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Slowdive Share Video for New Song ‘alife’

Slowdive have shared ‘alife’, the final single from their new LP everything is alive, ahead of its release on Friday (September 1). It follows previous offerings ‘the slab’‘kisses’, and ‘skin in the game’. Check it out via the accompanying video below.

“‘alife’ is one of the first tunes we finished for the record,” the band’s Neil Halstead explained in a statement. “Shawn Everett did a really nice job with the mix. We tried so many times to figure out a good mix by ourselves and couldn’t do it . . . it sort of had us beaten until Shawn stepped in. We decided if he could handle that one he could probably do the whole record. Our friend Jake Nelson did a really nice animation for this song; it takes some of the imagery from the artwork and digs a little deeper into that.”

A Comprehensive Guide to the World of Online Poker for Advanced Players

Online poker has revolutionized the game of Texas Holdem, replacing traditional casinos with virtual tables. Advanced players benefit from the convenience and accessibility of online poker, which offers a wide range of game variants, allowing them to explore different strategies and face diverse opponents. The online poker ecosystem also provides resources such as training videos, tutorials, poker forums, and hand analysis tools, enabling advanced players to constantly learn and improve their gameplay. To take their online poker journey to the next level, advanced players should try out different game variants, seek educational resources, engage in online poker forums, and utilize available tools and software. Whether their goal is to compete in tournaments or enhance their skills, online poker offers a dynamic and rewarding platform for advanced players to excel.

Understanding the Different Types of Online Poker Games

Online poker has undergone a significant evolution from being played at physical casinos and poker rooms to the virtual tables of the internet. This transition has allowed players to enjoy the game from the comfort of their homes. Texas Holdem poker has become particularly popular, attracting both professional and recreational players with its straightforward rules and strategic depth. Online poker platforms like gg poker have further expanded players’ options, offering user-friendly interfaces, advanced features, and a wide variety of tournaments and cash games. Whether you are a seasoned pro or a beginner, gg poker provides something for everyone. Overall, online poker has revolutionized the gaming experience, allowing advanced players to compete in competitive tournaments and hone their skills on various platforms like gg poker.

Mastering Poker Strategies: Tips and Techniques for Advanced Players

Online poker tournaments have gained popularity as a way for skilled players to compete globally. These tournaments, available on platforms like gg poker, provide an exhilarating and fast-paced gaming experience that can be more rewarding than traditional casinos. Texas Holdem poker is one of the most popular variations played in these tournaments, requiring a mix of skill, strategy, and luck. Players aim to create the best hand possible using their two private cards and five community cards on the table. To participate, players must register with a reputable online poker platform and select a tournament that matches their skill level and bankroll.

Online poker tournaments offer a wide range of options, including freeroll tournaments with no entry fee and high-stakes events with large guaranteed prizes. Choosing the right tournament to maximize one’s chances of success is crucial. By applying their poker strategies effectively, players can increase their odds of winning big in the online poker world.

Essential Tools and Software for Online Poker Success

Online poker tournaments, particularly those in the Texas Holdem format, have gained popularity among experienced players seeking a challenging competition. These tournaments, offered by platforms like gg poker, cater to players of all skill levels and budgets. Success in these tournaments requires a strategic balance between aggressive and conservative gameplay, as well as patience, psychological acuity, and a bit of luck. Additionally, participating in online poker tournaments offers players an opportunity to connect with an extensive and diverse community from around the world, fostering socialization, learning, and the chance to compete against some of the best players and enhancing their skills and experiences.

Navigating the World of Online Poker Tournaments

Online poker has revolutionized the way Texas Holdem is played, offering enthusiasts the opportunity to play from the comfort of their own homes. Leading the way in online poker platforms is gg poker, which provides advanced players with a range of features to enhance their gaming experience. Customizable tables and powerful analytics tools are just some of the offerings that help players take their online poker skills to the next level. To succeed in the online poker world, advanced players must not only have excellent poker skills but also a solid understanding of the available tools and software. Utilizing these features, along with maintaining a healthy bankroll and effective financial management, can boost players’ chances of success.

