What if your body had a breathing, reacting, and evolving clone—not of flesh, but of data? In high-performance sports, a digital twin acts like a clone. It transforms how athletes train, recover, and grow. It does not replace you; it understands you. So, how does it work—and why does it matter so much? Let’s find out in this article.
What Is a Digital Twin?
A digital twin is not just a 3D avatar, but an accurate, living model of your body, updated in real time. It is built on the basis of a huge array of data: pulse, hydration level, sleep phase, and muscle activity. Such a twin allows coaches and analysts to see what eludes the ordinary eye—how you move, how you recover, how you react to stress. And the most amazing thing is that this digital organism develops with you, step by step, training by training.
In a world where technologies are learning to understand us better than we understand ourselves, a personal approach comes to the fore even outside the training room. Therefore, both in sports analytics and in fan passions, smart solutions are increasingly chosen. If you have already registered in one of the four simple ways, just complete the MelBet login to enter the space where every bet becomes a conscious step. Thousands of options, the best odds, thoughtful bonuses—all this awaits where the game continues even after the final whistle. Here, every entry is like a new start, and every choice can be a win.
Training Gets a Mirror
Think of it like this: your training isn’t based on guesswork anymore. It’s based on you, and every breath and heartbeat is accounted for. Digital twins make this possible. Here’s how they personalize every second of your progress:
Live Biomechanical Feedback: Sensors track joint angles and muscular strain. In Barcelona’s youth academy, this has reduced ACL risk by 18%.
Heart and Lung Synergy Monitoring: The twin watches cardio-respiratory performance to detect hidden fatigue. Used by cyclists on Team INEOS to avoid overtraining.
Sleep and Recovery Alignment: Athletes at PSG have digital twins synced with sleep trackers. When sleep drops, so does training load—automatically.
Movement Signature Recognition: Systems like KINEXON tag unique motion patterns. If something looks “off,” the twin flags it before injury happens.
This isn’t just optimization. It’s protection. Its performance. It’s personal.
Your Body, Your Data
To understand the depth of insight a digital twin provides, take a look at these key metrics:
Metric
Why It Matters
Used By
Ground Contact Time
Shows fatigue creeping into footwork
Red Bull Leipzig
Muscle Load Symmetry
Detects imbalances in legs or arms
Bayern Munich
Joint Angle Tracking
Prevents injury by flagging poor knee or shoulder positioning
Juventus
Core Temperature Variation
Protects from overheating during matches
Houston Dynamo FC
Neuro-Muscular Delay Index
Measures brain-muscle signal delays (reaction time)
National Olympic Training Ctr.
Respiratory Rate Variability
Highlights poor cardio adaptation under stress
British Rowing Team
Skin Conductivity & Hydration
Detects dehydration before performance drops
Real Madrid
Tendon Load History
Prevents Achilles and patellar issues by tracking load cycles
Arsenal FC
VO2 Recovery Curve
Shows how quickly your body returns to baseline post-exertion
French Rugby Federation
No two players are the same, and with a digital twin, their plans aren’t either.
Adapting in Real Time
Bid farewell to the monotonous training blocks that don’t change from week to week. Digital twins allow for real-time adjustments to be made on a minute-by-minute basis, updating your daily plan in accordance with how your body actually feels and moves.
At Bayern Munich, this technology is used to alter warm-up routines dynamically. If your digital twin alerts you to tight hamstrings, the warm-up adapts before the first sprint. At Arsenal’s training ground, twins assist in managing matchday routines based on signals from muscle microtears. If the quad isn’t ready? You change. Immediately. The outcome? A decrease in soft tissue injuries. Increased precision. And enhanced certainty!
Spotting What Others Miss
Effort is perceived by a coach. Friction, overload, and hesitation are perceived by a twin. It sees what the eye can’t. This sort of understanding creates innovative progress. Let’s examine what is first captured by digital twins:
Asymmetrical Movement Risk: Small variances in the stride length of opposing legs indicate an increasing risk of injury. Digital twins are able to identify these several weeks prior to any regression in the patient’s condition.
Mental Fatigue Indicators: Decreased coordination or slower reaction time signifies a state of cognitive overload. Drills are tailored with the focus of restoring balance on a cognitive level.
Hidden Energy Deficits: Even the well-fueled can have energy-deficient underperformance. Digital twins identify the issue when the mitochondrial output slips beneath the baseline expectancy threshold.
Impact Load Accumulation: From basketball jumps to rugby tackles, twins remember history. Impact history is so well documented that AI suggests rest days to prevent burnout.
In elite sports, every millisecond and millimeter count. And digital twins ensure none gets wasted.
From Generic to Genius Plans
Athletes are usually treated as templates—lift the same weight, have the same rest time, and follow the same rules. But templates will not create champions. With new digital technology, everything changed. Now, athletes train based on evolving strategies called “twins.”
In the Netherlands, for instance, speed skaters use simulations to optimize angles for each lap and adjust workloads to their individual fatigue patterns. In tennis, specially tailored serve templates are designed around simulated shoulder strain metrics. Activation for specific sessions becomes easier. One example is an elite sprinter who reduced his personal best 100m time by 0.03 seconds after twin-based plan shifts. This technology provides remarkable results!
Smarter Recovery, Fewer Injuries
Everything has its place. For example, training comes first, recovery is second… unless you harness the full power of digital twins, in which case recovery takes center stage. Here’s what they keep track of to aid functionality:
Predicting Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness: Through monitoring muscle vibration patterns, twins tactically predict muscle soreness a full day in advance.
Spotting Injury Zones: If the load on a particular body part exceeds its 10-day average by 18% or more, twins alert—this is often used in elite gymnastics.
Timing of Cold and Heat Therapy: Equipped with knowledge, twins suggest the use of recovery tools during the time when they yield the most impact based on microtear activity.
Sleep Recovery Synchronization: When insufficient sleep is detected, twins decrease the training volume and protein intake the following morning.
This enables athletes to not just rest, but rebuild. Bouncing back safely, smarter, and stronger than before.
Technology That Learns You
Visualize a system that understands your body like a coach, listens like a friend, and evolves like an athlete. This is the essence of a digital twin. It does not replace you. It walks with you. It does not command. Constructing a personal training model based on real-time data from each user is possible. There’s a long way to go, but it walks alongside you, absorbing everything around, activating every inch within reach, illuminating the way ahead.
R.E.M. have shared a new remix of their 1981 debut single, ‘Radio Free Europe’, courtesy of producer and longtime collaborator Jacknife Lee. It appears on a new benefit EP, Radio Free Europe 2025, which is out now digitally, with a vinyl edition arriving on September 12 via Craft. Proceeds from the physical release will go to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the editorially independent nonprofit that the song is named after. Check it out below.
The Radio Free Europe 2025 EP includes producer Mitch Easter’s original ‘Radio Free Europe’ remix, along with the B-side ‘Sitting Still’ and the previously cassette-only instrumental ‘Wh. Tornado’. The release coincides with the 75th anniversary of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. “Whether it’s music or a free press—censorship anywhere is a threat to the truth everywhere,” bandleader Michael Stipe said. “On World Press Freedom Day, I’m sending a shout-out to the brave journalists at Radio Free Europe.”
