The sun breaks through the windshield. The road curves ahead like a ribbon. Somewhere in the back seat, snacks are already open. Feels like freedom — until a tire blows, the GPS dies, and the engine light flickers.
Road trips are romantic. But they’re also a risk. A gamble, if done blind. Is it possible to make one stress-free?
Absolutely. But only if you treat it like a mission — not a mood.
Eliminate the Unknowns Before the First Turn
Before the playlist, before the coffee flask, before booking the Airbnb — ask one question: Is your car road-trip-ready? Not just clean. Not just fueled. Verified.
And that starts with the VIN.
Use theVingurus VIN Lookup before buying a used car for your road trip. This tool reveals hidden truths: accident records, mileage rollbacks, flood damage, failed inspections. A car can sparkle on the outside and still carry a bruised history inside.
You wouldn’t hike a mountain without checking your boots. Don’t drive cross-country without checking your engine’s past. You can also use things like pharmacy software to help.
Spontaneity is fun. Until you’re lost in a no-signal zone with no gas station for 30 miles.
A smart route includes:
Fuel stops every 150–200 miles
Emergency exits or towns within reach
Backup roads in case of closures
Daylight driving hours only — avoid fatigue and wildlife
Use physical maps as backups. Batteries die. Apps crash. And no one wants to ask a stranger for directions at 11 p.m. in rural Kansas.
Comfort Is Not Luxury — It’s Endurance
Eight hours in a car isn’t a cruise. It’s a challenge. Treat it that way.
Invest in:
Neck pillows that don’t shift
Refillable water bottles — dehydration hits harder while driving
Audiobooks and podcasts for mental stimulation
Light blankets for backseat naps
Don’t forget airflow. A stuffy car is a mutiny waiting to happen. Especially if the A/C decides to protest midway through Texas.
And snacks? Pack real food. Protein, fiber, energy. Candy fuels crashes — literal and metabolic.
Unexpected Stops Happen. Don’t Let Them Break You.
Flat tire? Reroute. Torn wiper blade? Detour. These aren’t disasters — unless you’re unprepared.
Build your emergency kit like a pro:
Jumper cables
Portable tire inflator
Multi-tool
Duct tape (yes, really)
First-aid kit
Flashlight with fresh batteries
Bonus move? Preload local mechanic reviews along your route. If the worst happens, you already know who to call. Stress isn’t in the breakdown. It’s in the blind panic that follows — unless you remove it with prep.
Don’t Let Money Become the Emergency
A budget shouldn’t end at fuel and food. That’s the rookie mistake.
Add a buffer — $300 minimum — for:
Unexpected toll roads
Hotel changes due to weather
Sudden car parts (like a cracked hose)
Medical supplies or pharmacy stops
Split cash and card. Keep some bills hidden in the glove box or spare shoe. Not for spending. For backup. Think ahead, and stress loses its grip.
And remember — not every gas station takes cards. Especially outside major highways. One missed fill-up can cascade into a nightmare.
Co-Drivers: Blessing or Breakdown?
Traveling with someone sounds dreamy. Until music wars break out. Until the third bathroom stop in one hour. Until one person forgets to navigate — again.
Here’s the solution: rules.
Agree on this before departure:
Driving shifts and rest breaks
Music veto power (limit it to one per hour)
Snack ownership (the person who buys it, chooses it)
No shame in silence. Long rides don’t require constant talk.
Bonus tip: Make the non-driver the “spotter.” Their job? Signs, alerts, maps, and vibes. If the vibe’s off — pull over. Trust the human radar more than the GPS.
Insurance Pitfalls That Kill the Vibe
Your policy covers road trips, right? Are you sure?
Some insurers limit coverage by region or mileage. Some require you to inform them before crossing state lines. And rental coverage? A minefield.
Call ahead. Ask directly:
Will I be covered in every state I plan to drive through?
What happens if my car is towed from a remote area?
Will roadside assistance be available, or do I need a separate plan?
And if you’re borrowing a car — check if you’re even allowed to. One misunderstanding can turn a minor fender-bender into a $5,000 disaster.
Real Story: The Road Trip That Almost Ended in Flames
Three friends. One used SUV. 900 miles to Colorado. Spirits high. Cooler full. Music loud.
Day two, desert highway, 103°F. Smoke from the hood. Panic.
The radiator hose had split. The engine overheated fast. No mechanic for 50 miles. They had no coolant, no tools, no idea what was happening.
They used bottled water. Limped to a motel. Waited 18 hours for a tow.
The twist? That hose had shown signs of wear before they left. But “it looked fine.” A $20 part became a $1,200 setback.
Lesson? If a part looks old, replace it. If a sound feels off, check it. Doubt = action.
How to Actually Return Home in Peace
The trip ends where it started — in your driveway. But stress doesn’t always get out of the car.
Avoid that final crash by:
Leaving one full day after your return free. No work. No obligations.
Cleaning out the car the same night. Junk multiplies fast.
Refueling the tank before you park — your future self will thank you.
And take 10 minutes to journal highlights. Memory blurs fast. But the details — the dog with sunglasses at a gas stop, the detour that led to the best diner you’ve ever found — those stay if you write them down.
The Final Truth: Stress-Free Doesn’t Mean Problem-Free
Let’s be real. Road trips aren’t a spa. They’re dynamic. They’re unpredictable. But stress-free doesn’t mean “nothing goes wrong.” It means nothing knocks you down when it does.
Preparedness is peace. Knowledge is calm. And the more control you take before the drive, the less chaos can creep in after the ignition.
It’s not about luck. It’s about loadout. And mindset.
Conclusion: It’s Not a Trip. It’s a Test.
Every road trip tests more than tires. It tests your planning. Your patience. Your resilience.
Want to win? Start smart:
Inspect the car. Trust data. UseVingurus VIN Lookup before you even hit the maps.
Prepare like it’s a mission. Not a movie.
Pack for problems — not just photos.
Respect rest. Structure silence. Feed the machine. Feed yourself.
Stress-free isn’t a fantasy. It’s a strategy. And it begins long before the wheels move. It begins with awareness. Ends with memories. And runs on decisions made before stress has the chance to show up.
New Zealand offers travelers a lot to explore: from breathtaking natural beauty to friendly locals, you’ll find everything you’re looking for. But like any other country, New Zealand has its own local laws, and some of them can be pretty “weird”. They have different regulations regarding everything, from protecting wild nature to online casinos like xon bet. As a traveler, you need to know about these laws and regulations, no matter how weird they are. That’s why we’ve put together this guide. Here’s what every traveler needs to know before embarking on a trip to the country of ‘adventure tourism’ origin.
Before We Start
Before we start, here is a quick reminder: If you are unsure about whether to declare something when you enter the country, declare it (no matter how simple) to avoid taking risks. As we will discuss below, New Zealand has stricter biosecurity laws than many other countries, and honesty is always the best policy. As a summary, here’s what to look out for in the country:
You have to declare everything you carry with you that is organic.
