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Albums Out Today: Alvvays, Indigo Sparke, Sorry, NNAMDÏ, and More

In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on October 7, 2022:


Alvvays, Blue Rev

Alvvays are back with their third album, Blue Rev, out now via Polyvinyl/Transgressive. Spanning 14 tracks, the follow-up to 2017’s Antisocialites was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Shawn Everett (the War On Drugs, Kacey Musgraves) and includes the advance singles ‘Easy On Your Own?’‘Pharmacist’, ‘Belinda Says’, ‘Very Online Guy’, and ‘After the Earthquake’. “Every song on the album has gone on such a journey,” vocalist Molly Rankin told NME, “and it was so satisfying going through each demo that I was in love with and listened to for years, and then comparing them with the new versions and really feeling like we’ve transcended them.” Read our review of Blue Rev.


Indigo Sparke, Hysteria

Indigo Sparke has released her second album, Hysteria, via Sacred Bones. Produced by the National’s Aaron Dessner, it follows the Australian singer-songwriter’s 2021 debut Echo and was preceded by the songs ‘Blue’, ‘Pressure in My Chest’, and the title track. “Aaron is such an incredible person, to feel his generosity and to feel him in my corner is a true gift,” Sparke said in press materials. “It definitely took a moment for me to get used to a different way of working and hand my trust and heart over to him and his vision but it also felt so natural and we became close friends in the process.” Dessner added: “It feels cohesive and timeless and inspired to me in a way that I know I will keep coming back to. I think the chemistry is right.”


Sorry, Anywhere But Here

Sorry have returned with their sophomore full-length, Anywhere But Here, out now via Domino. The North London group – Louis O’Bryen, Asha Lorenz, and Ali Chant – recorded the follow-up to their 2020 debut 925 and last year’s Twixtustwain EP in collaboration with Portishead’s Adrian Utley in Bristol, drawing inspiration from 1970s songwriters such as Randy Newman and Carly Simon. “If our first version of London in 925 was innocent and fresh-faced, then this is rougher around the edges,” O’Bryen said in a press statement. “It’s a much more haggard place.” The songs ‘There’s So Many People That Want to Be Loved’, ‘Let the Lights On’, ‘Key to the City’, and ‘Closer’ offered a taste of the LP.


NNAMDÏ, Please Have a Seat

NNAMDÏ has put out his latest album and Secretly Canadian debut, Please Have a Seat. Written, performed, and produced entirely by the Chicago multi-instrumentalist, the LP was previewed with the singles ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Famous’, ‘Anti’, and ‘Dedication’. In our interview, NNAMDÏ cited stand-up comedy, Steven Universe, and long walks as some of the inspirations behind the LP, saying that it’s mostly “about being able to reflect on moments and not just be continuously moving, to have those moments where you can sit down and be like, ‘Oh, this is where I was at this time, this is how I was feeling. Wherever I was is where I was supposed to be.'”


Loraine James, Building Something Beautiful for Me

Loraine James’ new album, Building Something Beautiful for Me, pays homage to the American composer Julius Eastman by reimagining and responding to his works. Out now via Phantom Limb, the project began when the UK label provided James with a drive of Eastman originals (courtesy of Gerry Eastman), Renee Levine-Packer and Mary Jane Leach’s 2015 biography Gay Guerilla, and transcribed MIDI stems from Phantom Limb founder and A&R James Vella. James then crafted the album using samples, motifs, and imagery from Eastman’s catalog. ‘Maybe If I (Stay On It)’ and ‘Choose to be Gay (Femenine)’ arrived ahead of the record’s release. Read our review of Building Something.


Will Sheff, Nothing Special

Out today via ATO Records, Nothing Special is the debut solo album by Okkervil River leader Will Sheff, who recorded the LP with his Okkervil River bandmates Will Graefe and Benjamin Lazar Davis, along with singer-songwriter Christian Lee Hutson, Dawes drummer Griffin Goldsmith, Death Cab For Cutie pianist Zac Ra, and guest vocalists Cassandra Jenkins and Eric D. Johnson. John Congleton, Matt Linesch, and Marshall Vore engineered the album, which Sheff began writing after moving to Los Angeles and quitting drugs and alcohol. “Working as Will Sheff, there was no back catalog, no history, no tradition,” he explained in press materials. “There was only freedom and possibility.”