Bassist Mike Mills added: “Radio Free Europe’s journalists have been pissing off dictators for 75 years. You know you’re doing your job when you make the right enemies. Happy World Press Freedom Day to the ‘OG’ Radio Free Europe.”
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s president and chief executive, Stephen Capus, commented: “To me, R.E.M.’s music has always embodied a celebration of freedom: freedom of expression, lyrics that make us think, and melodies that inspire action. Those are the very aims of our journalists at Radio Free Europe—to inform, inspire, and uphold freedoms often elusive to our audiences. We hold dictators accountable. They go to great lengths to silence us—blocking our websites, jamming our signals, and even imprisoning our colleagues.”
“I got caught in the teeth of the thoughts that keep me awake,” Stefan Babcock sings on ‘Paranoid’, a blistering highlight off PUP‘s new album Who Will Look After the Dogs?. Gnawing at intrusive thoughts is baked into the Canadian punk outfit’s DNA, but the despair that pervades the follow-up to 2022’s The Unraveling of PUPTheBand is so visceral that it threatens to throw the band’s signature mix of darkness and snark way off balance. Babcock wrote more, and more alone, than he has for any other PUP record, and while learning to be aware of his headspace was a crucial part of the process, inspiration also struck by practicing the things that grounded and distracted him. If the thought that kept him awake was a song he couldn’t quite finish, he’d binge-watch YouTube. No matter how exasperated or sick he was, he’d look after the dog. And when the titular question felt like a real saving grace, he’d walk a long enough distance for it to feel hilariously overdramatic. When you blow it out of proportion, PUP suggest, the raw truth can ring louder than ever.
We caught up with PUP’s Stefan Babcock to talk about skateboarding, Teenage Engineering’s OP-1, walking the dog for hours on end, and other inspirations behind their new LP, which is out today.
Walking the dog
You specify “ten thousand hours a day, especially in the winter.”Did this habit start in the winter? What’s the timeline here?
I have a dog that is four and a half years old. He’s a husky shepherd mix, so he needs so much exercise. It’s always been a lot of taking him out, doing long walks every day. I found that I was really lonely a lot of the time writing this record, which we’re probably gonna talk about. [laughs] And the dog was kind of the saving grace for me. The way that I coped with a lot of it was going for really long walks with this dog. I say especially in the winter because in Canada, it can just get so brutal, and there’s something really special to me about getting all your gear on and just facing the elements. Something about that makes me feel so much more alive than – it’s April and I’m in California right now and I walk outside in a T-shirt, and it’s not too hot, and it’s definitely not cold. It’s just perfect. It doesn’t quite make you feel alive in the same way as walking out and it’s in the middle of winter in Canada and there’s three feet of snow on the ground and you’re freezing your fucking ass off and the dog’s going nuts and you walk hard and fast to warm up. There’s something really special about that.
I did a lot of walking in big empty golf courses in the winter when there was lots of snow. Being bundled up against the elements and having my AirPods in – it can feel like you’re going into space, you know? [laughs] Like you’re in the moon landing or something. There’s something really introspective about that whole experience to me. That’s where I was able to heal from a lot of the shit that I was going through and where I was able to direct a lot of attention inwards and tune in to some of my deeper thoughts.
I’m curious if the line in ‘Hallways’ came first or if the title was something you already had in mind.
I didn’t think of it as a title till much, much later. I didn’t know I was starting to write a record, but it was the first sentence that I wrote down that would make it onto this album. It was very much the beginning of the journey for me was thinking, “Who will look after the dog?”
What did you learn about your dog during those walks?
I learned that he is actually extremely in tune with at least my emotions. Even though he’s rambunctious, he’s gotta go out no matter my mood, he knows – there were days that I would lie down in the middle of that golf course and just be like, “Right now, I just can’t.” And he would go crazy running around me in circles, and then he would just calmly lie down and lick my face until I was ready to get up.That was the most beautiful, heartwarming thing. I mean, most of the lying down on the golf course was because of intense emotional pain, but there was one day where I had COVID, and it was at its worst. I was alone with the dog. I was like, “Dog wants to go to the golf course – we’re going.” About fifteen minutes into the walk, I was like, “I just need to lie down in the snow – my body can’t go on.” And his first reaction was to try and drag me, grab me by the hood and kinda drag me. And when he realized that that’s not what was happening, he just kinda lay down and waited for me until I was able to get my ass up and keep going. It felt like he was in it with me. He was in all the bullshit. He’s always a happy dog, but I feel like he had a firm grasp on human emotion, and that was the first time that I really thought, “This dog is thinking about things that are not just himself.”
Not speaking to anyone for days on end
I’m assuming this coincided with this time period and needing to be alone.
Yeah, there was a lot of that. This is not a breakup record, but this is the first record that I wrote as a single person. The dynamic with the band can be pretty contentious. We’re best friends, but we get on each other’s nerves and we fight a lot. Especially when we’re in the process of making a record, things can get really tense. So it was kind of a purposeful decision where we all back away from our friendship a little bit when we’re making records because we’re already spending every day together in the jam space, and we just don’t want to socialize and see each other. In the past, I’d turn all those social needs to the other person that I was living with, and this was the first time I didn’t have that.
I really retreated into myself writing this record, and I found solace in just writing. I wrote so much more than I’ve ever written. I wrote every day. Those winters are long and lonely in Canada. I spent most of the summer when we were writing this record up at a cabin in Northern Canada – I have a little cabin in the middle of nowhere. I just spent a lot of time there with the dog, just dialed in, focused. The things that kept me sane and on track were the dog and songwriting constantly. I think if I had been feeling some sort of creative block, I would have had a whole meltdown. But, thankfully, the songs were coming real fast and flowing in a way that they never have before, and I was able to just fill that void of human interaction with just making things every day and feeling good about the fact that I was being productive and proud of the stuff that I was writing.
Do you find that there’s less of a filter when you’re writing and not interacting with a lot of people?
I don’t think so. I think I’ve always been really open and honest in the songs, maybe to a fault. That’s not an area I struggle in. I’ve always been very true to myself in these songs and unfiltered, sometimes to the detriment of relationships. [laughs] I think all it was was, I was very introverted. I was really able to dig deep within me on these songs. I wasn’t distracted. I was just hyper-focused and really in touch with the things I was feeling and what I wanted to get out of this record, way more than any other record we’ve made. That could have been a really negative, horrible experience being alone as much as I was when we’re making this record. But somehow, it just turned into this very positive, wonderful experience that I’m grateful for. I don’t know if I’ll ever be as creatively prolific or as in touch with my creativity as I felt the year that this.
I started drawing comics a while ago. I’m a terrible, terrible artist, but I think there’s some charm to it. I’ve always wanted to tell these stories, but I’ve struggled with it. I’m not an author. I’m not a novelist. I’ve struggled with the format to tell these stories. I started reading a bunch of autobiographical comic writers, people who just made art that was really simple but effective and told these funny stories about their lives. And I kinda felt like that’s where I wanted to go. I felt like a lot of those comics that I make and the ones that I read are very closely connected to the way that I song write, which is trying to capture some sort of – I don’t wanna say juvenile, but a lighthearted version of darkness. This Allie Brosh book that I read, it’s about her overcoming major depressive disorder, I think. It’s about her coming out of the darkness, and it’s so fucking funny. She draws it with stick figures, and I just found it so refreshing and heartwarming.
