Search
SUBSCRIBE
Home Blog Page 2

Album Review: Daphni, ‘Butterfly’

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Album Review: Daphni, ‘Butterfly’

Nowhere is the blurring of Dan Snaith’s alter egos more apparent than in a live setting. Or, more specifically in my experience, the setting of Barcelona’s Primavera Sound: When the London-based producer was beginning to roll out his new Daphni album, Butterfly, last June, he played the opening festivities with a set dominated by the club-oriented material on Caribou’s latest album, Honey. A couple of years earlier, I’d caught his late-night set as Daphni when the then-dance-focused project was gaining steam off his 2022 album Cherry. With zero context around Snaith’s rich musical history, it could seem like Daphni had simply received an upgrade. On the new LP, Snaith acknowledges the convergence by “featuring” Caribou on highlight ‘Waiting So Long’, but more crucially seeks to stretch the perceived boundaries – and functional pulse – of Daphni, all with the live show in mind. “I guess the point of these Daphni records is to keep in mind a more expansive idea of dance music where the parameters are broad and the church is broad,” Snaith said in press materials. With Butterfly‘s dazzling, unfettered flow, he keeps the listener guessing, too.

1. Sad Piano House

No less satisfying for how self-explanatory it is, ‘Sad Piano House’ is also sneakily self-referential, updating the track ‘Cloudy’ from Daphni’s previous album. Like the track’s title, its sense of melancholy seems to have stuck the way we rarely intend it to; unspoken, or rather barely vocalized, unable to drown out a groove that also clearly isn’t going away anytime soon. For a moment, it almost steps out into another room, but the juxtaposing energies this one contains are too irresistible.

2. Clap Your Hands

The contrast between ‘Clap Your Hands’ and the opener is starker than that song’s internal contradictions; though similarly on-the-nose (you hope the handclaps are left to the audience in a live context), it seems to skip to the peak of a DJ set, where everybody’s bound to succumb to its hard bounce and wobbly bass. The only element complicating it is a searing noise that you wish turned out a bit more abrasive.

3. Hang

‘Hang’ is all tease, yet Snaith manages to stretch it to standard pop-song length, resting on bits of horn-infused release. Then it tightens and squiggles, rising to the foreground before being abruptly cut off.

4. Lucky

The track slinks down to the ground, keeping a mischievous grin on its face even as it turns the pulse ambient. By contrast, the bass stomping over it at random intervals sounds gargantuan.

5. Waiting So Long

The joyous, celebratory potential of dance music as affirmed by the Daphni project bears fruit on ‘Waiting So Long’, which is notably billed as a Caribou collaboration on account of its vocals. Four tracks is not a long time to wait for the album’s more anthemic side to emerge, but perhaps the confluence of Snaith’s aliases feels more long-awaited. Still, ‘Waiting So Long’ remains more about the waiting than the release, holding itself back just enough.

6. Napoleon’s Rock

Though transitory, ‘Napoleon’s Rock’ coasts on an organic arrangement that’s intriguing for the less-than-a-minute it lasts. What if he made more anthems out of these subtly complex strains of ideas?

7. Good Night Baby

Snaith is quick to offer an answer, delivering a gorgeously liminal and emotionally gooey track that apparently originated as mostly the final drums-heavy section. It’s ever-evolving in a way not every track on Butterfly is; a mid-album cut that would obviously go off as a set closer.

8. Talk to Me

Released as a pair with ‘Good Night Baby’, ‘Talk to Me’ is pitched as “polar opposite,” though not in the way that you might expect. It sounds like the kind of song poised for euphoric release, but crouches down right when you think it’s about to deliver. Rather than fleshing things out, the song became an exercise in restraint, which might underwhelm on a cursory listen – enough to tune it out and start talking – but can hit hard with the right headphones or, as Snaith puts it, “on a big soundsystem.”

9. Two Maps

Playful to the point of being cartoonish, ‘Two Maps’ also has one of the album’s most engaging progressions, as if more allergic to repetition than reliant on it. Though almost traditionalist rave music, it builds to a conclusion that’s infectiously off-kilter.

