Danny L Harle has enlisted Caroline Polachek for an entrancing new song called ‘Azimuth’ (via XL). It follows Harle’s PinkPantheress collaboration ‘Starlight’, as well as Polachek’s ‘On the Beach’, the title track of the video game Death Stranding 2, which was co-produced by Harle. Check it out below.
“‘Azimuth’ felt like the finalization of an approach that Caroline and I had been orbiting for some time as a way of putting her voice into my music — I sometimes call it the ‘trance siren,’” Harle said in a statement. “You can hear manifestations of it in tracks like ‘Insomnia’ from Pang and ‘On on the Beach’ from Death Stranding 2, but this was the first time I managed to translate it into my style of dance music. Azimuth’s melody could only have been sung by Caroline, it is designed around her voice, I couldn’t imagine anyone else singing it or giving a performance like that. It also allowed us to play with scale, space and quietness in a way I’ve never done before. For me, ‘Azimuth’ is a trance ballad, despairing but hopeful, best heard in a in club in a sunken cathedral.
Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl has arrived. Following last year’s The Tortured Poets Department and its extended Anthology edition, the album 12-track album finds the pop star working with Max Martin and Shellback, the Swedish production duo with whom she worked on much of 2012’s Red, 2014’s 1989, and 2017’s Reputation. It features Sabrina Carpenter on the closing title track, and ‘Father Figure’ samples the George Michael song of the same name.
Introducing the album on social media, Swift wrote:
Tonight all these lives converge here The mosaics of laughter and cocktails of tears Where fraternal souls sing identical things And it’s beautiful It’s rapturous. It is frightening. ——— I can’t tell you how proud I am to share this with you, an album that just feels so right. A forever thank you goes out to my mentors and friends Max and Shellback for helping me paint this self portrait. If you thought the big show was wild, perhaps you should come and take a look behind the curtain… The Life of a Showgirl is out now.
The George Michael estate posted a statement to the late singer’s social media accounts, writing: “We were delighted when Taylor Swift and her team approached us earlier this year about incorporating an interpolation of George Michael’s classic song ‘Father Figure’ into a brand new song of the same title to be featured on her forthcoming album. When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same. George Michael Entertainment wishes Taylor every success with The Life of a Showgirl and Father Figure.”
Opening track ‘The Fate Of Ophelia’ serves as the album’s lead single, with a music video set to arrive 7pm EST on Sunday, October 5. In the middle of the record, the song ‘Actually Romantic’ appears to be a response to former tourmate Charli XCX’s BRAT track ‘Sympathy Is a Knife’, opening with the line, “I heard you call me Boring Barbie when the coke’s got you brave.”
Swift announcedThe Life of a Showgirl on an episode of New Heights, the podcast hosted by her fiancé, Travis Kelce, and his brother, Jason Kelce. She will be promoting The Life of a Showgirl with appearances on Graham Norton, The Tonight Show, and Late Night in the coming days. She’s also screening an 89-minute “film event” called Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl at movie theaters around the world.
Tonight all these lives converge here The mosaics of laughter and cocktails of tears Where fraternal souls sing identical things And it’s beautiful It’s rapturous. It is frightening. ——— I can’t tell you how proud I am to share this with you, an album that just feels so right. A… pic.twitter.com/jIEG65ptR6
College Football 26 has just received its title update for October. This new big patch follows the September title update. The last one added changes to the offensive and defensive ends of the game. Specifically, one of the main updates was the Odd Ghost defensive formation. This time, EA Sports adds new features that make the game more competitive. It also brings gameplay improvements and fresh uniforms.
Ultimate Team: Head-to-Head Ranked
According to EA Sports, the title update adds a Head-to-Head Ranked mode within Ultimate Team. It brings a fun and competitive feeling. Players have asked for this through feedback. And the developers answered. In detail, this mode divides players into seven ranks. Specifically, these are Bronze, Silver, Gold, Elite, Hero, Champ, and Top 100. Each rank has three tiers. Also, players begin unranked. They will start the ranking process after five placement games.
More particularly, players earn points based on wins, losses, and opponent rank. Every win helps a player climb through tiers. At the same time, it can lead to demotion if points fall below a specific range. The Head-to-Head Ranked also keep things competitive as ranked seasons reset monthly.
As for rewards, players will receive coins after every match and tier advancement. At the highest rank, they can earn up to 100,000 coins. In the same way, there are unique player items, such as Kendal Daniels. He is an SS Box Specialist.
Gameplay Improvements
The latest title update for College Football 26 adds many gameplay tweaks, said EA Sports. In particular, these changes focus on passing, blocking, and defense. All of these make the game more realistic and balanced.
Defensive backs can now read routes more naturally. Also, pass protection options have been expanded for flexibility. Similarly, the patch improves running back blocking against complex defenses. Other key fixes address unintentional fumbles and more.
Aside from the new mode and gameplay changes, EA Sports added uniform and equipment options. This expands the customization features. Plus, it also boosts the game’s look.