I’ve been drawing comics like that for a few years, but I got pretty deep in it making this record. I just felt like I had all this creativity, and I wanted to channel it in other ways. And those comics, in the same way that some of the songs do it, make me laugh. They’re able to make me laugh when I’m creating them. When you’re holed up alone and trying to make things that aren’t too serious, being able to laugh at what you’re doing is so important, I think. There was a lot of me giggling writing lyrics and songs and drawing comics during this record. I think some of that really shines through. There’s a lot of my bandmates laughing – it’s not on record, but I feel like those are things that you can really hear. Or maybe you can’t hear, but there’s a feeling when you listen to a record – you can tell if the band is having fun or if the band thinks what they’re doing is kind of goofy.
Is it easier for you with comics compared to songs?
Well, I’ll tell you this. I started writing songs being like, “I suck at this, and I’m gonna just write songs because it’s fun.” And it became a job, in a way that I’m so grateful for and so lucky, but that comes with a different type of pressure where I can write a goofy song like ‘Olive Garden’, but I can’t write, like, a stupid bad song. I do write stupid bad songs all the time, but I can’t show those to the world because there’s a different sort of expectation. Whereas when I started drawing comics, I felt really free. I was obviously very bad at drawing, and nobody expected me to be good, and nobody expected anything. I felt so free to create whatever I wanted, without being beholden to anyone or expectations. And there’s just such a freedom in that. There’s a childish wonder in making something that you have no clue how to make and don’t care if it’s shit. That’s not something that as adults we get to experience very often. That’s something that you experience when you’re a child and you’re finger painting and hitting a guitar for the first time or whatever. There’s a magic to that.
Trying to capture that in something that you do professionally is next to impossible. But when I started just doodling dumb comics, I just felt like I could do anything I wanted, and it didn’t matter. I think that was just a feeling that I have always been searching for since I started writing songs. Maybe for a few years it had been lacking, and it was nice to discover that feeling in a different form. I think having that feeling helped me find joy in songwriting, too. In the past, maybe songwriting just felt like pressure, like, “Fuck, I gotta write a record. My bandmates and the label and these people, they’re all depending on the record not sucking.” Finding that feeling in other ways and being able to imprint it on the songs was a pretty important thing for me.
Skateboarding
To me, it is the same as the comic thing. There’s a childlike wonder in discovering this thing. I will say, comics I don’t do professionally, but it has kind of become something where I put out a kid’s book, and I put out comics. It’s something I do for fun, but it’s also a bit of a side hustle. Once I’d been doing that for a couple years, I was looking for something that could never become even remotely a professional thing. It had to just be a hobby for fun. Learning to skateboard at 34 is something that’s like, “Well, I’m never gonna be a professional.” So I could always just know that I would be bad at it. It was too late for me to be good. But I could just embrace being bad at it and the joy of learning. Getting out and moving your body, there’s something about things like that – I think a lot of people find it maybe when they’re running. I hate running. But when I’m skateboarding, I do not have the capacity to think about anything else or let my mind wander or consider the fact that I’m sad. All I can do is focus on, like, not fucking up. [laughs] There’s a consequence: if my mind wanders, I’m gonna get hurt. So I guess, in a way, it’s, like, it’s sort of meditative for me. Kind of like the ultimate distraction.
People do bring up running or cycling, which are also activities that let you think up lyrics or process what you’ve written. It sounds like when you’re skateboarding, that’s not an option.
That’s exactly it. I was so dialed into songwriting, it was so important for me to take those breaks where it was impossible for me to think about the songs because you start to ruminate on things and doubt yourself, and you get stuck on details. As soon as I started feeling stuck and I would go skateboarding, it would just be like, “I can’t think about this. I just can’t. I’m doing this thing.” And then coming back to the songs after that was a completely blank slate. I was no longer frustrated. I could sit down and start the wheels turning from square one in a way that was healthy for me
Teenage Engineering’s OP-1
I bought one right when we finished the last record. After we finish a record, I try to treat myself to a piece of musical gear that will kinda help on the next one. When we finished Morbid Stuff, I bought a Fender Rhodes piano, and it really inspired a lot of what happened on The Unraveling of PUPTheBand. And this time, after that record, I bought the OP-1, which is pretty much this tiny little machine that I actually use a lot in airplanes. It has a keyboard and a drum machine and a sampler. It’s a powerful music computer, and you can make full beats and stuff like that. It’s just a direction in music that I’d never done. To that point, I played guitar and I sang, and I had plunked around on a piano to make a couple songs for the last record, and that was kinda it. This was my first foray into programming drums and playing with synth stuff.
None of that stuff at all appears on this new record. It’s a very organic record. It’s two guitars, bass, drums, vocals. But the OP-1 got me thinking about music in a different way. When I got stuck with the song, I would kind of try and turn it into, like, an electro beat song. I’d be like, what happens if I just take these chords and the melodies and rearrange it and see what happens? And it kinda worked both ways where I’ll get stuck on a song and I would take that song to the OP-1 and make this weirdo hip hop, power pop, whatever-you-wanna-do kinda thing, and it would give me ideas to finish it in the real world. There were times where I was just on airplanes and would make this whole weird song and then be like, “I wonder what this sounds like if I played it on the guitar and added some words.” There were a bunch of songs that actually came out of that. ‘Hunger for Death’ is one song that’s on the OP-1, fully programmed, I think, flying home from Australia or something. The whole instrumental, and I had all the words in my head. Then we tried to arrange it as a band, and it didn’t really work. It kinda sat there, and eventually, the four of us saved it. But that song only exists because it was an OP-1 track. It’s just a different way to look at music for me and expanded a lot of my sense of songwriting.
When you said none of this appears on this record, I was thinking about ‘Hunger for Death’.
To be clear, the sounds on the record are not the OP-1 for that. But I’m pretty sure there were a few other ones that started out as OP-1 tracks. ‘Get Dumber’, there was some OP-1 on that. ‘Best Revenge’ was an OP-1 track as well. Both of those obviously became just ripping band songs. It’s more of an idea machine than a thing to make pop records on.
Mushrooms
I believe mushrooms come up once on ‘Needed to Hear It’, and it’s someone else doing them.
Yeah, I guess I did mention mushrooms that one time. I wasn’t really thinking about it in terms of the lyrics. I used to smoke so much weed growing up, and I realized that I hate smoking weed, so I stopped doing that. I don’t know how much I can say about this, but I have been on medication for mental health stuff for a while. And recently, my psychiatrist suggested that instead of increasing the dosage, I actually try microdosing. So I gave it a shot. I’ve always loved mushrooms recreationally – and again, I wanna stress that I am not condoning this. I understand that I’m a 36-year-old man, and there’s potentially younger teenagers who will read this. I’m not trying to glamorize drugs, alcohol, anything like that – I think it’s so important to say. But, I have enjoyed mushrooms recreationally, a lot.