Avoid disturbing the whales.
Respect the national
Be aware that you will not be able to use some means of transportation.
Your body mass index may prevent you from entering the country.
Some natural wonders have a legal identity and are protected like a real person.
So, what do these rules and laws mean? Why might you not be able to enter New Zealand if you are overweight? They’re called weird laws for a reason – let’s take a closer look at them all.
Entering New Zealand
Let’s start from the beginning: there are a lot of weird things that can prevent you from entering. The first one is the “Biosecurity Act 1993”. This is considered to be one of the strictest biosecurity laws in the world and contains a lot of surprising regulations to protect the country’s ecosystem. The first one says that a traveler has to declare all the organic things they carry with them on the Passenger Arrival Card when entering the country. The scope of this is quite broad: in addition to fruits, meat products, plants and vegetables, you even have to declare your hiking boots, as their soles may contain soil or plant residues. If you forget to declare an apple you’re carrying in your pocket, your trip could be over before it even starts, as you will be denied entry.
But even if you declare everything you are carrying, there are still some things that can prevent you from entering. One of them is your body mass index (BMI). This is a serious risk for travelers (or immigrants) from countries that require a pre-visit visa. You have to declare your BMI when applying for an NZ visa, and if you are going to be staying for a long time, an above-normal BMI may result in your visa request being rejected. This rule is much more strictly enforced for immigrants. This is because New Zealand ranks in the top three most problematic countries in the world for obesity. The local obese are a serious burden on the health system, and for the same reason, obese immigrants and long-stay travelers can be denied (to avoid adding to the burden). So, you may need to lose some weight to start your trip.
Leave the Whales Alone
New Zealand has a lot of laws protecting wildlife and wilderness, but most of them are pretty obvious: as long as you don’t go and disturb wild animals, you should be fine. The problem is that some of the laws, like the Marine Mammals Protection Regulations, can be quite broad. There is a special regulation for whales, and it is forbidden to make loud or disturbing noises around them.
You can do what is prohibited here on land. For example, even if you don’t see whales around, listening to loud music near a harbor they frequent or setting off fireworks, even if you have permission, will cause you to violate this law. This can result in a fine of 10,000 NZD, so avoid making noise near the water, even if you don’t see whales.
The Currency Is Protected
The Reserve Bank of NZ Act 1989 prohibits defacing NZ banknotes, and like most other weird laws, it’s quite broad in scope. Thinking of writing something on a banknote and keeping it as a souvenir? Don’t do it, because you’ll be fined 1,000 NZD. Contrary to popular belief, this law is rigorously enforced. In 2000, a New Zealander, Taika Waititi (you may remember him from the movie Jojo Rabbit), painted a banknote and displayed it as a work of art. Because of this law, he had to pay a fine.
Transportation Rules Might Surprise You
When you are getting around, you might want to use a bicycle or an e-scooter, as many others do. The problem is that how these means of transportation should be used is dictated by their “wheel size”, and unless you know the law, you cannot intuitively understand this. In this context, you are not allowed to use bicycles on footpaths, but you can still use e-scooters. Yes, it’s weird, but remember that the law is based on the wheel size, not the type of transportation. Also, don’t be surprised if an e-scooter passes you on the sidewalk: it is allowed.
The River That’s Legally a Person
In New Zealand, there is a river called Whanganui, and in 2017, it was granted legal personhood. This means that in the eyes of the law, it is no different from a real person – every right that humans have applies to this river. The problem is that this also means that it is possible to ‘hurt’ the river. We’re not talking about doing things that pollute the river – that’s already banned. But if you “insult” the river by saying “bad things”, you are insulting a real person, and you will be prosecuted.
Be sure to check this list as you prepare for your trip to New Zealand, and don’t be afraid to ask the authorities if you are unsure about something: locals are friendly and will be happy to help you as long as you treat them with respect.
Scent has a way of locking in memories. A whiff of a familiar perfume can bring back a summer romance, a city you once wandered, or the feeling of getting ready for a night out with your best friends. Perfume is a silent storyteller, an invisible signature that lingers in the air and people’s minds. In 2025, the most sought-after fragrances are doing just that. So many new scents are in, with warm musks, airy florals, or deep, Arabic blends. These are the perfumes defining the year, so let’s find your new favorite signature scent.
1. Glossier You
Glossier’s signature fragrance is all about skin chemistry. It’s soft, musky, and uniquely you. It’s a blend of pink pepper, iris, and ambrette that melts into your skin, making it smell like a better, warmer version of itself. The beauty of this scent? It smells a little different on everyone, so it becomes your signature in perfume form.
2. Byredo Mumbai Noise
Spicy and warm scents are having a moment, and Mumbai Noise is the one you’re looking for. This fragrance is a hypnotic mix of davana, coffee, and tonka bean, creating a unique yet comforting and wearable blend. It’s the scent equivalent of a well-worn leather jacket or a walk through a bustling market in the golden hour.
3. Le Labo Thé Matcha 26
Minimalists, rejoice! This one’s for you. Thé Matcha 26 is clean, serene, and beautiful, blending matcha tea, fig, and cedarwood for an earthy yet airy vibe. It’s like a fresh matcha latte in perfume form but without the caffeine crash.
4. Kayali Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli | 64
Kayali knows how to do vanilla, and Vanilla Royale takes it to the next level. Rich, golden, and slightly boozy, this fragrance layers vanilla with brown sugar, oud, and patchouli for an opulent take on the classic sweet scent. It’s indulgent without being too overpowering.
5. Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt
Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt remains a favorite for its fresh yet grounding blend of sea salt, sage, and ambrette. Want to feel like you are taking a walk on a beach during the sunrise? This perfume is crisp, clean, and reminiscent of a breezy walk along the coast. Perfect for those who love understated elegance.
6. Dior J’adore Parfum d’Eau
Dior reinvented its classic J’adore with a water-based formula that somehow lasts all day. It’s fresh, floral, and ultra-lightweight, perfect for those who love a whisper of scent and prefer to stay away from alcohol-based perfumes.
7. Xerjoff Naxos
Xerjoff is a niche luxury brand that stands out through high-end craftsmanship and artistic compositions. This year, Naxos is one of its crown jewels. This fragrance blends honey, tobacco, and citrus for a scent that is timeless – it takes you right there on the Greek island that shares its name. While it comes with a higher price tag, its depth and longevity make it worth the investment: it’s the kind of fragrance that turns heads and lingers long after you’ve left the room.
People around the world are spending more on leisure than ever before. Global leisure tourism spending has reached an impressive £4.2 trillion ($5.5 trillion) in 2024, showing a 24% growth compared to 2019 levels.
This significant rise reflects how much people value experiences and entertainment in their lives.
The shift towards leisure spending is a long-term trend, with inflation-adjusted spending on leisure activities increasing from 9.5 percent to nearly 13 percent of overall consumer spending.
