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Nicki Minaj Returns With New Song ‘Last Time I Saw You’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Nicki Minaj Returns With New Song ‘Last Time I Saw You’

Nicki Minaj is back with a new single, ‘Last Time That I Saw You’. It’s the latest preview of her forthcoming album Pink Friday 2, which is due out in November. Check it out below.

Minaj first teased ‘Last Time I Saw You’ on Instagram Live earlier this month, posting a clip featuring the song’s opening verse. “Glad you like the lyrics,” the rapper wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) in response to fans. “The irony is that my fave part of the whole song is the very end… like the last 30 seconds. can’t wait for you guys to hear the whole thing.”

‘Last Time That I Saw You’ follows last year’s No. 1 hit ‘Super Freaky Girl’ as well as ‘Red Ruby Da Sleeze’, which came out in March.

Albums Out Today: Slowdive, Jeff Rosenstock, Speedy Ortiz, the Natvral, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
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Albums Out Today: Slowdive, Jeff Rosenstock, Speedy Ortiz, the Natvral, and More

In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on September 1, 2023:

Slowdive, everything is alive

Six years after their self-titled reunion LP, Slowdive have returned with everything is alive, out now via Dead Oceans. The album is dedicated to vocalist and guitarist Rachel Goswell’s mother and drummer Simon Scott’s father, who passed away in 2020. “There were some profound shifts for some of us personally,” Goswell said in a statement. Vocalist and guitarist Neil Halstead added, “It wouldn’t feel right to make a really dark record right now. The album is quite eclectic emotionally, but it does feel hopeful.” With additional mixing by Shawn Everett, the 8-track effort includes the early singles ‘the slab’, ‘kisses’, ‘skin in the game’, and ‘alife’. Read our review of everything is alive.

Jeff Rosenstock, HELLMODE

Jeff Rosenstock is back with a new album, HELLMODE, out now via Polyvinyl. Following 2020’s NO DREAM and its 2021 companion SKA DREAM, the 11-track LP features the previously released singles ‘HEALMODE’, ‘LIKED U BETTER’, and ‘DOUBT’. “To me, the album feels like the chaos of being alive right now,” Rosestock explained in press materials. “We’re experiencing all these things at the same time that trigger our senses, and emotions that make us feel terrible. We’re just feeling way too much all at once!”

Speedy Ortiz, Rabbit Rabbit

Speedy Ortiz have released their latest LP, Rabbit Rabbit, via bandleader Sadie Dupuis’ label Wax Nine. The group’s first album since 2018’s Twerp Verse includes the advance tracks ‘Scabs’, ‘You S02’, ‘Plus One’, and ‘Ghostwriter’. The band recorded the album between Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree and Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas with co-producer Sarah Tudzin of illuminati hotties. “I turned 33 while writing this album, a palindrome birthday and a lucky number associated with knowledge,” Dupuis explained. “I wanted to mark how I was making better choices as I got older, letting go of heedless anger even when it’s warranted.”

The Natvral, Summer of No Light

Former Pains of Being Pure at Heart frontperson Kip Berman has put out his second album as the Natvral, Summer of No Light. Ahead of its release, he previewed the follow-up to 2021’s Tethers with the songs ‘A Glass of Laughter’ and ‘Lucifer’s Glory’. “These songs live somewhere between the climate crisis of 1816, the climate crisis of now, and the climate crisis of the heart,” Berman explained in a press release. “You might say it’s a gothic record—but the house isn’t haunted. The ghosts moved out years ago, but I still get their mail from time to time.”

Taking Meds, Dial M for Meds

NYC-via-Rochester band Taking Meds have dropped their new LP, Dial M for Meds, today via Smartpunk Records. They recorded the album with Converge’s Kurt Ballou, who also produced 2021’s Terrible News From Wonderful Men. “That record was a bit of a shift for us,” frontman Skylar Sarkis said in press materials. “It made me realize I wanted to try and invite more people to the band and hone in on what I think is our strong suit: having really accessible melodies over not very traditional chord progressions. I think we’ve always been really confident in our technical abilities and now we’re just as confident in the more classic songwriting sense and want to really highlight that with the new record.”