Uniforms:
Black Uniform of Arizona State
New Home, Away, and Alternate Uniforms of Florida Atlantic University
New Gold Helmet and Pants of James Madison University
New Realtree Helmet of Ole Miss
White Uniform of Texas Tech Mahomes
Throwback Uniform of Texas Tech
Alternate Uniform of Tulane
Updated Black Uniform of the University of Alabama at Birmingham
Updated Black Uniform of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Throwback Uniform of the University of Virginia 2025
Throwback Uniform of Wisconsin
Equipment Pieces:
Nike Vapor Pro 1’s
Nike Vapor Speed 3’s
Nike Lebron IV Menace’s
Availability and Supported Platforms
The new College Football 26 title update is now available. Particularly, players can get it on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
A weekend shoot, a short EP, or a small gallery show can come together fast when you have cash on hand. Gear rental, studio time, and a few paid helpers add up before the first ticket sells.
Some creators look at Net Pay Advance loans to cover gaps when a deadline is close and money is tight. The idea is simple, borrow a modest amount, produce the work, then repay on a clear schedule.
This guide shows how to plan that move with care, so your project and your credit both stay healthy.
Set Your Project Scope
Write the project in one line. For example, “Three-song demo with a one-day mix session” or “Two-day indie shoot for a four-minute video.” Keep it tight. Small projects finish faster and cost less, which lowers risk.
List the costs you cannot avoid. Common items include space or studio time, gear rental, permits, props or materials, travel, and day rates for a lean crew. Add a small buffer, usually 10 to 15 percent, for late returns, file storage, or an extra hour on the clock.
If you already own some tools, price only what you must buy or rent. Clear scope and a real total help you borrow only what you need.
Check the timeline next. Map booking windows, deliverable dates, and any fixed fees that are due before release. A short production window pairs better with short-term credit because interest accrues for fewer days.
Pick the Right Loan Type
Short projects with a single payout date often work with a single-pay option if you have income soon to cover it. If the project will earn money over several weeks, a small installment loan with equal payments may fit better.
Lines of credit can work for staggered costs, like two separate studio days or split gear bookings.
Look at the basics with a cool head. How much will you borrow, what is the total cost of credit, and how long will you owe the debt. Check the payment dates against your real income dates. If your income lands twice a month, align due dates with those deposits, not a random day.
Understand credit checks. Many lenders use a soft inquiry to prequalify, which does not affect your score, while a hard inquiry can have a small, temporary effect.
If you use a lender that funds fast and shows terms clearly up front, you can decide in minutes. Speed helps when a studio slot opens tomorrow, but do not skip the math. A quick loan is only helpful when it is also a smart loan.
Plan Your Repayments Early
Before you click apply, write a simple repayment plan. Note the due dates, the exact payment amount, and the income source that will cover each one. If you are paid from a day job, line up payments right after payday.
If you expect sales from tickets, streams, or a small product drop, treat those as a bonus and plan to repay from regular income anyway. That way your plan does not fail if sales are slow.
Automate if you can. Set reminders on your phone or calendar. If the lender allows it, set auto pay from an account that is always funded the day before a due date. Late fees and extra interest crush project gains faster than you think.
Build a small “repay first” fund. Even fifty or a hundred dollars set aside at the start reduces stress. If an expense runs long, you still make the payment and keep your record clean.
Track Spending Closely
Use a simple budget that you can track in real time. Many creators like the envelope method. Make one “envelope” for each cost category and move the borrowed amount into those buckets as soon as the funds land. When a bucket is empty, you stop spending in that category.
Negotiate small wins. Ask the studio for an off-peak rate. Book gear for 24 hours midweek instead of a weekend. Trade a half-day rate with a friend for a future favor. Keep snacks and water simple, since craft services often runs over without adding quality to the work.
Track every outflow the same day. A shared note in your phone is enough. Write the amount, the category, and one word on why. This habit spots scope creep early, while you can still adjust.
Lower Risks and Protect Work
Lower cost before you borrow. Borrow gear from a local collective. Use public domain or Creative Commons media where it fits so you do not pay licensing fees.
Protect your files. Back up to two places, such as a portable drive and a cloud folder. Label footage and takes on set or in the studio so your edit time is not wasted. Save receipts and contracts in one folder so you can prove expenses if anything is disputed.
Write down red flags that mean stop. Examples include losing your main location with no backup, a talent release falling through, or new costs that push the loan above your planned amount. If a red flag hits, pause and re-scope rather than adding more debt.
Sample Project Plan
Project: Four-track demo with a live session video.
Scope: One rehearsal day at home, one six-hour studio block with an engineer, one day to shoot a live take, and a basic color grade.
Cost outline:
Studio six hours with engineer
Camera and lens kit one day
Two wireless mics one day
Lighting kit one day
Small location permit
Two helpers for five hours
Food, transport, backup drive
Buffer at 12 percent
Funding plan:
Borrow only the project total after subtracting what you already have in savings.
Choose an installment plan across six weeks with three payments that land the day after your regular paydays.
Set auto pay. Add a calendar alert three days before each due date.
Spend plan:
Create five envelopes: studio, gear, people, permits, logistics.
Book off-peak slots. Pick a weekday for lower rates.
Confirm all releases and permits in writing one week ahead.
Risk plan:
Backup location and a second camera option from a friend if rental falls through.
