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Is a Cordless Pool Cleaner Worth It for Above Ground Pool Owners?

Above ground pools are easy to enjoy in summer, but they still collect plenty of mess. Leaves drift in after windy afternoons. Bugs gather near the edge. Pollen, grass, dust, and sunscreen residue can build up faster than many owners expect.

That is why many homeowners start looking at easier cleaning options. For above ground pool owners, the routine often needs to be quick, light, and easy to repeat. Nobody wants to spend half the afternoon connecting hoses, dragging out tools, or vacuuming manually before the family can swim.

The real question is not whether cordless sounds convenient. It is whether the cleaner fits the pool size, debris level, battery expectations, and weekly maintenance habits.

The Main Benefits of a Cordless Pool Cleaner

Easier Setup Around Smaller Backyard Pools

Many above ground pools sit in compact yards, patios, or family spaces where cords and hoses can get in the way. A cordless pool cleaner can reduce the hassle of hose setup, long power cables, and complicated storage.

That convenience can make a real difference. If cleaning takes too much setup, it often gets skipped. If the cleaner is simple to place in the water, run, remove, and rinse, owners are more likely to use it after wind, rain, or a busy weekend of swimming.

Less Daily Skimming and Vacuuming

A cordless cleaner can reduce repeated manual work when it becomes part of the routine. It is useful after a windy afternoon, after kids swim, after a cookout, or when pollen and insects collect quickly.

The biggest value is consistency. A cleaner that runs often can help stop small messes from becoming longer cleaning sessions later.

Where Cordless Models Can Fall Short

Cordless cleaners are convenient, but they are not perfect for every pool. Battery runtime may not cover every pool in one cycle. Charging adds another step. Some models may have smaller debris baskets or less fine filtration than owners expect.

Larger or very dirty pools may need more frequent cleaning cycles. Long-term value also depends on replacement filters, parts, battery care, and how easy the cleaner is to maintain.

Cordless can be worth it when the pool and routine match the cleaner’s strengths. It may feel less valuable if the pool is very small, rarely used, or already easy to clean by hand.

What Above Ground Pool Owners Should Check Before Buying

Pool Size, Shape, and Surface

Before buying, check the cleaner’s recommended pool size. A small round pool does not need the same cleaner as a larger oval or rectangular pool. Ladders, steps, soft liners, uneven bottoms, corners, and waterline buildup can all affect cleaning.

Cost also matters. If you are comparing the cleaner as part of a full backyard setup, understanding above ground pool cost can help you think beyond the purchase price. Pool ownership includes cleaning tools, filters, water testing, chemicals, replacement parts, covers, and routine maintenance.

Debris Type and Filter Access

Think about what actually falls into the pool. Leaves, bugs, twigs, and grass need good debris collection. Pollen, dust, sand, and fine particles need better filtration.

Filter access is just as important as cleaning power. If the basket or filter is annoying to remove and rinse, the cleaner may not get used often. A practical cleaner should be easy to clean after each cycle, not just impressive during the cycle itself.

Compare Features Before Comparing Model Names

Online shoppers often compare model names first, but above ground pool owners usually get better results by comparing real cleaning needs. Pool size, debris type, waterline buildup, filter access, battery life, and storage space matter more than choosing the most advanced-sounding option.

This is especially true when comparing cordless pool robots across a product line. One owner may need a simple cleaner for weekly family use, while another may need more coverage for frequent surface debris or a larger pool. A model that looks stronger on paper is not always the better choice if the pool does not need those extra features.

Some shoppers may compare Sora 30 with a step-up option such as Beatbot sora 70, but the better starting point is still the pool’s actual debris pattern, size, and cleaning frequency. For this article, the focus stays on Sora 30 because it fits many above ground pool owners who want practical cordless cleaning without turning the decision into a premium-feature chase.

Buying Question Why It Matters What to Look For
Is the pool small or medium sized? Runtime and coverage need to match the pool Check recommended pool size
Does debris appear often? Frequent mess makes cordless convenience more useful Look for easy repeat cleaning
Is the pool surface soft? Above ground pools often use liners Choose gentle, compatible movement
Is filter access simple? Hard-to-clean baskets reduce real use Check basket removal and rinsing
Will it be stored often? Above ground owners may remove it regularly Consider weight and storage space
Is chemistry maintained separately? Clean water still needs balance Keep testing pH and chlorine

Beatbot Robotic Pool Cleaner as a Practical Cordless Option

Beatbot Sora 30 is a natural fit for above ground pool owners who want a cleaner that feels easy to use through the summer. It can be presented as a practical cordless cleaning helper for routine debris, floor cleaning, wall cleaning, and waterline care in family pools where leaves, insects, pollen, and sunscreen residue appear often.