10. Josephine

Did you know that Dan Snaith, as Caribou, has collaborated with Fred.. again? I didn’t, but ‘Josephine’ had me wondering, and my suspicions were confirmed. If that idea is not particularly exciting to you, Snaith surprises the listener by twisting the track in a colourful direction after the first minute, as if hungry for a greater sense of abandon.

11. Miles Smiles

Neither an interlude nor a full-fledged song, the track glides on that liminal space Snaith is always good at thickening.

12. Goldie

As the album digs into more industrial sounds, the puckish vocal sample and metallic percussion prove that it’s a more audacious if dishevelled record than its predecessor, though at this point you’re eager for it to come alive again.

13. Caterpillar

And so it does, with a track that leaves no frequency uncoloured. Squibling, twinkling, shuffling – ‘Caterpillar’ has more than enough to keep you moving and wondering: What could the butterfly sound like?

14. Shifty

The track ratchets up the tempo, but not without continually twitching and threatening to derail it. I mean, it is called ‘Shifty’.

15. Invention

Like ‘Napoleon’s Rock’, ‘Invention’ creates a curious live-band feel without fully developing it. It’s almost off-putting, the way the harpsichord and jaw harp seem to vie for space in what’s already a pretty skeletal environment.

16. Eleven

Snaith finishes the album off with one of his most classically fleshed-out house tracks, infusing it with a sense of shimmering resolve. The synth melody is perfectly moody but unremarkable compared to the vocal samples that sneakily animate the track. It was accompanied by a music video showing an innertube being dragged on a lake, and to use the metaphor of the producer steering a boat, Snaith’s intention is never just to throw you off. But you can imagine him looking back and seeing a butterfly fluttering across the ocean’s surface, delighted at the thought of mimicking it.

How Managed Homes Are Turning Living Spaces Into Modern Income Streams

Our Culture Mag & Partners
-
0
How Managed Homes Are Turning Living Spaces Into Modern Income Streams

A spare flat, a second home, or an underused guest suite can sit dormant for months—quietly costing money while doing very little. More owners are starting to treat these spaces less like “extra property” and more like a managed asset: something that can generate income without becoming a second job.

That shift is largely driven by professional management. Instead of owners handling guest messages at midnight or coordinating cleaners between bookings, a management team runs the operational layer. Some owners work with local operators; others use specialist providers like First Class Property Management when they want a structured system and clear accountability.

This isn’t about turning every home into a hotel. It’s about making a home rentable in a way that stays consistent—on presentation, upkeep, and communication.

What a “managed home” actually means

A managed home is simply a property with a repeatable operating process wrapped around it. The property might be rented long-term, mid-term, or short-term, but the concept is the same: the work is standardised and owned by someone other than the landlord.

In practical terms, management usually covers:

  • a single point of contact for guests or tenants
  • scheduling cleaning, inspections, and access
  • maintenance triage and vendor coordination
  • inventory and restocking (for short stays)
  • reporting that shows what happened and what it cost

When these pieces are consistent, the property stops running on improvisation.

Where the income lift really comes from

Owners often assume higher income is mostly about charging more. In practice, performance tends to improve through a few operational levers that don’t require dramatic changes.

Fewer dead days on the calendar
Fast turnovers and reliable readiness reduce gaps between bookings. A shorter gap can outperform a higher nightly rate that leaves more empty nights.

Fewer avoidable refunds and disputes
Clear check-in instructions, quick issue resolution, and good documentation reduce the expensive problems: cancellations, compensation, deposit disputes, and repeat complaints.

Pricing that stays aligned with demand
The goal isn’t a perfect price once. It’s steady adjustment based on seasonality, lead time, and booking patterns—without undermining quality.

Condition preservation
Well-run properties usually cost less over time because small issues are caught early (leaks, humidity problems, appliance drift) instead of becoming major repairs.

If you’re trying to sanity-check the numbers behind short stays, a breakdown like how much you can earn from a Dubai holiday home can be a useful starting point for thinking through occupancy, nightly rates, seasonality, and costs—while keeping in mind results vary by location, property type, and execution.