Overall, online poker has made it more convenient for players to enjoy Texas Holdem poker without having to visit physical casinos. Platforms like gg poker offer advanced players various features and tools to improve their gameplay and enhance the overall experience. By utilizing these features and effectively managing their finances, players can increase their chances of becoming formidable poker players in the online realm.

Online poker tournaments have become immensely popular among advanced players who want to showcase their skills and compete with players from all over the world. Platforms like GG Poker offer a user-friendly interface and various tournament structures, making them a go-to for many experienced players. These tournaments not only give players the opportunity to improve their skills, but also offer big prizes and even a chance to qualify for live tournaments. With different buy-in levels and formats available, there is something for every player, regardless of their experience or budget.

To succeed in online poker tournaments, players need to have a solid understanding of the game, use effective strategies, and stay updated on the latest trends. With dedication, practice, and a bit of luck, players can climb the ranks and establish themselves in the competitive world of online poker. So, if you’re up for the challenge, register for online poker tournaments and prepare yourself for an exciting showdown.

How to Choose the Best Online Casino Promotions?

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With countless online casinos competing for your business, each touting various promotions, choosing the truly worthwhile offers amidst the hype can prove daunting. However, there are effective strategies and guidelines you can follow to cut through the noise and identify the best casino promotions tailored to your interests and playing style. This article explores tips on identifying and taking advantage of the most lucrative online casino deals.

What are the Online Casino Promotions?

First, it’s helpful to understand the types of promotions online casinos typically offer. Common promotional offers come in various forms targeting different players:

  • Welcome bonuses match a percentage of initial deposits up to a maximum amount to provide new players with an immediate bankroll boost.
  • No deposit bonuses give small free cash amounts to new players to try games risk-free before committing funds.
  • Reload bonuses match subsequent deposits at lower rates to encourage returning players to deposit more.
  • Cashback bonuses return a portion of net losses over time to cushion unlucky streaks.
  • Loyalty programs reward frequent play by awarding points redeemable for prizes and advancing players through tiers with elite benefits.
  • VIP programs provide exclusive perks for high-roller players.
  • Free spins provide bonus rounds on featured slots.
  • Tournaments facilitate competition and social gameplay.
  • Seasonal promotions tie into calendars with special events and prizes.

How to Compare Online Casino Promotions

When choosing promotions, the bonus amount and match percentage offered are the first things to compare. However, remember that a larger bonus isn’t always the most advantageous. The wagering requirements—the amount you must play before you can cash out—should be kept in sharp focus. Opt for deals that have lower playthrough rates.

It’s also important to consider expiration dates and time limits for using bonuses to make the most out of the offer before it expires. Check how different games contribute to the wagering requirement; while slots usually contribute fully (100% count), table games might contribute less, typically 10-20%.

How to Find the Best Online Casino Promotions?

So, how do you find the best promotions? The most valuable resource is checking comprehensive online casino review sites. These provide complete and objective assessments of top online casinos, looking at their games, promotions, banking options, and more. They break down the bonuses in a way that even beginners can easily grasp.

For instance, a slots.lv review can give you insight into the platform’s bonus structures, wagering requirements, and exclusive deals. This helps you compare promotions effectively and determine if a casino aligns with your preferences. In NJ, for example, pages like online-casinos-nj.com/promotions/ have a full guide on casino promotions in the state, including steps on how to claim them. With this, you can easily compare various welcome offers and deals across different casinos.

Reviews provide ratings for bonuses, game variety, payout speed, and customer service. Sorting by rating shows you the overall best casinos quickly, and you can also filter for specific features like your preferred game or banking method. Updated news sections highlight the latest bonus codes and seasonal offers.

Even within the same casino, promotional amounts can vary over time. Read the fine print terms for each offer before opting in. For welcome packages, calculate the maximum bonus amount you can obtain based on the match percentage and your estimated first deposit.

While public promotions are available to all players, loyal customers may receive personalised bonus offers by email or direct mail. High rollers depositing large sums can negotiate special rates too. As a hint, you can subscribe to casino newsletters and follow them on social media to stay on top of these exclusive deals.

VIP programs provide additional reward opportunities for frequent players. You unlock higher tier levels with improved benefits as you accrue points from real money wagers. These include birthday gifts, invite-only tournaments, and bonus coupons.