Field Medic, light is gone 2

Field Medic, the moniker of LA-based singer-songwriter Kevin Patrick Sullivan, has unveiled a new record titled light is gone 2. The follow-up to last year’s Grow Your Hair Long If You’re Wanting to See Something That You Can Change finds Sullivan diving into the electronic elements he incorporated on his earlier recordings, including Field Medic’s debut album, light is gone. “I’ve always loved Trap music and New Wave music,” he explained in a statement. “I used to try and incorporate those with keyboards and beats back in my lofi days, but now I feel like I’ve finally figured those elements out.”

Sprain, The Lamb As Effigy or Three Hundred And Fifty XOXOXOS For a Spark Union With My Darling Divine

Sprain have released their new album, The Lamb As Effigy or Three Hundred And Fifty XOXOXOS For a Spark Union With My Darling Divine. Out now via the Flenser, the follow-up to the Los Angeles-based post-hardcore outfit’s 2020 debut As Lost Through Collision features the early singles ‘Man Proposes, God Disposes’, ‘Privilege of Being’, and ‘We Think So Ill of You’. Clocking in at nearly two hours, the LP incorporates elements of no-wave, sound collage, 20th-century avant-garde, and free jazz.

b.michaael, Gore

Gore, the latest album from Vancouver-based producer and composer b.michaael, is out now via Orange Milk. Mastered by Andrew Weathers, the 14-track LP is described by press materials as “a synaptic new age pastiche of verdant synthesis and shimmering environmental music,” combining “soporific pads and warm wave shapes with an uncanny visage of samples, sound design spirals, and pollinated textural details.” b.michaael previewed the record with the singles ‘They Melted’ and ‘001mel’, which came with a visual by Babak Ahteshamipour.

Other albums out today:

Icona Pop, Club Romantech; P.G. Six, Murmurs & Whispers; Theee Retail Simps, Live on Cool Street; Tube Alloys, Magnetic Point; Lisa Lerkenfeldt, Shell of a City; Puma Blue, Holy Waters; Maria W Horn & Mats Erlandsson, Celestial Shores.

Timbaland Teams Up With Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake for New Song ‘Keep Going Up!’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Timbaland Teams Up With Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake for New Song ‘Keep Going Up!’

Timbaland has shared a new collaboration with Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, ‘Keep Going Up!’. It arrives 16 years after their smash single ‘Give It to Me’, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “WE BACK,” the Grammy-winning producer wrote in a social media teaser. “DA KING 👑 HAS RETURN !!!!” Listen to ‘Keep Going Up!’ below.

Prior to its release, ‘Keep Going Up!’ appeared in the promotional spot for ESPN’s Week 1 Monday Night Football. Timbaland and Timberlake have teamed up with the sports outlet to curate the music for select Monday Night Football games throughout the 2023-24 NFL season.

Doja Cat Shares Video for New Song ‘Demons’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Doja Cat Shares Video for New Song ‘Demons’

Doja Cat has shared the video for her latest song, ‘Demons’. It’s set to appear on her upcoming album Scarlet along with previous singles ‘Attention’ and ‘Paint the Town Red’. The track comes with an accompanying video Doja Cat co-directed with Christian Breslauer, and it features a cameo from Christina Ricci. Watch and listen below.

Scarlet, the follow-up to 2021’s Planet Her, drops on September 22. Earlier this week, Doja Cat revealed the album’s release date and cover art, which showed a red arachnid nearly identical to the one on the upcoming album from the German metalcore band Chaver – due out the same day. Both artworks were illustrated by the Portland artist Dusty Ray. Doja Cat then unveiled a new album cover, also done by Dusty Ray, now depicting two spiders with big pearls on their backs.

 

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Chvrches’ Lauren Mayberry Shares Debut Solo Song ‘Are You Awake?’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Chvrches’ Lauren Mayberry Shares Debut Solo Song ‘Are You Awake?’

Chvrches singer Lauren Mayberry has released her debut solo single, ‘Are You Awake?’. The track was co-written with Tobias Jesso Jr. and producer Matthew Koma. Check it out below.

“‘Are You Awake?’ is a song that started on a rainy day last December with Tobias Jesso Jr.,” Mayberry said in a statement. “I was thinking a lot about loneliness and homesickness, and as soon as Tobias started playing the chords, the lyrics and melody came to me really quickly. I finished the song with my friend Matthew Koma, who really understood what I was trying to say.”

“For a long time, I couldn’t imagine doing anything outside of Chvrches but I think some things that I needed to write had to be done from purely my own point of view,” Mayberry continued. “I never really thought I’d write a piano ballad, or a solo album full stop, so life really is full of surprises. I am really looking forward to this chapter and can’t wait for people to hear more of the music.”