The operations that make the model sustainable

A managed home only works long-term if the home doesn’t get worn out by the process. The “boring” systems matter most.

Turnovers that protect finishes

Short stays can be tough on a home if resets are rushed. Strong management standardises:

  • cleaning methods by surface (stone, timber, metal, upholstery)
  • a simple restock minimum (so you don’t overbuy and bin unused items)
  • quick photo checks that catch damage early

Maintenance that’s preventive, not reactive

The homes that hold up best usually have routines:

  • HVAC filter and drain-line checks
  • moisture checks around kitchens and baths
  • sealant and grout inspection in wet zones
  • a clear escalation rule for repeat issues

Access control and accountability

Key control, smart locks, and vendor access windows sound minor—until something goes wrong. Good management reduces risk by controlling access and closing out work with notes and invoices owners can actually follow.

Dubai as a clear example of the “managed home” effect

Dubai’s short-stay market makes the operational model easy to see because standards are high and demand can be seasonal. Owners who treat the property like a system—consistent resets, fast response, disciplined maintenance—tend to avoid the performance swings that come from messy operations.

The bigger lesson applies anywhere: income is rarely limited by the home’s “potential.” It’s limited by how reliably the home can be presented, serviced, and supported.

What to ask before you hand over the keys

Whether you’re renting long-term or short-term, these questions quickly reveal whether a manager has a real process:

  • What does your weekly/monthly routine look like (inspections, preventive checks, reporting)?
  • What counts as urgent, and what’s the escalation process?
  • How do you manage vendors—scope, quality checks, and close-out documentation?
  • If short-stay: what’s your turnover checklist, and who signs it off?
  • How do you prevent repeat problems (the same leak, the same AC fault, the same complaint)?
  • What’s included in your fee, and what triggers extra charges?

The takeaway

Managed homes are becoming modern income streams because they replace owner effort with systems: consistent turnovers, maintenance discipline, controlled access, and reporting that keeps decisions clear. When those pieces are in place, renting out a home can feel less like constant coordination—and more like a property that runs predictably while still being treated with care.

Bratakus Premiere New Song ‘Tonight’: Listen and Read the Q&A

Priya Elan
-
0
Bratakus Premiere New Song ‘Tonight’: Listen and Read the Q&A

“We’re a very political band,” says Brèagha Cuinn, one half of punk rock band Bratakus. “It’s so easy to get burned out with political stuff and feeling you’re fighting a losing battle, so it’s important to share the messages in our songs so people don’t feel alone.”

Cuinn, along with her bandmate/sister  Onnagh, are set to release their second album Hagridden on February 13, a relentless, widescreen Stoogian politico-punk manifesto. The songs are like ten electric shocks railing against late-stage capitalism and white patriarchy, moored by Breagha’s pencil-sharpenings’ voice, which punches its messages with the phlegmy tone of Linda Blair in The Exorcist. “Almost every time I come off stage, a guy will come up to me and say:’ I didn’t expect such a big, powerful voice to come out of such a tiny wee girl,” Breaghan says, sitting next to her sister over Zoom. “It correlates to what things are seen as ‘feminine’ and less powerful.” The album includes the explosive ‘Turnstile’ which features the giant-footstep drums from The Hives Chris Dangerous; Behave which is about being groped at a gig (“It’s really disheartening the amount of reckless macho aggression is prominent at a lot of shows”); and the propulsive ‘Final Girls’, which takes the horror movie trope – that the chaste, ‘good girl’ survives the killer – and applies it to the modern world. “The onus shouldn’t be on women to behave in a certain way in order to be safe or respected,” explains Breagha.

Since they began a decade ago, do they think sexism has decreased in the alternative scene? “That’s a kind of hard question to answer,” says Onnagh. “I wouldn’t say I’ve noticed a huge improvement since we began.” Breaghan says that what she has seen an increase in is ‘fake inclusivity’. “At festivals you will get these performative gestures like ‘Ladies Night’ which are attempts to combat critiques that there aren’t any women on the line up. But they will happen on the Thursday, before anyone has actually got to the festival,” she says. “Why not just have a more diverse line up?”