In summary, choosing the best online casino promotions requires research and comparison. Not forgetting to always read the fine print, of course. Ultimately, taking advantage of the right promotions can significantly increase your gambling budget and enjoyment.

Beyond the Screen: The Global Impact of E-Sports Culture

Over the past 10 years esports has managed to become a global phenomenon with millions of fans around the world, multi-million dollar prize pools, stadium tournaments and a great influence on other areas of activity. The cybersports industry has spawned many memes, stories, new superstars that are popular among young people, and has also influenced people’s opinion of professional eSports and competitive gameplay in general.

Cybersport has become part of the cultural identity of many countries. From national teams to teams with specific regional affiliations, esports builds community and brings players closer to common interests. For many virtual sports fans, it has become the norm to bet on esports betting sites. Due to its media nature, esports is increasingly becoming part of the general information discourse.

In this article you will learn about how esports culture has evolved, the globalization of esports, aspects of the esports economy and industry, and the future prospects for esports culture.

Evolution of E-Sports Culture

On its way esports has traveled a long way from local tournaments, computer clubs and basements to world-famous stadiums with multi-million dollar prize money. Along with this, esports culture has evolved and the public’s perception of esports has changed.

At first, gamers and young people who were into competitive gaming were treated as a marginalized group who were wasting their time sitting behind computers and consoles. But when the first earnings came in, attitudes began to change. Over the years, eѕports culture has turned into a separate industry with its own favorites, underdogs, rules and peculiarities. It is also important to keep track of current esports events to stay up to date with all the latest news. It is now a separate sport that requires honing certain skills.

Globalization of E-Sports Events

Ever since the birth of esports, people all over the world have been competing against each other in various games. First it was arcade machines and later disciplines such as Starcraft, Warcraft 3 and Counter-Strike 1.6. At the beginning, esports events were localized and it was rare to see teams from other regions, given either the complete absence of prizes or their purely symbolic amounts.

But with time the situation changed, new sponsors came into the industry, first of all computer components vendors and bookmakers, and with them the prize money grew. It became more and more interesting and accessible for the organizers to invite teams from other regions. The point of no return was The International 2011, the first Dota 2 World Championship where Valve awarded $1,600,000 in prize money. This is a cosmic sum by the standards of those times, when a $100,000 prize pool already seemed like something gigantic. The Ukrainian team Natus Vincere earned a then-record $1,000,000 for winning the competition.

Nowadays esports events are held all over the world, including very exotic places. Teams and organizations can safely change their home regions, sign both mono-ethnic line-ups of players and international mixes. At this point esports has truly become a global phenomenon.

Among the important tournament series are The International for Dota 2, Worlds for League of Legends, VALORANT Champions for VALORANT, as well as BLAST and ESL tournaments in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. All these tournaments have prize money exceeding $1,000,000 and gather tens of thousands of fans in stadiums and hundreds of thousands of spectators in front of their monitors and TV screens.

E-Sports Economy and Industry

Cybersports generates money, sometimes a lot of it. There are several components to the economic aspect of e-sports culture. These include sponsorship, advertising and merch. The former is still dominated by vendors of computer components and accessories, as well as bookmakers. Although sometimes there are exotics. For example, CS:GO tournaments are often sponsored by the US Armed Forces as a way of attracting young people to join the army.

Advertising obviously depends on the popularity and reach of the team and the organization as a whole, but it is also a significant source of income, allowing you to pay salaries to players and staff. All more or less large teams produce their own merch, which is actively bought up by fans to demonstrate their adherence to this or that esports tag.

All of this has created a huge number of different professions and jobs within the esports industry. You can work as an analyst, psychologist and journalist as well as a cameraman, broadcast director and designer. In the future, the skills you learn can help you develop your career in other areas.

Future Prospects of E-Sports Culture

Cybersports culture is already at a global level, so the obvious way forward is for it to interact and interact with traditional sports and outside activities. Echoes of this can already be seen at various show matches, where famous footballers and other athletes play shoulder-to-shoulder with top eSportsmen.

For example, Oleksandr Zinchenko, a football player of Arsenal football club, recently announced the creation of his own esports team Passion UA. Such interaction contributes to the arrival of a new audience in esports, as well as its popularization among different age and social groups.

