The gaming industry is pretty huge these days. Since the 1960s, it has grown from a relatively niche hobby to something almost everyone enjoys, with over 3 billion global gamers. While it is easy to dismiss gaming as a childish pastime, there is a massive argument against that idea.
Modern video games are far more complex than products of the past. From online communities to XR standards in gaming, there are many reasons why adults need games, as explored here.
Reconnecting with Childhood
While we can take growing up more seriously than we should, we can benefit from connecting with our inner child. Even if you don’t play games anymore, there is something to be said about the power of nostalgia. Today, retro gaming, fromPinball machines to NES consoles, is a massive niche and generates a lot of money. By playing your favorite games from the past, you can rediscover what made you happy as a child and enjoy these hobbies with your own kids.
Stress Relief, Of Course
One of the most cited reasons for playing video games today is stress relief. A survey by the Entertainment Software Association found that 75% of gamers believe video games relieve stress. But how can a game help you become less stressed? Here are some common reasons:
Completing complex challenges in a video game boosts serotonin and dopamine levels.
You can achieve a flow state where you are fully immersed in a game and “in the zone.”
Video games can be used as a welcome distraction from physical and mental trauma.
Dopamine is essential for beating depression, and gaming encourages its release. Being in the zone promotes serotonin, especially when you win at something. Of course, pain and suffering can be major obstacles in life, and video games allow you to escape your troubles for a while.
Adults Need Games for Creative Expression
There are many games that indulge every whim you can imagine. From caring for pets to hard-core and ultra-violent zombie killing and everything in between, there is something for everyone. Some of the most popular video games played by adults include creative games. You have probably heard of The Sims. But you may not know that there are people who don’t actually play the game and instead spend all their time creatively building homes for others.
Keeping the Mind Sharp
Rather than a mindless quick fix of fun, video games are more or less puzzles, and puzzles are well-known for keeping the brain sharp. As you get older, your brain can become a little slower, and you may not have the quickness you had in your 20s and 30s. However, the creative, logical, and fast-paced nature of some games means they can aid in cognitive function. Puzzle games are so good at this that it has been suggested they can delay the onset of dementia.
A Healthy Outlet for Emotions
Laughing and crying are pretty much the same thing. They are an emotional outlet. Of course, some people have trouble managing emotions and this leads to all kinds of problems within personal life and society at large. However, emotional stability is a fundamental part of maturing. Like books, movies and music, video games allow you to deal with complex issues and feel emotion for characters and themes, assisting with the emotional outlets a person needs.
Adults Need Games for Social Interaction
There is pretty much no end in sight to theenduring allure of video games, as the industry continues to grow. There are many reasons why adults need games, but a Power of Play report found that 55% of people play video games to deal with feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Enhanced social interaction
Multiplayer games specifically allow adults to connect with each other in meaningful ways. Someone who doesn’t enjoy real world social interaction can be an online social butterfly.
A strong sense of community
Most gamers are very passionate about their favorite titles. As such, strong bonds are formed through gaming communities, with some players becoming lifelong friends and even lovers.
Teamwork and communication
Video games require all kinds of skills to achieve a common goal. Working together allows you to develop effective teamwork, coordination, and communication skills while playing a game.
For all the bad press video games get, most articles never focus on the positive side of gaming. No longer a solitary and isolated pastime, most video games today have an online component that offers social interaction. This is a lifeline for adults who are awkward in society at large.
A Sense of Accomplishment
There are many reasons why life takes you down a different path, and the best we can do is deal with it in our own way. Not everyone achieves great things and accomplishes what they want. However, you can be a video game legend and do things you never thought possible. The serotonin release that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment is essential for health, no matter where it comes from, and actively fights against cortisol that causes depressive feelings.
Escaping Life’s Problems
Escapism is one of the biggest needs a human has. Life can be stressful and hectic, and sometimes, it is too much to handle. Some bury their heads in books, others are addicted to music, and there are people who love nothing more than the silver screen. Video games are also a powerful way to escape for a while, and with VR games, it has become even more so. If only for a few hours, you can be anything, go anywhere, and become something more.
Adults Need Games to Pass the Time
Having hobbies is a joy in life. Imagine how boring life would be if you could no longer go fishing, take photographs in the wild, or learn an instrument. Like these popular hobbies, video gaming is one of the most widely enjoyed pastimes people enjoy. When you have some spare time after work and responsibilities, there’s nothing quite like smashing opponents in a sports game, fragging noobs like Arnie in an 80s action movie, or taking turns like Lewis Hamilton!
Learning and Personal Development
Believe it or not, video games are being used as educational tools. In fact, in US schools, 78% of K-Year 8 educators use video games in classrooms (Takeuchi and Vaala). Whether you are a child or an adult, there are many ways video games can help you learn more effectively:
Various studies have found that video games contribute to improved cognitive function.
3D games that involve moving objects are known to aid spatial awareness development.
Educational content is absorbed easier through the medium of interactive entertainment.
In children and adults, playing games can assist in the development of brain function, and delay the onset of dementia-related illnesses. Spatial awareness is needed for everyday activities and SEN children and adults can benefit from games in 3D environments while learning and playing.
Finding Someone to Love
There are many ways in which video games can provide social benefits. Just having an online friend to play Call of Duty with is a major advantage, as you get to socialize with someone who respects you. Of course, it can also go deeper than this. The friendships found through gaming, whether online or off, can develop into something more meaningful, and many gamers have indeed found that special someone through a beloved medium they both enjoy together.