A realistic use case is simple: after a weekend swim or windy afternoon, the owner places Sora 30 in the pool while checking water chemistry, rinsing the skimmer basket, or putting away pool toys. Its value comes from making repeated cleaning easier, especially for owners who dislike handling cords or hoses.

Sora 30 supports physical cleaning, but it does not replace water testing, filtration, chemical balance, or safe pool habits. It is best understood as part of a routine, not the entire routine.

When a Cordless Cleaner Is Worth It

A cordless cleaner is most worthwhile for above ground pool owners who clean often during summer, dislike hose or cable setup, and deal with regular leaves, pollen, insects, or light debris. It also helps when storage space is limited and the owner wants a cleaner that is easy to move.

It may be less compelling for very small pools with light debris or owners who only clean occasionally. A cordless cleaner should make the weekly routine easier, not become another gadget that sits unused.

How to Get Better Results From a Cordless Pool Cleaner

Charge the cleaner before expected use. Remove large debris first if the pool is very dirty. Run the cleaner after wind, rain, or heavy swimming. Empty and rinse the basket or filter after each cycle.

Store the cleaner properly between uses. Test pH and chlorine regularly. Keep the pool pump and filter working well.

A cleaner handles physical debris. Clear, comfortable water still depends on circulation, filtration, and chemistry.

A Smarter Summer Routine for Above Ground Pool Care

A cordless pool cleaner can be worth it for above ground pool owners when it fits the pool size, debris level, and cleaning routine. The strongest buying points are simple handling, battery life, cleaning zones, filter access, weight, storage, and long-term maintenance.

The right cleaner makes summer pool care easier to keep up with. When it becomes part of a simple weekly rhythm, the pool stays cleaner with less last-minute work before swimming.

Art Director Shaoyang Chen and the Cartography of Visual Culture

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In contemporary visual culture, where the boundaries between commercial image-making and artistic practice continue to dissolve, Shaoyang Chen occupies a distinctive position. Her work moves across global branding campaigns, exhibition design, film identities, and independent cultural projects without treating commercial design and artistic production as separate disciplines. Instead, Chen approaches graphic design as a form of cultural authorship—using visual language to examine identity, consumption, and collective memory.

Chen’s practice is rooted in narrative thinking. With an early background in journalism, her projects are shaped less by aesthetics alone than by observation, storytelling, and cultural context. This narrative foundation would later become central to both her commercial and artistic work.

As an art director, Chen has brought an authorial perspective into contemporary advertising, treating campaigns not merely as communication tools but as opportunities to build culture around brands. During her tenure at Wieden+Kennedy, she contributed to projects for Nike, Meta, Instagram, Major League Baseball, McDonald’s, and VISA, working across sport, technology, and popular culture. Among these projects was the MLB 2025 global campaign, later recognized with a Silver award at the Clio Sports Awards. Rather than reinforcing existing brand narratives, Chen’s work frequently expands them—positioning brands within broader cultural conversations and constructing visual languages that feel contemporary, socially aware, and culturally resonant.

This same sensibility extends into her work as a graphic designer. Chen co-led the visual identity for the 2023 San Francisco International Film Festival, developing the primary visual language for its sixty-fifth edition. The festival brought together influential figures across contemporary cinema, including filmmaker Peter Nicks, producer Ryan Coogler, director Celine Song, and actress Greta Lee, situating the event within an active dialogue between independent filmmaking and contemporary screen culture. In this project, Chen’s design work extended beyond event branding to help strengthen the festival’s cultural presence.

Beyond commercial endeavors, Chen has established a parallel body of work in independent cinema and cultural production through her collaborations with award-winning and internationally recognized films. For the short film Boxed, a project centered on consumer entrapment and existential emptiness that was later recognized by the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival and the New Jersey Film Festival, Chen transformed graphic identity into narrative architecture. Typography, posters, audience artifacts, and environmental graphics became extensions of the film’s emotional world rather than supporting assets. A similar sensibility appears in her work for My Miracle Boy, which was officially selected by the Big Apple Film Festival and nominated at the Montreal Independent Film Festival. Across these projects, design functioned not as illustration, but as storytelling itself—expanding cinematic narratives into spatial and graphic experiences.