The duo grew up in Tomintoul, the highest village in the Cairngorms. It was isolated from urban subcultures, but their parents were veterans of the Scottish DIY punk scene of the 90s and 2000s (her dad was in punk band Sedition). “Some of our earliest memories are of being in our house, which is in the middle of nowhere, and our dad’s friends rehearsing in our living room,” remembers Oonagh. “Politics was always openly discussed. Our mum is a very outspoken woman who is unafraid to speak up about the things she believes in.”

Getting a mix CD which contained Bikini Kill’s ‘Tony Randall’ for Breagha’s sixth birthday was a key moment for the development of the band. “I started to read about the Riot Grrrl scene, where they combined feminism and punk,” she says.” Girls who were angry and wanted to make music and maybe they didn’t even know how to play instruments, but they just figured it out. That was really inspiring to me.”

Seeing the video for The Distillers’ ‘Drain the Blood’ on Kerrang! TV was an epiphany for 8-year-old Breagha. “I was at my gran’s house, and hearing the gravel and grit that she had in her voice blew me mind,” she remembers. “It just shows you how much representation matters,” says Oonagh.

Hagridden is the follow-up to 2017’s Target Grrrl and its birth has been a difficult one. Despite one of the tracks – Real Men Eat Meat – appearing in early form on their Bandcamp page as early as 2021, it’s taken the band years to finally release the full album. Breagha wrote their follow-up album and then ditched it. “I was not inspired by what I had written and it was too similar to the first album,” she says. She lifted the songwriting restrictions she’d put on herself and wrote a new batch of songs. “I spent a year writing solo songs in loads of different genres and subject matters.” After that songwriting cycle cleared out her system, she was ready to write for Bratakus again. A new album was completed but then the tech failed. “We recorded the entire album in our home studio but our laptop got destroyed and we lost it,” she explains. “Then different hold ups like the pandemic and health issues meant we weren’t able to release it,” she says. It’s been worth the wait. Still, the band are taking no chances with the next one. “‘Hagridden’ means ‘plagued by nightmares’. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy,” jokes Brenagha. “We’re going to call the next one ‘Smooth Sailing.'”

Copenhagen Fashion Week AW26 – Best Runway Looks

Vera Adamidou
-
0
Copenhagen Fashion Week AW26 – Best Runway Looks

Copenhagen’s Fashion Week was very… Scandinavian. Cool, laid-back, nothing we haven’t seen before. The overlap with Paris Haute Couture Week didn’t exactly spice things up. Ιf anything, the “meh” factor went up a notch. But France can take part of the blame. Still, a few looks managed to stand out. You don’t have to do something new, you just have to do it well.

Instagram screenshot of a runway moment featuring the closing look at Forza Collective's show
@forza.collective via Instagram

Forza Collective

Kristoffer Kongshaug was one to watch this season, from start to finish, though admittedly more towards the finish. The designer saved his best for last. A sheer blue peplum gown, ruffles at the waist, collar to the Gods. Necks, in fact, were very much his thing this season, inspired by an old photograph of his late aunt in a high-necked jacket. “I’m from the rural part of Denmark, so it’s my first memory of a woman who would dress up,” the creative told Vogue. That being said, hope the photo album runs deep.

Instagram screenshot of a runway moment at Sson Studio's show
@cphfw via Instagram

SSON Studios

When I think of Copenhagen’s taste, Miu Miu comes to mind. Recycling has recently joined the list. Sson works with discarded and recycled materials, this season turning its attention to excess, and the art of making it desirable. Luckily, Yulia Kjellsson, creative director and co-founder of the brand, knows exactly what to do with the overflow. Picture handbags reimagined as skirts, boots wide enough to accommodate four calves, polka dots, stripes, muted pink, navy, gray, white, you get it. The ethical Miu Miu-ification we like to see, even from miles apart.

