Wednesday made their television debut on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert last night, performing their brand new single ‘Elderberry Wine’. It’s a particularly wistful rendition of the track, which came out on Wednesday and marks the Asheville, North Carolina band’s first new music since Rat Saw God. Watch it go down below.
Last September, Wednesday singer-guitarist Karly Hartzman joined guitarist and vocalist MJ Lenderman on his late-night TV debut, playing ‘Wristwatch’ on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Though Lenderman recently revealed that he will no longer be touring with Wednesday, he’s still part of the band as far as recording goes.
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, May 21, 2025.
Wednesday – ‘Elderberry Wine’
This is a special kind of Wednesday for those of us who have been anticipating new music from the North Carolina band since 2023’s Rat Saw God; ‘Elderberry Wine’ is their first original track since then/ It sounds way more easygoing than ‘Bull Believer’, the chaotic introduction to that LP, but of course, there’s more to the twangy, gorgeous arrangement than meets the eye. “Elderberry is known as a healing fruit, and is an ingredient in many tonics and syrups to aid the immune system. One time, however, my sister consumed them raw, and it immediately induced vomiting,” bandleader Karly Hartzman explained. “So ‘Elderberry Wine’ is ultimately a love song about creating just the right environment for fulfillment. There’s a delicate balance that needs to be created, especially in love, for two lives to intersect without poisoning each other.”
The Armed – ‘Well Made Play’
A new album rollout from the Armed, a new mystery to unpack. According to lead singer Tony Wolski, The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed is “music for a statistically wealthy population that somehow can’t afford food or medicine — endlessly scrolling past vacation photos, gym selfies, and images of child amputees in the same feed. It reflects the dissociation required just to exist in that reality.” Lead single ‘Well Made Play’ is a free jazz-inspired freakout that ends before you have a chance to digest it.
They Are Gutting a Body of Water – ‘AMERICAN FOOD’
TAGABOW, the highly influential shoegaze band newly signed to ATO Records, have shared the hazy, hypnotic new single ‘AMERICAN FOOD’. “All them atrocities is far from our minds, when the vices help us thru,” Douglas Dulgarian remarked.
Fazerdaze – ‘Motorway’
New Zealand artist Fazerdaze is back with a new song called ‘Motorway’, which is pretty gritty and, of course, driving. It rose out of “a feeling of being trapped between a city and a relationship, searching for home in both, but finding it in neither,” Amelia Murray shared. “It explores an enmeshment with familiarity; and the motorway becoming a symbol of that for me; repetitive, a loop to break out of, a false sense of freedom.”
Kieran Hebden and William Tyler – ‘If I Had a Boat’ (Lyle Lovett Cover)
Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden and Nashville guitarist William Tyler have announced a new collaborative album, 41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s. Leading the LP is a patient, gorgeously pristine 11-minute cover of Lyle Lovett’s ‘If I Had a Boat’.
Alaska Reid – ‘Big Drops’
Avery Tucker, formerly half of Girlpool, has unveiled his debut solo single. ‘Big Drops’ was co-written and co-produced with Alaska Reid. It’s “a story about loving and losing someone who is finding themselves time and time again overtaken by the big drop,” according to Tucker, and the way he uses the word “big” reminds me of Reid’s own Big Bunny. It’s tender and affecting.
Yaya Bey – ‘raisins’
Yaya Bey has shared another preview of her forthcoming record do it afraid, and it’s quietly inspiring.“It’s hard to sum up ‘raisins’ in a small burb but it’s the pursuit of love, joy and freedom with the full knowing that there will also be pain,” Bey said. “It’s a surrender. It’s me giving myself permission to dream. It might not happen. But maybe the real joy is not in the materialization but in the dreaming itself. The name is inspired by a Langston Hughes poem called Harlem where he says ‘What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?’”
Madeline Kenney – ‘Scoop’
Madeline Kenney has shared ‘Scoop’, the latest single from her forthcoming LP Kiss from the Balcony. It’s a mesmerizing track, and I love the way the electric guitar and synth scrape against the melody. “The original title was ‘Guitar Scoop Heart Flip’ because of the guitar melodies and lyrical themes; I was thinking a lot about what is expected of a “cool girl”, how detachment is admired in modern relationships, and how the bathroom in a bar is a sacred space for girls (strangers!) to hold each other in their shared, odd, conditioned realities,” Kenney reflected.