I did start microdosing for a lot of this record in a way that was more – I mean, it was recommended by a doctor, and it was very controlled. I wasn’t just popping mush caps. I had mushroom pills. And microdoses are very, very small and subtle, but I did find myself feeling — I don’t wanna say happier, but maybe less mentally disturbed than I have been in the past, and appreciating more – certainly, taking the dogs for walks, when I started microdosing I was like, “I can walk forever. I could just be out here and enjoy the snow blasting in my face because I’m just really present.” It just helped me feel more present in my life. I don’t know if that necessarily helped directly with creativity, but it definitely helped just being more aware of my thoughts at times. I hate weed for myself – no personal judgment for anyone, I just don’t smoke it anymore at all – and this is something that was giving me what I always wanted to get out of weed. Again, I really don’t want it to seem like I’m telling kids to go out and try mushrooms because I’m really, really not. It’s not for everybody. It can be dangerous. I use them very carefully, and it’s what my specific brain needed at that moment in my life.
You said you were more aware of your thoughts. Were you also more prone to writing them down?
I think speaking about being more present and aware is just registering those thoughts. A lot of songwriting for me is trying to figure out how I feel – like, I know I feel bad or I know I feel good, but I don’t know why, and I’m trying to get to the bottom of it a lot of the time. Being present and aware was something that really helped me understand my emotions quicker. And because of that, I was able to, I think, articulate them better and more directly than I have in the past. Mushrooms are probably a small part of that, but a lot of it is also solitude, having quiet space, doing therapy, and reading books.
Home renovation videos on YouTube
I don’t think you’ve talked about this too much, but I saw you mentioned it in Dan Ozzi’s Substack five years ago, saying you find those DIY videos pretty comforting. Has it been a constant for that long?
Yeah, I go through phases on that. A lot of people turn off their brains by watching reality TV. I’m a little bit, to my detriment, obsessed with productivity; with the exception of skateboarding, everything on this list is somehow connected to me doing stuff. Creating, taking care of a dog. That obsession with productivity comes out as – if I need to turn my brain off, I wanna turn my brain off and learn something. So I end up watching all these stupid reno videos. It’s like, why do I know this much about, like, weeping tile? Why do I know this much about how to pour a good foundation? I’m never gonna do that in my life. But I have absorbed that knowledge as a way to shut my brain off, especially if I’m ruminating on a song. It’s like one in the morning and I can’t sleep, I’m just going through this verse and trying to figure out what’s wrong with it, and I know I’m not getting anywhere, it’s like, “Time for some home reno videos.”
I do a lot of basic reno stuff myself and build furniture – just really basic stuff, but I do love it. It’s a thing that also turns my brain off, the way that skateboarding does, because I have to be focused on it. Watching these videos, I feel like I’m absorbing some of that knowledge and being productive, but also pushing all the difficult feelings to the side. Being alone with your thoughts for too long can be really challenging and dark. And sometimes to get out of that zone, I just gotta learn about plumbing.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on May 2, 2025:
Car Seat Headrest, The Scholars
Car Seat Headrest are back with The Scholars, their first album in five years. The follow-up to 2020’s Making a Door Less Open is a self-described rock opera, which is at the fictional college campus Parnassus University. Brimming with literary references, the record is dense and insular without sacrificing the band’s knack for electrifying hooks. Inspirations cited for the album include, naturally, The Who’s Tommy and David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. “It didn’t really feel to me like things got in sync in an inner feeling way until this record, with that internal communal energy,” Will Toledo explained. “That’s been a big journey.”
Norwegian musician, artist, and novelist Jenny Hval has issued her ninth album, Iris Silver Mist. The follow-up to 2022’s Classic Objects was inspired by Hval’s love of perfume, taking its name from a fragrance made by Maurice Roucel. It informs the imagery but also seeps into the sonic structures of the album, which are vaporous and shapeshifting. “We enter the album through lying down in our own grave, under the earth, just like the root, which is the part of the iris that has a scent,” Hval said of the album opener ‘Lay down’. “It would be the very best time and place to listen to music, wouldn’t it? The fetus can smell and taste their mother’s food as well as hear voices outside the mother’s body in the final months of a pregnancy. Can a ghost in the coffin still hear the birds singing above?”
PUP have returned with a new LP, Who Will Look After the Dogs?. The Toronto band recorded their brutally honest, invigorating fifth album with producer John Congleton, previewing it with the singles ‘Paranoid’, ‘Hallways’, ‘Get Dumber’, and ‘Olive Garden’. “The title of our new record, Who Will Look After the Dogs?, is what I wrote at the top of the page, the very first thing written for this album,” singer Stefan Babcock explained. “I think it’s devastating, but in a ‘holy shit this is overdramatic’ kinda way. At least in context of the line that comes before it. That’s what makes it funny to us. That overblown stuff we all say in our dark moments can be hilarious once you’ve cooled off a bit. I don’t know if anyone else thinks it’s funny, but sometimes you gotta laugh at yourself. It’s the only way out of the abyss. Trust me.”
Brooklyn-based four-piece Model/Actriz have followed up their 2023 debut, Dogsbody, with a new album called Pirouette. The 11-track effort was co-produced and mixed by Seth Manchester, mastered by Matt Colton, and recorded at Machines With Magnets in Pawtucket, RI. It finds vocalist Cole Haden channeling childhood idols like Britney Spears and Mariah Carey, as evidenced by its club-ready, industrial pop sound. “If Dogsbody, sheepishly lurks in the dim corners and questionable bathrooms of gay clubs, Pirouette is the infallible star everyone clamors to see,” Giliann Karon wrote in her Our Culture review. Read it here.
Animaru is the debut LP from Mei Semones, who caught our attention with her impressive blend of jazz, bossa, and indie rock on last year’s Kabutomushi EP. The Brooklyn-based songwriter and guitarist’s newfound confidence shines through on the 10-track effort, which marries her musical dexterity with lyrical introspection and playful simplicity. “No second-guessing, no overthinking,” Semones said of her approach. “The way I want to live my life is by doing the things that are important to me, and I think everyone should live that way.”
Blondshell has released her sophomore album, If You Asked For a Picture, via Partisan Records. It finds Sabrina Teitelbaum once again working with producer Yves Rothman, who also helmed her self-titled debut. Digging through her past with greater nuance and compassion for others, the record lifts its title from a 1986 poem by Mary Oliver called ‘Dogfish’. “There’s a part of the poem that says: I don’t need to tell you everything I’ve been through. It’s just another story of somebody trying to survive,” Teitelbaum explained. “Something I love about songs is that you’re showing a snapshot of a person or a relationship, and showing a glimpse into a story can be just as important as trying to capture the entire thing. Sometimes it’s even truer to the entire picture than if you tried to write everything down.”
As low-key in its optimism as it is lo-fi in its sound, Lael Neale’s latest album, Altogether Stranger, was made after three years of moving between rural and urban environments. “On returning to Los Angeles I felt like an extraterrestrial landing on a dystopian planet so I’m writing from the perspective of a being from another realm witnessing the peculiarities of humanity,” the singer-songwriter explained in press materials. Across the LP, that point of view feels oddly comforting, emerging as its own form of rebellion. “I love doing things the wrong way,” she said. “It’s so rare that we get to do that in life. Even as artists, I notice a slow and steady conformity set in as musicians become legitimate. I do it too. How else would we fit into the font, size & waveform of streaming services. I rebel in minute ways—like refusing to follow a recipe. In the end, I’m just like everyone else: I want to belong.”