Summary
Nostalgia and indulging your inner child is just one reason why adults need games just as much as kids. There are, of course, many major social and educational benefits to gaming. Indeed, there are also gamers all over the world who have found love through their favorite titles.
Video games are a major part of society today, with billions of gamers worldwide. As an adult, the benefits of this popular medium can help with some of the biggest challenges we face in life.
Seasons change, and jewellery trends always seem to follow behind. It’s the way of the fashion world – what we consider ‘in’ tends to be transient and short-lived. However, being fashionistas, we know you need to keep up. So, whether you’re hoping to set trends, understand their trajectory, or just looking for some seasonal inspo – look no further!
This guide will help you discover spring’s must-have jewellery essentials, giving you all you need to refresh and renew your collection.
Colourful accents
As the flowers bloom, look out for a revival of vibrant enamel rings, beaded necklaces, and gemstones in vibrant colours, with tangerine, lavender, and turquoise leading the way. These bright accessories are an effective way to add personality to your look without revamping your whole wardrobe.
Pearls? Well, Of Course!
Although pearls are never really ‘out of style’, they are slightly different this spring. Instead of traditional polished, perfect spheres, expect to see irregularly shaped pearls, mixed materials, and designs that combine classic and contemporary styles.
Nature-Inspired Styles
No springtime look would be complete without a reference to nature. Spring trends feature botanical motifs in floral patterns (yes, even for men), leafy shapes or designs inspired by seashells and rays of sunlight.
Silver’s Comeback
Gold will always be classic, but silver is returning this spring. Cool-toned metals are perfect for our lighter seasonal hues – white, stone, grey, and classic washed denim. Silver is chic and gives a fresh modernity to streetwear, tailoring, and everything in between.
Personalisation
Personalisation is key to this spring’s styling trends. Pendants, nameplate necklaces, zodiac symbols, and birthstones are already everywhere. Personal jewellery can be meaningful, a heartfelt gift, or bundled as a layering piece to complement other jewellery.
Mixed Metals
The traditional advice of ‘matching your metals’ is out the window. This spring, we’re going bold by mixing golds, silvers, and even matte black metals. Layering different metals is a great way to add dimension and keep your look fresh.
Sculptural Forms
Do you want to wear something more artistic? Sculptural jewellery is undoubtedly trending at the moment. Expect flowing, abstract shapes and lines inspired by modern art. These architectural pieces look especially impressive in polished metals and add visual appeal to simple looks.
Coordinated Sets
Coordination is an understated strength. For example, matching sets, including bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings in the same finish, can achieve a tidy and purposeful look. While it may be subtle, it shows you’re intentional about your styling.
Chunky Chains
Heavy chains remain contenders in men’s jewellery, now arriving in new chunky-to-heavy designs with bolder twists. You can consider polished Cuban links, oversized curb chains in brushed silver with a dense groove, or even a rope chain with a twisted texture. Whether worn over a T-shirt or layered under a half-zip knit, a chunky necklace is going to get attention.
These styles are not just statement pieces but also deceptively adaptable. Dress them up with tailored jackets or go super casual with joggers, a T-shirt, and a lightweight bomber – Chef’s Kiss.
Natural Materials
Spring calls for texture – leather, beads, and natural stones bring an earthy contrast to jewellery collections. Think thin braided bracelets. These materials feel grounded and relaxed, perfect for daywear or weekends away.
Mix these natural materials with metal cuffs or pair them with your watch to add variation and texture. If your style leans towards bohemian ruggedness or a surfer-boy aesthetic, these pieces are essential.
Watch Game
Just wearing one watch? That’s so last season. This spring, the trend’s all about stacking watches with other bracelets to add a little personality to the mix. Think of the watch as an anchor – it lays the foundation for whatever you add to it.
Your wrist is real estate, and cohesion is the most important thing. For instance, if you wear a stainless-steel (or silver-toned) watch, pair it with a silver bracelet. Or, if your watch is two-toned, go for the mixed metals look. Either way, you’ll be winning.
Renewing Your Jewellery Collection
Spring jewellery trends for 2025 are all about self-expression, whether given life through sculptural shapes or highlighted through bright accents. No matter your preference, styling and curating authentic men’s jewellery collections is all about adopting a light-hearted sense of joy for the season. Spring is in the air, and your jewellery should reflect this.
Pronounced “Nice,” Niis is a Los Angeles punk band made up of vocalist Mimi SanDoe, guitarist Ryan McGuffin, drummer Monte Najera, and bassist Izabell. After introducing themselves with 2020’s noisy, politically charged Not Niis EP, they significantly expanded their repertoire – and the runtime of their songs – with 2022’s Must Be… EP. “I want off this fucking planet,” SanDoe declared on ‘Utopia’, so now, three years later, they bring us Niis World. Clocking in at just 26 minutes, Niis’ debut full-length superchargers their virulent, uncompromising sound while embracing the band’s melodic ear as well as a heightened vulnerability in SanDoe’s lyrics. “I’ll cut you out, I’ll burn you down,” she sings on ‘The Bow’; on the next track, she’s suddenly self-lacerating: “I only bring you down/ Whenever I come around.” The group’s style, ranging wider without running low on hooks, deftly responds to the power dynamics shifting from song to song. By the end, you’re under no illusion that we’ve reached some kind of utopia, yet this world feels a little nicer for letting you be a part of it.