Entertainment remains particularly resilient, with those who spent on entertainment in 2024 each spending £343 on average according toBarclays data.
Despite economic uncertainties, non-essential spending grew 2.7 percent recently, led by entertainment, health & beauty, and digital content subscriptions.
Live shows and concerts have been particularly popular, withspending increasing 6.7 percent as people continue to prioritise memorable experiences.
Overview of Global Leisure Spending
Consumer spending on leisure activities has increased significantly in recent years, with a shift in how people allocate their disposable income.
Despite economic fluctuations, the leisure sector continues to be resilient as consumers prioritise experiences over material goods.
Recent Spending Trends
The leisure sector has shown notable changes in consumer spending patterns. In inflation-adjusted terms,spending on leisure activities has grown from 9.5% to nearly 13% as a share of overall consumer spending. This indicates a significant shift in consumer priorities.
However, recent data from Deloitte shows some fluctuation. Theleisure sector experienced a decline from -8.5% in Q3 2024 to -10% in Q4 2024 in total net spending.
Despite this quarterly dip, the industrycontinued to rebound in fiscal Q3 2024, with total net expenditure showing improvement from earlier figures, suggesting resilience in the face of economic challenges.
Discretionary spending patterns are evolving, with consumers allocating more budget to travel and recreation as theirdisposable income increases.
Comparison with Previous Years
The travel and tourism sector, a major component of leisure spending, has made remarkable progress in recovery. In 2023, this sectorcontributed 9.1% to the global GDP, representing a substantial 23.2% increase from 2022.
This recovery is particularly noteworthy as it places current performance at just 4.1% below the pre-pandemic 2019 level. The rapid rebound indicates strong consumer demand for leisure experiences despite economic pressures.
Moreover, digital entertainment platforms, such as kingdom casino no deposit bonus, are gaining traction as consumers look for engaging online leisure activities.
Year-on-Year Leisure Spending Growth:
Year
Growth Rate
Notes
2022-2023
+23.2%
Strong recovery phase
2023-2024
Fluctuating
Q3 to Q4 saw decline
2024 Forecast
Positive
Expected growth with increased disposable income
Consumer behaviour trends suggest long-term growth potential in leisure spending, as more people prioritise experiences over material possessions.
Analysis by Region and Country
Regional variations in leisure spending reflect diverse economic conditions and cultural priorities. North American markets show strong recovery, with the United States leading in consumer confidence for discretionary spending on leisure activities.
European markets display more caution, with spending varying significantly between Northern and Southern European countries. The UK has experienced particular volatility, with consumer spending on leisure activities fluctuating with economic conditions.
Asia-Pacific regions demonstrate the fastest growth in leisure spending, particularly in:
China: Rapid expansion in domestic tourism
Southeast Asia: Strong recovery in international travel destinations
India: Growing middle class with increasing leisure expenditure
Emerging markets are becoming increasingly significant contributors to global leisure spending. Countries with young populations and growing middle classes are experiencing the most dramatic increases in leisure-related expenditure.
Cultural factors also influence spending patterns, with some regions favouring group experiences while others show preference for individual leisure pursuits.
Factors Driving Consumer Spending Growth
Several key elements are fuelling the current surge in leisure activity expenditure worldwide. Economic conditions, shifting consumer values, and new technologies have created a perfect environment for increased spending on entertainment and recreational pursuits.
Increases in Disposable Income
The growth in consumer spending on leisure activities directly correlates with rising disposable income levels across developed nations.Recreation spending in the U.S. has seen significant increases, reflecting this economic prosperity. This upward trend isn’t isolated to America alone.
When examining historical data, leisure spending as a share of overall consumer expenditure has grown from 9.5 percent to nearly 13 percent in inflation-adjusted terms, according toVisa’s economic insights.
Wage growth has been particularly influential.NatWest Business identifies household earnings as a primary factor enabling increased spending on essentials, which frees up additional funds for discretionary leisure activities.
Shifts in Consumer Priorities
Today’s consumers demonstrate markedly different spending habits compared to previous generations. Post-pandemic priorities have evolved substantially, with greater emphasis placed on experiences rather than material possessions.
Key Priority Changes:
Enhanced focus on wellbeing and mental health
Greater value placed on shared experiences
Increased willingness to spend on activities that create memories
Growing preference for personalised leisure experiences
Mintel’s consumer research indicates that multiple crises have made consumers more savvy with their spending habits globally. This doesn’t mean reduced leisure spending, but rather more deliberate choices about which activities deliver the best value.
Sustainability has also emerged as a driving factor. Consumers increasingly demonstrate willingness to pay premium prices for leisure activities that align with environmental values.
Technological Advancements in Leisure
Technology has revolutionised how consumers engage with and spend on leisure activities. Digital platforms have reduced barriers to entry for many recreational pursuits whilst simultaneously creating entirely new categories of leisure spending.
Mobile applications, subscription services, and integrated payment systems have simplified access to entertainment options. Consumers can now book, participate in, and pay for leisure activities with unprecedented ease.
Virtual and augmented reality technologies have created immersive experiences that weren’t possible a decade ago. These innovations have particularly appealed to younger demographics, driving significant spending growth in digital leisure categories.
Key Technological Influences:
Streaming services replacing traditional entertainment channels
Mobile booking platforms simplifying activity participation
Social media influencing leisure spending decisions
AR/VR creating new experience-based spending opportunities
Smart devices have also integrated leisure into daily routines, expanding the market beyond traditional entertainment venues and formats.
Implications and Future Projections
The surge in leisure spending reflects changing consumer priorities and has far-reaching consequences for multiple sectors. These developments point to significant shifts in how people allocate their discretionary income.
Impact on the Leisure Industry
The rising trend in leisure spending is transforming business models across the recreation sector. Companies are adapting by creating more personalised experiences to capture the growing market.
Recreation spending in the USincreased by 24% over a five-year period, whilst UK expenditure on leisure activities rose by 17%. This remarkable growth has encouraged substantial investment in facilities and services.
Theme parks, fitness centres, and entertainment venues are expanding their offerings to appeal to experience-hungry consumers. Digital transformation has become essential, with virtual experiences complementing physical ones.
Small businesses in the leisure sector face both opportunities and challenges. While overall spending is up, competition has intensified, requiring innovation and specialisation to survive in this evolving marketplace.
Potential Market Developments
Several key trends are likely to shape leisure spending in the coming years. Sustainability concerns are becoming central to consumer choices, with eco-friendly leisure options gaining popularity.
Technology integration will accelerate, with augmented and virtual reality creating new categories of leisure experiences. Theshare of consumer spending on leisure has grown from 9.5% to nearly 13% in inflation-adjusted terms, suggesting room for further innovation.
Demographic shifts are driving market segmentation:
Millennials prioritise experiences over possessions
Gen Z shows strong preference for social and digital experiences
Older generations increasingly allocate retirement funds to leisure
Cross-industry partnerships will become more common as companies bundle complementary services to enhance value propositions.