Alison Goldfrapp – ‘Reverberotic’
Alison Goldfrapp has teased her new LP Flux with a playful new track, ‘Reverberotic’. It’s out via her own imprint, A.G. Records. “If you’re lucky enough to have the option, owning your own masters feels like a no-brainer these days,” she commented. “While being a solo independent artist comes with its own set of challenges, it truly suits me and has given myself and the people I work with a sense of empowerment and invigoration for this album…”
Jacques Greene and Nosaj Thing – ‘Unknown’
Jacques Greene and Nosaj Thing have teamed up for the latest in a string of collaborations, the alluring ‘Unknown’. It’s accompanied by a remix from Audion. “I think this is a song that sets us on a path, a clear destination,” Jacques Greene explained. “It’s so interesting how this is one of those tracks that just happened. It’s one of those weird things where we took a walk around your neighbourhood, and when we got back to the studio we just started playing. Then we just looked up an hour later and 85% of the track was there.” Nosaj Thing added: “I would say this is the first track that we were both locked in on what our intentions were. We were both in flow state.”
Robbie Williams – ‘Rocket’ [feat. Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi]
Robbie Williams isn’t exactly associated with the genre known as “Britpop,” but hey, neither is A.G. Cook. Nevertheless, Britpop is the title of his just-announced LP, which is led by the Tony Iommi-featuring ‘Rocket’. Interesting move! “I set out to create the album that I wanted to write and release after I left Take That in 1995,” Williams said. “It was the peak of Britpop and a golden age for British Music. I’ve worked with some of my heroes on this album; it’s raw, there are more guitars and it’s an album that’s even more upbeat and anthemic than usual. There’s some ‘Brit’ in there and there’s certainly some ‘pop’ too – I’m immensely proud of this as a body of work and I’m excited for fans to hear this album. I also can’t wait to perform a song or two from it on my upcoming ‘BRITPOP’ tour, which I’m opening in the UK, naturally.”
Night Tapes – ‘pacifico’
Night Tapes have signed to Nettwerk and announced their debut LP, portals // polarities, arriving September 26. It’s led by the transportive trip-hop cut ‘pacifico’,” which “was written after our friend returned from Mexico (San Jose del Pacifico) and told us stories about how beautiful it was,” according to Iiris Vesik. “It’s about our idea of Pacifico — like a state of mind you can reach, as we still haven’t been there.”
Mal Blum – ‘Killer’
Mal Blum has shared a new single from The Villain, their first LP in five years. “I want to be very clear about what this song is about,” they said. “The song ‘Killer’ is specifically about internalized transphobia and unconsciously absorbing the belief that you are bad. It is a response to the villainization of trans people, the propaganda and messaging we constantly receive that we are inherently devious and immoral. It also specifically refers to a particular flavor of transphobia that refuses to see transmasculine people as we are, instead considering us only as dangerous would-be assassins and butchers of our own supposed girlhoods. ‘Killer’ is a conscious attempt to reclaim and play with that narrative.”
mark william lewis – ‘Tomorrow Is Perfect’
bar italia’s former drummer mark william lewis has signed to A24’s record label A24 Music, marking the announcement with the entrancing new song ‘Tomorrow Is Perfect’. “I wrote Tomorrow is Perfect at home in London,” lewis shared. “I wanted to capture and describe all of the images and places that meant something to me at the time and collage them together in one song.”
Surusinghe – ‘Kinda Like That’ [feat. Kassie Krut]
London-via-Melbourne electronic producer Surusinghe has enlisted Kassie Krut for a new club track, ‘Kinda Like That’. Co-produced by Cameo Blush, it’s the second single off the forthcoming EP i can’t remember the name of this, but that’s ok.
Perennial – ‘Baby, Are You Abstract?’
Perennial have announced an expanded edition of last year’s Art History 11 additional tracks, including the just-released rager ‘Baby, Are You Abstract?’. You’ll find yourself shouting along the titular chorus before you know it.
White Lies – ‘Nothing on Me’
White Lies have returned with their first new music in three years, the propulsive and surprisingly frenetic ‘Nothing on Me’. “This track welcomes you into the collaborative present mind of White Lies. It’s somewhat reckless, unhinged, full of competing ideas,” the band explained. “There is a disregard for any external influences, pressures, or expectations. We’re driving with no brakes or seat-belts. Lyrically and conceptually it’s a rebirth, and an introduction.”