Lucius’ self-titled album has arrived via Fantasy. Holly Laessig, Jess Wolfe, Dan Molad, and Peter Lalish recorded the Second Nature follow-up at Los Angeles’ Altamira Sound and Molad’s home studio, Sounds Like a Fire. “Our fourth studio album is the four of us, just as we first started recording together as a band,” Lucius said collectively. “It’s raw and honest and feels like coming home; something that resonates deeply in this moment of our lives. We are home in so many senses of the word; in the last couple of years we’ve started setting roots, finding life partners, building families, growing gardens. We got dogs, (you can hear them in the background if you listen close). We wrote songs about life and relationships. We recorded them in our home studios. We saw the beginnings and endings of life cycles while making this record, the beauty and fragility of the human experience. So it’s only fitting that this album is self-titled, it’s our story, who we are now and how we got here. Welcome to our living room.”
Yung Lean, Jonatan; Eli Winter, A Trick of the Light; Sextile, yes, please.; Esther Rose, Want; Propagandhi, At Peace; Pyramids, Pythagoras; James Krivchenia, Performing Belief; Suzanne Vega, Flying With Angels; Pet Symmetry, Big Symmetry; Club Night, Joy Coming Down; Eli Keszler, Eli Keszler; Anthony Naples, Scanners; Sally Potter, ANATOMY; Boldy James & Real Bad Man, Conversational Pieces; Rainy Miller, Joseph, What Have You Done?; Key Glock, Glockaveli; Samantha Crain, Gumshoe; Melia Watras, The almond tree duos; Shine Grooves, Sequences for Fluttering; Acres, The Host; Angel Bat Dawid & Naima Nefertari, Journey to Nabta Playa; Loscil, Lake Fire; Celestial Trails, Observation of Transcendence.
It’s not hyperbole to suggest that Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 is the most eagerly awaited video game of all time. Loyal fans of Rockstar Games’ long-standing franchise have been waiting more than a decade for the next iteration of this immersive, open-world crime sim.
We can hardly believe that Grand Theft Auto V was released almost 12 years ago. The seventh iteration of the GTA series was practically flawless. It still has a 97 out of 100 rating with Metacritic, as well as 5/5 and 10/10 ratings with video game publications GamesRadar+ and Edge.
The universal acclaim was unsurprising when you consider just how detailed and engaging the game’s gameplay was. With a much bigger open-world area of Los Santos, Blaine County, and San Andreas countryside to explore, there was so much to see and do. You could, quite literally, live your own virtual life.
You could take your character scuba diving, visit cinemas, and even sit down in brick-and-mortar casinos to play classic table games like roulette. From a visual perspective, Rockstar’s graphics made it hard to tell the difference between their virtual roulette tables and the authentic roulette games developed and powered by random number generators (RNGs) for bettors to use on desktop and mobile devices.
Almost nine years after the release of GTA V, Rockstar confirmed the rumors that GTA 6 was already in development. In September 2022, leaked video clips of the unfinished game emerged online. It was more than a year until Rockstar formally announced the game in December 2023.
What Information Can We Glean from Rockstar Games?
In early December 2023, Rockstar unveiled the inaugural trailer for GTA 6. It was released to commemorate the studio’s 25th anniversary and achieved a whopping 93 million views on YouTube, becoming the most liked video game trailer of all time with 8.9 million likes.
The trailer, which included Tom Petty’s “Love Is a Long Road” as its soundtrack, whetted the appetite for more from Rockstar. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, we’re still awaiting further trailers.
What we do know is that the setting for GTA 6 will be in the fictional US state of Leonida. It’s going to be modelled closely on Florida, with Vice City (the fictional version of Miami) expected to feature. This was the heartbeat of previous iterations in 2002 and 2006.
The plot is going to be centered around a criminal pair, rather than a solo protagonist. Lucia becomes the first female protagonist in the franchise since 2000. She’s joined by her male partner, who is unnamed as yet. The first official trailer from Rockstar Games shows them breaking out of prison custody.
At the time of writing, GTA 6 is slated for release in the Q3/Q4 of this year. Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two, have stated that the official release date will remain a secret for the time being to “maintain the anticipation and excitement” surrounding the game. In our opinion, letting gamers know the release date is unlikely to dampen any enthusiasm regarding its release. If anything, it would whet the appetite and allow long-time fans to count down the days.
One hot topic of conversation surrounding GTA 6 is the likely cost of buying it. Many believe the game is most likely to retail at $70, despite some calls for it to be as much as $100. Some analysts within the gaming industry want it to hit $100 to act as a watershed moment for gaming developers. They argue this would raise the benchmark retail price for elite video games and therefore increase revenues for game studios.
Strauss Zelnick, the head of Take-Two Interactive, said the firm preferred to keep its powder dry and unleash marketing materials “relatively close to the release window”. If a second official trailer rears its head in the coming weeks, we can safely assume the fall 2025 release date is firmly on track.
In today’s music landscape, artists need to wear multiple hats—not just as musicians, but as marketers too. Gone are the days of waiting for industry gatekeepers to give you a break. Now more than ever, independent artists have the power to take control of their careers, build their own fanbase, and chart their own course to success.
As an artist, you’re already juggling songwriting, recording, and performing, but now there’s the added pressure of being a content creator, DSP strategist, and ad manager. It can feel overwhelming, but it’s essential to master these aspects to market your music effectively and sustainably. Here’s how to get started.
1. Change Your Mindset: You Don’t Need Saving
The music industry has shifted dramatically. Artists are no longer reliant on labels or managers to get their big break. Instead, the key to success today is proving you already have momentum. The days of waiting around for a label or manager to take the reins are over. By building your own audience, engaging with fans, and creating demand for your music, you’ll attract industry professionals who want to be part of your success. And even if they don’t come knocking, you’ll have established a sustainable career on your own terms.
2. Create Content That Connects
Content is king, but it has to resonate with your audience. It’s important to research what type of content works best for your genre and your specific audience. Don’t look to the biggest artists for inspiration—they’ve already made it, and they can post anything they want. Instead, study up-and-coming artists in your niche who are getting engagement. They’re the ones succeeding with the strategies you should be focused on. Test different platforms, like YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram, and see where your content is performing best. If managing them all feels overwhelming, stick to one or two platforms and remain consistent. The key is regular, high-quality content that speaks to your audience.
3. Leverage Social Media Ads
Paid ads are a powerful tool for reaching your target audience and growing your fanbase. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok offer robust ad targeting options, allowing you to promote your music, merch, and shows to the people most likely to connect with your sound. The secret to success with social media ads lies in setting clear goals and working within your budget. Start small, test different creatives, and refine your campaigns based on the results.
With the right approach, social media ads can significantly boost your visibility, streams, and sales.
4. Consistency and Strategy Are Key
At the heart of successful independent artist marketing is a clear vision, ongoing research, and consistency. The music industry may have evolved, but by staying true to your vision and committing to these strategies, you can carve out your own path to success. Every step you take toward marketing your music gives you more control over your career and fanbase.
About Me
I’m Anna Stephens, founder of Decent Music PR. We empower independent artists by helping them connect with the right audiences through targeted press, streaming platforms, and social media ad campaigns. Our mission is to help artists take charge of their own growth and build lasting careers.
Anyone can toss a stack of branded water bottles on a table and call it a day. But let’s be real: that doesn’t cut it anymore. Today’s employees, clients, and partners aren’t just looking at what you send—they’re paying attention to what it says about you. Every gift you give tells a story about your brand, your values, and just how much you actually care.