Long-Term Spending Forecast
Economic projections indicate continued growth in leisure spending, though potentially at a more moderate pace than recent years.
Developing Markets: Rapid growth as middle classes expand Mature Markets: Slower growth with emphasis on premium experiences Urban Centres: Higher per capita spending on diverse leisure activities
Short-term fluctuations are likely, as evidenced by thedecline in leisure sector spending from -8.5% to -10% between Q3 and Q4 2024 according to Deloitte’s Consumer Tracker.
Despite economic uncertainties, the fundamental shift towards experience-based consumption appears durable.
Businesses that understand changing consumer preferences and adapt accordingly will capture the greatest share of this expanding market.
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 Friday, March 28, 2025.
St. Vincent – ‘DOA’
St. Vincent is back with ‘DOA’, an irresistible uptempo track she recorded for the A24 film Death of a Unicorn, which premieres today. Mixed by Cian Riordan, the song marks Annie Clark’s first new music since last year’s All Born Screaming.
Eartheater & Shygirl – ‘Shark Brain’ and ‘Dolphin’
Earthheater and Shygirl have teamed up for two new songs, ‘Shark Brain’ and ‘Dolphin’. Eartheater co-produced ‘Shark Brain’ with Andy Morin and ‘Dophin’ with Tony Seltzer and Inef Coupe; both songs are clubby yet darkly alluring in their natural imagery. “I made ‘Shark Brain’ five years ago and played it live enough times that my fans would ask for it,” Eartheater explained. “However, it was just one of those songs I didn’t know if I’d ever release. Eventually, it even got leaked, which is why, I assume, my fans seem to know all the words already. I was originally inspired to write the song when I discovered the uncanny resemblance a hammerhead shark brain has to the female reproductive system. Years later, I found out that a dolphin’s bones in their fins highly resemble those of a human hand. I was in the studio with Shy one day, and she was very into my idea to pair these songs together as an A / B side and quickly put down her verses.”
Kali Uchis – ‘Sunshine & Rain’
Kali Uchis has dropped ‘Sunshine & Rain’, a luscious song she made with producer Dylan Wiggins. It leads her recently announced album Sincerely,, which is out on May 9.
Ariana Grande – ‘dandelion’
Ariana Grande has released eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead, an expanded version of her latest album that features six new tracks. The one that stood out to me the most on first listen is ‘dandelion’, a jazzy, trap-leaning tune that might be the brightest of the new songs.
bb trickz – ‘not a pretty girl’
Spanish rapper bb trickz interpolates Clairo’s ‘Pretty Girl’ and its video on the new single ‘not a pretty girl’. It’s an endearingly playful tribute to the singer’s bedroom pop era.
Eyedress – ‘Satan’s Son’ [feat. Matt Sweeney]
Eyedress has collaborated with guitarist Matt Sweeney for ‘Satan’s Son’, an entrancing preview of Eyedress’ upcoming full-length STONER. The 21-track LP is due for release on April 11.
Real Lies – ‘Finding Money’ [feat. Jessica Barden]
Real Lies have joined forces with actress Jessica Barden for an immersive track called ‘Finding Money’. The conversational duet will appear on the London duo’s forthcoming album We Will Annihilate Our Enemies.
DJ Seinfeld – ‘Are You In?’ [feat. Balming Tiger’s Sogumm]
Swedish dance producer DJ Seinfeld has linked up Sogumm, a member of the Seoul collective Balming Tiger, for ‘Are You In?’, a bass-heavy dance track with murmuring vocals. “Collaborating with artists from different genres is definitely my preference because people come with new styles and ideas, and probably a different outlook on music, but also life,” DJ Seinfeld said. “You’re almost guaranteed to make something that you haven’t done before. For me, that was super exciting… [Sogumm] had a lot of energy, and I think the coolest part was definitely when the beats started coming together. It was super fun to work with her!”
Sogumm added: “The moment we’ve been waiting for finally arrives, and it feels as though time has peeled away, leaving behind a mix of excitement and unfamiliarity. At this starting point, the new me and the old me stand face-to-face, each feeling like a stranger to the other. In the end, all I can do is move forward with a sincere heart. This song reflects the feelings of hope, truth, and the emotional turbulence of that new beginning.”
Yung Lean – ‘Babyface Maniacs’
Yung Lean has shared a new track, the escapist ‘Babyface Maniacs’, taken from the Swedish rapper’s new LP Jonatan. It follows lead single ‘Forever Yung’.
The Raveonettes – ‘Killer’
After returning last month with ‘Blackest’, the Raveonettes have shared a hypnotic new track from their sequel to 2014’s Pe’ahi. “Kill for love but make it so I don’t care/ Most of the time I felt so alone,” goes the refrain.
Lord Huron – ‘Nothing I Need’
Lord Huron have returned with a new song, ‘Nothing I Need’. According to Ben Schneider, the track “wonders if it’s possible — within the short time you’ve got — to ever truly know what you want, if it’s worthwhile wanting anything at all, and if there’s any point in pondering what’s down the roads you didn’t take.”
Path of Exile 2’s first major content update will welcome a new class, five new Ascendancy classes, an expansion to the character system, and improvements to endgame content.
Developer Grinding Gear Games has announced that the hugely anticipated action role-playing game will see its first major content update come to the game on April 4, 2025, prior to the full release of the game.
Path of Exile 2 is currently available through early access, having opened in December 2024, while Game Rant reporting that the full release is expected to launch sometime in May 2025.
What is coming in Path of Exile 2’s first major update
The newest update will welcome a host of new features, including a new huntress class (followed by 20 new huntress skills), five new ascendancy classes, brand new character skills as well as a huge amount of new support gems, unique items and maps.
Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt introduces a new class, five new Ascendancy classes, huge expansions on character systems, improvements to the Endgame systems, new Endgame content and much, much more.
Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt introduces a new class, five new Ascendancy classes, huge expansions on character systems, improvements to the Endgame systems, new Endgame content and much, much more.
The biggest change is the addition of a new spear wielding Azmeri warrior class, The Huntress, who is capable of blending ranged and melee combat expertise into “deadly effect”.
Players who choose to play as the huntress will be able to choose the Ritualist as their first ascension class, allowing you to “embrace the darker side of Azmeri traditions by harnessing the power of animal sacrifice and plague.”
Fans of the existing warrior, mercenary and witch classes will now be able to ascend as a Smith of Kitava, focusing character development into smithing skills.
The developers will also be focusing on midgame to endgame content, with over a hundred new items coming to make these stages of gameplay more content rich and interesting.
This also includes the addition of seven new endgame maps, each featuring unique challenges and encounters.
A feature that has divided fans is the ability to respawn and return to a map after death, picking up where you left off. Even at the start of the endgame, players will have up to six attempts per map, delighting casual players but reducing some of the risk that hardcore fans love.