“The initial musical ideas came from having a synth sequence that is in a different time signature to the rest of the band,” they added. “This is something I borrowed a lot from the 70’s prog that I love and listened to a lot during the making of this record. I listened to records by Genesis, Chris Squier, Yes, Utopia and Gong who all extensively make use of this in their music. The rhythm is a classic motorik beat borrowed from the krautrock that we all love and is a motif we’ve used a lot across our careers in White Lies. The guitar melody is almost jolly and absurdist like the nursery rhyme or something you’d hear an ice cream van playing. It clashes, I think, to the feel of the music. This is inspired by Steve Hillage and his album Motivation Radio where he often utilizes similar melodies. All of this feeds a cacophony and an overload of information that disorients and confuses. The lyrics reflect the difficulties we can all have in relating to people even when they are close to us, especially in the heat of an argument or disagreement and how overwhelming that can be. This is probably the fastest most intense song we’ve ever written and was further developed in rehearsals, with Seth Evans (formerly of Black Midi) on keys, and then performed in the studio. The foundations of this track are one take played live.”
Guedra Guedra – ‘Drift of Drummer’
Moroccan producer Abdellah M. Hassak, who records as Guedra Guedra, has signed to the Domino imprint Smugglers Way, which will release his new album MUTANT on August 29. Lead single ‘Drift of Drummer’ comes paired with a video from director Romain Cherbonnier. “In African traditions, rhythm especially in its polyrhythmic form is not merely a pulse or a measure: it is a cartography of life,” Hassak shared. “It expresses social complexity, layers of oral history, community dynamics, and the spiritual dimensions of existence. Transmitting this richness from generation to generation through practice and listening is also an act of resistance, a way of preserving knowledge and sensibilities that dominant narratives have long tried to marginalize or simplify.”
If you’ve ever scrolled through skincare TikTok or seen glowing selfies with futuristic-looking face masks, chances are you’ve come across LED light therapy. It looks high-tech (and to be fair, it is), but dermatologists have used this skincare innovation for decades. Now, thanks to wearable at-home devices, more people than ever are discovering how they can help with everything from breakouts to fine lines.
So what’s really going on when your face is bathed in red, blue, or near-infrared light? Let’s break it down.
What Is LED Light Therapy, Exactly?
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. These diodes release specific wavelengths of light that can penetrate the skin at different depths, triggering various biological processes. Unlike UV light, which can damage skin cells, LED light is non-invasive and non-damaging. Depending on the wavelength (or color), LED light can promote healing, kill acne-causing bacteria, or stimulate collagen production.
Red and near-infrared light are particularly popular for anti-aging benefits, while blue light is often used to treat acne. Some devices even combine multiple wavelengths to deliver comprehensive skin support in a single session.
The Science Behind the Glow
Let’s talk biology for a second. When your skin absorbs specific wavelengths of light, it jump-starts processes at the cellular level. Red light, for instance, stimulates mitochondria, the “powerhouse” of your cells, to produce more ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the energy currency that supports cell repair and regeneration.
This increased energy production can lead to:
Enhanced collagen and elastin synthesis
Improved blood circulation
Reduced inflammation
Accelerated healing of blemishes or scarring
It’s not magic; it’s biostimulation. And over time, those micro-improvements at the cellular level can translate to visibly smoother, firmer, and clearer skin.
What Can LED Light Therapy Help With?
LED light therapy has a range of potential benefits, depending on the light used and your specific skin concerns. Here are some of the most common ways people use it:
Fine lines and wrinkles: Red and near-infrared light can help plump the skin by boosting collagen production.
Acne and breakouts: Blue light is known to destroy acne-causing bacteria on the skin, reducing flare-ups without drying out your skin like harsh topicals.
Skin tone and texture: By encouraging cellular turnover and reducing inflammation, LED therapy can smooth rough patches and even out hyperpigmentation.
Post-procedure healing: Many dermatologists use LED treatments post-chemical peel or microneedling to calm the skin and reduce downtime.
What to Expect from At-Home Devices
Home-use LED masks and panels have come a long way in recent years. While professional in-clinic devices may deliver faster results, many at-home models use clinically validated wavelengths and are effective with consistent use.
The key here is consistency. Most manufacturers recommend using your LED device three to five times per week, with visible results typically appearing after four to six weeks. Sessions are usually short, around 10 to 20 minutes, making it easy to add to your nighttime routine.
Also, safety matters. Look for a product that has been independently tested and approved for home use. Comfortable fit, eye protection, and built-in safety timers are all important features to look for.
The Bottom Line: Is LED Light Therapy Worth It?
If you’re looking for a non-invasive, science-backed way to support your skin health, LED light therapy is well worth considering. It’s gentle, suitable for nearly all skin types, and addresses a wide range of concerns, from acne and inflammation to wrinkles and uneven tone.
Ready to see the glow for yourself? Maysama’s clinically backed red light therapy mask makes it easy to experience the benefits of LED technology at home. Whether you’re new to light therapy or looking to upgrade your routine, it’s a skin investment that just might pay off.