That’s why the smartest companies are ditching the boring swag. A new generation of corporate gifts is here—gifts that aren’t about throwing your logo on a mug but about standing for something real: sustainability, inclusivity, meaning. Brands that get this are building stronger, more authentic connections just by putting a little more heart into what they give.
Let’s break down how to pick gifts that don’t just look nice—but actually feel right.
Why Your Gifts Should Match Your Values
Here’s the thing: a corporate gift is never just a gift. It’s a mini statement about who you are as a company.
Hand someone a cheap plastic trinket, and you might be telling them, “We didn’t really think about this.” But hand them something thoughtful, sustainable, or artisan-made? Now you’re saying, “We’re thoughtful. We’re responsible. We value quality.”
In a world where brand loyalty is built on trust and shared values, getting your gifting strategy right isn’t optional. A good gift doesn’t just say, “Thanks.” It says, “This is what we’re about.”
What Makes a Great Culture-First Gift?
If you want your gifts to actually vibe with your company’s culture and values, look for options that check at least one (or more) of these boxes:
Sustainable – Made from eco-friendly materials, with packaging that doesn’t end up in a landfill.
Ethical – Products made by companies that treat people—and the planet—right.
Inclusive – Sourced from diverse makers, minority-owned businesses, or companies that walk the walk on representation.
Meaningful – Something that’s actually useful, joyful, or makes life a little better.
Story-Driven – A gift that comes with a story worth sharing—like an artisan’s craft or a social mission.
When you lead with intention, you’re giving something personal, not just ticking a box. And that’s what makes it memorable.
Eco-Friendly Gifts: Because People Actually Care
If you want to align your gifts with what today’s recipients care about, start with sustainability.
More people today are thinking about their carbon footprint than ever before. Sending reusable water bottles made from recycled plastics, biodegradable notebooks, or solar-powered gadgets sends a simple but powerful message: “We care, too.”
And you don’t have to be a full-blown eco brand to show it. Little touches—like recycled wrapping paper or partnering with green-certified vendors—speak volumes.
Pro tip: Include a small card that tells the backstory of the eco-friendly choice you made. People love feeling like they’re part of something bigger.
Inclusion Matters: Gifting That Supports Everyone
It’s not enough anymore to say you care about diversity—you have to show it.
One simple but powerful move? Source gifts from women-owned businesses, minority-owned brands, or makers from underrepresented communities. Whether it’s handmade jewelry from Indigenous artists or craft coffee from a Black-owned roastery, your choice makes a real impact.
It shows that your commitment to inclusion isn’t just a line on your website—it’s something you live.
The Power of Craftsmanship and Storytelling
Let’s be honest: people love a good story.
And artisan-made gifts naturally come with one. A handwoven scarf, a journal made from ethically sourced leather, single-origin chocolate from a small-batch maker—these aren’t just products. They’re experiences. They carry tradition, skill, heart.
And trust us—gifts with a story stand out way more than another random USB stick or keychain.
Personalization: A Small Touch That Changes Everything
Want to take your gift from “nice” to “wow”? Personalize it.
It doesn’t have to be fancy. A monogram on a coffee tumbler, a handwritten thank-you note, or even picking something that’s clearly suited to the recipient’s tastes can completely change how a gift feels.
When people feel seen and appreciated, it sticks. (And yep, there’s data on this—employees who feel personally valued are way more likely to go above and beyond.)
Sometimes, the smallest touches leave the biggest mark.
Rookie Mistakes to Avoid
Before you start checking out your online cart, here are a few common pitfalls you’ll want to dodge:
Don’t grab cheap junk – It’s wasteful, forgettable, and honestly makes your brand look bad.
Don’t overlook cultural sensitivities – Make sure your gift is appropriate and respectful.
Don’t slap your logo all over everything – Subtle branding? Awesome. Giant logo billboards? Not so much.
Don’t cheap out on packaging – Eco-friendly, thoughtful wrapping is part of the gift experience.
Bottom line: If you wouldn’t be genuinely excited to receive it yourself, don’t send it.
Gift Ideas That Actually Align with Modern Values
Need a little inspo? Here are some culture-first corporate gift ideas people will actually love:
Bamboo tech accessories – Sustainable and sleek.
Fair-trade coffee or tea kits – Ethical caffeine? Yes, please.
Mini plant kits – Because greenery makes everything better.
Reusable shopping totes – Especially from minority-owned brands.
Wellness gift boxes – Think cruelty-free skincare, cozy socks, and aromatherapy treats.
Charity donations – Great for clients who truly have it all.
All these ideas can be mixed, matched, and personalized to fit your brand vibe (and your budget).
Why Timing Matters Just as Much as the Gift
Here’s a secret most companies miss: when you send a gift is just as important as what you send.
Sure, holidays are an easy win. But a surprise “thank you” in the middle of a chaotic project? A gift for a new baby, a promotion, or even a “just because” pick-me-up? Those moments hit different.
They show that you’re actually paying attention—not just ticking a box because the calendar says December.
Small, well-timed gestures can turn casual business relationships into loyal, lasting partnerships.
Bottom line: Great gifts don’t just celebrate seasons. They celebrate people. And that’s the real magic.
Wrapping It All Up
Corporate gifting isn’t just about handing out freebies anymore. It’s a real chance to show people what you stand for—and what you stand against.
When you pick gifts that champion sustainability, diversity, authenticity, and craftsmanship, you’re not just handing out swag. You’re building trust, sparking loyalty, and leaving real emotional impact.
People notice when a gift feels intentional. They remember it. They talk about it.
So next time you’re picking out a corporate gift, stop and ask yourself:
Does this actually reflect who we are?
If the answer’s yes—then congratulations. You’re not just giving a gift.
Birth injuries, which can range from minor bruises to severe conditions like cerebral palsy, often stem from complications during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. While some are unavoidable, a significant number result from preventable medical errors, including improper medication management. Prenatal care plays a crucial role in monitoring the health of both mother and fetus, with prescription medications being integral to managing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and infections. However, delays or errors in prescribing, administering, or monitoring these medications can lead to adverse outcomes, including birth defects or developmental issues. For instance, certain medications are known teratogens and can cause harm if not properly managed during pregnancy. Therefore, timely and accurate prescription management is essential in preventing birth injuries and ensuring the well-being of both mother and child.
Understanding Prescription Management in Prenatal Care
Prescription management during prenatal care involves the careful selection, dosing, timing, and monitoring of medications to ensure the safety and well-being of both the mother and the developing fetus. This process is crucial, as certain medications can cross the placenta and affect fetal development. Healthcare providers must evaluate the benefits and potential risks of each medication, adjusting treatment plans as pregnancy progresses and physiological changes occur. Regular monitoring helps in maintaining therapeutic drug levels and minimizing adverse effects, ensuring optimal outcomes for both mother and child.
Common medications prescribed during pregnancy include antihypertensives like methyldopa, labetalol, and nifedipine for managing high blood pressure, and insulin for controlling diabetes, as it does not cross the placenta and is considered safe for the fetus. Antibiotics such as amoxicillin may be used to treat infections, but their use requires careful consideration, especially during the first trimester, due to potential risks. Consistent monitoring and timely adjustments of these medications are essential to address the dynamic needs of pregnancy and to prevent complications, including potential birth injuries. Healthcare providers play a pivotal role in this process, ensuring that both maternal and fetal health are safeguarded throughout the pregnancy.