Instagram screenshot of a runway moment at Bonnetje's show featuring a dress made out of tank tops.
@cphfw and
@bonnetje.official via Instagram

Bonnetje

Scandi girls often write the rules of minimal cool. At least Bonnetje’s Yoko Maja Hansen and Anna Myntekær did. Deconstruction of menswear and manipulation of fabric sit at the core of the label’s identity, and it looks just as good as it sounds. Think mini dresses crafted of shirt cuffs, maxi dresses built out of tank tops and blazer sleeves. And now that blazers joined the conversation, picture them at war with Rococo paniers (the panniers won), and the list goes on. Let’s just hope the “finance bros” can keep up with the recycling.

Instagram screenshot featuring a runway look from Nicklas Skovgaard's show
@cphfw via Instagram

Nicklas Skovgaard

Skovgaard has a little retro in him, always. Inspired by “Denmark’s Darling,” actress Marguerite Viby and her film “Millie, Marie and Me,” the collection leaned into contrast, just like she did on screen. That 1930s juxtaposition came with the thinnest eyebrows, colors, a bit of romance, and leather holding company to feather-light fabrics. “It’s a lot about exploring that tension between control and expression,” the creative told Vogue. “Creating these silhouettes that hold both characters.” Fair enough. Someone dim the lights.

In Copenhagen, doing it well is more than enough.

Flying Lotus Announces New EP ‘Big Mama’

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Flying Lotus Announces New EP ‘Big Mama’

Flying Lotus has announced a new EP, Big Mama. The seven-song effort arrives on March 6, marking his first release on his own label, Brainfeeder. It’ll be accompanied by a short film. Check out a teaser for it below.

Flying Lotus made Big Mama in New Zealand while working on his debut film, Ash, which premieres March 21. “I wanted it to feel like being shot out of a cannon, just explosive, unpredictable energy,” he explained. “Like a fuckin’ computer gone awry. Like a machine that had just lost its mind…”

“I wanted it to be free and feel alive,” he continued. “I think that was a big intention of mine with this record, just to think about it more like sound design and make something that felt unpredictable and maximal. As we get into a place where tracks are becoming more “perfect” and things are becoming more sterile, I want to try to keep it interesting and try to keep bringing in things that are uniquely human to electronic music, which is, you know, becoming harder I guess.”

Big Mama Cover Artwork:

Big Mama artwork

Big Mama Tracklist:

1. Big Mama
2. Captain Kernel
3. Antelope Onigiri
4. In The Forest – Day
5. Brobobasher
6. Horse Nuke
7. Pink Dream

Qiu Xiaofei: The Theater of Wither and Thrive at Hauser & Wirth New York

Gerda Krivaite
-
0
Qiu Xiaofei: The Theater of Wither and Thrive at Hauser & Wirth New York

Hauser & Wirth New York will present Qiu Xiaofei: The Theater of Wither and Thrive from 12 February – 18 April 2026 at its 22nd Street location. Showcasing the artist’s latest body of work, the exhibition brings together new oil paintings and works on paper.

The exhibition takes as its starting point the discovery of previously unknown family photographs following the death of the artist’s father. From this intimate material, Xiaofei develops a broader meditation on memory and transformation, moving between personal recollection and wider historical and psychological states. Rendered in vivid, dreamlike imagery, his works stage a quiet tension between presence and absence, growth and decline.

Born in Harbin and currently based in Beijing, Qiu Xiaofei is known for his psychologically charged paintings rooted in family memories and an attachment to his hometown. His practice draws on personal history, literature and psychoanalytic thought, producing layered compositions in which past and present collapse into theatrical spaces.

The exhibition will be available to view at Hauser & Wirth, 542 West 22nd Street, New York, NY 10011.

Kathryn Mohr Announces New Album ‘Carve’, Shares New Single ‘Property’

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Kathryn Mohr Announces New Album ‘Carve’, Shares New Single ‘Property’

It’s been a little over a year since Kathryn Mohr released her staggering debut LP, Waiting Room. Today, the Bay Area artist has announced her sophomore album, Carve, which is set for release on April 17 on the Flenser. It’s led by the sludgy, gothic new single ‘Property’. Check it out and find the album cover and tracklist below.