Beyond design and film collaborations, Chen has established a parallel presence as an artist whose work moves through exhibition, cultural, and institutional contexts. Her works have been exhibited at Aspace Gallery, the Penn Museum, and the Wieden+Kennedy Gallery, situating her practice within dialogues that extend beyond commercial image-making. Across these contexts, Chen approaches graphic language as an artistic medium—one capable of shaping experiences of narrative, space, and memory.

What distinguishes Chen is not versatility alone, but authorship. Graphic designer, art director, and artist operate not as separate identities, but as interconnected modes within a single practice. Her work positions graphic design as both a creative discipline and an active cultural force within contemporary visual culture.

How Digital Convenience Is Changing the Gaming Experience for Players

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Gaming today feels completely different compared to even a few years ago. Buying games, downloading updates, playing with friends, and switching between devices has become faster and smoother than ever. Most of us now expect gaming to feel instant, flexible, and hassle-free.

That shift toward convenience is one of the biggest reasons modern gaming platforms continue to grow. We no longer want complicated setups, slow payment systems, or endless waiting times just to start playing. We want experiences that fit naturally into everyday life.

Whether you’re gaming on a console, PC, mobile phone, or cloud streaming platform, convenience now plays a huge role in how enjoyable the overall experience feels.

Fast and Flexible Payments Matter More Than Ever

Few things ruin gaming excitement faster than a frustrating checkout process.

Most of us have experienced it at some point. You finally decide to buy a game, in-game item, battle pass, or downloadable content, only to run into payment errors, lengthy verification steps, or limited payment options. Sometimes that frustration is enough to make you abandon the purchase entirely.

That’s why modern gaming platforms increasingly focus on making payments as smooth and flexible as possible. Digital wallets, prepaid payment systems, and alternative online payment methods have become especially popular among gamers because they offer speed and convenience without always requiring direct bank connections.

Some players also prefer separating gaming purchases from their primary bank accounts for budgeting or privacy reasons. Services like the Skrill pay online feature or other digital payment options can make purchases feel much quicker and easier, especially for smaller transactions like skins, cosmetic items, subscriptions, or mobile game purchases.

The simpler the payment process feels, the more enjoyable the overall gaming experience becomes.

Cloud Gaming Is Making Games More Accessible

Cloud gaming has changed how we think about hardware limitations. Not long ago, playing high-end games usually required expensive gaming PCs or consoles. Today, cloud gaming services allow us to stream games directly over the internet without needing powerful hardware at home.

That means we can jump into demanding games on laptops, tablets, smart TVs, or even mobile devices that normally wouldn’t be capable of running them locally.

Convenience is a huge part of the appeal. There are fewer massive downloads, fewer storage concerns, and less pressure to constantly upgrade hardware just to keep up with new releases.

For casual gamers, especially, cloud gaming removes a major barrier to entry. Instead of investing heavily in gaming equipment upfront, we can access large game libraries more easily through subscription services or streaming platforms.

The technology still depends heavily on strong internet connections, but it’s becoming more reliable and accessible every year.

Gaming Has Become More Social Than Ever

Gaming is no longer just about playing alone. For many, games have become social spaces where we talk with friends, compete together, watch live streams, and share experiences online.

Multiplayer games, voice chat platforms, streaming communities, and creator content have turned gaming into a much more connected form of entertainment.

Platforms like Discord became massively popular because they made communication during gaming easier and more natural. We can jump between voice channels, organize groups instantly, and stay connected even when we’re not actively playing. That sense of community has become part of the gaming experience itself.

Leaderboards, live chats, cooperative modes, tournaments, and creator-driven communities help us feel more engaged with the games we spend time on. Many gamers now value the social side of gaming just as much as gameplay itself.

Personalized Recommendations Are Improving Discovery

Modern gaming platforms are also getting better at helping us discover games we might actually enjoy.

With thousands of games available across different stores and subscription libraries, finding something new can feel overwhelming. Recommendation systems help narrow those choices down based on playing habits, favorite genres, activity history, and player preferences.

When done properly, personalization can save a huge amount of time. Instead of endlessly scrolling through storefronts, we get suggestions that actually match our interests.

Streaming platforms like Netflix helped normalize this kind of recommendation system years ago, and gaming platforms are increasingly adopting similar approaches.