Conclusion

Cybersports culture has gone through a long way of development and reached the global level. Along with this, tournaments have also evolved from localized tournaments to world championships with huge prize money. With the growth of eSports culture in the industry there was a need for many professions and specialties, which stimulated the emergence of the eSports labor market. Further development of esports will lead to an increasing affirmation of the star status for prominent and successful esportsmen, as well as popularization of esports culture in the environment of traditional sports and the general information field.

Unveiling Cultural Authenticity Through Design: Zhixuan Yu’s “Stereo(type)ography”

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In the ever-evolving realm of graphic design, Zhixuan Yu stands as a beacon of multidisciplinary creativity and innovative thinking. Her remarkable achievement of being named a Shortlist in the Communication Arts 2022 Design Competition is a testament to her profound ability to challenge conventions and ignite meaningful conversations through her work. At the heart of this recognition is her thought-provoking project, “Stereo(type)ography,” which not only captured the attention of the competition but also shed light on crucial questions surrounding cultural representation, authenticity, and responsible communication, and contemporary graphic design, especially cross-cultural typography design.

As a designer, Zhixuan Yu is driven by a desire to rectify the long-standing issue of cultural appropriation, particularly when it comes to Chinese culture. Her project delves deep into the predicament of how Chinese culture has often been reduced to superficial aesthetics, neglecting its rich historical roots and intricate visual systems. With an unwavering commitment to elevating authenticity and celebrating diversity, Yu’s work stands as a compelling call for change in the way non-Western cultures are portrayed and understood.

“Stereo(type)ography” is a series of design explorations that examines and challenges the notion of chinese-latin typography, the range of work spans from identity system, editorial design, typography, and creative technology. It is the overarching identity system that beautifully intertwines the fundamental Mi grid, a building block of Chinese character writing learned by every Chinese child, with the cyclical nature of stereotype and typography. The preface of the project is an installation that constantly changes between “stereotype” and “typography” whenever there’s an audience entering this series. It highlights the intertwining relationship of how typography and cultural stereotypes are highly influential from one to another. The system is further extended to every aspect of the project.

One of the pivotal questions Yu poses through this project is whether calligraphy, a revered and traditional art form, can be programmed. Her accompanying linked project “Can Calligraphy be Programmed?” explores this inquiry, merging age-old calligraphic techniques with cutting-edge technology. In doing so, she underlines the stereotypes in chinese-latin typography, emphasizing and proposing new methodology for contemporary designers on cross-cultural projects.

The journey through “Stereo(type)ography” is meticulously documented through a series of zines, a generative typeface, an immersive installation, and modular typefaces. These elements serve as vehicles for the synthesis and communication of the project’s profound insights. Yu’s documentation captures the progression of her research and synthesis process, enriched with first-hand observations and thought-provoking readings. The culmination of this journey is embodied in “On the Finding Path of Stereo(type)ography,” an editorial zine collection that dissects and synthesizes the entire thesis process. Each zine offers a unique lens into the past influences and future prospects of Chinese-Latin typography.

Intriguingly, Yu’s exploration extends to the linguistic landscape of LA Chinatown, a realm comprising letterforms and environment. This holistic perspective provides a shared canvas where letterforms interact with culture. “The Everchanging Linguistic Landscape of LA Chinatown” plunges visitors into the immersive experience of Chinatown streets, offering insights into the contextual layers beneath superficial styles. This encounter is profoundly personal, shaped by the viewer’s cultural background and rooted in the convergence of diverse cultures. This fusion results in a visually striking representation that challenges preconceived notions and encourages viewers to delve beyond the surface.

The Communication Arts 2022 Design Competition serves as the perfect platform to showcase such thought-provoking and transformative work. Recognized as one of the most prestigious competitions for creativity in graphic design, it attracts entries from around the world that push boundaries and redefine the field. Zhixuan Yu’s “Stereo(type)ography” fittingly aligns with the competition’s ethos, challenging conventional norms and elevating the discourse around responsible and authentic communication.