Stop rule if gear quotes jump more than 15 percent, re-scope to an audio-only release and shoot visuals later with a smaller kit.
What Success Looks Like
A good outcome is not only a finished project. It is a clean repayment record, a small set of reusable assets, and new proof of your work that can lead to paid gigs. Keep your costs tight, keep your schedule tight, and keep your debt small and short.
When the project wraps, close the loan and write a short post-mortem on what to improve next time.
If you choose to borrow, keep it modest, use money for items that move the project forward, and set payment plans you can meet even if sales are slow. Treat the loan like a tool for timing, not a source of extra budget.
The Takeaway
An online loan can bridge a short gap so a music session, short film, or small show can happen on time. The safest path is simple. Define a tight scope, borrow only what the plan requires, match the loan type to your timeline, and lock in repayment before day one. If the numbers work on paper, they are more likely to work in real life.
Once an obscure technological experiment, Bitcoin has evolved into a cultural indicator beyond finance. The bitcoin price swings and symbolism now ripple worldwide in art, fashion and virtual identity.
The potential of Bitcoin is no longer restricted to financial speculation. The currency has seeped into galleries, wardrobes, and virtual selves, becoming a theme in representing value and belonging in a virtual world. Musicians and artists have adopted its iconography and communities worldwide have used it in novel applications in the representation of cultural identification.
Bitcoin Beyond the Charts
Whereas Bitcoin was first a peer-to-peer currency, the coin’s current symbolic weight is equivalent. From Berlin to São Paulo, references in street graffiti sit alongside nods in newer performance art and electronic music. The bitcoin price becoming the yardstick of volatility also propels the aesthetic appeal, as artists take the fluctuations in the market as a symbol of uncertainty, resilience, or communal good vibes.
Binance co-founder Yi He wrote, “Crypto isn’t just the future of finance; it’s already reshaping the system, one day at a time.” This statement encapsulates the impulse behind cultural commentators and artists’ use of Bitcoin iconography: the phenomenon represents not a simple marketplace but a larger shift in the dynamism of how technological development impacts aesthetic and monetary value.
From Streetwear To High Fashion
Fashion was quick to decipher Bitcoin as a symbol and spectacle. High-street brands use the logo in forceful graphics, investing in the symbol’s counter-cultural cache, while luxury brands have played with prints reminiscent of the currency in limited batches. As a wearable sociological commentary on the confluence of monetary and individual identification, the objects work for the consumer.
The appeal extends to accessories, such as watches, shoes, and jewelry, that draw upon the currency’s code or symbol. According to data from the Binance crypto exchange, Bitcoin continues to lead overall market capitalization, solidifying the currency’s role as the “face” of digital assets. Just as the emblems of brands once symbolized social status, the symbol of Bitcoin increasingly operates as a symbol of cultural membership.
Music, Media and the Meme Economy
The music world also adopted Bitcoin as a subject and symbol. Hip-hop tracks that drop the currency’s name and avant-garde pieces that render crypto charts in sound waves are examples of artists utilizing the market’s volatility as source material.
Viral memes go the same way. An increase or correction in price tends to trigger social media humor waves, wherein netizens craft and remix in-jokes about Bitcoins that serve as cultural commentary and a form of social media humor.
Memes are more than humor: they are part of a participatory culture whose communal narrative includes Bitcoin. Up-and-down movements challenge communal discourse and turn economic data into a fluid cultural narrative. Like graffiti or slogans, the meme cycle inscribes the figures and the emotions behind them.
Identity, Communities and World Narratives
In addition to its aesthetic appeal, Bitcoin has become a symbol of identification in global communities. In communities facing the risk of currency devaluation or limited access to the traditional banking system, acceptance symbolizes power and autonomy. To others, ownership or reveling in the glory of Bitcoin is more of a cultural identification issue, a membership symbol in a convention-defying movement.
Binance CEO Richard Teng stressed cultural sensitivity in relationships like these: “Our new Shariah Earn product offers halal-compliant earning opportunities, allowing the world’s Muslim community to participate in crypto confidently.” While the citation originates in finance, it illustrates that Bitcoin and larger crypto systems intersect with cultural and religious frameworks, supporting identification and belonging within groups.
The cultural currency of Bitcoin extends even deeper into video, books, and internet communities. Independent filmmakers consider the potential for decentralising and disrupting, while authors employ Bitcoin in speculative fiction as a shortcut for revolution or dystopia. Online, nicknames and personas often employ Bitcoin logos as a membership indicator, similar to the color of a football team’s jersey or a band’s t-shirt.
Law, Order and the Trace of a Symbol
The cultural sheen of Bitcoin does not eliminate the regulatory concerns that pervade it. Governments globally are cracking down on licensing and compliance regulations, recognizing that every transaction represents opportunity and risk. Bitcoin’s traceability has become a legal and cultural discourse in this context.
Nils Andersen-Röed, Binance Global Head of FIU, replied: “Despite high-level privacy software, every crypto transaction leaves a footprint, a necessary resource for today’s law enforcers. Just as the nuances of crypto crime grow more complicated, global co-operation and effective public-private co-operation are a necessity rather than a luxury.”