Of course, we still care about privacy. Most people are comfortable with personalized recommendations as long as platforms remain transparent about how their data is being used.

Mobile Gaming Keeps Growing

Mobile gaming is no longer viewed as a smaller side category of gaming. For millions of people, it has become the primary way to play.

Part of that growth comes from convenience. Phones are always nearby, games launch instantly, and players can fit gaming sessions into short breaks throughout the day.

But expectations for mobile gaming have also increased significantly. We no longer want stripped-down experiences that feel like cheap versions of console or PC games. Many now expect high-quality graphics, cross-platform progression, multiplayer support, and smooth performance across devices.

Features like cloud saves, synchronized accounts, and quick login systems make mobile gaming feel much more seamless than it used to.

Cross-platform gaming has also helped blur the line between mobile, console, and PC experiences. We increasingly expect our progress, purchases, and friend lists to follow us across devices without friction.

Convenience Is Becoming Part of Good Game Design

Convenience in gaming is no longer just an extra feature. It’s becoming part of what we consider good design. As online entertainment continues evolving, convenience will likely keep influencing nearly every part of the gaming experience, from how games are purchased to how communities form around them.

Legends Season 2: Cast, Rumours & Release Date

Custom employees go undercover in Legends, a well-crafted British series inspired by true events. After two weeks in the global Netflix top 10, the show is still racking up views, and it’s currently #1 in 11 countries where the platform is available.

The only bad thing about Legends is that it consists of only six episodes, which fly by. Could a follow-up happen in the future? Here’s what we know so far.

Legends Season 2 Release Date

At the time of writing, there’s no official news available about a potential Legends season 2. Since the show is inspired by true events and the mission wraps up fairly neatly by the time the end credits roll, a follow-up isn’t too likely.

That said, Legends is not listed as a limited series on Netflix, so you never know.

A second season could further the story by putting the characters in another dangerous situation. For now, all we can do is wait and see. If a sequel happens, new episodes could arrive in a couple of years.

Legends Cast

  • Tom Burke as Guy
  • Steve Coogan as Don
  • Hayley Squires as Kate
  • Aml Ameen as Bailey
  • Jasmine Blackborow as Erin
  • Douglas Hodge as Blake
  • Charlotte Ritchie as Sophie
  • Tom Hughes as Declan Carter
  • Johnny Harris as Eddie McKee

What Is Legends About?

Legends is inspired by real events from the UK’s war on drugs in the early 1990s. The series follows a group of ordinary customs employees recruited into a secret undercover operation after heroin trafficking spirals out of control.

None of them are spies or police officers. Instead, they receive fabricated identities known as “legends.”  Their mission? To infiltrate dangerous criminal networks in an attempt to dismantle the heroin trade from within.

As the season progresses, the undercover work psychologically affects everyone. Moreover, several close calls nearly expose the operation. Still, the finale sees the characters persevering despite encountering friction at every step. Without giving away too many spoilers, they eventually return to their day-to-day lives, bearing the scars of their time away.

While Legends season 2 isn’t a safe bet yet, there are a few ways to continue the story. The fact that the show has been getting rave reviews from critics and audiences doesn’t hurt. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Are There Other Shows Like Legends?

If you’ve enjoyed Legends, shows with similar vibes include The Americans, Slow Horses, The Night Agent, The Recruit, Quantico, and Black Doves.

Alternatively, catch up with some of the recent crime series streaming on Netflix. Like Nemesis, Man on Fire, Bandi, and Bloodhounds.

Arab Strap Announce New Album ‘Half-Told Tales’, Share New Single ‘You You You’

Arab Strap have announced a new album, Half-Told Tales, which will be out September 4 via Rock Action. The follow-up to 2024’s I’m totally fine with it 👍 don’t give a fuck anymore 👍 is led by the propulsive ‘You You You’, which is accompanied by a video from director Luke Bovill. The Scottish duo’s Aidan Moffat describes it as “a sort of disco-metal incantation. With a message of future felicity and fellowship that – fingers crossed – might make you dance and giggle too.” Check it out below.

“‘You You You’ is an attempt to remind ourselves, and hopefully others, that the world’s not full of awful people,” Moffat continued. “That there are millions of us out there dealing with the same worries every day: from the rising costs of absolutely everything, our mental and physical health, the constant slaughter and tyranny in our newsfeeds, to playing an unwitting part in the military-industrial complex, and the endless warping of reality. It can often feel like a complete absence of human decency – it’s no wonder that despondency can feel like our default disposition.”