We caught up with Niis’ Mimi SanDoe and Ryan McGuffin for the latest edition of our Artist Spotlight series to talk about how they came together, the process behind Niis World, catharsis, and more.
Most people will see your band name and spend at least a little bit of time thinking about how to pronounce it. How did it come up?
Ryan McGuffin: I hadn’t been playing in bands for some time, and I had been writing a lot of music and just labeling it as “nice,” spelled grammatically correct. And then finally, when this band formed and it clicked with all the right people, that name was just thrown into the pot, and it clicked. Obviously, there were a lot of conflicts with that name, even outside of other bands having that same name. Just Googling the word “nice,” you’re not really gonna get much. Great. We got to this point where things were feeling more serious, so we’re like, “Okay, we need to figure out our name. There were ideas to change the name entirely, but this idea of spelling the name differently came into play. Honestly, at first, I was like, “Let’s just change the name to something else entirely.” But I think over time, it’s really sunk in as the name for us, especially with what you were saying. People stop, they look at the name, they have to think about it, and I think it ingrains the name in you visually, in a way. With something like that, you really have to be like, “Wait, what am I looking at? What is this word?”
You started putting out music as a group in 2020. How long had you all known each other by that point?
Mimi SanDoe: We had known each other for a couple of years at that point. We’ve known each other for a long time now, and then our newest members have been people we’ve met recently who just really clicked with the band.
Do you mind sharing your first impressions of each other?
MS: Oh, yeah. Our old bands played a show together at this little venue, I think that’s the first time we met. I was super young and crazy at that time, so I don’t really remember too much. [laughs] It was a pretty wild time back then.
RM: We were just kind of in the same scene. I think bands just kind of form out of that. I was trying to start this new project, and Mimi chimed in, like, “Yo, can I come try and sing?” I’m like, “Fuck yeah.”
What felt different to you about this band coming out of the scene?
RM: At that point, I had played music with so many different people. I don’t think I was necessarily trying to start a band; I was just playing music with people and friends, and I’d transitioned out of touring and trying to play shows all the time. But when Mimi came into the room, it just kind of clicked. I think people try to do stuff together all the time, and it’s hard to explain, but it’s like when it clicks, it clicks.
MS: It felt very much like a movie at practice the first time. It was scary and a little intimidating, but when we first jammed, it just felt natural and it was just really easy from the beginning to write together. There was not a lot of pressure to fake it till you make it. It just bloomed really easily into what it was.
What was it like trying to figure out your sound or identity as a punk band when touring wasn’t an option?
RM: I don’t think it affected me. I feel pretty neutral about it. I just kept doing what I do, which is play music I love, being in the practice space and just playing music, whether we’re writing or not. I just like that space. And then it’s just about having a good time and exploring ideas with these friends that you’ve found that help you to express what you’re trying to express. Whether that’s happening in a practice space or on stage – that’s what being a band is. When I go see a band and I can still tell that it’s about what’s happening between them – sometimes bands are really disjointed, and you can tell they don’t even talk to each other. They’re just performing. No, I think when you go see a band, it’s about getting to be a part of their world – their communication and their expression that happens when they’re together. So the pandemic didn’t really change anything for me – be in a room and play music all the time? That’s what I already do.
MS: For me, it definitely influenced a lot of my lyrics. When we were writing during the pandemic, the state of the world was really crazy, and it was kind of all I was inspired by at the time. We recorded our first EP shortly after lockdown, and I was feeling hyper-political and like hyper – I don’t know – upset. And scared, as a lot of people were. So yeah, I got a lot of yeah, writing inspiration from that. And before, when we were writing the EP, I was watching shows Chernobyl and writing lyrics about that because I’m really inspired, unfortunately, by how the government and the systems continuously let the people down. That’s kind of all I wanted to write about at that time, and it’s changed a little bit as we’ve matured as a band. But I’m still writing about some of that.
One might look at the album title and see the irony of it, the political implications of it, but once you actually listen to the music, it’s clear you’re sincerely bringing the listener into your own world. You’re diving into more personal themes like heartbreak and betrayal. Transitioning from the EPs to this record, were there conversations or reservations about those lyrical shifts?
MS: I feel like most of the time the band doesn’t know what I’m saying till like the record zines are done or unless I like— I’m very precious and personal with my lyrics; it’s poetry to me. I’ve always written poetry. I get a little embarrassed sometimes, and honestly, putting out a record is a very vulnerable experience, because it’s like putting your diary out into the world. At least for me, that’s how I feel. But the band will always let me do what I want with the lyrics, and then Ryan will come up with a riff, and then we’ll build around it, and then I’ll try to sing in the studio. But most of the time I come home and sit with the song and do homework on it right there. Because I like to really focus and think very hard about what I’m writing about.
Can you talk more about your dynamic when you’re bouncing ideas off each other? Is it something you feel has solidified by now, or is it still fluid as you work on new music?
RM: Very fluid. I think we’re both very careful to not express exactly what we want to do. It happens in really subtle ways of, like, just sharing a song, or knowing what’s going on in each other’s lives. It’s just about keeping the openness to that collaboration, and that happens own magic organic way. I feel like just leaving room for everyone to have their own creative process is really important, because I think that’s what makes so many bands great: a melting pot of a bunch of people bringing inspiration and style and their own flair to the song.
Mimi, do you feel like there’s a bit of a dichotomy between your private songwriting and the public side of being in a band?