The remarks make plain how, at once, Bitcoin falls under two intersecting cultural scripts: one of liberty and experiment, the other of monitoring and accountability. Both shape how the symbol is understood in art, selfhood and everyday discourse.
Shared Language of Bitcoin
Bitcoin has become not just a virtual value but a shared language in which individuals worldwide speak about belonging, critique and creativity. The symbol represents a paradox, unstable yet stable in cultural value, mathematical yet sentimental in perception.
As the value of Bitcoin fluctuates erratically in global markets, its aesthetic and cultural value remains undiminished. In art galleries, in sound or on fashion show catwalks, currency is about more than the story of the economics involved; it is about the broader one of how the world resets value in the age of the internet.
Streetwear is not a dress code; it is a cultural force that introduces people to music, art and a way of life that visualizes identity. This is due to the fact that streetwear has a core that is self-expression. Whether it is the bold prints or has designer labels, streetwear items are wearable and hold the expression of independence.
But this fashion style did not just come out of the blue. A small group of pioneers took the fashion to the next level. They blended culture and creativity, producing a style that is still relevant today.
From underground to global culture
During the early years of streetwear, there existed some margins. From Artists, DJ’s and skater groups, many types of people adopted the appearance of an anti-mainstream style. From simple styles like oversized goodies to designer streetwear jackets, this style became the uniform for people looking to break out of the mold that didn’t fit them.
Since then, the style has adapted, grown and changed as it has spread worldwide. Fashion houses observed the emergence of bold jackets, sneakers and accessories that are bold and eye-catching. Beginning on the streets and skateparks have now evolved into a look that is represented on runways. Since its creation however the style has forever remained linked to music. The rap/ hip hop scene has carried on the legacy and created more and more legends in its field.
The artists who made clothing a canvas
Among this style, the first transformations to be made was the addition of art, as many saw normal clothing a blank canvas for artists to make their mark on. Artists did not confine creativity to the galleries, but instead it was splashed on tees, caps and jackets.
These were wearable artworks and enthusiasts amassed them the way they would limited-edition prints. Clothing became a narrative piece, and every design illustrated identity and innovation.
That legacy is still propelling the graphic tee market.
The DJs who brought style to the stage
Music has arguably been fueling fashion since time immemorial. During the late 80s and early 90s, the DJs started establishing trends not only in terms of clothes but also in terms of music.
Loosely fitting jeans, trainers and embroidered jackets were reflections of their performances. The style was picked up by the fans immediately.
Some of the streetwear fashion pieces they embodied include:
Sneakers that tied outfits together.
Oversized sweatshirts for movement.
Bold outerwear that stood out in a crowd.
The skaters who made comfort cool
Skaters introduced raw authenticity. How? They did not follow fashion trends; they were dressing their world.
Snapbacks, ripped jeans, and flannel shirts became their go-to fashion pieces because their lifestyle required comfort and permanence. This authenticity was ironically impossible to resist.
Skating culture arguably influenced mass fashion. The credibility and grit of street wear were created through the influence of skateboarding.
The Hip-Hop voice of the streets
Streetwear gained authenticity from skate culture, but it was given scale by hip-hop. Rappers are arguably some of the pioneers of streetwear.
They had oversized jackets, bubble coats and caps that stood as the symbol of confidence and ambition. Their music videos had millions of fans exposed to streetwear culture.
Hip Hop fans did not just want the music; they wanted the appearance. The popularity of streetwear was a self-promoting movement with a voice of the streets.
The connector who bridged cultures
The connector, who merged art, skate and music influences, was the most influential pioneer. The combination of these worlds rendered them universal in streetwear.
It expanded the scope of the style through collaborations, while retaining its origins. Streetwear had evolved into a system, rather than a single look, which was what enabled it to survive.
Why their legacy lasts
You might be wondering, what is the significance of these pioneers? Well, they changed fashion by showing how daily items could be turned into identity tokens.
They also changed the way people think about status. From skaters carving out authenticity to hip-hop artists enhancing the style, both left their marks, which continue to influence fashion to this day.
Streetwear is eternal since it does not lose its soul as it develops. It is not about a city or one decade. It is about identity, expressiveness, and the bravery to wear what you are.
Bingo has been a much–loved pastime for years, providing a sense of community and excitement in the local halls. But this conventional game has entered a new era.
Did you know that the first online bingo platform, Bingo Zone, appeared in 1996? The game ushered in a big change in how players approach bingo.
In fact, online bingo has been exploding ever since. Today, digital platforms govern the bingo landscape, offering an array of facilities to serve multiple players’ tastes.
So, how has the emergence and dominance of online bingo affected traditional bingo halls? Let’s find out.
Decline in Traditional Bingo Hall Attendance
Arguably, online bingo platforms have resulted in an apparent decline in the flow of people to traditional bingo halls. Realistically, why go through the hassle and buzzle of looking for a bingo hall when you can play the game right from your phone?
According to an article by The Independent, bingo hall visits has reduced from 40 million in 2005 to 43 million in 2014.
Unfortunately, traditional bingo halls’ reduced foot traffic has brought them some trouble. Less traffic has led to reduced earnings, forcing some to close down or change the use of their venues.