Malcolm Middleton added: “The excitement comes because me and Aidan like and hate different things. There are things in the record that individually we might not choose but that’s why I like this album so much, because it’s not the one I wanted to make. I don’t think it’s what Aidan wanted to make either, it’s this bit in the middle. It might not be 100% what we want but it’s good for the band, and it works.”

Half-Told Tales Cover Artwork:

HALF-TOLD TALES COVER EMBARGOED 10AM BST 20_05

Half-Told Tales Tracklist:

1. I Get Noise
2. You You You
3. Be a Man
4. Fighting For You
5. Glamour Magick
6. Gape
7. Under Offer
8. Basic Physics
9. Sunsong
10. Dollar Park
11. Mr. Splitfoot
12. Ampersand
13. Fragments
14. Beats Per Minute

Car Seat Headrest Rework ‘Teens of Denial’ for Its 10th Anniversary

Car Seat Headrest are celebrating the 10th anniversary of Teens of Denial with a re-recorded version of their breakout LP. The latest installment of the Matador Revisionist History series, Teen of Denial: Joe’s Story reworks the songs into more of a concept album, giving the character of Joe, an homage to Daniel Johnston, a distinct backstory. It’s available digitally today, with a physical release to follow on October 16.

The band returned to the studio with original producer Steve Fisk to update the album. Will Toledo shared the following statement about the process:

Sometime last year, it was suggested to me that we do something for the ten-year anniversary of ‘Teens of Denial,’ so I started looking back on the album to see what we might do. In spite of some of its songs being a regular part of my life for the past decade, it wasn’t a record I’d thought much about as a whole since it came out. Most of the songs I’d come up with over a two-year period at the end of my college days, when I was struggling a lot with cynicism and misplaced aggression. But by the time the songs were done, I was living in Washington, Car Seat Headrest was a full band with a record label, and in spite of the turmoil of the writing process, the final album was pretty enjoyable for everyone to work on.

This time, looking back at the songs, I started to feel like there was a story being told through the album, though I’d never imagined it as being a narrative work. On ‘Hi, How Are You?’ Daniel Johnston had used the name “Joe” in the titles of a few tracks –“No More Pushing Joe Around,” “Keep Punching Joe” – as a sort of joke, a stand-in for himself. I borrowed the idea, and the name, for titling songs on ‘Denial.’ This time, I started thinking – who is Joe? And how do the songs, in the way they’re sequenced on the album, reflect what he’s going through? As I started asking this question, a story emerged with startling wholeness and clarity, like finding the foundations of an ancient city while digging in my backyard. As I kept digging, certain songs from the original album fell by the wayside, as they seemed misplaced in this new context; others asked for new lyrics, to fully give birth to the story contained in the music. 

The resulting work feels more like the album ‘Teens of Denial’ was meant to be. When you’re writing from a dark space, it’s hard to have perspective on where you’re at. This time, I could pull from memories of that darkness, and use the distance and additional perspective of ten years of life to shed a fuller light on the experience. Joe is a character going through some of what I experienced, and some of his own problems. Telling his story, and not just my own impressions of life at the end of the teen years, brought a new level of compassion and wholeness to the album. It gave us the opportunity to write new material in “Denial style”, embracing a snappy and simple(ish) rock aesthetic, and in an additional blessing, we were able to team up once with Steve Fisk, a joy and inspiration to get back into the studio with after ten years. We mixed the material at his house in Tacoma, and were constantly amazed at the lack of divide between past and present, as we’d punch in vocal overdubs ten years later into the same gear, hearing my voice now running alongside a 2015 Will. For someone coming across this album or this band for the first time, this is how they’d hear the record, not as a relic of the past but as a new piece. It was immensely rewarding to experience that on our side. 

For anyone familiar with ‘Teens,’ comparisons with the original will be inevitable, but I do hope that as much as possible, people can come to this album on its own terms, approaching it as a teen, hearing the music and story for the first time. I believe music is an ongoing story, and albums don’t always do justice to its dynamic, ongoing nature. What gives it life is the new ears that hear it, and the new hearts that engage with it. I’m so grateful that this is a work that people have kept coming to, and I hope that this presentation does them honor with a fresh offering to the conversation. We’ve known that “it doesn’t have to be like this”; now we can wonder – “what it if were like this?”