MS: I don’t know. I think so. At least my best girlfriends, when I write a song, I will show them and they know exactly who it’s about, exactly why I felt inspired to write it and it’s really relatable. I try to write from my perspective – I don’t know, as a woman, my feminine perspective. I feel like a lot of music is written from a man’s perspective. When I’m hurt by something is when I write what I consider like my best work, so I try to use heartbreak and the pain for something positive. Sometimes my lyrics can be really poignant and less than metaphorical, but I can’t imagine really writing from a super obscure perspective. I think it’s cool when people do that; I wish I had that.
I was wondering if you could talk about the you in ‘Scatter’, because it sounds blurry enough that it could include the listener and not some distant enemy, someone affected by nihilism or loneliness.
MS: Yeah, a hundred percent. I really ‘Scatter’ to be a song someone could listen to and be really introspective about – when I was writing that song, a friend of mine was really going through something, and I was going through something with them, and it really made me stop and think a lot. That song is kind of scattered in itself – there’s so much different inspiration and pain and questioning that I personally was going through. One of the main things is being a follower and not listening to yourself, and I hope people listen to that and think for themselves. I mean, I’m sure people already do. They don’t need me to tell them, obviously. It’s about exploring ways to not be so lonely – I think I was reading some statistic. We’re all so separated and so confused by the media, and angry because of the media at each other. That song is all over the place, but I really love it.
Both Niis World and Must Be Nice kick off with their longest songs. This record’s ‘Low Life’ makes for an incredibly dynamic opener, but I wonder if there was a specific intention behind that.
RM: I don’t think I even realized that!
MS: I didn’t either. [laughs]
RM: It makes sense though, because we do have songs where we talk about having a build-up into a song. Some of our songs just start – actually a lot of them. So when formulating the instrumental side of things, we’ll kind of be like, “Well, let’s build this one up in the beginning.” We’ve done that a few times, and those become great songs for us to start live sets with. I think those songs naturally feel good at the beginning of something. So it makes sense that we’d put ‘Big Zoo’ at the beginning of the EP, because it does have that drawn-out beginning. And honestly, ‘Low Life’ becoming the first track on the record was a very late call in making the record. I never thought of it as an opening track, but there was a moment where it just clicked, and I was like, “Oh shit! This is the first song.” There was no question to that – it just made sense. The other option for a first song would have been something like ‘Spite’, which is also on the longer side. These are songs that have that “We’re going to give you a second to take your seat” vibe.
On the next song, ‘The Bow’, you all sound so locked in – just insane performances all around. What are your memories of recording it?
RM: Our songwriting is definitely changing and evolving, and the first two songs on the record were the last songs that really came together. I’ll be perfectly honest – a lot of people don’t finish a record when they start listening to it. I think that’s why we chose them as singles. A lot of people will just listen to a few songs by a band they like and be like, “Yeah, I like that band,” and only like that band because of a couple songs. So we wanted to put at the forefront what we feel we’re growing into and what we’re becoming as a band.
MS: When we were writing ‘The Bow’, when we first played it in the practice space, we definitely were all like, “Okay, this is our favorite song on the record.” It was really special to us, and definitely had to be a single. When we were writing it, for me personally, I was in the peak of heartbreak. So it’s very emotional for me – to sing even. But were like, “This is the direction we want to be moving in.” It was a very big moment.
Does that catharsis feel different when you’re writing a song like that versus playing it in a room full of people?
MS: Yeah. The catharsis honestly sets me free from the situation I’m writing about. I was in so much pain and heartbroken, and then to have an avenue where I could use that pain for something productive – maybe someone else feeling it and listening would also feel that catharsis. There’s nothing more… I can’t recommend writing music enough. If you’re really going through something, you write it, you record it, which is honestly a hard process – it’s tough to stay in that emotional space, singing over and over about what hurt you so much. But when you’re done and you have it, and can listen to it and it’s real… There’s nothing more cathartic.
And then I got to play those songs for the person who caused me that pain. It was pretty poetic justice, especially because this person was front row, bobbing their head along, smiling, no idea what I’m singing about. But to me, this was a huge moment that completely helped set me free. Now I look back at this heartbreak and I’m like, “Oh wow, I’m so glad I got these songs out of it.” I don’t feel anything for this person anymore except gratitude. I’m so grateful for every heartbreak and pain because I got so much out of it – it was worth it, even though it sucked.
Could you share one thing that inspires you about being in this band with these people?
MS: Ryan, you wanna go first?
RM: I’m having a hard time with this question. I feel really grateful and fortunate to do something where I get to express something creatively with other people and have it not be my own thing. I went to school for painting and painted for years – another creative expression, but I found it incredibly isolating. I always grew up messing around with guitar and playing music with people, but I think I needed that experience and an isolating creative process to realize the magic of music, and more so the magic of being in a band – when you collaborate that way and stay open to the song belonging to everyone, instead of just “I wrote this song, here’s what you’re singing, here’s what you’re playing.” I’m in it to have an experience that I’m not capable of doing on my own – relinquishing that control and letting the magic happen, because anything you do with other people is going to be greater than what you can do by yourself. If anyone is walking through this world thinking what they do on their own is better than what they can do with other people, that seems pretty sad to me. I’m grateful that being in a band and collaborating with these people affords me the opportunity to not fall into that mind trap.