‘Property’ is “…an amalgamation of dream images and visions I had throughout 2025,” Mohr explained. “It’s also inspired by an underground man made waterway I found that went on for miles under the city I live in. walking through, climbing 50 feet up a ladder to look out the man hole, see where I am.”

Carve was written over the course of five years and recorded in a rural singlewide in the Mojave Desert. It started taking shape after a long tour that ended in Joshua Tree, prompting Mohr to drive alone into the desert. She returned months later to track the album, working alone out of a “western-themed jail Airbnb.” It was mixed by Richard Chowenhill of Flenser labelmates Agriculture.

Read our Artist Spotlight interview with Kathryn Mohr. 

Waiting Room Cover Artwork:

Carve

Waiting Room Tracklist:

1. Bone Infection
2. Doorway
3. Angle of Repose
4. Commit
5. Property
6. I Do
7. Idiocy
8. Owner
9. Cells
10. Chromium 6
11. Trouble Me
12. Crow Eyes

Tom Rowlands (The Chemical Brothers) and AURORA Announce Debut Album as TOMORA, Share Song

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Tom Rowlands (The Chemical Brothers) and AURORA Announce Debut Album as TOMORA, Share Song

Last year, The Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowlands and AURORA shared their first single as TOMORA, ‘Ring the Alarm’. Today, they’ve announced their debut album, COME CLOSER, and shared its hypnotically alluring title track. The LP comes out April 17 via Capitol Records. Check out the video for ‘COME CLOSER, produced and directed by Adam Smith and S T A R T !, below.

“This is our album COME CLOSER,” the duo said in a press release, “it is everything we dreamt of. “We made it without obligation or expectation, just a joy in creation. It’s the sound where we meet, the landing zone of our musical escape pods. It is a special place to us. We hope you dig it as much as we do.”

COME CLOSER Cover Artwork:

TOMORA_COME_CLOSER

COME CLOSER Tracklist:

1. PLEASE
2. COME CLOSER
3. A BOY LIKE YOU
4. RING THE ALARM
5. MY BABY
6. HAVE YOU SEEN ME DANCE ALONE?
7. SOMEWHERE ELSE
8. I DRINK THE LIGHT
9. WAVELENGTHS
10. SIDE BY SIDE
11. THE THING
12. IN A MINUTE

Scroll, Pause, Grow: Notes on Instagram in 2026

Our Culture Mag & Partners
-
0
Scroll, Pause, Grow: Notes on Instagram in 2026

Why Growth Still Feels Complicated

I’ve been on Instagram long enough to see the platform change shape more than once. It started with grainy food photos and odd filters, then moved into polished feeds that felt like glossy magazines. Now it feels like something else—messier, faster, harder to pin down. And yet, growth still matters.

When I talk to friends about Instagram, someone always rolls their eyes and says, “Does it even matter anymore?” I nod, because I get the fatigue. But when a post connects, when people comment and share, it feels different. It feels alive. That’s why I keep paying attention. And yes, sometimes I try to figure out how to increase Instagram Reels views, not for vanity but for reach. Reach means being part of conversations I care about.

Reels and Why They Took Over

Reels showed up in 2020. At first, I didn’t care. They felt like a rushed attempt to copy TikTok. Then I noticed something: my friends weren’t scrolling pictures anymore, they were stuck watching endless loops of short clips. Reels weren’t a side feature. They were the main show.

I asked a friend why she filmed them. She said, “Because it’s quick. People actually watch.” That answer stayed with me. Reels let anyone tell a story without needing a big setup. You can capture a dance, a joke, or even a messy kitchen scene in under a minute, and it feels real.

The truth is, people record Reels because they work. The algorithm pushes them. The audience expects them. And unlike staged posts, they look like glimpses of daily life. That rawness keeps people watching.

How I Boosted My Reels Views

At some point I realized I was guessing too much. I kept filming Reels, but the views stayed flat. That’s when I started digging deeper and found a detailed guide to increase Instagram Reels views.