Playing online bingo from home has proven highly effective, particularly for motion-challenged people and individuals with tight schedules.
The decline in attendance proves the need for bingo halls to innovate and change with changing consumer behavior. Interestingly, some venues try hybrid models combining in-person and online experiences.
Enhanced Features of Online Bingo Platforms
Popular modern online bingo platforms provide various facilities that increase the enjoyment of game playing, these include:
Accessibility: Play anytime, anywhere, without travelling.
Variety: Various game formats and themes are acceptable for any preferences.
Community: Chat rooms and social features are imitations of what communal halls used to be.
Convenience: Auto-daub and customizable settings profile the gameplay.
Let’s face it: The availability of such features has made online bingo a nice option for both new and experienced players. Immersion into a global community takes the game one step further.
Economic Implications for Local Communities
Did you know that traditional bingo halls, at their prime, often provided jobs and ran charity events to assist local communities? Unfortunately, communities may lose work and essential social hangouts with halls closing.
The physical option venues are also affected by the number of ancillary businesses that benefit from bingo hall patrons, including local cafes and transport services. Such a ripple effect may lead to minor recessions in some places.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Some communities are considering repurposing former bingo halls as multipurpose community centers or occasional venues to avoid the consequences.
Technological Advancements Driving Online Bingo
How have technological advances revolutionized the online bingo game? Let’s have a look:
Security Measures: The games have advanced encryption systems guaranteeing safe transactions and data protection.
User-Friendly Interfaces: The games have intuitive designs that aid navigation and gameplay.
Arguably, these features have made online bingo accessible and alluring to many people. In fact, ease of use and improved security go hand in hand in creating a reliable gaming environment.
In addition to the mentioned features, social media features are incorporated in most bingo games to enable players to interact and share experiences. This creates the feeling of a community of online players.
This digital socialization reflects the unity experienced in physical bingo halls.
Social Dynamics: Online vs. Traditional
We can agree to disagree that although traditional bingo halls provided an opportunity for face-to-face interactions, online bingo platforms have robust social features. There are chat rooms and community forums to make connections and share experiences.
The virtual socialization emulates what is found within physical halls, creating a feeling of belonging among the players. The best part?
The online platforms’ global reach also introduces the players to many different communities.
But, we cannot dismiss the tangible things players get and experience from in-person interactions, like shared laughter and physical presence. This stresses the need for varied options to suit different preferences.
Balancing Tradition and Innovation
Arguably, bingo’s development follows general trends in the digital entertainment world. But innovative online platforms cannot replace traditional halls’ nostalgic appeal.
It is essential to find a balance between maintaining a bingo community and technological advancements. Hybrid models that combine physical and digital elements might be a solution.
The future of bingo can also incorporate new technologies, such as virtual reality, to create an immersive gaming experience. Such innovations could attract new demographics but also keep current players.
Wrapping it up
Shifting from traditional bingo has had its share of advantages, but it’s not without disadvantages. As highlighted in the article, traditional bingo halls have experienced reduced earnings due to fewer people coming to play the games.
Consequently, some establishments have been forced to shut down while others have been repurposed. People have lost jobs in the process, and in the worst-case scenario, communities dependent on bingo hall charities have been negatively impacted.
The bingo industry can continue to grow if it enhances inclusive environments suitable for both digital and traditional audiences. Such an approach will promote the maintenance of the cultural importance of bingo and the adoption of technology-related opportunities.
Creative technologist Amo (Mengying) Zeng treats technology not as escape, but as extension — of memory, of effort, of the body itself. In her interactive installations The Book of Diaspora, Sweat for Generation, and its evolution Embodied Intelligence, the audience doesn’t just watch: they flip, crank, sweat. These works insist that machines and human lives are bound more intimately than we might admit.
The Book of Diaspora
Picture turning pages that appear almost blank. Then, with each flip, projections fill in missing words and fragments — immigration documents, stories, records of displacement. That is The Book of Diaspora.
Using projection mapping and computer-vision tracking, Zeng makes visitors co-authors. Each hand movement reclaims what bureaucracy has obscured, exposing the silence built into official records. The piece doesn’t merely recall forgotten histories; it makes audiences feel their incompleteness in real time.
Sweat for Generation → Embodied Intelligence
If The Book of Diaspora confronts erasure, Sweat for Generation confronts effort. Audiences turn a crank to generate power, only to discover that their exertion is converted into receipts: water consumed, electricity burned, carbon emitted. The installation literalizes the hidden labor of AI, rendering the “invisible” visible through the body.
Its successor, Embodied Intelligence, pushes the idea further. Still crank-driven, the work now connects to a web app where visitors can scan and track AI’s resource use on their phones. The app not only breaks down energy, water, and carbon costs, but also suggests practical tips to reduce one’s digital footprint. Where Sweat for Generation exposed, Embodied Intelligence extends: from recognition to responsibility.
The Common Thread
Across these works runs a single principle: technology is never abstract. In The Book of Diaspora, the body animates what bureaucracy erases. In Sweat for Generation and Embodied Intelligence, it powers and accounts for the hidden cost of computation.