Beirut Announces New Album ‘Hadsel’, Shares New Single ‘So Many Plans’

Zach Condon has announced his first new Beirut album in over four years. The Gallipoli follow-up is called Hadsel, and it’s set to arrive on November 10 via his own Pompeii Records. Today’s announcement comes with the release of the lead single ‘So Many Plans’, which you can check out below, along with the album artwork and tracklist.

After persistent throat issues forced him to cancel the end of Beirut’s Gallipoli tour, Condon retreated to Hadsel, an island far up in the northern part of Norway in the middle of Vesterålenfar, in early 2020. There, he met a collector and fellow organ enthusiast named Oddvar, who provided him access to the local Hadselkirke, a wooden, octagonal structure dating back to the early 1800s that housed the first church organ that Condon would play.

“During my time in Hadsel, I worked hard on the music, lost in a trance and stumbling blindly through my own mental collapse that I had been pushing aside since I was a teenager,” Condon reflected in a statement. “I was left agonising many things past and present while the beauty of the nature, the northern lights and fearsome storms played an awesome show around me. The few hours of light would expose the unfathomable beauty of the mountains and the fjords, and the hours-long twilights would fill me with subdued excitement. I’d like to believe that scenery is somehow present in the music.”

Of ‘So Many Plans’, Condon added: “I liked that this song struck a balance between the feelings of acceptance, hope and giving up. The lyric came from a covid-times lament that rolled effortlessly into a kind of short lullaby. The instruments were somewhat unusual for me at the time, having dusted off a baritone uke I never used before to join the album’s primary instruments of either pump or church organ and the modular synthesizer as percussion and bass.”

Back in 2021, Beirut released Artifacts, a compilation of unreleased tracks, early works, EPs, and B-sides tracing the project’s evolution.

Hadsel Cover Artwork:

Hadsel Tracklist:

1. Hadsel
2. Arctic Forest
3. Baion
4. So Many Plans
5. Melbu
6. Stokmarknes
7. Island Life
8. Spillhaugen
9. January 18th
10. Süddeutsches Ton-Bild-Studio
11. The Tern
12. Regulatory

Watch boygenius Join Billie Eilish at Intimate London Show

Billie Eilish performed a surprise show at London’s Electric Ballroom last night (August 29). During the intimate set, she brought out boygenius for When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?‘s and ‘When the Party’s Over’ Labrinth for their collaboration ‘Never Felt So Alone’. Watch footage from the performance below.

Billie Eilish’s most recent album, Happier Than Ever, arrived in 2021. Earlier this year, she shared ‘What Was I Made For?’ as her contribution to the Barbie soundtrack. boygenius’ debut LP the record came out in March.

@_billieupdates

Billie performing ‘when the party’s over ’ with boygenius at @EBallroomcamden tonight in London, UK — @billieeilish #billieeilish #fyp

♬ original sound – billieupdates

Discover the Ultimate Aviator Game Strategy for Victory in Aviator

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Learn about the ultimate Aviator game strategy that blends luck and skill in the exhilarating world of casino gaming. 

In this heart-pounding game of chance, mastering the right Aviator game strategy can be the difference between soaring triumph and crushing defeat. 

Join us as we delve into the depths of Aviator strategy, uncovering invaluable tips and insights that will elevate your gameplay. 

Master the Fundamentals

If you want to become a pro at Aviator, the first thing you need to do is understand the game and master the fundamentals.

Aviator, the captivating multiplayer mini-game introduced by Spribe in January 2019, has taken the casino world by storm. Boasting an impressive RTP of 97%, this game’s fairness is upheld by its reliance on a Random Number Generator.

At the core of the game lies a sophisticated algorithm designed to unlock substantial victories, all revolving around a random number generator (RNG).

This intricate system churns out outcomes that are inherently unpredictable, ensuring that the results of each round remain entirely detached from previous ones.

In the Aviator game, you guess when a plane will crash. Pick how much to bet, watch the multiplier go up, and decide when to cash out before the plane crashes. It’s about taking risks for a shot at winning big in this exciting casino game.

Strategic Wagers for Favorable Results

Here are some betting strategies you can implement if you want favorable results when playing Aviator:

·     The d’Alembert System

Increase or decrease your bets by one unit based on whether you win or lose. This method aims for balanced progressions, reducing potential losses while pursuing moderate gains.