King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have unveiled the first of three albums they’re dropping this month. Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava includes the early tracks ‘Ice V’ and ‘Iron Lung’. The band’s Stu Mackenzie said of the LP in a statement: “All we had prepared as we walked into the studio were these seven song titles. I have a list on my phone of hundreds of possible song titles. I’ll never use most of them, but they’re words and phrases I feel could be digested into King Gizzard-world.” Laminated Denim will follow on October 12, and Changes on October 28.


Open Mike Eagle, Component System With the Auto Reverse

Open Mike Eagle’s new record, Component System With the Auto Reverse, is out now. It features guest appearances by Armand Hammer, R.A.P. Ferreira, Aesop Rock, Serengeti, Diamond D, and more, as well as production from Madlib, Quelle Chris, Child Actor, Kuest1, and Illingsworth. “When I was in high school I used to stay up late to tape the hip-hop shows on college radio station WHPK on the south side of Chicago,” the rapper explained in a statement. “I named each tape. I named one Component System. This album was made in the spirit of that tape but with new music from me. Some of the people on the original tape appear on this album, I’m so proud of that that it brings me close to tears.”


Johanna Warren, Lessons for Mutants

Johanna Warren has issued Lessons for Mutants, her sixth LP and second for Wax Nine/Carpark, which includes the early singles ‘I’d Be Orange’‘Piscean Lover’, and ‘Tooth for a Tooth’. Warren began recording Lessons for Mutants in New York in tandem with the sessions for 2020’s Chaotic Good, but didn’t complete the album until she started quarantining in rural Wales. “There’s this unspoken rule in modern music – modern life, really – that everything needs to be Auto-Tuned and ‘on the grid,’” Warren said of the album, which was recorded live to tape. “This record is an act of resistance against that. There’s beauty and power in our aberrations, if we can embrace them.” Read our review of Lessons for Mutants.


Disq, Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet

Disq have dropped their sophomore full-length, Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet, via Saddle Creek. Produced with Matt Schuessler, the follow-up to 2020’s Collector finds guitarist Isaac DeBroux-Slone and bassist Raina Bock trading singing and songwriting duties with guitarists Logan Severson and Shannon Conor. Ahead of its release, the Wisconsin-based previewed the LP with the singles ‘Cujo Kiddies’, ‘If Only’, ‘(With Respect To) Loyal Serfs’, and ‘The Hardest Part‘.


Daphni, Cherry

Caribou’s Dan Snaith has released the latest album under his Daphni moniker, Cherry, via own Jiaolong label. “There isn’t anything obvious that unifies it or makes it hang together,” Snaith said of the LP in press materials. “I think it was good that it was made without worrying about any of that. I just made it.” The follow-up to 2017’s Joli Mai features the previously released singles ‘Cherry’, ‘Cloudy’, ‘Clavicle’, ‘Mania’, and ‘Arrow’.


Broken Bells, Into the Blue

Broken Bells – the project of Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) and James Mercer of The Shins – have come out with a new record, Into the Blue, today via AWAL. Arriving eight years after their last collaborative album, After the Disco, the 9-track effort was preceded by the singles ‘Love on the Run’, ‘We’re Not In Orbit Yet…’, and ‘Saturdays’. The duo’s influences on the new album – their first to feature samples alongside organic instrumentation and vocals – range from ‘60s psychedelia to 1970s rock, ‘80s new wave to ‘90s trip-hop.


Courtney Marie Andrews, Loose Future

Courtney Marie Andrews’ latest album, Loose Future, has arrived via Fat Possum. The Arizona singer-songwriter recorded and co-produced the follow-up to 2020’s Old Flowers with Sam Evian at his Flying Cloud Recordings studio in the Catskill Mountains. The LP features the advance singles ‘Satellite’, the title track, ‘These Are the Good Old Days’, and ‘Thinkin’ on You’, as well as additional contributions from Grizzly Bear’s Chris Bear on drums and Josh Kaufman of Bonnie Light Horseman on various instruments.