Mayberry is heading out on her first-ever solo tour in September and October. Chvrches’ most recent album was 2021’s Screen Violence.

yeule Releases New Single ‘inferno’

Konstantinos Pappis
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yeule Releases New Single ‘inferno’

yeule has unveiled another single from their upcoming album softscars. It’s called ‘inferno’, and it follows earlier cuts ‘sulky baby’, ‘dazies’, and ‘ghosts’. Check it out below.

“The song is a gash, scar no.9,” Nat Ćmiel explained in a statement. “In this scar I ask the blue flame in my heart, will you ever fade? When you are engulfed and eaten in blue, what was left of me were parts of you.”

softscars is set for release September 22 via Ninja Tune.

Album Review: Slowdive, ‘everything is alive’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Album Review: Slowdive, ‘everything is alive’

In many ways, Slowdive’s self-titled reunion album was their most successful statement yet, a reclamation of their legacy that managed to retain and invigorate the timeless magic of their music. Six years later, it’s easier to appreciate the qualities of the LP outside the significance it held in that particular moment; given the time – nearly two decades – that Neil Halstead, Rachel Goswell, Christian Savill, and Nick Chaplin had spent apart, the pure fact that they were able to make something so naturally familiar felt remarkable. Now, the album’s maximalist tendencies don’t just seem joyously triumphant, but a means of amplifying the hazy, sensual logic their songs always had, adding depth and density to their evocative soundscapes. On their new album everything is alive, they employ a similar approach to a sound that’s more uniformly intimate and sparse. Compared to the frayed minimalism of an album like Pygmalion, it’s attuned to the ambient blur of grief, melancholy, and wonder but refines it intο a light-filled and, true to its name, vital record.

Originally, everything is alive was shaping up to be a “more minimal electronic record.” After touring heavily throughout the mid-2010s, Slowdive decided to take 2019 off; it was then that Halstead found himself experimenting with modular synths, which you can hear at the very beginning of opener ‘shanty’. You can also hear the way Halstead’s demos took life through a process of expansion – the addition of an aqueous, distorted stab of guitar gives way to a steady pulse, and less than a minute in, you know it’s Slowdive. At the same time, despite being made during a period of profound transition and loss for the band (the album is dedicated to Goswell’s mother and Scott’s father, both of whom passed away in 2020) and the world at large, it maintains a cohesive, strikingly hopeful mood that suggests the group was selective not just in terms of the songs’ quality or sonic identity, but the feelings that wash through and linger in the end.

Darkness permeates everything is alive, but it’s not the thing that prevails. It also isn’t as unsettling as it once might have been. As it progresses, ‘shanty’ feels like the wide expanse of night lifting its blanket on you, when dreams manifest but its subjects remain oblique; it’s intricately rendered but leaves space for your own projection. The rich shimmer of the instrumental ‘prayer remembered’, which benefits from Shawn Everett’s clear, immersive mixing, speaks a language all its own, but its title connects it to a line from one of the most lyric-driven and memorable songs on the album, ‘andalucia plays’. Referencing John Cale’s ‘Andalucia’, the six-minute track showcases the subtle emotionality and drama that distinguishes Slowdive from their imitators. The way Halstead’s memory drifts between a pervasive atmosphere (“the dark heart of everything”) and the tactile sensation of a loved one’s French cloth polka dot shirt, it somehow doesn’t feel like a sorrowful echo, but one holding the door to a kind of spiritual awakening. “I dream like a butterfly/ Perfect and temporary,” he sings, Goswell’s harmonies rising like a ghostly embrace.

The air shifts around that halfway point, as Slowdive follow the album’s most contemplative moment with ‘kisses’, one of their most compact and infectious pop songs. Swirling with the warmth of a new connection, Halstead and Goswell’s entwining voices convey the romantic euphoria of getting lost in each other’s daydreams instead of spiraling down your own, driven by the want to take each other’s ghosts away. Of course, that’s never entirely possible. They still creep around the hypnotic fuzz and repetition of songs like ‘the slab’ and ‘skin in the game’, which maintains its lo-fi origins to eerie and disorienting effect. They float through the spectral wanderings of ‘chained to a cloud’, which gives shape and body, but not any particular meaning, to another elusive lyric from ‘andalucia plays’. What’s ultimately most astounding about everything is alive is that it feels like a journey as fantastic, but not necessarily tied to, that of the band itself, ringing with truth and intensity even – or especially – as the details begin to fade, turning to ghosts. In those final, heavy stretches, that aliveness is both haunting and unassailable.