Path of Exile 2 is available for early access and will be released in full in May 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
After over two decades on PlayStation devices, the popular animated golf series Hot Shots will be making the move to the Nintendo Switch with its newest edition , Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots.
The series, which debuted on the PlayStation 1 in 1997, has been exclusively owned by Sony and has been exclusive to PlayStation consoles since.
The game’s shock availability on the Nintendo Switch will be joined by three other PlayStation franchises: LEGO Horizon Adventures, Freedom Wars Remastered and Patapon 1+2 Replay which have all been opened up to Nintendo users.
It’s unclear whether or not Sony will allow the games to be released on Xbox consoles as well, but Game Rant reports that it is unlikely as the company still sees Microsoft as their main direct rival in the console sphere, despite poor Xbox sales.
The game is already available to up on Steam (PC) and the PlayStation Store, but is yet to appear on the eShop (Nintendo Switch) as of late March 2025.
While it is unlikely that the game will be coming to Xbox consoles, it may be more plausible than other titles as the new golfing game will be a full-priced game, attracting larger audiences than some smaller releases.
The game’s title Everybdy’s Golf: Hot Shots combines two previous brand names of the series. The Hot Shots branding was used exclusively in North America until 2011, while the rest of the world was used to seeing the name Everybody’s Golf.
The series has seen nearly a dozen new entries over the past two decades, with some being considered some of the greatest golf games ever created.
Everybody’s Gold: Hot Shots news and release date
The game will be the first of the franchise available on a Nintendo device, with the game being exclusively on PlayStation or PC for the majority of its existence.
It has been confirmed that the game will be available on PC, PlayStation and Nintendo switch from its release. Unfortunately a release date has not been confirmed but we do know that the game will be coming later in 2025.
The game has previously always been published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, but the upcoming Hot Shots title will be published by Bandai Namco who have purchased other Sony titles like Freedom Wars Remastered and Patapon 1+2 Replay.
The game will also be the first Hot Shots Golf game to be developed by the Japanese studio Hyde, responsible for the popular anime role-playing game Digimon Survive
Hogwarts Legacy, the hugely popular Harry Potter open-world role-playing game, has see its upcoming expansion update cancelled while publishers Warner Bros Games restructure amid financial woes.
Despite the game selling over 34 million copies and being one of the best-sellers of recent years, Warner Bros have decided to cancel the planned expansion after deciding its content was not substantial enough for its price, reported by Metro to be around £20-£30.
The company has gone through a period of restructuring after financially poor results from releases like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a series of layoffs at partner studios like Rocksteady, and the cancellation of the upcoming Wonder Woman game.
Eurogamer reports that the studio is said to be focusing its resources on its biggest names: Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones.
While the expansion for the current game has been cancelled, a second game is in development at Avalanche Software, the Warner Bros. subsidiary that developed the first Hogwarts Legacy.
They had worked with the Rocksteady studio to create the original before they were hit with a round of layoffs. The remaining Rocksteady team are reportedly working on a new single-player Batman game, showing Warner Bros. intention of returning to their most iconic brands.
Hogwarts Legacy News: What was the planned expansion?
The plans weren’t publically announced, but Bloomberg reported on them last year and they were widely considered in the works for a release later in 2025.
The expansion would have added new storylines to the game and had been planned to be released alongside the “Definitive Edition” of the game which would include all available content.
The Hogwarts Legacy game serves as a prequel to the Harry Potter books, allowing fans to create their own wizards and explore the world made famous through the adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermoine.
Hogwarts Legacy is available to Harry Potter fans on PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Having released in February 2023 it went on to becoming one of the best-selling games of the past decade and the best seller of 2023 with over 34 million copies sold and very positive reviews (90%) on Steam.
Warner Bros. released another Harry Potter game in 2024, but it has struggled to sell and even for buyers it has failed to remain relevant in the gaming landscape. Harry Potter: Quidich Champions now only averages a couple of hundred players online at any one time, compared to Hogwarts Legacy‘s thousands of active players.
In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on March 28, 2025:
Lucy Dacus, Forever Is a Feeling
Lucy Dacus is back with her fourth album and major label debut. Produced by Blake Mills, Forever Is a Feeling follows 2021’s Home Video. Rather than expanding or polishing up her sound, it charts an ongoing evolution by refining the subtleties and zoning into the minutiae of her songwriting, whose reflections of love, fame, and trust now concern some of the very people helping to bring it to life. The record is about traveling long distances and trying to transcend them, about tasting forever in the throes of change, taking the gamble on love when you’re caught between fantasy and truth. Read the full album review.
Perfume Genius’ latest album, Glory, has arrived. It was led by the confident ‘It’s a Mirror’, which marked a shift from the diffuse grooves of 2022’s Ugly Season but still succumbed to the feeling of “a siren, muffled crying/ Breaking me down soft and slow.” Yet if there is a weariness seeping through the familiarly lush and vibrant tapestry of Glory – which reunites Mike Hadreas with producer Blake Mills, while elevating his backing band of Meg Duffy (Hand Habits), Greg Uhlmann, Tim Carr, Jim Keltner, and Pat Kelly – it’s not at the expense of catharsis, freedom, or indeed glory. The album is tender-hearted and open-ended, loosening into a level of directness that not only feels new for Hadreas, but gives even its heavier subjects a weightless air. Read the full album review.
Destroyer has returned with a new album, Dan’s Boogie. In our interview with Dan Bejar around the release, the singer-songwriter talked about Billie Holiday, Tom Waits, Bi Gan, and more as inspirations behind the follow-up to 2022’s Labyrinthitis. “I think for Destroyer songs in general, outside art is crucial,” Bejar said. “It’s the tapestry of the world in the background of those songs – the world they live in. Not to say that it exclusively feeds off other people’s art, but it’s definitely not scared to.”
Patience, Moonbeam, Great Grandpa’s first album since 2019’s Four of Arrows, feels both buoyant and homespun, channeling intimate, tangled emotions through fantastical songwriting and gorgeously expansive arrangements. All members of the quintet – Al Menne, Dylan Hanwright, Pat and Carrie Goodwin, and Cam LaFlam – wrote lyrics for the record, which was preceded by the singles ‘Kid’, ‘Doom’, ‘Junior’, ‘Ladybug’, and ‘Never Rest’. Making the band’s most collaborative album might have taken time, but it’s well worth the wait.
Hannah Cohen has released her first album in six years, Earthstar Mountain, via Bella Union/Congrats Records. The Welcome Home follow-up was produced by the singer-songwriter’s longtime partner and collaborator Sam Owens, aka Sam Evian, and features Sufjan Stevens and Clairo. “I think working on music with him is a way we connect and bond together,” Cohen said in our Artist Spotlight interview about working with her partner. “Of course, I’m going to write things about him – or sometimes I don’t, but parts of our lives come into our music. So we’re talking about them through music in a way, which is sort of therapeutic for us.”
