal impression on me, which on some level I can’t fully explain, nor can I fully explain why the book has stayed with me all these decades later. There were always kids like Martin Hastings about. To say I felt no affinity for them whatsoever is a polite understatement. But Stolz’s narrative rejiggering–Martin as a secondary character in one book, as protagonist in another–fascinated me. I had never come across that before and remember—vividly—that sense of discovery.
There is an element of authorial bravery to plot a book from the perspective of a bully: an unsympathetic, loathsome figure. Stolz walks a fine line, her subtle perch neither downplaying Martin’s bullying nor condoning it, but offering abundant explanation. For one, Bully of Barkham Street reveals that its bully-victim dynamic is slightly more complicated than is portrayed in Dog on Barkham Street. Edward and his friends are not entirely victims, but also instigators, tormenting Martin with cries of fatso and blimpo.
The friendless Martin is in sixth grade, a year older than his classmates and he is—in the unforgiving parlance of the day—fat. His spelling and handwriting are atrocious. Diagnostic understanding, in 1963, was not a thing. Kids like Martin with learning issues were plopped into school and, for the duration, made to feel stupid.
He is also impulsive and undisciplined, lacking the ability to properly care for his beloved dog, Rufus, who—after ample parental warnings—is given away. The presence of the dog Argess—right next door at the Frost household—becomes an endless torment for Martin, a constant reminder that his own ineptitude has cost him his beloved dog.
Bully of Barkham Street also offers an in-depth exploration of the Hastings family. Matin is in constant conflict with his popular, well-adjusted older sister, Marietta. (This equals Martin Marietta, the name of a corporation. One would hope this is sheer coincidence and not some weird product placement.) His father works for an insurance company and is physically and emotionally absent from the household. His mother sells “cosmetics in people’s houses, and it kept her pretty busy afternoons… because the Hastings family needed the extra money she made.” Martin often comes home to an empty house. His family is by no means poor. But there is the steady undercurrent of economic insecurity.
Martin is coarse and hectoring, but he has an active imagination—too active—and he possesses a perceptiveness about the foibles of the adult world. He is antiauthoritarian—misplaced and self-destructive as it may be: “Grown-ups filled him with defiance.” There is an admirable reservoir of cunning, enabling him to wiggle out of potential punishment by confusing the issue at hand: “That was what nearly always happened when grown-ups had ‘little talks’ with him. They started out talking about one thing and ended up in all sort of other directions…”
Bully of Barkham is in–believe it or not–Leave it to Beaver terrain: the same era, the same age cohort, the same vague, but distinctive geographic locus. That show was a much less idealized depiction of family life than is commonly assumed—and also harsher in some of its depictions than people realize. One can’t help reference Larry Mondello, Beaver’s schlubby, good-natured friend. Mr. Mondello is always away and—as is the case with most fathers on Leave it to Beaver—he inspires a good deal of fear. Martin Hastings can be construed as the malevolent Larry Mondello.
I also found Bully of Barkham Street extraordinarily moving—again, for reasons I can’t fully understand. Martin receives the high honor playing reveille on his bugle for the school play. He is uncharacteristically diligent, practicing faithfully and executing a flawless rendition. But on the night of the play, he peers out at the audience from backstage, searching for his mother: “He turned to see his mother, to wave to her and show her how he was one of the good ones this time, and found her yawning widely.
“And after that everything went wrong. He had such a feeling of being let down by evidence of her boredom that all the fun went out of the evening for him.”
Then the unthinkable happens: He steps on stage, puts the bugle to his lips, and produces a “hideous mess,” ruining it completely.
“He looked painfully, through blurred eyes, toward his mother. She wasn’t yawning now. She was sitting up stiff and straight, and when she caught his eye, wriggled her fingers at him and smiled, pretending everything was fine.” But he bravely completes his garbled reveille, returning later to thunderous applause. And, as his mother explains later, she is not bored, but simply tired.
By the book’s end, Martin comes to the point of realization that his methods of functioning are unsustainable: “A step at a time, Martin made his way out of the bully’s desert.” He garners a coveted slot as a paperboy and–with the help of melon and what’s unappetizingly referred to as “dietetic cookies”—makes a conscious effort to slim down. One gets the sense that things will be okay.