Zeng’s practice has already gained international recognition. Sweat for Generation earned the Excellence Award at ArtX Gallery’s “Synthetica & Alterica” and has been exhibited in Los Angeles, New York, Turin, and Chicago. The addition of Embodied Intelligence signals a maturing of her vision — one that refuses to let digital culture remain immaterial.
On October 17, 2025, Zeng will present both The Book of Diaspora and Embodied Intelligence at Hook Space in the Fine Art Building, 410 S Michigan Ave, Chicago — marking a rare occasion where her two signature explorations of memory and machine will be experienced side by side.
Why It Matters
At a moment when AI, projection, and computer vision slide seamlessly into daily life, Zeng makes us feel their underside. She dismantles the myth of effortless technology, reminding audiences that every prompt, every swipe, every algorithm rests on human labor, human memory, human cost.
Her installations are not spectacles to consume, but situations to endure: to sweat, to flip, to account. They force a recognition that interaction is not passive. It is labor. It is remembering. It is responsibility.
In Zeng’s hands, participation becomes confrontation. And through that confrontation, we are reminded of the flesh beneath the machine.
Rocket is a Los Angeles band made up of vocalist/bassist Alithea Tuttle, drummer Cooper Ladomade, and guitarists Desi Scaglione and Baron Rinzler. Tuttle and Ladomade have been friends since preschool, and while all four members connected in their freshman year of high school, it wasn’t until several years later that the project kicked into gear. During lockdown, Scaglione would show Tuttle, his girlfriend demos that she might want to write and sing over – it was a completely new experience for Tuttle, who was on her way to becoming a professional dancer before suffering a serious spinal injury in 2016. Rocket’s grungy, energetic debut EP, Versions of You, arrived in 2023, and led to them opening for their heroes in Sunny Day Real Estate, Ride, and Smashing Pumpkins. Named after a song by ‘90s post-hardcore outfit Radio Flyer, their debut album, R Is for Rocket, was recorded between 64 Sound and the Foo Fighters’ Studio 606, but rather than calling in a big-ticket indie producer, Scaglione helmed the process himself. All but one of the record’s early singles were tracked at Studio 606, pushing forth its most thunderous and anthemic qualities; but what makes R Is for Rocket such a refreshing, fully-realized debut is its emotional range and earnest experimentation. “I wanna be the one to make it out of your dreams,” Tuttle repeats on ‘Another Second Chance’, as they all sound like they’re living their own.
We caught up with Rocket for the latest edition of our Artist Spotlight series to talk about their friendship, recording R Is for Rocket, showing up, and more.
I saw in another profile that one of the last decisions you made for R Is for Rocket was the album cover, and that was the day before you did that interview. What does it mean for you now that you’ve sat with it for a while?
AT: For the longest time, we had talked about a very specific idea of what the album cover would look like. I do all of our artwork usually, but there was so much to get done that we decided to have someone else do it. The first design we thought would be the cover, once we saw it, we didn’t know if it felt right. Then I was going through old photos we had laying around, and I picked one up, and that’s my dad in the photo. I was like, “I’ll just give it a try.” I cut out the little R, drew it out, and sent it to everybody. That was the only time we all collectively liked something. Before that, we really needed to turn the record cover in, and it was coming up with something we didn’t dislike. I don’t remember if my dad passed before or after we chose the cover.
Desi Scaglione: Before.
AT: Before, yeah. At least for me, it’s nice to know that even though he never got to hear the record – he did hear one new song – we have that as a way of commemorating him. He was a huge fan of the band, and all three of you were close with him too. It maybe wouldn’t be my first choice in every universe, but because of the sentimental meaning, I think we all like it. It was just happenstance – going through photos and being like, “Here’s a cool one.”
Baron Rinzler: It just felt right immediately.
DS: I agree. I don’t even think we knew it was your dad, either. You just sent it.
AT: And I didn’t want to say it was him, because if I’d said right away it was him, of course you would’ve all been like, “That’s amazing.” No one could say, in that moment, “I hate that.”
DS: We did turn in the cover probably the day it was due.
AT: We scrambled, but I’m glad we ended up not going with what we had initially thought of for a really long time.
Even putting its personal resonance aside, that image of skydiving is pretty evocative of the album’s sound. Is it something you would or have tried?
AT: I would absolutely go skydiving. I bet I can predict their answers in my head.
DS: I don’t know if I could. I would consider it if the three of them were like, “We’re going skydiving.” Then I’d be like, “Well, I guess I have to.” More of a FOMO thing. But my first answer is: I would never jump out of a fucking plane, no.
BR: What do you think I would say?
AT: I think you would say yes.
BR: I would say, “Hell yeah.” Absolutely, bro.
AT: What about you, Cooper?
Cooper Ladomade: I don’t know, I feel like I would say yes and then get up there and not do it.
AT: Yeah. I think you’re in the same boat as Desi – if everyone was doing it, you’re getting on that plane. Getting on the plane is the easy part; obviously jumping out is the hard part. You’re never gonna want to do it. You’re gonna be scared the entire time, but then you’re like, “Okay, well…”
BR: Here we go.
DS: It’s one of those crazy things – in that moment, you’re up there and you’re kind of like, “I may be jumping off this plane and killing myself right now. I might be sealing my fate.”
