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Amen Dunes Releases Video for New Song ‘Round the World’

Amen Dunes has shared a new single, ‘Round the World’, lifted from his forthcoming LP Death Jokes. It arrives alongside a video made with director Steven Brahms, who also directed the videos for ‘Believe’ and ‘Miki Dora’, off 2018’s Freedom. Watch and listen below.

Death Jokes is set to arrive on May 10 via Sub Pop. It includes the previously released singles ‘Purple Land’ and ‘Boys’.

Madi Diaz Collaborates With Lennon Stella on New Song ‘One Less Question’

Madi Diaz has teamed up with Lennon Stella for a new song called ‘One Less Question’. The pair debuted the track on last night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Watch their performance and listen to the studio version below.

‘One Less Question’ is about “how real love doesn’t make you wonder, how it feels when you know in your whole body that this person is in your life to stay,” according to Diaz. “It’s unconditional. It’s trust. It’s true. It’s just one less question you have to answer because that person is an answer. What a beautiful thing to get to experience that feeling.”

“I’m beyond honored that Lennon let me record my version of this song, and the very idea that she said yes when I asked her to be a part of it couldn’t be more of a dream come true,” Diaz continued. “I’m honored to have her be a part of this story and I’m honored to be a small part of hers. This song simply wouldn’t exist if we hadn’t found one another.”

Stella added: “I love this song so much. Madi and I wrote it with Kate York, on the night of a hang at my house out in Leipers Fork. I am so excited for this one to be heard. It’s incredibly special to the three of us.”

Madi Diaz’s latest album, Weird Faith, came out earlier this year.

Portishead’s Beth Gibbons Shares Video for New Single ‘Reaching Out’

Portishead’s Beth Gibbons has shared a new single, ‘Reaching Out’. The singer-songwriter worked with Aphex Twin collaborator Weirdcore for the song’s interactive video, which is meant to elicit “a sense of trying to reach each other in impossible ways,” according to a press release. Check it out here, and watch the static version below.

‘Reaching Out’ is taken from Gibbon’s debut solo album, Lives Outgrown, which comes out on May 17. It was led by the single ‘Floating on a Moment’.

Dehd Release New Single ‘Alien’

Dehd have unveiled a new single, ‘Alien’, taken from their forthcoming album Poetry. It follows previous offerings ‘Light On’ and ‘Mood Ring’. Check it out below.

“This is about me being otherworldly, an artist of light, an angel, an alien or maybe some sort of faerie creature and wanting to find someone like me in this world, someone of my kind,” frontwoman Emily Kempf said in a statement. “Longing for this special person that’s as special as me to come around for me to love, but instead always coming to the same conclusion that I am fated to be a sort of loner hermit person with 1000 friends and that loving myself is the most important and rewarding thing I can consistently work on and do forever.”

Poetry comes out May 10 via Fat Possum.

Olof Dreijer Remixes Björk and Rosalía’s ‘Oral’

A new remix of Björk and Rosalía’s ‘Oral’ by Swedish DJ and producer Olof Dreijer, formerly of the Knife, is out today. Listen to it below.

“I had a lot of fun making this remix! I really like Rosalia and Bjork’s voices together,” Dreijer shared in a statement. “Also this is the first time I play a tamborim that i got as a gift, a small drum usually heard in samba.”

‘Oral’, which Rosalia and Bjork produced with Sega Bodega, was released last November, with proceeds helping to pay the legal fees of people at the Fjord Seyðisfjörður who have stood up to protest against fish farming in their area.

Freijer released a new solo EP, Coral, last month.

O. Release New Single ‘176’

O. – the London-based duo of baritone saxophonist Joe Henwood and drummer Tash Keary – have released a new track called ‘176’. It’s taken from their upcoming album WeirdOs, which is out June 21 via Speedy Wunderground. Take a listen below.

The new song was written “in tribute to the 176 night bus and the unpredictable journeys on board,” the band explained. “Always a banger live, we feel like we’ve captured that heavy energy on record with some help from Dan Carey’s distortion machines.”

Watch Liam Gallagher and John Squire Perform ‘I’m a Wheel’ on ‘Fallon’

Liam Gallagher and John Squire stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night (April 9), where they performed ‘I’m a Wheel’ from their collaborative self-titled album. Watch it below.

Liam Gallagher John Squire came out last month. It was preceded by the singles ‘Just Another Rainbow’ and ‘Mars to Liverpool’.

From Struggle to Strength: Steps to Overcome Addiction

Addiction is a formidable opponent, one that can consume individuals and families alike. It doesn’t discriminate based on age, gender, or socioeconomic status. Whether it’s substance abuse, gambling, or even addiction to technology, the path from struggle to strength is a challenging but achievable journey. In this blog post, we’ll explore some key steps that can help individuals overcome addiction and regain control of their lives.