Other albums out today:

Gilla Band, Most NormalBonny Light Horseman, Rolling Golden Holy; Dungen, En Är För Mycket och Tusen Aldrig; Willow, <COPINGMECHANISM>; Peel Dream Magazine, Pad; Dayglow, People in Motion; Sofie Birch & Antonina Nowacka, Languoria; Chloe Moriondo, Suckerpunch; Sun Ra Arkestra, Living Sky; Jessica Moss, Galaxy Heart; The Cult, Under the Midnight Sun; Ekin Fil, Dora Agora; Lamb of God, OmensMacula Dog, Orange 2; Quavo & Takeoff, Only Built for Infinity LinksGillian Carter, Salvation Through Misery; Keiji Haino & Sumac, Into this Juvenile Apocalypse our Golden Blood to Pour Let Us Never; Charlie Puth, Charlie; Heith, X, wheel; The Orielles, Tableau; Counterparts, A Eulogy for Those Still HereBush, The Art of Survival; Maxine Funke, Pieces of Driftwood; Ultraflex, Infinite Wellness; Isabella Lovestory, Amor Hardcore; Wunderhorse, Cub; Surf Curse, Magic Hour; FLOHIO, Out of Heart; Small Sur, Attic Room; Sunbeam Sound Machine, Possum; Bruno Bavota & Chantal Acda, A Closer Distance.

Carly Rae Jepsen Enlists Rufus Wainwright for New Song ‘The Loneliest Time’

Carly Rae Jepsen has teamed up with Rufus Wainwright for her latest single, ‘The Loneliest Time’, the title track from her forthcoming album. Following previous cuts ‘Talking to Yourself’, ‘Beach House’, ‘Western Wind’, the track was produced by Kyle Shearer and co-written with Jepsen, Shearer, and Nate Cyphert. Check it out below.

The Loneliest Time, the follow-up to 2019’s Dedicated, is set to land on October 21.

Iggy Pop Covers Leonard Cohen’s ‘You Want It Darker’

Iggy Pop has shared his rendition of Leonard Cohen’s 2016 track ‘You Want It Darker’. It’s taken from the upcoming tribute album Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen, which is out on October 14. It includes contributions from Norah Jones, James Taylor, Nathanial Rateliff, Peter Gabriel, Mavis Staples, Sarah McLachlan, and more. Listen to Pop’s take on ‘You Want It Darker’ below.

‘You Want It Darker’ appeared on Cohen’s final album, also titled You Want It Darker. “There’s nobody like Leonard,” Iggy Pop said in a statement. “Not in the whole world.”

The Dos & Don’ts When Playing Online Casinos In Australia

Online casinos in Australia offer a convenient and fun way to gamble, but there are some things you need to know before you start playing. In this article, we’ll discuss the dos and don’ts of online casinos in Australia, so that you can enjoy your experience without any surprises.

Online gambling in Australia is very popular, and there are plenty of casinos to choose from. However, not all of them are created equal. There are some things you should look for when choosing an online casino, such as a good reputation, a wide selection of games, a user-friendly interface and a good welcome bonus.

We’ve listed a some of the main things to look out for when playing at an online Aussie casino. Follow the list and you’ll be in for a safe and entertaining gaming experience.

Safety

When you’re ready to start gambling at an online casino, the first and foremost thing is to make sure the casino you’re playing at is licensed and regulated by the Australian government. This ensures that the casino is operating legally and that your money is safe. Don’t play at an unlicensed casino; there’s no worse feeling than hitting the jackpot, only for a rogue operator refusing to pay out your winnings.

Casino Bonuses

Many online casinos offer a welcome package that includes a match bonus and free spins for a particular slot game on your first deposit. Some will even offer free spins no deposit for Australia players. However, if you decide to take a bonus, be sure to read the fine print before claiming any bonuses, as they usually come with wagering requirements that must be met before you can withdraw your winnings.

Casino Games

Casino games can be a lot of fun, but it’s important to know what you’re doing before you start playing. There are many different types of games to choose from. These include:

– Slot machines or pokies

– Blackjack

– Roulette

– Baccarat

– Live Dealer Games

– Video poker

Each game has its own set of rules and pay-out structures. Be sure to read up on the game you’re interested in playing before putting any money down. This will help you avoid any nasty surprises later on.

Set A Budget

It’s also important to set a budget and stick to it. Gambling can be addictive, so it’s important to know your limits. Only gamble with money you can afford to lose, and never chase your losses. If you’re on a losing streak, it’s time to walk away.

Play Responsibly

Finally, playing at an Australian online casino should always be done responsibly. Remember that gambling is a form of entertainment and don’t let it become a problem. If you’re concerned about your gambling habits, seek help from a support group such as Gamblers Anonymous or www.gamblingandracing.act.gov.au.