Album Review: Drake, ‘ICEMAN’

Could Drake have possibly triangulated the moods and sensibilities of ICEMAN, HABIBTI, and MAID OF HONOUR? It’s not a stretch to imagine the Canadian rapper’s reclamatory instincts leading him to release the most colossal and self-indulgent album of his career, but the much-anticipated ICEMAN was never going to be that album. It’s both the main event and the most middling of Drake’s trio of comeback releases, the one where he incessantly addresses the fallout from his 2024 feud with Kendrick Lamar, piling up targets in every direction. Though I have to give myself some grace by not delving into all three albums track-by-track, I find myself agreeing with the consensus that HABIBTI and MAID OF HONOUR are clearly better records – not just because they are more consistently interesting forays into moody R&B and party-starting club-rap, respectively, but because Drake actually lets himself loose, while ICEMAN is about how much he wants to be set free. It’s woeful and delusory, but there are moments where the ice-cold breeze turns pleasant. 


1. Make Them Cry

The opening track reintroduces Drake as a man out of his depth continually forced to dig deeper, fielding complaints before his album has even been completed, driving himself paranoid at every chance. On ‘Make Them Cry’, he’s focused on setting up the appropriate framing for his comeback but finds himself too burdened by intrusive thoughts, unable to take even his “very attractive” therapist seriously, let alone the strategic advice of every random person. If he spent more of ICEMAN in this meandering, conflicted, vulnerable mindset, it might have been a more interesting album. 

2. Dust

Drake declares himself “a BTC crypto big-timer” and “a corporate-America hit survivor” over a surly trap beat, reminding anyone too charmed by his big-hearted introspection that he’s “a fucked-up guy.” Who knew?

3. Whisper My Name

Drake isn’t just throwing shots here; he makes you lean into the twists and turns of his flow, no matter how petty the subject matter gets. When the bass is boosted on the second verse, he makes good on it by adding a touch of hilarity to his similes. It’s a fun taunt, even if it doesn’t leave a lasting impression. 

4. Janice STFU 

Unlike a track like MAID OF HONOUR’s ‘Cheetah Print’, Drake doesn’t chase a hit by cheaply interpolating another song – instead, he flips Lykke Li’s ‘I Follow You’ in a curious way that underlines this track’s overall infectious, unpredictable energy. His grievances may seem self-punishing more than anything, but he’s got an ear for success even when he can’t bother to move on. 

5. Ran to Atlanta [feat. Future and Molly Santana]

Were the fans right to suggest he bring some “big features” to the album? Future and Molly Santana are welcome guests on ‘Ran to Atlanta’, whose slew of producers overstuffs the song with ideas that fail to keep up the momentum. 

6. Shabang

Drake finally loosens up on ‘Shabang’, coasting on vibrant, club-ready production that feels like a mix of ICEMAN’s companion albums, a fusion that would have benefited the record as a whole. He doesn’t even need Quavo to offer more than just some adlibs. With that laidback attitude, Drake’s punchlines hit even when the facts are up for debate. 

7. Make Them Pay

Drake feeds the rumors that his trio of albums was made to fulfill the obligations of his latest record deal by circling on the hook, “I just wanna be free.” His disses become a little more specific, calling out Rick Ross and DJ Khaled, but the so-called real talk spirals into an argument about streams, which flattens the whole thing.

8. Burning Bridges

Most of the beat switches on ICEMAN feel like sighing off to the next idea, but the one on ‘Burning Bridges’ is actively frustrating, stifling the dreamy intro for a vacuous second part. Drake is obviously feeling lost throughout ICEMAN; for a moment there, it sounded like he’s embracing it. 

9. National Treasures

Drake will lock into his most scathing flow on the record only to land on the line, “Ironic ’cause the ICEMAN was a nice man, now I’m hot and cold.” The rapper’s survival/business tactics too often come off as, or at least end in, self-sabotage, yet ‘National Treasures’ effectively immerses us in his mindset so that its stuckness almost makes sense. 

10. B’s on the Table [feat. 21 Savage]

From the beat all the way down to Drake’s verses, ‘B’s on the Tables’ is senselessly pompous. “I’m fighting the man, not suing the rapper/ You boys is not listening,” he spits, reframing his vitriol in the most unconvincing way possible. A 21 Savage verse couldn’t have salvaged it, but the fact that he only delivers the hook says something about the extent of Drake’s self-importance. 