When I read Bully of Barkham Street in the early 1970s, the outdated slang puzzled me, but was not a major impediment. The book abounds with creaky vernacular like crums, for the luva mud, in a pig’s eye. Stolz was evidently writing for the 1950s. Yet I didn’t find Bully of Barkham Street all that dated. Eras morphed and shifted, which made for a fascinating, eclectic mélange. The 1950s, to a large extent, were still alive and well. Kojak and The Partridge Family were some of my viewing staples, as was endless news about the Vietnam War. But The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy, and Humphrey Bogart movies were staples as well. Even some physical books from the 1940s made it into my reading life. When I was reading the Barkham books, World War I, silent movies, and the Great Depression were living memories for a good chunk of the population.
I doubt The Bully of Barkham Street would hold any interest whatsoever for today’s young reader. And it might be a stretch to credit it as the forerunner to the more realistic school of YA; a proto-Outsiders. A contemporaneous KirkusReview lauds the book, but does not find its realism and psychological sophistication startling or even exceptional, which suggests that less rose-colored juvenilia like Bully of Barkham Street was not such an anomaly in 1963. But it still stands out as a work of ingenuity, depth, and emotional power.
The Bully on Barkham Street is, in its own way a bildungsroman, albeit on a small, nondramatic scale. The assumption is that Martin has tamed most of what has bedeviled him and is ready to proceed, more at peace with himself, his family, and the world. It is not the stuff of high drama. But—ultimately–that is the stuff of true profundity
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, April 30, 2025.
Turnstile – ‘Seein’ Stars’ and ‘Birds’
Turnstile have shared two more songs from their upcoming album Never Enough. ‘Seein’ Stars’ is airy and danceable, a more fully-formed version of what the title track offered us, while ‘Birds’ is more in line with the kind of anthemic hardcore that Turnstile built their name on. The tracks come paired with a double video directed by the band’s own Brendan Yates and Pat McCrory.
Indigo De Souza – ‘Heartthrob’
Indigo De Souza is shoegazing things up with ‘Heartthrob’, the driving lead single from her new album Precipice. “I wrote ‘Heartthrob’ as a way to help process something that is often hard to talk about—the harmful ways I’ve been taken advantage of in my physical memory,” De Souza explained. “‘Heartthrob’ is about harnessing anger, and turning it into something powerful and embodied. It’s about taking back my body and my experience. It’s a big fuck you to the abusers of the world. A sarcastic, angry cry for all bodies that have ever been touched in harmful ways.”
Debby Friday – ‘All I Wanna Do Is Party’
Debby Friday has announced her next album, The Starrr of the Queen of Life, and shared ‘All I Wanna Do Is Party’, which makes for a bold, hedonistic introduction. “The video is really about discipline and craft,” she shared. “It’s about the transformations that happen when you devote yourself to a process over time. The starrr is a metaphor for all these thoughts I have around fame, success, failure, love, power, god, death, life, everything. My starrr is in me, and your starrr is in you, and it’s just a matter of surrendering to it.”
Kacey Musgraves – ‘Lost Highway’ (Hank Williams Cover)
Kacey Musgraves has signed to the newly relaunched Nashville-based label Lost Highway, marking the announcement with a pretty straightforward cover of Hank Williams’ ‘Lost Highway’. “Lost Highway was always a musical stable for artists who might be considered outliers or outlaws; those who live on the fringe,” Musgraves explained. “In 2011, when other record labels questioned my songwriting and my more traditional country sound, Lost Highway believed in me, signing me to my first label deal and helped me take my music around the world. That journey has now come full circle in such a special way with John Janick and Interscope and I’m deeply honored to be able to once again call Lost Highway my musical home.”
Hotline TNT – ‘Candle’
Hotline TNT are gearing up for the release of their new album Raspberry Moon, and today they’ve shared the fuzzy, infatuated ‘Candle’. “This song was the first thing we wrote for Raspberry Moon – it flowed out of our guitars quite effortlessly and it barely required even 1% of our power to put the parts in the correct order,” Will Anderson commented. “Just to make sure it was as good as we thought it was, we brought the song over to Japan, and this video documents the reaction from that experiment. ‘Candle’ is LIT.”
Sufjan Stevens – ‘With Dignity (Demo)’
Following ‘Mystery of Love (Demo)’, Sufjan Stevens has shared another demo that will appear on the deluxe reissue of his 2015 album Carrie & Lowell. The previously unheard version of ‘Death With Dignity’ is as lovely as you’d expect.
MIKE and Tony Seltzer – ‘WYC4’
MIKE and Tony Seltzer have previewed their forthcoming collaborative record, Pinball II, with a hypnotic new song called ‘WYC4’. It comes paired with a music video directed by Ian Lopez.