On their sixth album, Deafheaven reconcile the luminous sound of 2021’s Infinite Granite with the boundary-pushing heaviness the California band made its name on. Rather than a return to form, Lonely People With Power showcases the duality of a band writing some of its most scorching, unrelenting tunes – ‘Incidental II’ is a standout in that regard – while still making space for expansive, softer atmospherics. Guests on the LP include Interpol’s Paul Banks and Boy Harsher’s Jae Matthews.
Chrystia Cabral has put out her fourth LP as SPELLLING, Portrait of My Heart. She was joined by touring bandmates (performing as the Mystery School) to record The Turning Wheel follow-up, which boasts some of her most direct and electrifying songs to date. “When the lyrics for the title track came together, it really started to morph everything in this more energetic direction, instead of this more whimsical landscape that I’ve worked with before,” Cabral said in press materials. “It started to become more driven, higher energy, more focused. And I have a big affection for it because of that. I love that it feels like it withstood transformation, which is something I always want to aspire to with things that I make. I want them to have this sense of timelessness. It could exist like this, or like that, or like this, but this is the one for right now.”
The Los Angeles punks Niis have come through with a album, Niis World, via Get Better Records. Pronounced “Nice,” the band blends hardcore punk, lo-fi garage, and grunge to blistering effect. “The powers that be want us to pit against each other, they don’t want us to connect, well, it’s actually more punk to not be pitted against each other, it’s more about community, connecting, and being good to each other,” guitarist Ryan McGuffin said in press materials.
Backxwash has put out a new album, Only Dust Remains, via the Zambian Canadian rapper and producer’s own label, Ugly Hag. It follows 2022’s His Happiness Shall Come First Even Though We Are Suffering, which completed a trilogy that also included 2021’s I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and My Dresses and 2020’s God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It. It features the previously unveiled singles ‘Wake Up’ and ‘9th Heaven’.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra have unveiled a new album, IC-02 Bogotá, via Jagjaguwar. Recorded at Estudio Naranja in the Colombian city with the group’s new keyboard player, Christian Li, the latest entry in their instrumental series is described by the band as “possible background music for some strange parties and night drives in your future.” It’s worth sticking around for the 14-minute closer, whose percussive stops and starts render it one of the most riveting songs on the LP.
Eiko Ishibashi, Antigone; Free Range, Lost & Found; Yukimi, For You; Aya, Hexed!; Bryan Ferry, Loose Talk; Alison Krauss & Union Station, Arcadia; Dean Wareham, That’s the Price of Loving Me; Boldy James & Antt Beatz, Hommage; Snapped Ankles, Hard Times Furious Dancing; Cactus Lee, Cactus Lee; YT, Oi!; Ohyung, You Are Always on My Mind; CocoRosie, Little Death Wishes; Sandwell District, End Beginnings; Holger Czukay: Gvoon, Brennung 1; Ohyung, You Are Always on My Mind; The Darkness, Dreams on Toast; James Elkington, Pastel De Nada.
The world of Destroyer‘s Dan’s Boogie is one of sweeping beauty tumbling towards erasure. “‘There’s nothing in there/Everyone’s been burned,” Dan Bejar sings on ‘The Ignoramus of Love’. “I remix horses.” That third line, which nods to the Bill Callahan song ‘I Break Horses’ and reimagining Patti Smith’s Horses, is evidence of how other pieces of music – as well as film and literature, the boundaries being so blurred in Destroyer’s estimation – permeate Bejar’s subconscious lyrical process. “I think for Destroyer songs in general, outside art is crucial,” Bejar said. “It’s the tapestry of the world in the background of those songs – the world they live in. Not to say that it exclusively feeds off other people’s art, but it’s definitely not scared to.” You can’t always trace a direct connection between them as a listener, but you also can’t shake off the way a particular tangle of words, sounds, or images might have bled into Bejar’s madcap expression. It’s Destroyer at their most undiluted and fearless, and the results are both satisfyingly murky and illuminating.
We caught up with Dan Bejar to talk about Billie Holiday, Bi Gan, Miss MacIntosh, My Darling, and other inspirations behind Dan’s Boogie.
Billie Holiday
I was reading an interview about the making of Poison Season, which was 10 years ago, and you talked about listening to her later records, which were more orchestrated while her voice was more worn down. That fits into this idea that some of your inspirations remain kind of static. What era or quality of her work did you find yourself gravitating to this time around?
I feel like it started around then and just kept amping up. It’s not that I wasn’t into it before, but it was kind of a recent thing, probably around the making of Poison Season, while later on, especially in the last couple of years, it’s been something I listen to every single day. I immerse myself in her voice from all eras, hoping that it can be like a mist you walk through, and I’ll have a scent of it on me when I open my mouth in front of a microphone. I think there are a couple of songs where you can tell I’ve been under that spell, even though my voice has nothing similar and it’s not an intrinsically appealing voice. There’s an approach to phrasing she has that’s just unmatched, in the English language anyway.
There are a couple of quieter songs, maybe, where you can kind of tell I’m in thrall to that, which I am. Probably not the songs people think about much off Dan’s Boogie – I’m not sure which ones people think about, but there’s a 90-second song called ‘I Materialize’ that’s kind of me channeling my version of that. Even a song like ‘Cataract Time’ – for me, that’s probably the best example of where my singing is at these days. And when I think about singing, I think about her. That’s just the way it goes. I don’t listen to too much else. I mean, I listen to a lot of instrumental music these days, but I don’t listen to a lot of people singing.
Does it make you think about your voice differently now than maybe listening to her did 10 years ago?
I think I listened to it 10 years ago in a way that was very much like I was digging the aura of it, the overall sound. These days, when I listen to it, I listen for pleasure – and not in the sense of, like, leisure; it’s like a drug or something. When I listen to it these days, it’s more specific. I’m more focused on the contours of her voice. It’s not a scientific study, but I’m kind of zoomed in a lot more compared to 10 years ago.
Blue Valentine by Tom Waits
You cited ‘70s Tom Waits around the cycle for Labyrinthitis. How do you see that influence carrying over into Dan’s Boogie?
Well, to a lot of people I roll with, he’s poison, so it’s very gutsy for me to put him on this list. [laughs] But I guess I also don’t listen to him much as an adult. I kind of listened to him as a teenager, and mostly his ‘80s stuff that was more critically lauded and experimental, that weird mashup of Beefheart and Brecht. But I’ve been really into his schmaltzy ‘70s records these days, and Blue Valentine is maybe the best example of that. I just find them very romantic.
During the Poison Season era, I’d been more into songs that are orchestrated piano ballads. Dan’s Boogie, even though what I can do on the piano is very limited, was mostly written quickly over a couple of weeks while forcing myself to play the piano. I think the instrument you use to write informs the sound of the songs and even the lyrical quality. The piano brings out a certain lyric in me, which is more classic, maybe more fatalistic. There are a couple of songs where I just wanted there to be a certain jazzy, lounge despair, which is a pose Tom Waits was famous for in the seventies and probably got a lot of flack for. I feel like now that I’m in my 50s, I can do that kind of thing and not get in too much trouble.