You’re driving down a sunlit road, grooving to your favourite song, but you’re constantly squinting, trying to block out the harsh glare with your clear prescription glasses. Sound familiar? For many, balancing clear vision with sun protection feels like a constant struggle. But what if you could have both in one stylish package?
Prescription sunglasses offer the perfect solution by combining the clarity of your everyday glasses with the UV protection of sunglasses. Whether you’re lounging by the pool, exploring a new city, or simply enjoying a sunny day out, prescription sunglasses ensure that you never have to compromise between style and sight.
In this blog, we’ll explore the top reasons why prescription sunglasses are an essential accessory for anyone who wears glasses. We’ll also talk about the important factors that you need to consider while buying prescription sunglasses.
What are prescription sunglasses?
Prescription sunglasses are a great solution for those who need vision correction but spend most of their time outdoors in the sun. They eliminate the need to switch between prescription glasses and sunglasses every time you need to step out. They can simultaneously help you with vision correction and protect you from harmful UV rays. Prescription sunglasses come with the same lenses that you see in regular UV protection sunglasses but with refractive power to correct your vision based on your prescription.
There is a wide range of tint options in prescription sunglasses which gives you the freedom to choose the right tint based on your vision needs. You can consider the environment where you stay the most of your day and choose the tint colour accordingly. For example, grey, brown, and amber tint are great choices for those who spend their time in harsh sunlight. On the other hand, yellow tint is a better option if you will be using your sunglasses in low light or hazy conditions.
Different Types of Vision Problems
There are four main types of vision problems that prescription sunglasses can correct:
Nearsightedness (myopia)– This is a condition where your eyes can focus on things up close but have difficulty looking at distant objects. Your prescription has negative power if you’re nearsighted.
Farsightedness (hyperopia)– This is a condition where your eyes can comfortably see distant objects but have difficulty looking at close objects. Your prescription has positive power if you’re farsighted.
Tilt or distorted areas of vision (astigmatism)– Astigmatism is a common vision problem that occurs when the shape of your eye isn’t perfectly round like a basketball but more like a football (oval shape). This irregular shape causes light to focus on multiple points in your eye instead of just one, which makes your vision blurry or distorted.
Presbyopia– This is the gradual loss of the eye’s ability to focus on objects. This happens due to ageing.
Types of Prescription Lenses
Single Vision Lenses
Single-vision prescription sunglasses are for people who need vision correction for a specific distance, either near-sightedness or far-sightedness.
Varifocal Lenses
Varifocal or progressive lenses are for those who need simultaneous vision correction at all distances – near, intermediate, and distant. They do not have visual lines separating different powers.
Polarised Prescription Sunglasses
Those who spend most of their time outdoors in the sun around reflective surfaces like water, snow, or glass can go with polarised prescription sunglasses. Polarised lenses come with a special chemical coating that blocks horizontal light and only allows vertical light to pass through the lenses. As a result, it offers a clearer vision by reducing glare from such reflective surfaces. This makes them a great choice for activities like driving, fishing, or spending time outdoors. Here are some common benefits of polarised sunglasses:
Clearer Vision: Polarised lenses help you see things more clearly by reducing glare, which is especially useful on bright, sunny days.
Less Eyestrain: By cutting down on glare, your eyes don’t have to work as hard, so you’re less likely to experience eyestrain or fatigue.
Better Contrast: Colours and details often appear sharper and more vivid when wearing polarised lenses, making your surroundings look more defined.
Benefits of Using Prescription Sunglasses
Now let’s have a look at some of the common benefits of prescription sunglasses over normal glasses:
Clear vision
Just like your regular prescription glasses, prescription sunglasses are tailored to your specific vision needs, ensuring you see clearly at all distances.
Reduce the glare
Prescription sunglasses with polarised lenses reduce glare from reflective surfaces like water, roads, and snow. This makes activities like driving, boating, or spending time outdoors much more comfortable.
100% UV protection
They protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can cause eye damage and increase the risk of conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration.
Reduce Eyestrain
Bright sunlight can cause your eyes to squint and strain, leading to headaches and discomfort. Prescription sunglasses reduce this strain, making it easier to spend time outdoors.
Key Takeaways
Prescription sunglasses are extremely versatile and come with multiple benefits for people who need vision correction during outdoor activities. You can check out brands like Specscart that offer you 1000+ frames with different lens and tint options in prescription sunglasses. Additionally, they give you the freedom to convert any frame on their website to prescription sunglasses with their solid and gradient tint options. You can visit their website to get a wide range of stylish frame options and premium lens options at 70% lower prices than traditional high-street opticians.