AT: No one dies from skydiving – you’re more likely to get hurt, paralyzed on the impact of landing incorrectly, or if your instructor does. That’s more rare, unless your parachute doesn’t open.
BR: They have an emergency parachute for that reason..
AT: That’s why you go with the guide.
What if it was for a music video?
BR: We should have thought of that. That’d be great for this album.
AT: That would be the easiest way to go do it, honestly – you’d be like, “Well, I have to.”
What comes to mind when you think about experiences or activities outside of music that have really bonded you as a group, however extreme or mundane?
AT: I’m not even joking when I say a bar game. A game at a bar.
BR: Straight up, yeah. Any game.
AT: Bowling.
BR: We do a lot of things together. We’ll come up with a game just at the airport – who can throw something the farthest, or the most accurate.
AT: It’s very serious, and you will be tested.
DS: We’ve all been friends for so long, it’s hard to recall specific moments. But damn, so much of our life is music, even if it’s not as a band – we grew up going to shows together. I mean, Alithea’s dad dying was a very big bonding experience, truly.
BR: That is true.
AT: It makes you rethink, obviously, a lot of stuff; your headspace is totally different post-that. Which is not a fun game, but a game nonetheless. This game of life.
BR: There you go. Which we actually haven’t played altogether.
AT: Oh, Life? You’re right.
BR: This summer in particular, we went swimming a lot. Swimming in pools, not so much the ocean.
DS: Honestly, spending time together outside of the band is very bonding – as fun as this is, there are moments where it does feel serious and like a job, but you have to separate the two.
You said music was part of your friendship in the form of going to shows, but tell me more about those pre-Rocket years of getting to know each other.
DS: I met Cooper and Alithea and Baron all in 2015. We had never played music together until 2020, maybe, when me, Alithea, and Cooper started playing together. But this band didn’t get serious until 2021. But Cooper and Alithea’s friendship predates that by like 15 years.
How close were you, Alithea and Cooper, during that time?
CL: I’m trying to think about preschool…
AT: It was tight the whole time. Never really had a moment where we weren’t.
CL: Yeah.
AT: Us and a couple of our other friends were close basically from the time we met until now.
DS: There’s a group of five girls who all went to the same elementary school together, and they’ve all been friends. The two or three others just don’t happen to be in the band.
AT: Wait, really?
DS: You guys hung out every fucking day.
AT: Literally all of middle school, all of elementary school.
CL: That’s true.
AT: We went to different schools, but we’re still hanging out. Obviously, now there’s just no school.
School of life.
DS: School of Rock.
I know you recorded your debut album in different studios, but a lot of the writing took place at Cooper’s parents’ yard. How did you learn to make each other comfortable in that kind of writing environment?
DS: I think we make ourselves comfortable by being sensitive and trustworthy of one another. If you have an idea and bring it in, one, we’re already like-minded – that’s why we’re in a band together, why it works so well. Chances are everyone’s gonna like it. And we’re good at seeing through all options. Sometimes three of us are on the same page and one person says no, and you ask why, and they’re like, “You just don’t understand what I’m trying to say yet.” Then they show you, and you see the light or you don’t, but at least you tried it. Also, we put an AC in our rehearsal space recently, which has made things very comfortable, climate-wise. [laughs]
BR: I think it just takes trust in each other, to see things through. And a willingness to try new things.
DS: Or, honestly, on the flip side of that, one thing that is very comfortable is none of us think too hard about things. Songwriting is a labor of love, and there’s a time and place to say, “This needs to be better.” But I think one of the hardest things is saying, “This is as good as it will be” – whether it’s the first thing you came up with or not. Because it’s easy to feed a fed horse, and you don’t want to do that all the time.
That said, a lot of the decisions on the record feel very thought-out. Even structurally, the way ‘Crossing Fingers’ and ‘One Million’ are paired together and both hone in on the final choruses.
AT: It’s funny you say that, because live we actually play them together, but flipped. We’ll do ‘One Million’ into ‘Crossing Fingers’. They work both ways, but for some reason that’s how we decided to do it.
AT: Honestly, every decision – there were so many smaller details that probably no one will ever notice, but there were so many meticulous decisions we went through. Tracklisting was definitely a big one. We’d make a playlist of all the songs, put them in an order we thought worked, and go with that for a couple days. I think we were on tour, like, “Let’s just listen to it.” Which, at that point, you’ve heard it literally a million times, so you want to sparingly listen to it so that you’re not getting burnt out on it.
Desi, I feel like a lot of that comes out in the sensitivity of your production – the way you tune into the lyrical nuances of the songs. The cloudier desperation of ‘Crossing Fingers’, for example, feels like a subtle way of honoring the emotional weight of the song.
DS: With all the songs, but a song like that, I think most of the emotion and sensitivity you hear is in the performance. Not to take any credit away from what you’re saying, but when you’re recording something like that, picking the right take is probably the hardest thing – especially with vocals, because that’s where you hear the most passion and emotion. I also tried to mix the vocals on that song, and really the whole record, louder than on the EP. Ultimately, I think that’s something I would go back and change if I could, and I didn’t want to make that mistake. That being said, people will always be like, “The vocals aren’t loud enough,” like your parents and shit.