How Poor Prescription Management Can Lead to Birth Injuries
Poor prescription management during pregnancy can lead to serious birth injuries. Missing or delaying critical medications, such as those for managing hypertension or diabetes, can result in complications like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, increasing the risk of harm to both mother and child. Additionally, incorrect dosages or inappropriate medications can cause adverse drug reactions, potentially leading to conditions like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in newborns. These scenarios underscore the importance of meticulous prescription oversight during prenatal care.
A notable case in Maryland involved a $2.6 million settlement where a baby was born with cerebral palsy due to alleged negligence by hospital staff. The claim stated that both the doctor and midwife failed to monitor the mother and baby adequately after a placental rupture, leading to oxygen deprivation and subsequent brain damage. This case highlights how lapses in medical attention and prescription management can have devastating consequences.
Legal Accountability: When Is It Considered Medical Negligence?
Establishing medical negligence in prescription management during pregnancy requires demonstrating that a healthcare provider breached the standard of care, resulting in harm to the patient. This involves proving four elements: a professional duty owed to the patient, a breach of that duty, causation linking the breach to the injury, and resulting damages. Obstetricians, pharmacists, and hospitals are all held to this standard, necessitating vigilant monitoring of medications, accurate dosing, and timely communication regarding any changes in treatment plans. Failure in any of these areas can constitute negligence if it leads to preventable birth injuries.
Documentation and communication are critical components in preventing medication errors. Inadequate record-keeping or miscommunication among healthcare providers can lead to serious consequences, including adverse drug events. Studies have shown that communication failures contribute significantly to medical malpractice claims, with miscommunication of patient information and poor documentation being common issues. At Frank Spector Law, we understand the importance of meticulous documentation and effective communication in upholding the standard of care. Our firm is dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of medical malpractice cases, ensuring that negligent parties are held accountable for their actions.
Signs That a Prescription Error May Have Contributed to a Birth Injury
Prescription errors during pregnancy can result in birth injuries, with signs ranging from immediate to delayed. Newborns may exhibit symptoms such as abnormal posture, bluish skin tone, breathing difficulties, feeding problems, excessive drooling, and weak reflexes. These signs can indicate underlying issues like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) or cerebral palsy, which may be linked to medication mismanagement during labor and delivery. Timely recognition of these symptoms is crucial for prompt medical intervention and to mitigate long-term effects.
Diagnostic evidence plays a pivotal role in linking birth injuries to medication errors. Medical records detailing the administration of drugs like Pitocin or Cytotec, which are used to induce labor, can reveal if incorrect dosages or improper use contributed to complications. Additionally, documentation of communication among healthcare providers can uncover lapses that led to adverse outcomes. If you suspect that a prescription error has harmed your child, consulting a birth injury attorney can help you understand your legal options and pursue appropriate compensation.
What to Do If You Suspect a Prescription Error
If you suspect a prescription error, it’s essential to take immediate action to safeguard your child’s health and legal rights. Start by seeking a thorough medical evaluation to assess any potential harm caused by the error. This evaluation will help identify the extent of the problem and the necessary treatment moving forward. Next, ensure you obtain a complete copy of your child’s medical records, including prescriptions, doctor’s notes, and any related documents. This information will be crucial for understanding the situation fully and supporting your case if legal action is required.
In addition to medical evaluations and obtaining records, consulting with legal counsel experienced in medical malpractice or prescription errors is vital. A knowledgeable lawyer can guide you through the complex process of pursuing a claim, ensuring that your rights are protected. Keep in mind that Maryland has strict legal deadlines for filing claims, typically a statute of limitations of three years from the date of the injury. Acting quickly is critical to ensure you don’t miss any time-sensitive deadlines and can seek the compensation your child deserves.
If Model/Actriz‘s debut album, Dogsbody, sheepishly lurks in the dim corners and questionable bathrooms of gay clubs, Pirouette is the infallible star everyone clamors to see. Frontman Cole Haden talks back to his demons, then transforms them into a public spectacle. Rather than scoring the soundtrack for a balls-to-the-wall fuckfest, he wields his carnal transgressions with control in a death blow to detached coolness. Interrogations of fetish and desire face inward. Drawing sonic and character inspiration from the pop divas who helped him embrace his sexuality as a teen, he’s no longer a spectator. He’s the main act.
1. Vespers
The metallic din that sculpted Dogsbody reappears with the suffocating rush of an anxious heartbeat. Melodic pop collides with hypnotic instrumentals. There’s prowess in filth and depravity, but just as much in restraint.
Dogsbody was all sex all the time. Insecurities were implied but never revealed. In a wafting falsetto, Haden succumbs to expectations and desires, and even lets us hear his internal monologue. “Claim that look, match that speed, take that room,” he demands with the fierce diction of a Drag Race guest judge.
2. Cinderella
Haden recounts a formative childhood memory – backing out of a Cinderella-themed birthday party over fear of judgement. Long before he could articulate why he felt different, the loss of innocence left a deep psychic scar. Blistering drums lend a necessary brightness. “Despite all of that pain, I still made it through to the other side. And I don’t have to defend myself like I did. I can let the shield down,” he told Rolling Stone.
Part of the band’s allure lies in their live performances, where Haden glides through the crowd in a pair of pleasers, locking eyes with audience members and forcing them to become active participants. With his gentle push, confident facades collapse to reveal pangs of nascent vulnerability.
3. Poppy
At first glance, infectious pop and dissonant industrial rock don’t have much in common. Model/Actriz effortlessly oscillates between the two with the fluidity that only comes from getting to know your craft. The unlikely concoction of theatrics and harsh noise snaps into place on track three, where Haden leads with the indelible composure of Lady Gaga or Grace Jones.
4. Diva
Impassioned vignettes about shame and lust on Pirouette replace the voyeuristic reflections of Dogsbody. They’re two sides of the same coin, one depraved and messy, the other slightly more demure and refined. As the album progresses, more and more debauchery slips and the dichotomy becomes one. “I’m such a fucking bitch, girl, you don’t even know,” he moans. “Just imagine me absolutely soaked, dripping head to toe in Prada Sport.”
Inspired by true events, this track is an unnerving glimpse of dating fucking while touring the world. One minute he’s cooly migrating from bar to bar. The next, it registers there’s “no home to take you home to.” He bemoans his vices but succumbs to them anyway. Aaron Shapiro, Ruben Radlauer, and Jack Wetmore rearrange the thumping dance floor into a steamy cabaret.
5. Headlights
Pirouette weighs heavy with discomfort and discordance. Saccharine croons accompany guttural moans, which waft atop Shapiro’s pummeling bass. In a spoken word interlude, Haden recounts his first crush, which he was too embarrassed to admit to himself. Exactly halfway through the record, he delivers a sucker punch from which the remainder triumphs.
6. Acid Rain
Wetmore’s delicate finger-picked guitar rests beside equally sweet vocals. Haden’s muscular voice approaches its limit before climbing up even higher. There’s a sliver of room to breathe, but not enough that it’s ever comfortable. Tension is a form of power, too.