You need to turn traditional pitches into compelling visual stories to stay competitive. Visual storytelling holds attention, develops emotional connection and enhances retention. No longer reserved for production studios, this is a transformation. Tools like CapCut Web make it possible for anyone to create high-quality videos. Democratizing storytelling, the CapCut Web’sAI video makerhas made it faster and more accessible.
Why Visual Storytelling Is Crucial for Campaign Success
In today’s world, you have only seconds to make an impression. The reason why visual content drives better results than static text is that it engages both emotion and logic. Videos draw people’s attention longer and the information is taken in more easily with less effort. Emotional pull helps build trust and connection with audiences.
It also improves information retention. Video is often better at conveying a message than text because people remember more of the message from watching a video. For a pitch that relies on recall and persuasive messaging, that makes it especially powerful.
Regardless, video content on digital platforms or social media tends to get more engagement. Video posts are liked, shared, and commented on more. However, video-based pitches are more likely to be seen, remembered, and acted upon.
Transitioning from Traditional Campaign Pitches to Dynamic AI Videos
Slide decks and PDFs are rarely effective. Static presentations are far too linear, long and text-heavy to grab and keep attention.
On the other hand, dynamic video pitches have a narrative flow. They make you feel as though you’re in their vision, incorporating visuals, voice and emotion into a unique experience.
This makes things easier for artificial intelligence. AI can speed up your video production and deliver your content at scale. So an ai video maker like CapCut Web is so needed. This gives you the tools to bring your pitch to life with things that look professional but without the expense or complexity.
Leveraging CapCut Web to Craft Campaign Stories
CapCut Web provides a powerful browser-based platform with intuitive controls. You get creative freedom while maintaining simplicity. Whether you’re new to video or a seasoned marketer, it lets you produce polished content quickly.
The platform allows you to control brand tone, visuals, and pacing. You can select or create custom avatars to represent your campaign’s persona. Voiceovers and music options give your video the right mood. This customization ensures your message aligns with your goals and branding.
The built-inAI caption generator enhances clarity and accessibility. You can craft videos that are inclusive and easy to follow, even in silent mode. With these tools, your campaign message becomes clear, consistent, and compelling.
Steps to Turn Campaign Pitch Into Visual Story Using CapCut Web
Step 1: Write your campaign pitch script
To start with at the “Script” feature in the CapCut Web, enter in the input section “Topic” and “Key points” to let the AI video maker know what you want to say within the video script. Create everything perfect and click the button “Create”. After clicking “Create,” a script will be generated.
Step 2: Edit your campaign video
Click on the “Scenes” button to put a voiceover on each part of your script. Here, you can create AI avatars for your video or select from large collections of pre-made designs. If you only wish to provide voice to your script, select the “Voice” page and use the preferred voice option. After that, click on “Apply for all scenes.” Click to add Creative Captions style to your video under “Captions”. Furthermore, you can enhance your video even more with a massive collection of music stocks in the “Music” library.
Step 3: Export or fine-tune your pitch
Preview your final video output. If you are satisfied with your content, click on the button “Export” and adjust your exporting options for perfect saving. In case you want to shine up your video further, hit the button “Edit more” and you will be directed to the main online video editing interface of CapCut Web. Transform your video visual with creative graphics, filters, and stock elements.
How to Align Storytelling with Campaign Goals Using AI Features
AI scene detection helps structure your video to match your campaign narrative. Pairing the right AI avatars with your campaign personas creates relatability. Emotion and tone detection features ensure your delivery remains consistent and impactful.
Use visual metaphors and accurate captions to simplify complex ideas. Thetext to speech freefeature allows you to maintain a professional tone without hiring voice talent. These tools make it easier to align every element of your video with your campaign objectives.
Tips to Maximize Engagement in Pitch Videos
Begin with a strong hook. Use CapCut Web’s script ideation tools to find a unique angle. A compelling start captures immediate interest. Keep your brand front and center. Incorporate logos/slogans, or motion graphics throughout your video. These reinforce brand identity and credibility. Maintain professionalism using high-quality visuals, AI-generated voices, and royalty-free music. Each element should work together to elevate your message and impress viewers.
Conclusion
AI-powered video creation has changed how campaign pitches are delivered. Now, you can transform ideas into immersive stories that engage and persuade.
CapCut Web gives you the tools to make professional-quality videos without a production team. With the right mix of visuals, AI features, and storytelling, your campaign pitch can stand out, connect emotionally, and drive results.
The global design dialogue converges in New York City each May. ICFF 2025, set within the Javits Center’s impressive space, brought together creators from across the world to present their future visions for living, making, and meaning. Among the highlights were two official NYCxDesign exhibitions: RE-CRAFT, a showcase of material innovation and cultural heritage, and INFINITE WEAVING, presented by NotYetArt, exploring the links between tradition and technology.