MS: I just really love the connection that this band has afforded me – connecting with the people I write music with, but also every time we play a show, connecting with the people who come to see us play, connecting with other musicians we’re playing with. I struggle a lot with feeling alone. I think that’s just part of the human experience. But especially in a world where our lives are ruled by social media and phones, it’s so easy to get stuck in the virtual world and not have connection in the physical world. When we go on tour, I get to meet all these people I would never know, and people come up to me and say the music we write means something to them, and that is a form of connection, even if we’ve never met before. That is probably the most special aspect of this band to me.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
MJ Lenderman has shared the music video for ‘Wristwatch’, a standout from his 2024 album Manning Fireworks. Directed by filmmaker Lance Bangs, the clip sees Lenderman driving a pickup truck filled with basketballs and inflatable pool rafts as he keeps crashing into an overpass. Watch it below.
“I had been drawn to make things with Jake for a while, and spent the late summer listening to the songs that would make up Manning Fireworks,” Bangs said in a press release. “The imagery of characters caught in persistence without progress that has recurred in his writing was there in “Wristwatch” and that song was the one I went back to the most while listening to the batch of recordings. I had seen low clearance bridges in this part of North Carolina in my past travels, a mismatch between the train trestles that were built in the first half of the 20th Century and the modern 13ft height of most tractor trailers. Durham has a notorious one called the ‘Canopener’ that is featured on a website and Youtube channel ‘11foot8.com‘ by Jurgen Henn, who has captured 186 crashes since April of 2008. I took measurements and designed plans to add a few more crashes to Jurgen’s tally.”
MJ Lenderman and The Wind are set to embark on the first leg of their 2025 EU/UK tour this spring, wrapping up with a performance at Primavera Sound in Barcelona. Last month, Lenderman shared a cover of This Is Lorelei’s ‘Dancing in the Club’, which made our best songs of March list.
Greta Kline has announced a new Frankie Cosmos LP, Different Talking, to follow up 2022’s Inner World Peace. It’s out June 27 via Sub Pop, and the particularly expansive lead single, ‘Vanity’, is out now. Check it out below.
“A lot of the album is about being grown up and figuring out how to know yourself — like, ‘What is moving on?’” Kline explained in a statement. “How do we move on when we’re addicted to a cycle of haunting our own past? Writing songs is just the way through that.”
The current Frankie Cosmos line-up features Kline, Alex Bailey, Katie Von Schleicher, and Hugo Stanley. Though Kline remains the primary songwriter, Different Talking was arranged by the band as a whole, and it’s the band’s first album to be self-recorded without external studio producers. “We’d go to any length to get Greta’s songs right, and she’s generous with songs, so we have a lot of freedom to arrange them,” Von Schleicher shared. “It’s a rare talent to have, with rare freedom given, and the course hasn’t changed.”
Different Talking Cover Artwork:
Different Talking Tracklist:
1. Pressed Flower
2. One of Each
3. Against the Grain
4. Bitch Heart
5. Porcelain
6. One! Grey! Hair!
7. Vanity
8. Not Long
9. Margareta
10. Your Take On
11. High Five Handshake
12. You Become
13. Joyride
14. Tomorrow
15. Wonderland
16. Life Back
17. Pothole
Smut have announced a new album called Tomorrow Comes Crashing. The Chicago indie rock band’s follow-up to 2022’s How the Light Felt lands on June 27 via Bayonet. It’s led by the exhilarating and grandiose ‘Syd Sweeny’, where you can definitely hear the influence of Momma’s Aron Kobayashi-Ritch, who produced the record. “She connects to the youth and the girls in the water / All she amounts to is someone’s daughter,” Tay Roebuck sings on the track, which is inspired by the actress and follows February’s ‘Dead Air’. Check out its accompanying video below, and scroll down for the album cover and tracklist.
“Women in entertainment are exceptionally talented, smart and beautiful, because they have to be,” Roebuck explained in a statement about the single. “Sometimes they want to explore sexuality and vulnerability in their work. Then the pitchforks come out, how dare they be amazing AND sexual? You can only be one or the other! Why is talent and hard work seemingly erased once you’ve seen a woman naked?”
“It makes sense then to interpret it as a horror film, where we have the dividing tropes of final girls and sexy bimbos who die first for being too damn sexy,” Roebuck continued. “We put the sexy woman in the movie so we can see her be sexy and then kill her for it. It’s a lose-lose. Being a woman in art is to be objectified one way or the other. Success is the monster chasing you, waiting for you to be a little too sexy, knife ready.”
Tomorrow Comes Crashing Cover Artwork:
Tomorrow Comes Crashing Tracklist:
1. Godhead
2. Syd Sweeney
3. Dead Air
4. Waste Me
5. Ghosts (Cataclysm, Cover Me)
6. Burn Like Violet
7. Touch & Go
8. Crashing in the Coil
9. Spit
10. Sunset Hymnal
If Netflix’s new medical drama got your heart pumping, you’re not alone. Pulse quickly climbed in streaming rankings around the world, proving that watching sexy doctors save lives and deal with messy personal issues never goes out of style.
And while reviews have been mixed, the series definitely isn’t dead on arrival. In fact, it has the potential to go on for years to come. Whether it will be picked out for more episodes, however – that remains to be seen.
Pulse Season 2 Release Date
Pulse premiered on April 3, 2025, with all episodes available at once. It steadily climbed in Netflix’s top 10, so it’s safe to assume that viewers are still interested in intense medical dramas.
The hospital setting has a knack for keeping the audience on their toes, with high stakes from the get-go.
At the time of writing, Pulse hasn’t yet been renewed for more episodes. Even so, the buzz has been relentless and viewership numbers seem solid. We wouldn’t be surprised to get Pulse season 2. If that happens, it will likely arrive sometime in 2026.