In summary, in order to play safely, only play games that you know the rules for in reputable licensed casinos. Always play within your means and don’t chase losses so that you get into trouble. But most importantly, remember to have fun! Playing at online casinos should be entertaining, so don’t let it become a chore. Some of the points listed above can appear to be a little intimidating at first. If you follow these simple tips, you’ll have a great time playing at online casinos in Australia.

Stay safe and good luck!

Chicsew – Trends and Tips for Choosing Bridesmaids Dresses

Another bridesmaid dress brand that is having an effect on the wedding market is Chicsew.com. With an extensive variety of bridesmaid dresses at reasonable costs, the site has surely grabbed our eye. Be that as it may, is it worth the promotion? We have done the exploration so you don’t need to – we should investigate.

Web architecture

We were in a split second dazzled with the unmistakable plan of the Chicsew site. The pictures of each and every dress were incredibly clear, and exploring between various plans and colors was simple. Each page of dresses had an assortment of channel choices where you can choose dresses in light of material, value, length or style. The website likewise incorporates an extraordinary blog with bridesmaid dress motivation and a portrayal of impending wedding patterns. What we cherished more than anything was that the ongoing rebate codes accessible are shown on a red flag at the highest point of each and every page, meaning you can get the most ideal arrangement – what’s not to adore!

Dress Costs

Chicsew‘s dress costs are exceptionally cutthroat contrasted with other web-based bridesmaid dress retailers, however not modest enough that you start to scrutinize the nature of the plans. We love their champagne glossy silk bridesmaid dresses. Their wedding dresses are at a more exorbitant cost point yet are still truly reasonable contrasted with different brands – going from different price .The site offers an extraordinary channel choice that permits you to channel dresses by cost to suit your spending plan.

It offers material patterns at the minimal expense of $1, implying that you can arrange various shades and textures to track down the ideal choice, without burning through every last dollar. Assuming you are from the Ward, you can likewise purchase their bridesmaid dresses, and Chicsew UK is additionally open. The site likewise offers various offers and coupon codes all at once, implying that you are probably going to set aside significantly more cash while requesting your dresses.

Styles

Chicsew has one of the biggest options of silk bridesmaid dresses that we have figured out how to view as on the web, with more than 280 distinct plans to look over. Each and every one of these plans comes in 68 distinct conceals from pastels to gem stones to monochrome shades, implying that it is really simple to do a ‘blend and coordinate’ bridesmaid group with various styles of dress all in a similar variety. Their scope of dresses arrives in various materials like smooth silk, unpredictable ribbon, fun tulle, glamorous sequins or float chiffon.

As well as bridesmaid dress choices, Stylish Sew likewise offers a select number of wonderful dresses in various styles reasonable for any lady. They likewise offer a scope of more bashful mother-of-the-lady dresses that can complement various different body shapes – on the grounds that each mother ought to feel inexpressibly good on their girl’s extraordinary day.

Obviously Chicsew likewise comprehends the difficulties of requesting on the web and plans to handle this through the accessibility of samples in each tone and texture on the site. Frequently, they run offers so potential purchasers can arrange these patterns at a scaled down cost. To match the bridesmaid dresses, Chicsew likewise has various adornments including smooth wraps to keep the bridesmaids warm, or silk ties, pocket squares, and neckties for the man of the hour and groomsmen.

The site likewise has an unmistakable size guide that tells you the best way to quantify your bridesmaids precisely, and a diagram to show what size these estimations are. On top of this, they have a custom estimating choice in the event that you are searching for made-to-gauge outfits for the much anticipated day.

Markdown Coupons

At the point when you first access the Chicsew site, regularly you quickly see a ‘turn the wheel’ style spring up that offers you the opportunity to get markdown codes for cash off, an unconditional gift, or free samples.

Also, the site is continuously running some sort of rebate code or different offers with the goal that you take advantage of their administration. For instance, at the hour of composing this article, the site is publicizing a code for three free samples of your decision, or one for ‘Get One Dress, Get One Free.

What’s the big deal about Chicsew is that you don’t have to go hunting around the web for their codes, all things considered; they publicize them on their site so their clients get the best arrangement.