Mr. Watches’ Picks: Pink Is the New…

Danar Widanarto
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Mr. Watches’ Picks: Pink Is the New…

„Hi, Barbie!“ “Hi, Ken!”

Barbie marketing is everywhere; nearly all printed or digital media and social media platforms are full of Barbie content. Unsurprisingly, the blockbuster Barbie claims to be the biggest movie of the year, with its box office already grossing over $1.3 billion worldwide. 

You name it: pink outfits, pink shoes, pink cars, pink villas, and, of course, pink watches. Yes, Barbie and Ken have ruled the fashion and watch industry since the film opened in July.

So, slowly but surely, I began loving pink watches, so I have compiled a list of my favourite ones as the first entry for the Mr. Watches’ Picks series.

Tag Heuer Carrera Pink

Mr. Ken, aka Ryan Gosling, has been spotted wearing this Tag Heuer timepiece on the red carpet in London and New York. This pink dial Carrera is – in my opinion – the first pink dial watch that comes to my mind when I hear the words Barbie’s watch. Its 36 mm diameter makes it wearable for men and women. It features a date display at 6 o’clock, automatic movement, and a highly polished steel strap. It’s a catchy dress watch, and yes, this Ryan Gosling’s Carrera gives me the feeling that indeed “I am Ken!”

Carrera Pink

Maurice de Mauriac Cherry Blossom

“Love at first sight” – I fell in love with this Cherry Blossom when I saw it at the “Time To Watches” in Geneva in April 2023 – before the Barbie Movie hype even existed. With its diameter of 40.5 mm, its shiny pink dial and pink leather strap, I can assure you that people will come to you and ask, “Wow, what is THAT?”

Nomos Club Campus Deep Pink

The founder of Nomos, Roland Schwertner, first met me at the BaselWorld 2019 with my very first watch jacket. He was speechless as he spotted 4 Nomos watches sewn into my jacket! And yes, I am a big fan of this German brand. One of my favourite pieces is the Nomos Club Campus Deep Pink, which was unveiled in February 2022. Why? Not only because of its minimalist design and reasonable price but also its unique dial colour: it’s not pink or pale pink, it’s a deep pink!

Beyond Betting: How Blockchain Technology is Revolutionizing Interactive Entertainment

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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Beyond Betting: How Blockchain Technology is Revolutionizing Interactive Entertainment

Blockchain technology, once primarily associated with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, is extending its reach into various industries, including interactive entertainment. This revolutionary technology transforms how people experience and engage with entertainment content, from video games and virtual reality experiences to live events and digital collectibles. As blockchain continues to gain traction, its impact on interactive entertainment is becoming increasingly evident. This article explores how blockchain technology revolutionized the world of interactive entertainment, reshaping how people consume and participate in these experiences.

Understanding Blockchain Technology

Before diving into how blockchain transforms interactive entertainment, understanding blockchain technology is a good idea. At its core, a blockchain is a decentralized and distributed digital ledger, recording transactions across a network of computers. This ledger is immutable, meaning that once information is recorded, it cannot be altered or deleted without consensus from the network participants. This technology ensures transparency, security, and trust in digital transactions. Reputable unconditional casinos, or a casino without wagering, now also operate on the principles of blockchain technology. They leverage the decentralized nature of the blockchain to provide a transparent and fair gaming experience, even in giving bonuses without wagers, eliminating the need for players to trust a central authority.

Enhancing Ownership and Digital Assets

One of the most significant contributions of blockchain to interactive entertainment is the concept of actual ownership of digital assets. In traditional video games, players spend money on in-game items and characters. However, game developers often own and control these items, and players have limited rights over them. Blockchain technology introduces the concept of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), unique digital tokens representing ownership of specific assets. NFTs enable players to own and trade in-game items and characters honestly. This ownership is recorded on the blockchain, providing a transparent and secure way for players to buy, sell, and exchange digital assets.

Beyond video games, NFTs have extended to other forms of interactive entertainment. Artists and creators can tokenize their digital artwork, music, and videos as NFTs, allowing them to retain ownership and earn royalties when their creations are sold or used. This shift towards actual rights can reshape the relationship between content creators and consumers, granting artists more control and autonomy over their work.