Pulse Cast
Willa Fitzgerald as Danielle “Danny” Simms
Colin Woodell as Xander Phillips
Jessie T. Usher as Sam Elijah
Justina Machado as Natalia Cruz
Jack Bannon as Tom Cole
Daniela Nieves as Camila Perez
What Will Happen in Pulse Season 2?
Pulse is set in a Miami hospital and follows the doctors as they deal with relationship tensions and the pressure of working in an emergency room. There’s also a hurricane threat, which means more trauma cases.
At the centre of the action is Danny, a third-year medical resident who is unexpectedly promoted. Not only does she have to deal with more responsibility, but her personal life unravels as a past romance with fellow doctor Phillips might not be quite as past after all.
The first season of Pulse took viewers on a rollercoaster of emotions and ended with the subtle hint that there would be more to come. The people behind the series certainly hope so. They promise to ramp up the character drama in Pulse season 2.
“Hopefully we’re going to get a Season 2. Not only will we get more of Danny and Phillips, but we’re also going to get the opportunity in Season 2 to dig into these other characters [with] a lot more depth,” executive producer Carlton Cuse told TV Guide.
One of the downsides of the first season is that, while the action is entertaining, the secondary characters are a bit generic. Giving them more interesting things to do would make Pulse season 2 even more addictive.
Are There Other Shows Like Pulse?
If you love Pulse due to its hospital setting and medical cases, there’s plenty of choice for your next binge.
Similar shows you might enjoy include Grey’s Anatomy, The Pitt, Scrubs, House M.D., New Amsterdam, The Resident, E.R., and The Good Doctor.
Gaming, once considered a pastime, has evolved into a multi-faceted activity that offers more than just entertainment. Video games, casual games, and even online casino gaming are not only about immersion in virtual worlds but also provide opportunities to develop and refine important life skills. These skills transcend the screen and have the potential to improve how players approach challenges, communicate, make decisions, and manage their time in the real world.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
One of the most significant skills honed through gaming is critical thinking. Many video games, particularly strategy games and role-playing games (RPGs), require players to assess situations, plan actions, and think several steps ahead. Whether solving complex puzzles in a game like The Legend of Zelda or navigating through intricate storylines in an RPG, gamers often face challenges that demand thoughtful problem-solving. These scenarios teach players to break down problems into smaller, manageable tasks and devise solutions based on available resources.
This type of thinking translates well into real-world situations. In the workplace, for example, employees who play video games may find themselves better at breaking down large projects into achievable goals, improving their efficiency and effectiveness. Similarly, online casino games often require strategic thinking, especially in card games like poker, where players must consider probabilities, anticipate others’ actions, and adjust their strategies based on evolving conditions. Bettors are increasingly using strategic thinking while playing casino games online from home. Many bettors these days opt to wager at a casino not on GamStop to take advantage of the flexibility and convenience that these international sites offer. By selecting an offshore site that bypasses the UK’s strict rules, bettors can gain access to large game libraries filled with titles where they can practice strategic thinking and boost their brain power.
Decision-Making Under Pressure
Gaming also enhances decision-making abilities, particularly when players are required to act quickly. Whether it’s a high-stakes shootout in a fast-paced action game or a strategic move in an online poker game, gamers regularly face moments where they must make decisions with limited information. This can teach individuals how to assess situations rapidly and trust their instincts while making high-pressure decisions.
In real life, this skill is beneficial in many contexts, from professional environments to personal situations. Gamers are often better equipped to make quick decisions, which is invaluable in fast-paced industries like finance, healthcare, or emergency services. In online casino games, the fast-paced nature of certain games, such as blackjack or roulette, challenges players to think on their feet, fostering a sense of urgency and adaptability in decision-making that can translate into better time management in daily life.
Collaboration and Communication
Online gaming, especially multiplayer games, requires collaboration and effective communication. Players must work together to achieve a common goal, often in team-based games like Fortnite or Call of Duty, where success depends on strategic planning, quick coordination, and clear communication. These games encourage players to give and receive instructions, collaborate on objectives, and support each other under pressure.
The communication skills acquired in these environments can be directly applied in the real world, particularly in team-based professional settings. Effective communication and the ability to collaborate with colleagues, even in high-stress situations, are essential in almost every career. Likewise, online casino games, particularly multiplayer table games like poker, offer players the chance to engage with others in a social yet competitive setting, learning the art of reading social cues and communicating with a diverse range of people. Whether bluffing in poker or negotiating in business, these interpersonal skills are valuable in both social and professional settings.
Time Management and Self-Discipline
Gaming also teaches important lessons in time management and self-discipline. Many games, especially mobile or online casino games, encourage players to set goals, progress through levels, and manage resources wisely. In RPGs, players often need to complete quests within certain time limits, balancing various tasks and prioritising actions to achieve success. Similarly, in casino games, players must monitor their bankroll and manage their bets to ensure longevity in the game.
This ability to manage time and resources translates directly into real-world productivity. Players are accustomed to setting goals, tracking progress, and balancing multiple priorities, skills that are useful for managing workloads, meeting deadlines, and achieving personal goals. Whether working on a project or preparing for a major life event, gamers who develop these skills in the gaming world often find it easier to stay organised and focused in real life.