After-Deals Administration

We were glad to see that, dissimilar to numerous internet based destinations, Chicsew has various ways that they can be reached would it be a good idea for you need support. They have a broad Assistance Community loaded with Much of the time Got clarification on pressing issues, a client administrations email, a business counseling email, as well as a web-based contact structure where they will answer in 48 hours or less. They have a fair returns strategy that is definite on their page and proposition assist with extra changes.

Transporting

Whenever you have chosen the dresses that you are searching for, it requires some investment for these dresses to be made; especially assuming you have chosen the custom estimating choice. By and large, most dresses are made inside 2 a month prior to it is transported. In the event that you are searching for a request rapidly, for an extra $10 per dress, there is a rush request choice that can accelerate the cycle.

The actual site expresses that typical orders are conveyed overall inside 30+5 regular days, while rush requests can be conveyed inside 20 normal days. Contrasted with other internet based sites, we were dazzled with these delivery times. In any event, while requesting dresses from customary wedding shops, it is far-fetched that you would get the item in a brief period of time.

Furthermore, we were considerably more intrigued with the conveyance ensure from Chicsew, which expresses that assuming that the dress is postponed, you can return the dress for a full discount assuming that it is not generally needed, or keep it and get 30% of your cash back. Likewise with any bridesmaid dress, we suggest that you request with a lot of opportunity to guarantee on-time conveyance and think about any modifications you should be made.

How Does Insights Work?

The Insights analytics tool tracks and reports data about mobile app builds. With better understanding of build and test performance, and credit data, teams can release more frequently with confidence. Start using it *today.

Your engineers need to be unblocked

No more waiting around for builds that cost you money and time. Diagnose and remove bottlenecks quickly. Having visibility into build data like duration, minutes, and success rates across apps, workflows, and steps makes it easy to isolate build issues that are causing delays per workflow.

Code that is of high quality

Find out what’s causing code releases to fail so you can optimise them immediately. App quality directly impacts the user experience and the business, so insights into your apps, workspaces, workflows, branches, step lists, and builds can help your teams deliver stable value quickly.

Providing quick, quality releases and improving user experience

With more frequent releases, you can improve build visibility. Using our colourful build graphs, troublesome dependencies are not only easy to spot, but they also direct you to the build logs where performance is being hurt. The more frequent your app releases, the more engagement it will gain, and the more monthly users it will gain.

Reduced build times

You should eliminate flaky tests instead of turning them off or disregarding them. By aggregating the 50th and 95th percentiles of build performance, Build Insights helps find flaky tests or inefficiencies in test suites. Anomalies can be located quickly and flaky tests can be avoided from accumulating.

Utilize credit efficiently

The same way you navigate performance metrics, you can plan and budget your credit usage. Locating that information with insights.build expensive step, or monitoring change impact of a build on usage of credits, to optimize them.

Analyze Insights

You can track metrics detailing the performance of your Bitrise builds using Build Insights. Optimize your builds by tracking metrics at the app, workflow, and step levels.

The Build Insights process

Each Workspace has its own instance of Build Insights. Insights tracks all metrics of the apps in a Workspace. There are two main types of metrics you can view for each app:

On an app’s page, you can check aggregated metrics for the app’s builds, including detailed information about Workflows and Steps.

Analyze the detailed metrics for each test case of an app, including data on individual test runs.

Build Insights Pro

Build Insights Pro aims to make it even easier for you to measure and react to changes in performance more quickly, analyze historical data, and drill down into detailed metrics about your test cases, in addition to Workflow- and Step performance.

With Build Insights Pro, you can:

Check your historical data from the last two years.

You can see all data and metrics for your test cases.

Set a custom timeframe when viewing your data.

Bonuses at Online Casinos

Playing in a Aussie online casinos is not only a great way to entertain yourself, but also to – often very high – winnings. Although many people think that such a form of relaxation is expensive and unprofitable, the truth is that more and more casinos are choosing to reward their players with special bonuses, which are additional chances to win. Such bonuses can be awarded both with and without a deposit and differ significantly from each other.

What are the Bonus Conditions?

Generally speaking, what conditions we have to meet in order to qualify for such a prize depends on the casino’s policy. However, we can distinguish two basic types of bonus depending on the method of awarding it:

  • No-deposit bonus – is most often offered to a player who has just created an account at a given online casino. Its purpose is to encourage the newly acquired customer to play. Usually, however, these are not sizable bonuses and are only a percentage of the value of the prize that can be obtained by making a deposit on the platform.
  • Deposit bonus – unlike the type of bonus discussed above, the deposit version will require us to make at least a minimum deposit to our virtual wallet. In return, however, we get access to a very specific promotion (such as doubling our deposit). The potential of such a bonus is much greater than a no-deposit bonus.