When it comes to betting, blockchain’s impact continues to be felt. Betting and gambling platforms have been among the early adopters of blockchain technology due to its potential to provide transparency, fairness, and security in these industries. Blockchain-based betting platforms offer provably fair systems where the outcome of bets can be independently verified by participants, ensuring that the odds are not manipulated.

Enabling Play-to-Earn Models

Blockchain technology is also introducing innovative play-to-earn models in the gaming industry. Traditional video games often require players to invest time and money without offering tangible rewards. However, blockchain-powered games are changing this dynamic by enabling players to earn cryptocurrency or other digital assets through their in-game activities.

Players can collect, trade, and sell in-game items or currencies as NFTs in play-to-earn games, translating their virtual achievements into real-world value. This economic incentive has led to the rise of blockchain-based games where players can generate income by participating in the virtual world. This shift from a pure entertainment experience to a potentially profitable endeavor has attracted a new wave of players and investors to the gaming industry.

Enhancing Digital Identity and Interactions

Blockchain technology is also enhancing the concept of digital identity and interactions within interactive entertainment. Players often spend time and effort customizing their avatars and profiles in online games and virtual reality experiences. Blockchain allows players to create and manage a unified digital identity that can be used across multiple platforms and games.

This concept of a portable digital identity gives players more control over their online presence and data. It also enables seamless interactions between virtual environments, creating a more cohesive and immersive experience. For example, a character customized in one game could be seamlessly transferred to another, maintaining the player’s identity and achievements.

Revolutionizing Live Events and Experiences

Beyond digital content, blockchain technology is making its mark on live events and experiences. Blockchain-based platforms can facilitate the sale of event tickets as NFTs, ensuring authenticity and preventing scalping. Attendees can also have a transparent view of ticket ownership and transfer history. Moreover, blockchain enables new forms of interactive engagement during live events. Audiences can participate in real-time polls, challenges, and interactions using blockchain-powered tokens or NFTs. This engagement enhances the attendee experience and provides event organizers with valuable insights into audience preferences and behaviors.

Challenges and Considerations

While blockchain technology offers numerous benefits to interactive entertainment, it’s essential to acknowledge the challenges and considerations associated with its adoption. Scalability, energy consumption, and user experience are among the key areas that need to be addressed for blockchain-powered solutions to achieve widespread adoption. Scalability remains a challenge as blockchain networks need to handle significant transactions without compromising speed and efficiency. Solutions such as layer-two scaling and blockchain interoperability are being explored to address this issue.

The energy consumption of blockchain networks, particularly proof-of-work-based networks like Bitcoin, has raised environmental concerns. However, the industry is actively exploring more energy-efficient consensus mechanisms, such as proof-of-stake, to mitigate these concerns. Lastly, creating user-friendly experiences is essential for blockchain technology to be embraced by a broader audience. Complexities associated with wallets, private keys, and transaction fees can intimidate newcomers. User interfaces and educational resources must be developed to ensure a seamless onboarding process.

Blockchain technology is ushering in a new era of interactive entertainment, where actual ownership, play-to-earn models, and enhanced digital interactions are becoming the norm. From video games and virtual reality experiences to live events and digital collectibles, blockchain is reshaping how we engage with and experience entertainment content.

As the technology continues evolving and overcoming its challenges, more innovative use cases will emerge within the interactive entertainment landscape. The convergence of blockchain, virtual, and augmented reality can create new immersive experiences that blur the lines between the digital and physical worlds. With blockchain leading the way, the future of interactive entertainment is undoubtedly exciting and full of possibilities.

Taylor Swift Announces ‘Eras Tour’ Concert Film

Konstantinos Pappis
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Taylor Swift Announces ‘Eras Tour’ Concert Film

Taylor Swift has announced that an Eras Tour concert film will hit theaters on October 13. In the US, AMC is scheduling a minimum of four showtimes per day between Thursdays and Sundays upon opening. The movie is directed by Sam Wrench, who has worked on concert films for BTS, Brandi Carlile, Pentatonix, Lizzo, and Billie Eilish. Watch a trailer for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour below.

“The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I’m overjoyed to tell you that it’ll be coming to the big screen soon,” Swift wrote on social media. “Starting Oct 13th you’ll be able to experience the concert film in theaters in North America! Tickets are on sale now at amctheatres.com. Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged 1, 2, 3 LGB!!!! (iykyk).”

The Eras Tour picks up in November with a run of South American dates. Swift will be releasing her next re-recorded album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), on October 27.

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