One of my favorite vocal performances is in ‘Another Second Chance,’ which has another one of those drawn-out endings. Alithea, you’ve called this one one of your favorite moments in writing the record. What made you single it out?
AT: I think just the way that ending came to be was special. We spent so much time really trying to figure out every little detail of it, and it took us, honestly, one really long day of all of us together. Letting our minds run wild, like, “What if it was three times longer?” I also feel like because the ending is very sweet, there’s a lot of time for everybody to shine. The drums are having a moment at a certain point, and obviously the vocals throughout the entire thing are having a moment, and then at the end I play my favorite little bass line on the record. The drums bow out, and then the vocals bow out, and then it’s just their two guitars together, which I feel like is a really special moment, when it’s just the two of them. It was special that we couldn’t even get that take without them looking each other in the eye and turning the metronome off, Baron and Desi. They were just going off how long it felt it should be. And I like the lyrics a lot, I feel proud of those lyrics.
There are a lot of moments like that on the record, and I assume they’re different for each of you: the drum sound on ‘Wide Awake’, the bass and synths on ‘Number One Fan’, the interlocking guitars on the title track.
AT: Those are a lot of really special moments. I feel like we are lucky to truly love every song on this record. In every song, I could pick out something where I’m like, “That’s why that’s my favorite song.”
DS: Some of the most stressful but also fun moments of recording – and I hope we do more of this – were the first song and ‘Number One Fan.’ Those two songs we recorded much differently than every other song. Normally, we’d set up Cooper on drums, Levy on bass, me and Baron on guitars, and just run the song a bunch. But for that first song, it was done in multiple parts. There are electronic drums we did not track to – they were triggered off Cooper’s drums after the fact, but we knew they were going to be there. Cooper played drums, Baron and I played guitar, Alithea was on bass synth for the whole song, and then we went back – Alithea recorded bass, and then we added keyboards. For ‘Number One Fan,’ it was similar but switched. I was on guitar, Baron was on organ, Alithea was on bass, Cooper on drums, and after I put a piano down. That kind of stuff is more fun because you don’t do it as much – it’s a new experience. Those moments are really using a studio as an instrument, as opposed to recording a song like ‘One Million’. Even with ‘Wide Awake,’ with those drums you mentioned – since the demo, there were always doubled drums. It was a nice moment of experimenting with different sounds and performance techniques.
Desi, you mentioned utilizing the studio as an instrument, and I know there was a lot of vintage gear at 64 Studio, which comes through especially on ‘Number One Fan’.
BR: I remember playing the Farfisa organ on that track. I love playing keys, but it’s not something I do live right now. In the future, yes, but it kind of unlocked a different part of your brain, playing a different instrument. I think it opened up so many avenues for the future of things we could potentially do. As much as we did experiment and did cool shit, especially at 64 Sound, there’s so much more that I personally want to experiment with in the future. This was just the tiptoe into that realm of cool, weird shit that I think we’re all into.
DS: 100%, I agree with you.
I also feel the song’s instrumentation brings out the unspoken intimacy in the lyrics. Alithea, you’ve described it as a “shameless love song,” and there’s a kind of thorniness, too, in that earnest commitment. Have you all thought about that theme of preserving relationships, of not falling out, in a different light over the past few months?
DS: I think we all have. Whether or not it’s because of the songs, where we’re all at – like Alithea was saying earlier, we were all very close with her dad, and once he passed away… Once you lose anybody, you see life in a very different scope. You see relationships and the decisions you make for yourself and others in a very different light, for a long time, than you normally would. It’s like you’re slapped–
AT: Well, it’s the world’s biggest reality check. I personally feel so grateful and lucky to be doing what we want to be doing, to be young, to be healthy, and to have family around us. Not everybody is that lucky. I’ve always tried to live my life that way, but when something to this magnitude happens, your entire life changes completely. I’ll never think of anything the same way, let alone the next time we go in to start writing songs – that’s totally different now. Going on tour is totally different now. Something as simple as going to bed. In that regard, I guess I have been thinking about it every second of every day – just relationships, and how important it is to show up for the people you love. My dad would always harp on that. He was so passionate about showing up for people that matter to you, and showing people that they matter to you. At the end of the day, everybody could do a better job of that, but the only person who couldn’t was him. He was at every show within a 300-mile radius, pretty much. [laughs] Had flown to shows to surprise me and us. Showing up for people – that’s my main thing right now. It takes very little to check in on somebody, to put yourself in their shoes, maybe. Going into the next record, into new songs, into touring – it’s like I have different glasses on.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Just Mustard have previewed their forthcoming album We Were Just Here with a new track, ‘Endless Deathless’, which is both nervy and dreamlike. It follows the previously released title track and ‘Pollyanna’. Check out David Noonan’s video for it below.
“I wrote the lyrics for this song by imagining myself on a dancefloor,” the band’s Katie Ball explained in a statement. “We wanted to write more songs that suited places like that. I suppose I would describe it as an existential love song, but you can hear it and feel it any way you like.”
We Were Just Here is due out October 24 through Partisan.