·     Fibonacci System

Follow the Fibonacci sequence to determine your bets. If you lose, move one step forward in the sequence; if you win, move two steps back. This system aims to recoup losses gradually and maintain a steady betting pattern.

·     Paroli System

Double your bet after a win, aiming for a streak of consecutive wins. The goal is to capitalize on winning streaks while reverting to your original bet size after a loss.

·     Anti Martingale

Instead of doubling your bet after a loss, double it after a win. This strategy rides on the belief that winning streaks are more likely to occur, allowing you to maximize gains while minimizing risk.

Profit-Boosting Betting Strategies

Here are the three betting strategies that can help you win big in the game of Aviator:

·     Martingale Strategy

For the audacious players, the Martingale Strategy demands nerves of steel. The key lies in recognizing that approximately once an hour or every 1.5 hours, the x100 multiplier emerges. After identifying this moment, you note the hour and commence placing bets, hoping to seize the elusive multiplier. This strategy is undeniably risky, yet it presents a tantalizing opportunity for substantial winnings.

·     Double Up Strategy

The Double Up Strategy offers a straightforward single-bet tactic, allowing wagers of any size. However, a comfortable bankroll is recommended. Thoroughly analyze previous multipliers’ statistics and engage in betting only when confident that the plane won’t exceed the x2 point before halting. Adhering strictly to this approach ensures you cash out exclusively at this multiplier, guaranteeing a 100% profit within the realm of medium risk.

·     Hourly Multiplier Strategy

Strategic players can capitalize on the Hourly Multiplier Strategy. Observe the game’s patterns to identify hourly windows when certain multipliers, like x2 or x10, are more likely to appear. Align your bets with these favorable moments to enhance your chances of capturing these multipliers. This method combines calculated timing with prudent betting for a balanced approach that seeks consistent wins.

Commence with Caution and Target Modest Multipliers

This involves starting with conservative bets and focusing on attainable multipliers. Instead of chasing high-risk, high-reward outcomes, this approach prioritizes gradual, consistent wins. By choosing smaller multipliers that are more likely to occur within a reasonable number of rounds, players strike a balance between risk and reward. 

This strategy emphasizes adapting to gameplay patterns and playing the long game, accumulating winnings over time rather than pursuing quick but risky large wins. It’s a prudent way to engage with the game, seeking steadier progress while gambling responsibly.

Watch and Gain Insights from Peers

When you’re playing the Aviator game, you can improve your skills by observing your friends or other players. Watching them play gives you useful ideas about how to do better yourself. You’ll notice when they place bets and how they win. And don’t forget about the live statistics option! 

This feature shows you which numbers appear frequently and gives you an idea of how the game is progressing at that moment. By combining what you learn from watching others with the information from live stats, you’ll be able to make smarter bets and enjoy a more rewarding experience while playing Aviator.

Recognize the Right Time to Cease

In the Aviator game, understanding when to cash out is a key aspect. Imagine it like deciding when to finish a game or activity. As you play, the potential to win more money increases, making it tempting to keep going. 

However, there’s a catch: if you wait too long, you might end up losing everything you’ve gained. The game is all about finding the right moment to stop and secure the money you’ve won. Think of it as flying a plane – just as timing is crucial for a safe landing, knowing when to cash out ensures you don’t risk losing your winnings.

Conclusion

 In Aviator, triumph is attainable through a strategic game plan. By exploring various betting systems, mastering cash-out timing, and learning from both peers and live statistics, players can unlock a winning edge. Remember, the ultimate Aviator game strategy marries risk and insight to harness the thrilling possibilities of the game.