I saw a comment under a YouTube video of the title track from Blue Valentine that struck me as quite bizarre – it was someone recalling a childhood memory of their parents dancing to the record. Is there a memory that comes to mind when you think about listening to Tom Waits for the first time?
I have a very distinct memory, probably as a child, of seeing the video for a song called ‘In the Neighborhood’. It’s a very surreal black-and-white video with circus freaks everywhere, just kind of marching through the main street of a small town. I must have been 11 or 12, I don’t know where they would even show this video, but I remember thinking it was really creepy – it kind of freaked me out. I don’t think I’d actually heard Tom Waits properly, or in a way where I knew who he was, until a couple of years after that, when that song ‘Downtown Train’ became slightly popular. But this was much darker and creepier. That first time always stuck with me. I always think about that song. Even when making a song like ‘The Ignoramus of Love’, I was thinking of the way he would do a circus waltz kind of song, or his version of Americana, which is different from the typical rootsy, folksy version. There’s something more cartoonish about his version, but also something more theatrical and musical, literally. Τhose things appealed to me.
Patrick Modiano
I think I started reading him not that long ago – maybe three or four years ago. He’s not famous in North America at all. He’s like the least famous Nobel Prize laureate in the history of that prize, I think, as far as Americans go. I read one and thought, “There’s nothing to this book. It’s just a series of street names and people’s names, and you wander through it. You’re not totally sure what’s real – it’s all just fuzzy memories.” But for some reason, the last couple of pages always reeled me in, in some kind of very melancholic, powerful way. Then I read another one, and another one, and another one. And they’re all the fucking same, they’re all like that. They’re all just a series of street names, people’s names coming in and out of the mist, some vague mystery which never gets solved. Someone trying to account for a dark past, which is barely remembered. There’s something sinister in the air, but you don’t know what. They’re all really short, also, and my attention span as I’ve gotten older is really bad. so I love that these books are all under 200 pages. [laughs] But they are these poetic accounts of the world being erased, which is an important theme in my songs. It’s something I can’t get enough of, and something I can’t get to the bottom of. I can’t figure it out. I like it when mysteries don’t get figured out in books. So yeah, it’s something I’ve been into for the last few years. I was just reading the latest one that came out in English – I read them in translation – just a couple of weeks ago.
It sounds like that feeling like there’s nothing in it, exactly, but there’s something to it. Or it moves toward nothing, things being erased.
On the surface, they’re kind of these vaguely noirish mysteries without a lot of the tropes – definitely without the desire to solve anything. There’s nothing too sordid in them. Maybe, at their heart, they’re really about a European condition. A lot of it wrestles with Europe after the war, which – I’m not from there, I can’t really speak to it. The books are kind of romantic, but they exist in the shadow of something horrible, which usually goes unspoken. That’s very specific to that time – maybe that time in Paris, anyway.
Hustle (dir. Robert Aldrich)
I read Roger Ebert’s original review of the film, in which he wrote that “it cares more about getting inside these people than it does about solving its crime.” That seems in line with what you’re talking about in terms of mysteries remaining unresolved.
I’ve been asked a lot about the title Dan’s Boogie, and in my mind, I kept saying, “Well, it’s one of these titles I remember from my childhood – these hard-boiled ‘70s crime novels or espionage novels, or maybe a film.” I saw Hustle after Dan’s Boogie was made, but it shocked me how much it inhabited what I was thinking of when I was defending the title. Not that it has someone’s name in it, but if it had been something like So-and-So’s Hustle, it would’ve been exactly what I was thinking of. It’s kind of a sordid movie, part dumb ‘70s cop movie, but it also has this hardened, self-consciously ‘40s noir aesthetic – probably because of the director, Robert Aldrich, who directed Kiss Me Deadly, one of the noir films.
In those kinds of movies and books, people get to talk in a heightened level of poeticism. The dialogue is borderline ridiculous sometimes, because that’s just understood in noir – you can speak in this exaggerated mode. I like that, because I like that for songs, and I like that for when I have to stuff lyrics into songs. It’s a world I like to put people in, because you can try to be as over-the-top Shakespearean as you want, and it still lands if the aura is right. In this case, the aura is some Burt Reynolds crime thriller.
That movie is interesting also because it has this Catherine Deneuve angle, and it’s lit in a way that’s kind of over-exaggerated, doomed, romantic. It’s a strange clash of styles – a really weird, awkward movie, which is the kind of art I like. I like imperfect art, and this one is very imperfect, but it has elements I really like, and other things which are repulsive.
It’s interesting how you’re creating or referring back to a cinematic world that validates that kind of poetic speech, or at least makes it sound natural.
Yeah, it’s kind of a trick, because Destroyer songs are pretty in-your-face. It’s hard to tune them out, especially on a record like Dan’s Boogie, where I purposefully wanted the vocals cranked – they have to be at a crooner level, no matter what’s happening in the music. That’s the challenge. When the style of writing is kind of arch – not florid, that’s not the right word, but aggressive lyricism – you need to find a world that style can attach itself to, because otherwise, it’s just grotesque.
Bi Gan
I love his movies, and much later, I was reading an interview with him – he’s only made two feature-length films, I think. One’s called Long Day’s Journey Into Night, which is kind of noirish. He also talked about being really into Patrick Modiano, which made a lot of sense to me. This kid – I don’t know how old he is, but he’s younger than me – I think likes a lot of the things I like. But that’s not always enough to make me want to watch or listen to something, the fact that there’s shared inspirations. But In his case, he mashes it all up into something very distinct.
With him, I find he’s visually so arresting – so good. There are so many potent images and shots in his movies. But he’s also an incredible writer. When I think about the movie Kaili Blues, there’s some monologuing over the top, almost like spoken word style, and I think it’s his own poetry. I think it’s some of my favorite poetry I’ve been exposed to in the last 10 years. It’s rare for there to be a double whammy like that. When I think of the amazing poetry in a Tarkovsky movie, that was at least his dad, it wasn’t Tarkovsky writing it. I’m trying to think of other examples where the visual and literary components line up in an incredible way. I think Bi Gan might stand alone as the greatest example. Anyway, I love his two films.
Do you think about how the visual world and the poetic world ofthe record line up more over time?
With visual things, I know that I like them when I see them, but I’m really bad at it. When it comes to Destroyer, I think about what music is, and music can have a filmic quality to it, but that’s a sonic thing. I think Dan’s Boogie is, in my mind, the apex of that – as far as my idea of songs having a cinematic feel to them, this is the closest we’ve ever gotten. Working with John is really important because he’s a sound design freak and an incredible mixer of sounds. He creates these tapestries where it’s literally a joy to sing into them, even though the vocals are usually the first thing done – they’re all done before any of that stuff gets worked on. But the way he juggles the band and the canvas he makes for me to spew onto is, I don’t know, confidence-building. It gives me the freedom to work large.