11. What Did I Miss?

It shouldn’t be surprising that ICEMAN’s worst songs serve as the album’s centerpieces, and ‘What Did I Miss’ isn’t much better than its predecessor. Drake plays his own cheerleader, and the boisterous production wants to place him in a stadium while he’s stuck processing the same old news. Feigning triumph won’t cure the well of confusion. 

12. Plot Twist

Darken that trap beat all you want, Drake’s still having more fun on ‘Plot Twist’ than most of the record, and he usually sounds better when he’s in that mode. It may not be the most inspired moment in Drake’s triptych, but it climbs the ranks simply by being one of the least deflating. 

13. 2 Hard 4 the Radio

It’s ironic that Drizzy raps about being “too hard for the radio” on one of the breeziest cuts on ICEMAN, second only to ‘Shabang’. When it suddenly draws a cloud over its radiant, Mac Dre-inspired formula, it’s slyly ominous in ways that he struggles to pull off elsewhere. 

14. Make Them Remember

What did you expect out of the longest track of Drake’s new trilogy except for him to double down? ‘Make Them Remember’ is too much too late: “What, y’all thought I was done?” he raps at one point. We’ve got plenty of ways to go, still. 

15. Little Birdie

Whether or not you’re partial to ‘Little Birdie’ depends on whether you can stomach Drake’s chipmunk vocals, but it’s refreshing to hear him slip into woozy, low-stakes territory after a whole bunch of theatrics. 

16. Don’t Worry

This is the kind of track that most critics wouldn’t bother mentioning, and with more than two hours of material to wrestle with, I wouldn’t blame them. ‘Don’t Worry’ doesn’t further any grander narrative, but it’s an unusually intimate glimpse of how Drake’s aloneness haunts him down: “’Preciate you reachin’ out, don’t be too concerned about me,” he tells a girl in a club that starts speaking Farsi. He doesn’t sound unbothered, for once, just sort of adrift, and getting the feeling across. 

17. Firm Friends

Though Drake declares that he and Conductor Williams “got more fuckin’ chemistry than MIT,” the production here sounds more wilted than ghostly. If he’s going to complain about the same injustices, shouldn’t there at least be a sense of continuity to his stream-of-consciousness? On ‘Firm Friends’ it becomes nauseating, and not just because it would fall just as flat anywhere else on the record. 

18. Make Them Know

“What happened to Drake from 2009/ When all of the moments was intimate?/ What happened to Drake with the innocence?/ I don’t think we’ll be seein’ him again,” Drake raps on the final track, which should elicit at least some amount of nostalgia, if not sympathy, for that lost era. As anticipated and successful as ICEMAN was bound to be, it is the most redundant of his latest stream of records: instead of anchoring an hour’s worth of morose music around these ‘Make Them’ tracks, he could’ve put them out there as standalone treatises, then slotted the best of the remaining songs – by which I mean the ones that put their weight behind the actual music, like HABIBTI and MAID OF HONOUR mostly do – onto those albums, making them, too, feel more substantial. That may not have set him free, but it would have made the onslaught of new Drake music a lot more enjoyable.

Nemesis Season 2: Cast, Rumours & Release Date

Cops and robbers clash in Nemesis, a new crime drama doing numbers on Netflix. Shortly after its debut, it amassed 7.1 million views, making it the third most-watched show on the platform.

Not only that, but Nemesis also became the #1 show in 11 countries. Clearly, it struck a chord with viewers looking for an extra dose of adrenaline to spice up their media diet. Question is, will the show come back for more? Here’s what we know so far.

Nemesis Season 2 Release Date

At the time of writing, Netflix has yet to renew Nemesis for more episodes. Given the show’s splashy debut, however, that might just be a matter of time.

When asked about a potential follow-up, co-creator Tani Marole told Decided that’s definitely a possibility, as they “have an arc in mind” for Nemesis season 2. That said, they need the show to perform well in order to make a comeback.

So far, things are looking good. As long as viewership numbers keep going strong, a second season could arrive sometime in 2027.

Nemesis Cast

  • Matthew Law as Isaiah Stiles
  • Y’lan Noel as Coltrane Wilder
  • Gabrielle Dennis as Dr. Candice Stiles
  • Cleopatra Coleman as Ebony Wilder
  • Sophina Brown as Charlie
  • Ariana Guerra as Detective Yvette Cruz
  • Cedric Joe as Noah Stiles
  • Tre Hale as Darren ‘Stro’ Stroman
  • Michael Potts as Captain James Sealey

What Could Happen in Nemesis Season 2?