For Asian designers Qihang Zhang and Tina (Hua Hsuan) Tsung, the event was more than a public showing; it was a landmark in their collaborative pursuit of merging heritage with innovation. Their project, Radiant Embrace, was featured across both exhibitions, standing as a compelling expression of cultural resonance and emotional design in the smart technology landscape.
Radiant Embrace: A Fusion of Story, Craft, and Smart Design
Radiant Embrace is an IoT-connected lamp born from the designers’ shared exploration of East Asian cultural values. Their collaboration draws on philosophies of harmony, sustainability, and human connectedness, reimagined through a lens of modern innovation. Crafted from recycled materials using slow-speed 3D printing techniques, the lamp responds to both voice commands and mobile controls. This allows users to create personalized lighting rituals that invite mindfulness and presence in daily life. As its glow shifts gently with environmental cues and user input, it forms a quiet dialogue between tradition and technology, marking time, emotion, and everyday reflection.
This project was exhibited internationally at Dutch Design Week in 2024, Art Shopping Paris at the Carrousel du Louvre in 2025, and ICFF New York in 2025.
Radiant Embrace IoT lamp. Blends cultural symbolism with smart design.
Tina (Hua Hsuan) Tsung: Design as a Language of Inclusion, Sustainability, and Global Dialogue
Tina (Hua Hsuan) Tsung is an award-winning designer. Her career includes digital experiences, physical products, and design systems. Since 2015, her consistent international recognition reflects work that merges innovation, emotional depth, and social impact. Her design methodology blends systems thinking with a genuine sense of purpose. She integrates sustainability and cultural storytelling into her creations.
Her impact can be seen in the series of recognitions she’s received over the years. In 2025 alone, she earned multiple Indigo Design Awards, including a Bronze in Interaction Design for Social Change, and three Silver honors for UX, navigation, and socially purpose-driven web design, notably for her work with FHLBank San Francisco. Her previous Indigo wins in 2023 recognized her UX and interface work on the Bank of the West’s digital banking transformation, an effort that also secured an iF Design Award in the Website / Mobile App category.
Tsung’s design sensibility has also reached into wearable tech, earning her the Golden Pin Design Award in 2019 for the “Mission One” dive computer. Earlier in her career, her solo-travel product system “Pingo” became a finalist in the prestigious IDEA Awards (2017), and her conceptual packaging for Vans 2025—EXPLORE garnered a Red Dot Design Award in 2015. Even her earliest design projects, such as her 3rd place Dieline win in 2015, signaled a deep interest in how systems, objects, and identity converge.
Beyond her creative output, Tsung is also a dedicated advocate and mentor. She has judged and mentored at leading hackathons such as HackDavis (UC Davis), WildHacks (Northwestern University), and SF Hacks (San Francisco State University). Her commitment to excellence and community is further reflected in her service as a Grand Jury Member for the Wonder Global Design Awards 2025, Motion Design Awards 2025, as well as a juror across multiple categories, including AI, Customer Excellence, Disruptors, Excellence, and Technology at the Globee® Awards, and Orpetron Web Design Awards.
With a unique perspective shaped by her background in life sciences and product design, Tsung is committed to inclusive, emotionally resonant design that connects culture and utility. She emphasizes, “Design, in my view, goes beyond mere aesthetics. It offers a lens for societal understanding, a bridge linking cultural nuance and scalable systems, and a practical way to make sustainability actionable.”
Qihang Zhang: Designing Systems That Bridge Data and Emotion
Qihang Zhang is a product designer whose work spans music, data analytics, AI tools, and interactive storytelling, all unified by a commitment to human-centered systems. He received academic training in China, the United States, and the United Kingdom. This includes a master’s degree from Harvard University and a visiting year at the University of Oxford. Zhang’s diverse background gives him a globally informed design perspective that’s both analytically rigorous and emotionally attuned.
In his role as Senior Product Designer at Chartmetric, a leading music analytics platform, Zhang is instrumental in shaping the design of web and mobile products used by music industry professionals worldwide. One of his most widely recognized contributions is Talent Search, an AI-powered artist discovery tool that analyzes over 12 million artist profiles to detect early indicators of breakthrough potential. The tool has been adopted by major record labels and talent agencies to proactively identify emerging artists, especially those overlooked by traditional A&R workflows, thereby reshaping how the music industry discovers new talent.
“Memory Land” is one of Zhang’s most personal and widely recognized projects, reflecting his ongoing pursuit of emotionally resonant digital design. The interactive experience invites users to engage with their own memories and grief through a narrative journey shaped by gentle motion, layered visuals, and an intuitive interface. Instead of offering a detached or clinical perspective, it creates a quiet, reflective space that honors the complexity of loss. Celebrated by the iF Design Award and over 15 other international honors, “Memory Land” demonstrates how design can thoughtfully translate intimate human experiences into immersive, healing encounters.