I didn’t follow every step perfectly, but I picked a few things that felt doable:

  • Posting at the times my audience was most active.
  • Using music that people already recognized instead of hunting for obscure sounds.
  • Writing captions that asked small questions, which nudged viewers to comment.
  • Keeping the videos short enough to loop naturally.

The difference wasn’t instant, but within two weeks I noticed my average views doubling. It wasn’t magic—it was structure. For me, the real win wasn’t the spike itself, but the sense that I had more control. Instead of uploading blindly, I could plan. And that made Reels feel less like a gamble and more like a tool.

Habits That Actually Build Growth

I’ve tried different strategies. Some flopped, some stuck. Over time, I started writing down what seemed to matter. The list wasn’t perfect, but it showed patterns that repeated.

 

Habit Why It Works What I Saw in Real Life
Posting Reels The format Instagram promotes most My reach doubled when I shared 3 in a week
Honest captions Readers respond to voice, not slogans More comments when I admitted small failures
Engaging in comments Builds trust, makes people stay Followers replied more often
Consistent rhythm Algorithm rewards regular activity Accounts that skipped weeks lost momentum

I once skipped posting for two weeks. When I came back, engagement dropped sharply. On the other hand, when I posted three Reels in a row, even simple ones, the numbers climbed. It wasn’t magic—it was routine.

Why People Care About Numbers Anyway

I had coffee with a friend who confessed she checks her follower count every morning. I laughed because I do the same. We know it shouldn’t matter, but it does. Not because of the number itself, but what it signals. Growth can mean new work, new friends, or sometimes proof that someone out there is listening.

For small business owners I know, growth means sales. For students, it means recognition. For creators, it can mean turning a hobby into something bigger. The reasons differ, but the pull is the same. Numbers feel like doors opening.

A Closing Thought That Isn’t Neat

Writing about Instagram growth is tricky. There’s no formula, no secret switch. Some days I still get frustrated when a post I love falls flat, while a throwaway clip surprises me. Maybe that’s the point. Growth isn’t a straight line. It’s a mix of effort, chance, and persistence.

If I had to summarize, I’d say this: growth comes from showing up, even when you’re tired of the app. It comes from Reels that capture a mood, captions that sound human, and conversations that feel real. The numbers matter, but not as much as the connections behind them. And maybe that’s enough to keep posting, even when the algorithm feels impossible.

Four Artists Making Flowerless Floral Arrangements

Gerda Krivaite
-
0
Four Artists Making Flowerless Floral Arrangements

Happy month of love! Or, if Valentine’s Day isn’t your thing, it’s just another month to appreciate the wonderful people in your life and express some gratitude. What better way to do that than gifting a beautiful bouquet… of forever flowers? Here are four artists doing floral arrangements differently:

Henri Purnell

Based in Berlin, Henri makes beautiful crafts, including magnificently detailed beaded flower arrangements. They’d look breathtaking as a dinner table centerpiece — a real testament to what humans can achieve with dedication, especially considering he only crafted his first beaded flower one year ago!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by henri (@henripurnell)

BOUQ Paper Flowers

Catherine from BOUQ Paper Flowers crafts exquisite paper floral arrangements in strikingly realistic textures and colours. From yellow peonies to purple irises, her attention to detail shines through every piece. Bonus points for the incredibly lifelike foliage.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by the Makerie (@themakerie)

Made with April

Moving into the realm of crocheted flowers, Made with April creates uplifting, pastel arrangements that would brighten anyone’s day. She makes both crocheted house plants and floral bouquets with a good mix of sizes and thoughtful colour palettes.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Made with April 🌷 (@madewithapril)

Forever Florist

London-based Forever Florist creates charming handmade crochet flower bouquets in cheerful colours. Their arrangements range from sunny yellows and bright pinks to softer tones, each one carefully crafted to last forever, as the name promises. You can find them at Jubilee Market in London, Tuesday through Sunday.

123...1,863Page 2 of 1,863

Quick Access

Our Culture

Helpful

© 2026 Our Culture Mag Limited. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/2026) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 1/1/2026). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Our Culture Mag Limited.