Nemesis revolves around a tense cat-and-mouse battle. In one corner, there’s obsessive LAPD detective Isaiah Stiles. In the other, there’s criminal mastermind Coltrane Wilder. He hides behind the image of a wealthy businessman while secretly running a high-end robbery crew.

As the two collide, they become mirrors of each other, with the series blending stylish action with psychological warfare.

Isaiah becomes consumed by proving that Coltrane is the man behind the crimes. He targets Coltrane’s inner circle as the season unfolds. The rivalry becomes deeply personal, to the point of affecting the detective’s family life. Coltrane’s crew also starts to fall apart due to reckless decisions.

By the time the explosive finale wraps up, almost everyone is worse for wear. Isaiah’s career and marriage are falling apart, while Coltrane is in the wind.

Nemesis season 2 would likely pick up from there and follow the two men as they find a way to once again orbit each other. We hope it happens, because their business is anything but finished as of yet.

Are There Other Shows Like Nemesis?

If you’ve sped your way through Nemesis, we recommend checking out some of the other gripping crime series streaming on Netflix. Recent additions include Man on Fire, Unchosen, Bandi, Beef, and Bloodhounds.

Meet Wild Bird, a Short Film On Alexander McQueen & Isabella Blow

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What no museum retrospective or cable documentary will ever tell you is, that every artist you’ve ever worshipped spent at least one afternoon sitting somewhere humiliating, in front of people who can smell desperation through cigarette smoke and Comme des Garçons silhouettes, with a weak portfolio, a half-empty CV, and the very specific fear that maybe they were, in fact, delusional. Fashion’s lesson is how you stay in that room. Getting into it in the first place usually comes down to whether somebody influential decides you’re interesting before the market does.

For Alexander McQueen, that person was Isabella Blow. For Blow, that person was Anna Wintour, before it became André Leon Talley. Picture the creative leaving her desk, after famously cleaning it with a bottle of Perrier, putting on black organza horns on her head (she had a particular weakness for headpieces, the woman was buried with a Philip Tracey hat) and heading to Central Saint Martins. There, she would watch the 1992 MA Graduate Show, including McQueen’s collection, which she would later purchase entirely for £5000, paying the designer £100 a week to exist inside the system she had just cracked open for him. The story is well known, McQueen even more so.

And if it’s not familiar, a short film centred on their relationship is on the way, literally. The short will follow Russell Tovey as Alexander McQueen (kind of freakishly on point) and Olivia Colman as Isabella Blow on a road trip. Wild Bird is set to be directed by filmmaker Andrew Haigh and produced by Susie Hall as part of a HATO Pictures and WePresent collaboration, while costume design falls to Sandy Powell.

First Wave of Semibreve 2026 Artists Announced

Semibreve Festival 2026 has announced the first wave of artists participating in its 16th edition. Returning to Braga from 22–25 October, the upcoming programme spans sound, moving image, installation and performance. Over the past decade and a half, the Portuguese festival has developed a unique reputation within contemporary audiovisual culture for offering a structured environment for artists to present ambitious projects while challenging the boundaries between concert, exhibition and digital art.

Taking place across venues including the historic Theatro Circo, the contemporary arts centre gnration and the Capela Imaculada, the Semibreve festival spotlights site-responsive and technologically mediated practices within Braga’s architectural landscape. Braga, one of Portugal’s oldest cities, was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts in 2017 thanks to its baroque architecture and religious heritage, qualities that no doubt inflect the festival’s spatial choices. This year’s programme in particular places an emphasis on world premieres and newly commissioned works exploring audiovisual artistic forms and sonic experimentation.

Christian Fennesz and Oscar Jockel with Saffron on Grey feature among the first artists announced, alongside new collaborative works by PYUR and Tarik Barri, Qasim Naqvi and Steven Wendt, and Malcolm Pardon with Gustaf Broms. The line-up also includes performances and installations by Noémi Büchi, Sam Slater, TYGAPAW, Azu Tiwaline and João Carlos Pinto.

Semibreve’s scale continues to be intentionally contained. The festival consolidates its programme into a focused sequence of encounters across only a handful of venues, a feature which distinguishes it from larger international events and allows for closer engagement between artists and audiences.