In order to increase our chances of winning at casinos, we should diligently watch new bonus offers of both types. The free ones will be a great opportunity for us to try out a particular casino seriously, and the ones requiring a deposit will help us to redeem ourselves financially. The conditions of each of the promotions are relatively easy to meet, so an online casino bonus can be obtained by practically any user.

Types of Bonuses

There are many types of bonuses that can be received. What kind of bonus we will be awarded depends on the internal policy of the online casino and the promotion in effect at the time. Sometimes it happens that several possible bonuses are offered at the same time, but in such cases most often we can use only one anyway proposal.

  • Free spins – free spins are increasingly popular casino bonuses in recent years. They can be obtained both without a deposit and after depositing an appropriate amount, thanks to which such a promotion can also be used by people who are already customers of the casino. Free spins are a package of free slot games. Depending on the casino, free spins may be offered on one particular slot machine, or the offer may apply to all slots offered by the casino. This bonus is becoming increasingly popular, both among players and among casinos – among the former, because it very often allows you to achieve relatively high winnings, and among the latter – because making free spins available essentially costs the casino nothing.
  • Cash bonus – this used to be the most popular form of gift for a player offered by online casinos, but today they are increasingly turning to other types of bonuses (such as the free spins discussed earlier). Such a bonus consists of rewarding the player with extra cash for playing, in exchange for performing a certain action (such as subscribing to a newsletter or making a deposit), or occasionally (such as on the occasion of the casino’s anniversary). However, this does not mean that such cash can be withdrawn at any time. The vast majority of casinos apply the so-called turnover rule, requiring us to turn over the entire amount given to us a certain number of times. Although in recent years the popularity of this type of bonus has significantly decreased, it is still offered by a considerable number of casinos.
  • Cashback bonus – this type of casino bonus does not guarantee that we will receive cash in hand, but is a kind of protection against losing. Like free spins, they can apply to a specific game or to the entire casino offer. A player who gets such a bonus is guaranteed to get back some or all of the money spent on a particular game, provided, of course, that he loses. This bonus is somewhat less common than the two previously discussed examples, but it is extremely beneficial from the player’s perspective, as it allows him to play safely without any risk. Unfortunately, however, the amount of cashback is usually not large.
  • Money to play – this is a specific version of a cash bonus, usually made available when a new game is released and usually available to those who are willing to make a deposit of a certain amount. In return, the player gets extra cash, which he can spend on the game that the promotion applies to. This is because in the case of other slots and games this bonus will be inactive.
  • Reload bonus – this type of bonus is only available to players who make regular deposits. In exchange for making a deposit of a specific amount at a specific time, the casino offers to provide the player with additional funds, which are a percentage of the deposited amount. Casino bonuses of this kind are characterized by a short duration – they are often launched for one day or for a weekend – so it is worth keeping a close eye on the promotions offered by the online casinos of which you are a customer.
  • Tournaments – in order to encourage users to play more often and longer, casinos often organize various tournaments with prizes – this is also a form of bonus. Although such casino bonuses appeared relatively recently, and in order to receive a prize you need to demonstrate both luck and great skill, playing in tournaments is definitely worth it. After all, the amount of such a bonus can be really high, exceeding several times the amount of prizes of other types.
  • Referral bonus – this is a very specific type of bonus, which is awarded especially readily by developing casinos. It is addressed to people who already have an active account on a given platform, so in order to take advantage of it in most cases it will be necessary to make a deposit. A casino user can share a personalized referral link with his or her friends, and each time such a friend successfully registers from the referral link and meets certain requirements, the referring user will receive monetary compensation. Most often it is a certain percentage of the first deposit of the referred person, although sometimes a fixed rate is offered and specified by the casino. Usually, such funds can be withdrawn immediately after they are earned, without the need to turnover them.

Are casino bonuses and promotions worth taking advantage of?