Resilience and Adaptability
Another key life skill that gaming nurtures is resilience. In many games, players face challenges, failure, and obstacles. For instance, in competitive online games or casino games, losing is inevitable at times. However, these setbacks teach players to bounce back, analyse what went wrong, and try again. Overcoming repeated failure can build mental toughness, patience, and the ability to learn from mistakes.
This resilience is invaluable in real-world situations. Whether dealing with setbacks at work, personal challenges, or financial difficulties, the ability to remain calm, stay focused, and continue pushing forward is essential for long-term success. Online casino games, in particular, help players develop resilience, as many games involve a cycle of wins and losses, teaching players to handle disappointment and to keep a balanced approach to both success and failure.
Technological Literacy
Lastly, gaming can improve technological literacy, a skill increasingly important in today’s digital world. From setting up a gaming console to navigating virtual environments or understanding the mechanics of online casino games, players learn to become more comfortable with technology. As gaming continues to evolve, particularly with innovations like virtual reality (VR), players develop a deeper understanding of advanced technology, including hardware and software.
In the real world, this understanding of technology can provide a competitive advantage. In the workplace, individuals who are tech-savvy tend to adapt quicker to new software, tools, or systems. Understanding online platforms is particularly useful in industries like marketing, e-commerce, and IT. Furthermore, the ability to adapt to new technologies can improve efficiency and enhance innovation in professional settings.
There’s so much music coming out all the time that it’s hard to keep track. On those days when the influx of new tracks is particularly overwhelming, we sift through the noise to bring you a curated list of the most interesting new releases (the best of which will be added to our Best New Songs playlist). Below, check out our track roundup for Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Stereolab – ‘Aerial Troubles’
Stereolab are back with their first new music in 15 years. The groovy, enchanting ‘Aerial Troubles leads their new album Instant Holograms on Metal Film, which comes out May 23 via Duophonic UHF Disks/Warp Records, and is accompanied by a Laurent Askienazy-directed video.
Turnstile – ‘Never Enough’
Turnstile are still a band, they’re from Baltimore, but should we still call them hardcore? That will be the question running through many fans’ heads as they release ‘Never Enough’, the first preview and title track of their Glow On follow-up. You’ll like it if you’re a fan of a Turnstile song like ‘Mystery’, though it purposefully leaves you wanting more.
Hotline TNT – ‘Julia’s War’
Hotline TNT nod to their shoegaze contemporaries They Are Gutting a Body of Water’s label in the title of their new song, which leads their forthcoming album Raspberry Moon. It’s possibly their tightest and most infectious song to date – how many of Will Anderson’s peers could pull off a na-na-na chorus?
Lifeguard – ‘It Will Get Worse’
Chicago indie rock trio Lifeguard have announced their their debut album, Ripped and Torn, which they recorded last year with producer Randy Randall (No Age). It’s out June 6, and the pummeling, rambunctious lead single ‘It Will Get Worse’ is out now.
Ben Kweller and The Flaming Lips – ‘Killer Bee’
‘Killer Bee’, Ben Kweller’s new collaboration with the Flaming Lips, is dedicated to Nell Smith, the prodigious Canadian musician who died last year at the age of 17. The Flaming Lips were Smith’s favorite band, and they eventually backed her on 2021’s Where the Viaduct Looms. Smith’s debut album will posthumously be released this Friday, which explains the timing of the latest single from Cover the Mirrors, Kweller’s first new music since the sudden passing of his 16-year-old son Dorian Zev in 2023. The facts speak for themselves here, and the music speaks even louder.
“Nell was a gifted artist who marched to the beat of her own drum,” Kweller said. Like my son Dorian, she was taken from us out of nowhere, driving alone, freak car accident, 17 years old. Amidst the chaos, Wayne [Coyne] connected me and Liz with Nell’s parents in hopes that we might be able to shed some light on their journey ahead. Since then, Liz and I have spent hours with Jude and Rachel getting to know each other and trying to make sense of it all. Though neither of us knew each other’s child, we’ve discovered how similar these two angels were during their time here on earth. Community is one of the only reasons Liz and I are still standing today. Grief makes us feel isolated and the weight seems too heavy to carry alone. Community reunites and lifts us up. Love on your people today and every day.”
Hayden Pedigo – ‘Long Pond Lily’
Fingerstyle guitarist Hayden Pedigo has announced a new record, I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away – out June 6 – to follow up 2023’s The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored. It’s led by the luscious and expansive ‘Long Pond Lily’, of which Pedigo said: “It’s very heavy and huge. The low end is rattling on it — it sounds bonkers, and feels like it’s on the verge of going off the rails. It’s so maximalist, so much more energetic than anything I’ve ever written.”
Porches – ‘Shirt’ and ‘Lunch’
Porches has released an expanded edition of last year’s Shirt called Shirt Expansion Pack, which features two new songs. The title track boasts a soul-shattering scream, while ‘Lunch’ is exuberant in Porches’ typically warped fashion.
yeule – ‘Evangelic Girl Is a Gun’
yeule has unveiled title track off their forthcoming LP Evangelic Girl Is A Gun, which is a fractured yet danceable slice of, as the artist calls it, trip club. “An angelic blade of a dance beat with dual bpm switch ups, nostalgic synth patches Kin [Leonn, producer] and I alchemised together reminiscent of early 2010s electronica,” yeule explained. “In the light of love and obsession lies the silhouette of a shadow diluted with the playful flirting of synths and drum patterns, but this time with a sexy silhouette of a shadow. Going back to experimental dark techno, but aligning it with modern inclinations of what I want to label as ‘trip club.’ Eternal light, eternal love, depth of the heart with a shallow facade. Diluting the vanta black blood that boils on rotting flesh.”