Qihang Zhang’s work has earned over 50 international design awards, including the A’ Design Award, Indigo Design Award, Muse Creative Awards, Vega Awards, and London Design Awards. Beyond his individual contributions, Zhang is recognized as a design leader: he has served as a judge for over 20 competitions, ranging from international design awards like the Globee® Awards, Online Design Awards, Wonder Global Design Awards, and Orpetron Web Design Awards, to tech and design-focused events such as HackDavis, HackMerced, WildHacks, and Designverse.
More than just a tool for efficiency, design for Zhang is a method of cultural intervention. His work consistently centers on equity, accessibility, and emotional resonance. He redefines how technology can serve society when built with care, insight, and intention.
Radiant Embrace lamp mounted on a wall
A Shared Philosophy: Systems + Storytelling
While Zhang’s core medium lies in digital ecosystems and Tsung’s in physical and hybrid experiences, the two designers are united by a shared philosophy: bridging systems thinking with deep emotional and cultural storytelling.
As a collaboration between Asian designers Zhang and Tsung, Radiant Embrace signals a new generation actively involved in innovation worldwide. The project redefines the visual and emotional aspects of global design. Its significance was highlighted by its juried selection into two prominent exhibitions at NYCxDESIGN during ICFF 2025: RE-CRAFT, organized by NYCxDESIGN, and INFINITE WEAVING, presented by NotYetArt.
Radiant Embrace showcases a unique design sensibility that transcends geographic boundaries. This approach incorporates holistic and cross-cultural elements, rooted in personal and societal meaning. Beyond these exhibitions, their success launches a continuous mission to shape design’s future. Their work centers on mindful innovation, inclusive narratives, and design systems that prioritize care and performance.
The Radiant Embrace set has two sizes seamlessly adapted to any setting.
Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden and Nashville guitarist William Tyler have announced their debut collaborative album. 41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s arrives September 19 via Eat Your Own Ears Recordings, and it’s led by a gorgeously pristine 11-minute cover of Lyle Lovett’s ‘If I Had a Boat’. Check it out below.
Discussing the story behind the collaboration, Hebden said:
I met William Tyler at Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee back in 2013. We had mutual friends and kept in touch. Every now and then the idea would come up of us working together. We first tried it remotely, sending ideas back and forth, which resulted in our 12” release, Darkness, Darkness. The plan was to get into a studio together, which we managed in early 2022 in Los Angeles at Sargent Recorders where my friend Sam (Floating Points) had just made his album with Pharoah Sanders.
We discussed references for an album and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Fennesz, and AM oldies radio stations came up. But the main influence was found when we discovered a shared deep connection to ‘80s American country and folk music – artists like Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, and Joe Ely. My father was a huge fan of this sound and through my teenage years I heard this music most days and was taken to see loads of performances. The guitar player David Grissom made a huge impact on me as a kid learning to play. It’s not an influence that I usually mention but it’s in there more than I realize and must have helped me develop my sound and ideas.
It turns out that William’s father was working in Nashville as a songwriter during this period and actually knew people like David Grissom. So William had grown up with this music as well and knew all the stuff that I was talking about and we both felt that it had shaped our styles.
Our idea for the album was to make music that focused on that influence and brought it to the front of our awareness. We’d record the guitars in the studio, exploring styles and sounds from that music, and then I’d take it all home to my computer and bring it into my other world.
A cover of the Lyle Lovett song, “If I Had a Boat” was the most literal pull from this ‘80s country sound. We also recorded long improvisations around chords, patterns and tones from songs we remember from growing up. The Lyle Lovett cover ended up over 11 minutes long.
I spent almost two years doing the computer bit of the album and sometimes sent stuff back over to William who added more overdubs and ideas in response. On some tracks, all that’s left of the guitars are digital fragments of sound making rhythmic textures. Taking it slowly allowed us to create a new sound out of this shared teenage experience and gift from our fathers.
Tyler had this to share:
I had always been a fan of Kieran’s music. We almost crossed paths at Bonnaroo in 2013 – which I know he has touched on – and we had a small but crucial crew of mutual buddies. Right before COVID lockdown, I reached out to him about working together – I mean this is like, shoot your shot, who knows.