Embracing Healing

Entering a rehab program at a treatment center is a courageous step toward healing and recovery. It signifies a commitment to confronting one’s struggles with addiction in a structured and supportive environment. The decision to seek professional help demonstrates a willingness to break free from destructive patterns and embrace positive change. Additionally, you can get in touch with Bali Beginnings and learn more about how in a treatment center, individuals have access to comprehensive care, including therapy, medical support, and educational resources tailored to their specific needs. The program offers a safe space for introspection, growth, and learning essential coping skills. 

It’s a place where individuals are not judged but understood, supported, and guided towards a path of sobriety and well-being. While the journey may be challenging, entering a rehab program marks the beginning of a transformative process toward a healthier and more fulfilling life.

Understanding Addiction

The first step in overcoming addiction is understanding it. Addiction is often characterized by a compulsive need to engage in a particular behavior despite negative consequences. It alters brain chemistry, leading to cravings and a loss of control. Recognizing that addiction is a disease, not a moral failing, is crucial in the recovery process.

Acknowledge the Problem

Acknowledging the problem is the next vital step. Denial is a common defense mechanism in addiction, but it only serves to prolong the suffering. Admitting that there is a problem is the first step towards recovery. This can be a difficult and humbling experience, but it’s essential for progress.

Seek Professional Help

Recovery from addiction often requires professional help. Addiction specialists, therapists, and support groups can provide valuable guidance and support. They can help individuals understand the underlying causes of their addiction, develop coping strategies, and create a personalized treatment plan.

Build a Support System

Building a strong support system is crucial in overcoming addiction. Surrounding oneself with understanding and supportive friends, family members, and peers can provide much-needed encouragement and accountability. Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous can also be invaluable sources of support and camaraderie.

Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Finding healthy ways to cope with stress, emotions, and triggers is essential in recovery. This may involve exploring new hobbies, practicing mindfulness and meditation, or participating in regular exercise. Developing healthy coping mechanisms helps individuals manage cravings and reduce the risk of relapse.

Set Realistic Goals

Setting realistic goals is key to maintaining motivation and progress in recovery. These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Celebrating small victories along the way can boost confidence and morale.

Address Underlying Issues

Addiction is often linked to underlying issues such as trauma, mental health disorders, or unresolved emotional pain. Addressing these issues through therapy, counseling, or medication can significantly aid in recovery. Healing from past wounds is an integral part of the journey towards strength and resilience.

Practice Self-Care

Self-care plays a crucial role in recovery. This involves prioritizing physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods, and engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfillment are essential aspects of self-care. It’s important to treat oneself with compassion and kindness throughout the recovery process.

Stay Committed to Recovery

Recovery is a lifelong journey that requires commitment and dedication. It’s normal to face challenges and setbacks along the way, but staying committed to the process is key. Developing a relapse prevention plan, attending regular therapy or support group meetings, and staying connected to a supportive network can help maintain long-term sobriety.

Celebrate Milestones

Celebrating milestones and achievements in recovery is important for self-motivation and reinforcement. Whether it’s reaching a certain number of days sober, completing a treatment program, or achieving personal goals, acknowledging progress fosters a sense of accomplishment and encourages continued growth.

Pay It Forward

Finally, paying it forward by helping others in their recovery journey can be incredibly rewarding. Sharing one’s experiences, offering support and encouragement, and volunteering with organizations that support addiction recovery can create a sense of purpose and contribute to a stronger, more supportive community.

Overcoming addiction is a challenging but transformative journey. By understanding addiction, seeking professional help, building a support system, developing healthy coping mechanisms, addressing underlying issues, practicing self-care, staying committed to recovery, celebrating milestones, and paying it forward, individuals can reclaim their strength and lead fulfilling lives free from the grip of addiction. Remember, every step forward is a step towards strength and resilience.

Mastering the Machine: 5 Engaging Games to Confront Artificial Intelligence

Gaming against artificial intelligence has reached new heights of excitement since AI became part of our everyday lives, opening up endless hours of solitary computer gaming fun. Gone are the days when playing against an AI was predictable and dull. Modern AI has transformed solitary gaming into an engaging battle of strategy, intelligence, and sometimes sheer luck. These five captivating games offer unique challenges sure to test your mettle against silicon intelligence and deliver plenty of entertainment along the way.

Chess

Chess, with its longstanding history spanning centuries, remains at the forefront of intellectual competition between humans and AI. This timeless strategy game, with an infinitely complex series of possible moves, requires players to outwit their opponents through foresight, patience and creativity in a battle which tests strategy skills of both opponents. In 1997, human intellect met artificial intelligence head on in chess with IBM’s Deep Blue defeating Garry Kasparov – then world champion at that time – in a historic duel that captured worldwide interest. This event marked a pivotal point in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), while also heightening interest in using chess as a testing ground for machine intelligence. Nowadays, thanks to advances in AI, playing against a computer offers an unparalleled opportunity for developing strategic thinking skills. AI opponents vary from basic levels suitable for beginners to complex algorithms that present grandmasters with formidable challenges. Each game against an AI opponent provides unique insight into the depths of chess strategy, enabling players to discover new tactics and approaches while having an intellectual adventure together with a computer opponent.