Home Is Where – ‘Migration Patterns’
“This is about grappling with a mundane destiny,” Bea MacDonald remarked. “You will work until the day you die.” Home Is Where, of course, make an anthemic singalong out of ‘Migration Patterns’, as if to insert a we before grappling.
Willi Carlisle – ‘Work Is Work’
Interesting tie-in with the Home Is Where track, huh? ‘Work Is Work’ is the lead single from Willi Carlisle’s new album Winged Victory, arriving on June 27. “With ‘Work is Work’, I wanted to write a bluegrass tune, and I wanted to try to make a direct address of my own [à la the album’s opening cover of ‘We Have Fed You All For 1000 Years’ written by an anonymous Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) worker]. I believe that after a certain point of creature comfort and stability, money doesn’t make you happier. So what are we doing with our precious time? I wrote it in a motel room along the Mississippi River. The room was full of bedbugs, and I’d just left New Orleans, a city that seems to be thriving even as it falls into the ocean. I finished the song in about an hour. I want people to know that they aren’t free from the terrible things that work does to people, from the awful transmutation of labor into money, but that the sacrifice isn’t meaningless.”
Softie – ‘Kiss Kiss Kiss’
Softie have shared the hazily invigorating and jagged ‘Kiss Kiss Kiss’, which will appear on their just-announced Somersault EP, due May 9. The collection features the previously unveiled cuts ‘Gauzy’ and ‘Don’t Look Down’.
Lido Pimienta – ‘Mango’
Lido Pimienta has returned with the announcement of a new album, La Belleza, which is led by the stunningly transportive ‘Mango’. The song “took me back to my territory, to nature, to my people, to my village, where I watched love unfold all around me,” Pimienta reflected. “I’ve always had an aversion to writing love songs — especially if they’re about a man (insert barfing sound). But at the time, my love life was in a nebulous state: unrequited love, love from the past, love in the present — it was all I could think about. I resolved the hetero issue by keeping my love songs genderless. The sensuality is in the innuendo, in the nuance. I’m very proud of this song.”
Charmer – ‘Blue Jay’
Charmer have dropped ‘Blue Jay’, a poignant new single from their third album Downpour. “It’s about a specific day that completely shifted my life’s direction,” vocalist and guitarist David Daignault explained. “If that day never happened, I’d be living a different reality. I still don’t know if it was a good thing or not, but maybe I’ll figure it out in the next 60 years.”
Jessica Winter – ‘All I Ever Really Wanted’
My First Album is the title of Jessica Winter’s All I Ever Really Wanted, and it’s led by the cheekily, hauntingly euphoric ”All I Ever Really Wanted”. “When fantastical expectations are set so high, reality will always feel like a disappointment,” Winter explained. “As an artist, fantasising is part of the process but it can have a negative impact when you’re forever fantasising and lose appreciation for the real stuff. It’s a sound of life imploding whilst in delusional euphoria.”
Spacey Jane – ‘Through My Teeth’
Australian band Spacey Jane have previewed their upcoming LP ‘If That Makes Sense’ with a glistening new track called ‘Through My Teeth’. “We’re really happy to have this song out in the world,” the group commented. “It’s one of our favourites off the record and we can’t wait for you to hear it. It has a longing and nostalgia that made us all fall in love with the song – it goes and goes until the very last fill and we felt it was the perfect way to start the record.”
University – ‘Curwen’
UK punk outfit have announced their debut full-length, McCartney, It’ll Be OK, which arrives June 20 on Transgressive. Of the place that gives its raucous, ecstatic lead single its title, the band said: “Pale sunlight bounds over timid concrete, time jumps like a broken typewriter, the future is past and the past is irrelevant, faces falling in the animal soup of time.”
BC Camplight – ‘Two Legged Dog’ [feat. Abigail Morris]
BC Camplight has announced his new album, A Sober Conversation, with ‘Two Legged Dog’, a duet with The Last Dinner Party’s Abigail Morris. “I was so thrilled when Brian reached out and asked if I would feature on this track,” Morris commented. “I will never forget the first time I heard BC Camplight – my band was driving from London to Brighton, I was astonishingly hungover and sunken eyed in the back seat when ‘I Only Drink When I’m Drunk’ came on my Discover Weekly. I had it on repeat for the rest of the journey and spent the next week exclusively listening to the rest of his discography. This track was a joy to sing, and I felt so honoured to be involved in such a powerful and personal song. Thank you, Brian – you are the GOAT.”
Arcade Fire have announced a new album, their first since frontman Win Butler was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women in 2022. The WE follow-up is called Pink Elephant, and it’s out May 9 via Columbia. Butler produced it with Régine Chassagne and Daniel Lanois. It’s led by the single ‘Year of the Snake’, which comes with a music video made in collaboration with David Wilson and Mark Prendergas. “It’s the season of change, and if you you feel strange/ It’s probably good,” goes the chorus, and I really hope people buying into it are at least aware of the context. That’s it below, and you can scroll down to see the album cover and tracklist.
Pink Elephant Cover Artwork:
Pink Elephant Tracklist:
1. Open Your Heart or Die Trying
2. Pink Elephant
3. Year of the Snake
4. Circle of Trust
5. Alien Nation
6. Beyond Salvation
8. Ride or Die
9. I Love Her Shadow
10. She Cries Diamond Rain
11. Stuck In My Head