For me as a listener, there’s a line between something sounding cinematic and something making what I’m experiencing feel more cinematic. A song like ‘Hydroplaning’ definitely does that.
Yeah, I think that’s an important distinction to make. There’s a song that’s trying to sound like music from a movie, and then there’s a song that’s trying to sound like a movie. For me, even though I’m really into film scores and things like that more and more every year, when I think of something having a cinematic quality, it’s maybe more what you said: something that gives me the feeling I get when I’m watching a film I really love.
Manoel de Oliveira
Was it a case of revisiting his films more, or certain themes or images being stuck in your head?
I go in and out of his world. I go through phases. I think I’m back in now. There’s a theater angle to what he does, which is interesting to me, but it doesn’t come off like filmed theater, for some reason. Because he made movies when he was, like, 110 years old, he started really getting going when he was old enough to be pre-cinema consciousness – kind of an old-school European approach to theater and artifice, which he then filmed in this very interesting, dry, but still very filmic way. Again, an example of people speaking in over-the-top poetic ways, but somehow creating a universe where that kind of language and speaking feels normal, or just right – it’s the right way to speak, even if everyone sounds like they’re reading from pamphlets or essays.
There’s an approach to artifice in his films that I find really liberating when I watch them. It makes me interested in how people speak on a stage, and I’m always on a stage – what you can do to mess with those notions of how you’re supposed to sound when you open your mouth. He’s a director who’s kind of stuck with me for a long time.
Do you think about messing with that notion even when you don’t have performance in mind? When it’s just words on a page?
Even more so, yeah. Because when I’m on stage, I’m usually just frozen, like an animal. I’m not natural enough or academic enough to get on stage and be conscious of what I’m doing. I usually just get on, start singing, close my eyes, and then an hour goes by. I get off stage, and I either feel really good about it or really bad about it. But when I’m making songs, I think about it a lot – not when I’m writing them, because the writing happens pretty fast. I just like banging words off each other, and I have a hard time really delving into the actual writing process. But once the song is written, how it’s supposed to come across as a recording, and how my voice is supposed to come across as something that carries it, is something I think about. Maybe not always in the most conscious way, but I know it’s always there. And how you can mess with it – not for any philosophical intention, but more just to create sparks, to try and start a fire.
Miss MacIntosh, My Darling by Marguerite Young
I read that this is one of the longest novels ever written.
It’s so long, and I’m so slow. I’m barely on page 200, and I started it a few months back. It’s really strange, very stream-of-consciousness. Incredible sentences, one after the other, just so densely packed with a mind saying incredible things all the time. But I’m constantly losing my place. I go back 20 pages over and over again, kinda like a maze. If I take a break for too long, I have to start from way back. There’s no real narrative to latch onto – just a few vague, ghostly characters who say incredible things, almost like in an opium state. Maybe one of them is in an opium state. But it’s not just stream-of-consciousness; it’s like a crazy wind you have to follow.
When I read it, I find it really inspiring. It’s a book I’d never heard of from, like, 60 years ago. It’s like, “Oh, we can still discover these amazing works that were just kind of lost to us. Or maybe only a few people knew about them, but over the decades, they get buried. It’s an incredible thing to discover, and then it’s really inspiring to read. I feel like I should just read one page from it for the rest of my life. I wonder if I’ll ever finish it.
Is it also inspiring in a way that makes something click about the way you’ve been writing or aspiring to write in recent years?
Even though I may never finish this book, it kind of validates everything I think about in art. [laughs] It’s like, “Oh, you just did it. You just went and did it.” Everything I thought art was supposed to do – this onslaught of language where, no matter where I open the book, I start reading and I literally get swept away by the words. That’s just what I want to feel when I’m reading, listening to a record, or watching a movie. I just want to feel like that all the time.
As a work in itself, it’s almost impossible. It’s an onslaught. It’s bloated – it just goes and goes and goes. But the force of vision to make this 1,300-page blast is definitely very inspiring. It doesn’t make me think that I could do that, but it makes you think that art matters, which is something that’s really easy to forget, especially in this particular day and age. It also seems like an incredible book from a time when there was more at stake. It’s impossible to imagine a novel like that being written and published in America right now. So it makes you wonder about what we’ve lost.
If I could single out one phrase from Dan’s Boogie to encapsulate it, it would be “carve yourself out of illusion.” Does that line hold a similar weight for you in the context of the album, or outside it?
I find that song, ‘Cataract Time’, kind of important to me. If I had to pick out a song and the lyrics in a song, I’d probably pick that. It’s the most automatic writing that happened. I just sat down and started singing it over a little chord progression and melody. A lot of the writing is very uncensored – it wasn’t written beforehand, which is pretty rare. I don’t normally do that. I don’t have it in me to just improvise a song, but for that one, I kind of did.
There are lines that feel very personal or very much describe where I was at while walking around the day I wrote that song. “Carve yourself out of illusion” – what is it? – “You choose the wrong way around a setting sun.” That song speaks to a lot of the stuff I picked as examples of influences: wandering through the streets and not recognizing the streets, not recognizing the world around you, having what used to be familiar slowly erased. Things that are normal as you get older, as you get into feelings of entering the last act of your life, I suppose, if a life is three acts. Just how disorienting that can be at first. And also, ideas decay. But also, the speed at which the world wants to erase itself these days, whether through some violent act or just a slow fade.
It seems to be a feeling that sticks with me, and when I write, I seem to write to that point a lot. I seem to point myself at it. A lot of the things on this list, whether it’s Modiano, Kaili Blues by Bi Gan, or even the later Billie Holiday records – there’s always a looking back on something that’s almost gone, which gives them their power and their tragedy, I guess.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Lucy Dacus
Perfume Genius’ latest album, 
Destroyer has returned with a new album, 
Patience, Moonbeam, Great Grandpa’s first album since 2019’s Four of Arrows, feels both buoyant and homespun, channeling intimate, tangled emotions through fantastical songwriting and gorgeously expansive arrangements. All members of the quintet – Al Menne, Dylan Hanwright, Pat and Carrie Goodwin, and Cam LaFlam – wrote lyrics for the record, which was preceded by the singles 
Hannah Cohen
On their sixth album, Deafheaven reconcile the luminous sound of 2021’s Infinite Granite with the boundary-pushing heaviness the California band made its name on. Rather than a return to form, 
Chrystia Cabral has put out her fourth LP as SPELLLING, 
The Los Angeles punks Niis have come through with a album, Niis World, via 
Backxwash has put out a new album, Only Dust Remains, via the Zambian Canadian rapper and producer’s own label, Ugly Hag. It follows 2022’s His Happiness Shall Come First Even Though We Are Suffering, which completed a trilogy that also included 2021’s I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and My Dresses and 2020’s God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It. It features the previously unveiled singles ‘Wake Up’ and 
Unknown Mortal Orchestra have unveiled a new album, 