Blondshell – ‘Event of a Fire’
Ahead of the release of her new album If You Asked for a Picture on Friday, Blondshell has shared a new track, ‘Event of a Fire’, which is the most vulnerable single off the LP. The track was inspired by a 4am hotel fire evacuation outside Boston while Blondshell was on tour. “It’s not really ‘what if I’m burnt out from touring,’” Sabrina Teitelbaum explained. “It’s like, ‘what if I’m burnt out from just existing?”
Barbra Streisand – ‘The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face’ [feat. Hozier]
Barbra Streisand has enlisted Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Sting, and more for a new duets album, The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume Two. Today, she’s shared rendition of ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ featuring Hozier, who commented: “Barbra Streisand is one of the most enduring and iconic vocalists of our time, and somebody who defined an era with the sheer force of her voice, her talent, charisma and vision. To be asked to join her on a duet was a huge honour and came as a wonderful and welcome surprise. Ewan MacColl’s ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’, made famous by the stunning Roberta Flack recording, has always mystified me. It is, to me, one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. Like so many, I was deeply saddened to hear of her recent passing. Along with the honour I have to sing on this record with Barbra, I hope this duet offers something of a gesture to Roberta Flack’s incredible legacy.”
Mal Blum – ‘I’m So Bored’
Mal Blum has announced a new album, The Villain. It’s out July 11, and the lead single I’m So Bored’, which explores the dissolution of a relationship, is out today. Its biggest dig? “You don’t have friends/ You have meetings.” In a statement, Blum shared: “On one hand, ‘I’m So Bored’ is about a very specific moment of disillusionment in a power-imbalanced relationship, when you realize someone’s bad behavior is actually so predictable that it’s almost trite. The other layer is clearly about myself — mired in familiar patterns, tired of my own bullshit, making cyclical mistakes.”
Miya Folick – ‘Laid’ (James Cover)
In a Reddit thread, people theorized that everyone from Chappell Roan to Waxahatchee is singing the cover of James’ classic ‘Laid’ that serves as the theme song for Peacock’s acclaimed new series of the same name. It’s actually Miya Folick, and her rendition is officially out today.
TOPS – ‘ICU2’
TOPS have signed to Ghostly International, marking the announcement with a dynamic, flirty new single, ‘ICU2’, which they debuted at Coachella. The song arrives with a lo-fi music video directed by Frankie Ray.
Benny the Butcher – ‘Duffel Bag Hottie’s Revenge’ [feat. Boldy James]
Benny the Butcher has announced a new seven-song project, Excelsior, which is out Friday and features Styles P, Skyler Blatt, P.R.E.M.O., Sule, and Fuego Base. Boldy James appears on the lead single ‘Duffel Bag Hottie’s Revenge’, which coasts on a hypnotic horn loop from producer Nunchuk.
Kae Tempest – ‘Know Yourself’
Kae Tempest has announced his fifth studio album, Self Titled, with ‘Know Yourself’, a striking conversation with his younger self. “I love this song,” the rapper said. “It samples a lyric I wrote years ago, where my younger self is talking to their younger self. A dialogue between selves across time, in real time. Or maybe I could put that simpler – When I was young I sought help from my older self. I came into my head, I told me know yourself.”
Béton Armé – ‘Chemin De Croix’
Montreal oi band Béton Armé have dropped a strutting, anthemic new single, ‘Chemin De Croix’. It leads their forthcoming record Renaissance, which arrives on June 13.
Sally Shapiro – ‘Did You Call Tonight’
The theme of ‘Did You Call Tonight’, the latest single from Sally Shapiro’s new album Ready to Live a Lie, is microcheating. “Musically it’s inspired by 80s electro breakbeat, a bit slower and funkier than our usual style,” the duo noted. It makes you focus a bit more on the story, and it’s quite evocative.
Kassie Krut – Hooh Beat (Panda Bear Remix)
Kassie Krut have announced an expanded edition of their self-titled debut EP. Ahead of its June 6 release, they’ve shared Panda Bear’s take on ‘Hoot Beat’; the band is going on tour with the Animal Collective member, along with Toro y Moi, in May.
Avalon Emerson – ‘On It Goes’
Avalon Emerson has shared ‘On It Goes’, an exhilarating new track built on a Storm Queen sample. It’s the latest offering from the DJ and producer’s new project Perpetual Emotion Machine.