Album Review: The Armed, ‘Perfect Saviors’

The Armed’s music may be perpetually disorienting, but it’s no longer purposefully misleading. After operating anonymously for years, the band seemed to pull back the curtain slightly on 2021’s ULTRAPOP, embracing total sincerity as much as the malleability of genre and the potential of pop accessibility. Perfect Saviors continues down this path, billed – not by publicists but the band’s own Tony Wolski – as a “completely unironic, sincere effort to create the biggest, greatest rock album of the 21st century.” As they peel back the veil, the Armed have mostly managed to tackle the problem of promoting the artists’ individual identity by focusing on the collective, which is, in large part, sonic. They’re still poking fun at many of the institutions they exist within or model success after, so I can’t tell you that Perfect Saviors is in fact entirely devoid of irony, or that it’s the biggest, greatest rock album of the century. (“The name is incredibly ironic,” Wolski has admitted, and the contradiction is precisely the point.) But I can tell you that it’s definitely the Armed‘s attempt to engineer what that might sound like, meaning that even their most accessible-sounding effort is still rooted in the thrill of ambivalence, favouring nuance over immediate gratification – or, indeed, mystery.

Though Perfect Saviors is ultimately too human to be the biggest or the greatest of its kind, that doesn’t make it any less of an exhilarating experience. Unlike ULTRAPOP, it doesn’t seek to magnify the simultaneous beauty and chaos of excess so much as recognize their inherent juxtaposition, as on the opener ‘Sport of Measure’, which begins with a downright sentimental proposition: “I’ll just go out and stare at the sky/ Put my dreams on green screen.” Then the tenderly organic instrumentations gets twisted by thundering electronics that Mark Guiliana’s drumming somehow manages to rip through, hinting at a violent kind of fantasy. Its sister song, lead single ‘Sport of Form’, summons the sort of pummeling noise more prevalent on ULTRAPOP before quieting down to a paradoxically comforting chorus of “Does anyone even know you? Does anyone even care?” On a record whose contributor list includes Sarah Tudzin, Patrick Shiroishi, Josh Klinghoffer, and Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Julien Baker’s vocal part here is easily the most identifiable guest presence, turning an otherwise downcast moment into pure catharsis. It also makes you wonder how the Armed’s sound might have opened up had Alan Moulder’s mix left a bit more space for Wolski’s own voice.

ULTRAPOP centered around the fusion of the Armed’s maximalist brand of hardcore and their knack for melodic pop hooks, rendering their approach on 2018’s Only Love more transparent and conceptual. Sonically, the new album can be seen as part of a trilogy, but to the extent that it’s concerned with the subverting genre at all, it’s got less to do with hardcore or pop music than arena rock, which provides the perfect framing for its commentary on the gamification of a culture where fame is the only path to success. Though they might emulate the radio-friendly formula a bit too well, they also know exactly when to have the frayed edges show.  The sparkling groove of ‘Everything’s Glitter’ dissipates just in time for the song’s most blistering line: “There’s drama on my tortured brow/ Am I caricature?” The St. Vincent-indebted ‘Modern Vanity’, meanwhile, slows things down so that its sarcasm – targetting “pretend kings with plastic lives in big clone houses” – is even more overt.

Perfect Saviors doesn’t have as many incendiary moments as ULTRAPOP, but it’s a little looser in playing with sounds beyond its particular aesthetic framework. Yet that experimentation feels intentional, too. The pairing of ‘Liar 2’ and ‘In Heaven’ – the most danceable and spare songs on the record, respectively – towards the end of the LP offers the kind of emotional resolution that could justify the Armed taking an entirely different direction on whatever comes next. ‘Liar 2’ is the song that most heavily relies on the contrast between musical form and lyrical content, painting its modern, shared desperation in the realm of delusion. But the glass finally breaks on ‘In Heaven’, which has nothing to hide beneath its acoustic presentation. With Matt Sweeney on guitar, it’s a gently heartbreaking song, elevated by another stunning performance by Julien Baker. “Love and hate/ Blurring in the middle,” they harmonize. In this endless battle, no side comes out victorious. But the Armed find tenderness and beauty in that monstrous, blurry middle – between success and failure, hope and despair – and Perfect Saviors is their imperfect attempt to champion it.

Cheekface Share New Single ‘Plastic’

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Los Angeles trio Cheekface have dropped a new single called ‘Plastic’. It follows their 2023 tracks ‘Popular 2′ and ‘The Fringe’. Listen to it below.

“This song is about being an implacable people pleaser and the miracle of 3D printing,” vocalist/guitarist Greg Katz said in a statement. “Originally, when me and [bassist] Mandy wrote it, it had a lot more bongos in it. But cooler heads prevailed, for better or worse.”