Go

Go, an ancient board game from East Asia dating back over four millennia, represents one of the greatest strategic challenges ever found within games. Go is unlike its counterpart chess in that its board features 19 by 19 lines and uses simple black and white stones as pieces, as opposed to its limited grid and distinct pieces. The objective of the game is to capture more territory than your opponent, which sounds straightforward but quickly turns into a complex and intricate strategic conflict. Go is an extremely complex board game with endless combinations, providing an ideal arena to test both human and artificial intelligence alike. AlphaGo earned widespread attention within the AI community when, in 2016, Google DeepMind AI defeated Lee Sedol – one of the world’s premier Go players – in a five-game match. This triumph marked a monumental event, showing that artificial intelligence could master not only the computational complexity of Go but also its intuitive aspects, typically associated with humans, in an unprecedented display. Playing against AI in Go has since become an immersive way to experience this frontier of artificial intelligence directly. For players, engaging with it is more than a strategy exercise, it offers insight into balancing intuition with algorithmic precision.

Poker

Poker, a fascinating blend of skill, strategy, and luck that challenges both physical and virtual gaming environments, stands out as an outstanding challenge. At its core, poker is more than just a card game, it’s a comprehensive study of human psychology, probability analysis, and decision-making in an uncertain world. Contrary to games like chess and Go, which feature predetermined outcomes, poker incorporates an element of chance, making its outcome hard to predict with absolute accuracy. Poker players engage not only in an intense physical battle against their odds but also a psychological one: trying to outwit and understand their opponent. Due to this multidimensionality, it has proven particularly engaging for artificial intelligence research. Recent advances in AI have seen systems designed to take on poker’s unique blend of known and unknowable information successfully defeat top human players in several notable instances. AI and poker create new avenues for exploring decision-making under conditions of uncertainty and incomplete information. Engaging with AI within poker allows players to improve their strategic thinking, adaptability, psychological insight, and psychological understanding, reflecting our human desire to master complex systems whether in games, business, or other arenas, making poker an engaging form of intellectual stimulation for strategic-minded individuals.

Portal 2

Portal 2, following on the success of its predecessor, takes innovative puzzle platforming mechanics to new heights. Released by Valve Corporation in 2011, this first-person puzzle-platform video game builds upon the original’s riveting narrative and ingenious puzzles. Portal 2 introduces players to an engaging storyline, expanded gameplay mechanics, and ingeniously-created puzzles that challenge perception and problem-solving skills. This game follows Chell through her journey through the now decrepit Aperture Science Laboratories under the watchful gaze of GLaDOS, her artificial intelligence adversary from the first game. New elements, such as propulsion and repulsion gels, combined with a handheld portal device, create multifaceted puzzles that require creativity and logic for resolution. Co-operative mode stands out, enabling two players to collaborate in tackling puzzles together for maximum fun and further enhancing the gameplay experience. Portal 2 stands out not only with its gameplay but also for its storytelling, dark humor, and memorable characters, garnering critical acclaim and multiple awards. Portal 2 stands as an amazing achievement in video game history, thanks to its successful balance between complexity and accessibility. Through its groundbreaking innovation, this masterpiece has left an imprint on the puzzle-platform genre and continues to influence future designs of puzzle games.

Civilization VI

Civilization VI by Firaxis Games marks an impressive breakthrough in strategic game design, having been released for sale in 2016. Civilization V challenges players to build an empire that will stand the test of time, beginning in the Stone Age and progressing all the way to the Information Age. Every decision, from selecting a historical leader to strategically placing cities, influences the trajectory of an empire’s development. Civilization VI introduced the District System, revolutionizing how buildings and marvels are spread out over a map and making geographic strategy even more essential than in previous versions. Dynamic diplomacy and enhanced military tactics further increase the game’s complexity and replay ability, and its stunning visuals and adaptive soundtrack, which evolve alongside your civilization, only add further appeal. With multiple victory conditions available – cultural, scientific, and military – this game caters to different playstyles by encouraging creative thinking while encouraging strategic planning. Civilization VI’s expansions “Rise and Fall” and “Gathering Storm” add depth and strategic intricacies that test even veteran players, such as natural disasters, loyalty of cities, and climate change, offering fresh challenges even to series veterans. Civilization VI not only holds your attention through its depth and strategic complexity but also educates you about human history as well as possibilities for our collective future.

Conclusion

Playing against a computer in these five games is more than entertainment, it’s an eye-opening journey through artificial intelligence’s ever-evolving landscape. Each offers its own special set of challenges, from Go’s strategic depths to Civilization VI’s dynamic battlefields and Poker’s psychological warfare. Playing against AI has never been so engaging, whether mastering classic titles or exploring unfamiliar worlds, every encounter provides us with an opportunity to learn, adapt and outwit our digital rivals.

Tara Jane O’Neil Unveils New Single ‘Glass Island’

Tara Jane O’Neil has released ‘Glass Island’, the latest single from the California musician’s new LP The Cool Cloud Of Okayness. It follows lead outing ‘Curling’. Check it out via the accompanying video below.

The Cool Cloud of Okayness, O’Neil’s first album in seven years, is slated to arrive April 26 on Orindal Records.