We bonded over a mutual love of a lot of late ‘90s post-rock and such, but I have to admit I was kinda shocked (in the best way) that he was so versed in ‘80s Americana. Not so much my world, but definitely a world I grew up around. I never thought that a connection with someone like Kieran would end up coming down to both of our dads and their mutual love of a certain kind of music. I grew up in Nashville, he grew up in London. But we heard things the same way, I think. I particularly remember us talking about the Nanci Griffith album, Storms.
Well, that was probably the first week of March 2020 that we actually finally talked, and of course the world would change about a week later. I moved from Los Angeles back to Nashville during lockdown, but Kieran and I kept up a correspondence, mostly over records that we were listening to at the time. Every once in a while we would send each other tracks. I was trying to audition for him, but I wasn’t sure what to do. Honestly, a lot of the stuff that I initially wanted to pitch to him as potential tracks we could work on together ended up becoming the bulk of my new album, Time Indefinite.
At some point, Kieran sent me a thing that he’d been messing with – a version of “Darkness, Darkness” by The Youngbloods. I had the distinct sense that he was putting me up for an audition, and I went to town with it alongside my absolute ride-or-die collaborator, Jake Davis. After that track, we continued the conversation about doing an actual album together.
Fast-forward to March 2022 and Kieran and I went to Los Angeles so that we could actually work on tracks together in person – after almost two years of talking about it. Like any great Los Angeles experience, the studio itself had layers upon layers of history, including all of the collectible gear. I never really thought “Oh, we’re gonna have this album done by a certain point.” I just knew that when Kieran felt like it was done, it would be done.
I think we both in our own specific ways want to recontextualize a lot of music that we grew up with, regardless of the genre, and I think that’s what this album reflects. It’s a lot of nostalgia but it’s also very forward focused. I don’t even know what genre I’m supposed to be in at this point, but I trust Kieran and I love what we’ve done together. He’s become a dear friend and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for us.
41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s Cover Artwork:
41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s Tracklist:
1. If I Had a Boat
2. Spider Ballad
3. I Want an Antenna
4. When It Rains
5. Timber
6. Loretta Guides My Hands Through the Radio
7. Secret City
Wednesday are back. Today (Wednesday), the North Carolina band have released their first new original music since 2023’s phenomenal Rat Saw God. Twangy and delicately beautiful, ‘Elderberry Wine’ comes paired with a music video from director Spencer Kelly. Check it out below.
“‘Elderberry Wine’ is about the potential for sweet things in life (love, family, success) to become poison if not prepared for and attended to correctly,” Karly Hartzman explained in a statement. “Elderberry is known as a healing fruit, and is an ingredient in many tonics and syrups to aid the immune system. One time however, my sister consumed them raw and it immediately induced vomiting. So “Elderberry Wine” is ultimately a love song about creating just the right environment for fulfillment. There’s a delicate balance that needs to be created, especially in love, for two lives to intersect without poisoning each other.
Tonight, Wednesday will also be making their television debut on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Guitarist MJ Lenderman recently revealed he will no longer be touring with Wednesday, but he’s still part of the band.
Experimental shoegazers They Are Gutting a Body of Water, one of the most influential bands in the scene, are back with a new single. The hazy yet compelling ‘AMERICAN FOOD’ is out now via bandleader Douglas Dulgarian’s own label, Julia’s War, in a new partnership with Smoking Room and ATO Records. Check it out via the Alan Rickman-directed music video below.
TAGABOW, which started out as Dulgarian’s solo project, has now expanded into a four-piece with bassist Emily Lofing, guitarist PJ Carroll, and drummer Ben Opatut. So far, they’ve self-released a string of albums and EPs. Last year, they teamed up with Greg Mende and SUN ORGAN for ‘krillin’ and remixed Hotline TNT’s ‘Son in Law’.
“While we chase distractions and small comforts, we’re pushed into endless competition with each other – often while those with real power take freely, right in front of us,” vocalist Tony Wolski said of the new single and video.
A press release release describes the Armed’s new LP as “still genre-defying, yet overtly pissed.” (To the dismay of a fan who commented “Make The Armed Hardcore Again” under the new video.) It explores Weltschmerz, the German term describing the anguish felt when the harsh realities of the world fall short of our idealized visions of how it should be. “It’s music for a statistically wealthy population that somehow can’t afford food or medicine—endlessly scrolling past vacation photos, gym selfies, and images of child amputees in the same feed,” Wolski explained. “It reflects the dissociation required just to exist in that reality.”
The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed Cover Artwork:
The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed Tracklist:
1. Well Made Play
2. Purity Drag
3. Kingbreaker
4. Grace Obscure
5. Broken Mirror ft. Prostitute
6. Sharp Teeth
7. I Steal What I Want
8. Local Millionaire
9. Gave up
10. Heathen
11. A More Perfect Design