7. Departures
The invigorating tick of Wetmore’s guitar and the racing thump of Radlauer’s drums activate a foreboding sense of doom like a roller coaster climbing uphill, ready to plummet at any minute. “All I want is to be beautiful,” Haden reveals.
Their distinct methodology crystallizes here. It’s what made ‘Crossing Guard’ irresistibly danceable. His droning cadence fuses with distorted pulses and white-hot clashes. The elements swell until they burst, giving way to an explosive break, underpinned by Shapiro’s churning bass. We can still dance even if we’re crying.
8. Audience
Amidst jagged textures, Haden buckles under the weight of conformity. It’s the second of a four-song run that identifies the source of his uneasiness, sets it ablaze, and basks in the freedom of self-discovery.
9. Ring Road
Too abrasive for pop and too melodic for no wave, Model/Actriz establishes a class of their own that’s inseparable from their live performances. Haden exorcises his demons in the album’s dizzying climax.
10. Doves
“Within the song, I sing from an empty cathedral, but on a broader level, it explores how a place that once felt like a sanctuary can, over time, become a cage,” says Haden. Noticeably lighter, the second single flips the script on comfort, which can feel more restrictive than liberating.
11. Baton
The supernova continues – first the searing blast, now the sizzling aftershock. This dazzling ballad pays tribute to Haden’s twin sisters. Even when they deviate from their off-kilter sound, they expand upon what they’ve already built without sacrificing their quirks.Always campy and transgressive, Pirouette is the mark of a band that’s honed their strengths and given themselves the freedom to explore.
Every week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with several tracks that catch our attention, then round up the best songs of each month in this segment. Here, in alphabetical order, are the best songs of April 2025.
caroline – ‘Tell me I never knew that’ [feat. Caroline Polachek]
caroline exploded back into view with ‘Total euphoria’, which made our list of the best songs of March. Then came an even sweeter surprise: Caroline Polachek features on ‘Tell me I never knew that’, the second single from the UK band’s sophomore album, caroline 2. caroline’s experimental music often teeters on the edge of abstraction, a pattern that’s mirrored not only in the song’s lyrics but its treatment of Polachek’s deconstructed pop melodies. “Maybe I don’t wanna be anyone/ And I don’t wanna be somebody else,” she sings, contemplating not the nature so much as the desire for a static identity. Then Casper Hughes’ vocals soar, impossibly reminiscent of Jonsi, to set the focus on layers of feeling and embodiment. It might as well be coming from a different world, but it hits too close to home.
Florry – ‘First it was a movie, then it was a book’
What a way to rev things up. Listening to ‘First it was a movie, then it was a book’, the first song on Florry’s upcoming album Sounds Like…, it’s hard not to start paying attention; the single stretches out to seven minutes, but just when things start feeling a little loose, that guitar riff grips you back in. Vocalist Francie Medosch embodies a character on the verge of a breakdown, the only plausible response to seeing your life play out onscreen: “If I wasn’t feeling so empty baby/ I’d give that movie five out of five.” The narrator tries to write a movie, then a song, but it’s only while watching one not based on their life that the revelation strikes: “I saw myself in everyone, how’d they make a movie like that?” Whatever it is, Florry possess the same kind of gift.
Hotline TNT – ‘Julia’s War’
Raspberry Moon marks the first time Will Andersen has recorded a Hotline TNT album with a full band – guitarist Lucky Hunter, bassist Haylen Trammel, and drummer Mike Ralston. The lead single ‘Julia’s War’ arrived as proof of that sense of togetherness, owning a “na na na” chorus and pushing Andersen’s vocals to the front of the mix; not so that you can make more of the lyrics, which remain rather cryptic, but as if to nudge you to sing – not just hum (get it?) – along. When it’s this catchy, even the most introverted shoegaze fan won’t have to try so hard to come out of their shell.
Lana Del Rey – ‘Henry, come on’
I mean, come on. The perfectly fingerpicked guitar – delicate, but not too raw. The lilting melody. The string arrangements. Ultraviolence, but with an extra dose of clarity and defiance. Lana Del Rey has seen this sad story play out a dozen times, and though she has yet to settle on (or at least reveal) the title of her upcoming album, there’s no trepidation in her lyrics, just hard acceptance. “Some people come and they’re gone/ They just fly away/ Take your ass to the house/ Don’t even bother explaining/ There’s no working it out/ No way.” Maybe you can’t chase a ghost when it’s gone. But ‘Henry, come on’ does a damn good job at summoning it. How can that not get to you?
Lorde – ‘What Was That’
“What was that?” is another way of asking, How’d the years whip by so fast? The lead single from Lorde’s new album Virgin is her first in four years, but really, it takes us back to the Melodrama era, and lyrically even further back: “Since I was 17, I gave you everything,” she sings. A gut-punch, but not nearly as important as the following line: “Now we wake from a dream, baby, what was that?” Jim-E Stack and Dan Nigro’s is punchy but curiously muted, as if the realizations Lorde wakes to are just now settling in. “Can’t see myself yet,” she sighs at the beginning of the song, before the memories start kicking in. If the rest of the album materializes that vision, we’ll be left with way more than hard-hitting nostalgia.
Pulp – ‘Spike Island’
‘Spike Island’ begins, rather innocently, by tracing back the kernels of inspiration: “It’s a guess/ No idea/ It’s a feeling/ Not a voice/ In my head/ Just a feeling.” Jarvis Cocker delights in drawing out the word feeling, letting it lead him towards earnest self-reflection around his time in the spotlight: “I was conforming to a cosmic design, I was playing to type.” As the first glimpse into Pulp’s first album in 24 years, it couldn’t be more fitting. But this being Pulp, Cocker’s stream of consciousness renders the song knottier the more anthemic it becomes. An aside – “And by the way, Spike Island” – becomes the refrain, a complicating reference to a 1990 one-off gig by the Stone Roses that achieved legendary status despite being plagued by technical issues and bad organization. Cocker latches onto not the aspect of fame but the phrase one of the DJs on the line shouted out: “Spike Island, come alive!” The irony, it seems, is that you can’t command a feeling; if you’re lucky, though, you can simply revel.
Stereolab – ‘Aerial Troubles’
Certain universal anxieties just hang in the air. You could be dancing to the delightfully off-kilter groove of Stereolab’s ‘Aerial Troubles’, for example, and not realize those troubles pertain to “the fear of death” or “an insatiable state of consumption.” The rhythm seems to get going as soon as the group realizes the fact that “the numbing’s not working anymore” is a good thing, actually; critique works, but it’s more about playing with the thin line between reality and a surreal future. Stereolab have always been good at that, yet they always suggest it’s going to be a little different this time. Judging from the song’s outro and the single that followed, it is.
Wet Leg – ‘catch these fists’
If you’ve heard but one song by Wet Leg, you’d expect the first single from their second album to be boisterous and a little tongue-in-cheek. In pretty much every way, ‘catch these fists’ is a natural return for Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers. But the duo’s self-assuredness is audibly on a different level; or maybe it’s that their snarky threats feel a little less jokey over the song’s filthy, razor-sharp riff. The singer-guitarists don’t use the newfound confidence of success to scream louder or polish up their sound; they only murmur lines like “He don’t get puss, he get the boot” with greater conviction. Meanwhile, the song gets stuck in your head. Hats off to them.
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