Of course it is. Although casino bonus types can differ significantly from each other in terms of rules, and each casino has the right to introduce separate regulations, and so it is a great opportunity, guaranteeing plenty of additional chances to win. To receive such a bonus in the vast majority of cases you do not need to have any special skills – it is enough to create an account on a given platform and make a deposit. The bonus will be awarded to us automatically (although in the case of the first bonus from a given casino, it may be necessary to contact the support department for verification).

Casinos nowadays offer really quite a lot of opportunities for additional earnings – both for those who are willing to make a deposit and those who are not. Being interested in gambling, it would be a sin not to take advantage of these opportunities, especially since the money we win thanks to them is, after all, just as real and valuable as the money obtained without any bonuses.

NNAMDÏ on How Cartoons, Stand-Up Comedy, Very Long Walks, and More Inspired His New Album ‘Please Have a Seat’

“Some days I wake up ready to run,” NNAMDÏ sings on both the first and last track of his new album. It’s one way to clear his mind and shake off the anxiety that pervades much of Please Have a Seat, the Chicago multi-instrumentalist’s sixth full-length record and first for Secretly Canadian – out Friday – but it’s also in line with the frenetic approach that’s characterized his music, which restlessly flits between styles from indie rock to jazz and R&B while expanding upon its own sonic identity. The joyfully idiosyncratic, almost cartoonish nature of his songwriting – since releasing his breakthrough LP Brat in 2020, NNAMDÏ has shared two wildly different EPs, a full-length tribute to Looney Tunes composer Carl Stalling, Krazy Karl, and a cover of ‘Kiss Me’ with Lala Lala – isn’t gone on Please Have a Seat, but the prolific artist is more mindful about the pace and structure of his work, allowing for moments of vulnerability and reflection to balance out the sense of nervous, familiar disorientation.

Although he indulges in a couple of delirious math-rock sections and rap flows here and there, this is NNAMDÏ’s most overtly pop album to date, brimming with smart hooks and catchy melodies. But he knows the rush can only last so long, just like your legs can only take you so far – if you really want an escape from isolation, he suggests, you might have to draw up a place of your own. NNAMDÏ’s inventions have always felt distinctly his in that way, but he’s taken the time to arrange Please Have a Seat into his most cohesive statement yet, inviting the listener as much as himself to settle down.

We caught up with NNAMDÏ to talk about Steven Universe, stand-up comedy, fresh fruit, very long walks, and other inspirations behind his new album.


Portage Park

I live in the Portage Park neighbourhood right now, have for the past six years almost. During mid-pandemic 2020, when people were going on walks and stuff but still keeping their distance from people, I feel like that park, particularly since it was right next to my house, was one of the only places I went to. I would have a lot of time to reflect. And it’s funny, that park has three softball fields for some reason and no basketball courts, which got me thinking, “Why do we need three of these and no basketball courts?” [laughs] But yeah, I’ll go there and sit on the bleachers and look at the sky or watch animals, or occasionally other people would walk through the park as well. It just felt like one of my peaceful places that I could go to outside of my house because you couldn’t hang out in stores or go to other people’s places. It was my escape from being inside my house all that year.

Like “a spot to rest and not worry at all,” as you put it on ‘Ready to Run’?

Yes, exactly. That was definitely one of my main sitting spots that year. I wouldn’t say that I wasn’t worrying at all, though. [laughs] I was trying to get to that point, but it was definitely helpful.

Would you write at all there?

Yeah, I would write. Portage Park is kind of small, I used to live by Humboldt Park, so in comparison, it’s a little more compact and less surprises. There’s a dog park there too, and it’s usually a fun place to walk past and watch because truly bonkers energy happens there. But I would go and walk around, do a couple laps and listen to mixes of songs I had. If I just had the instrumental parts, I would listen and try to figure out vocals and vocal melodies and write down ideas as I circled this little loop.

Do you find that it’s better to be moving around rather than sit down and write?

I think both help. I’ll move around because I feel like there’s something about the action of movement that makes you think differently. But also, if you want to really dive deep and be pensive and reflective, I feel like it’s good to sit still. So I would do both. I would walk for a bit, and if an idea came or if something was like, “Okay, I’m almost there,” then maybe I’ll sit down for a second and try to focus. And then I’ll get up to get the juices flowing again. It just depends on what stage of the writing you’re in.

Montrose Dog Beach

A lot of these things definitely came through during early to mid-pandemic when people realized they could go outside but still have to keep distance. I went to the beach almost every day from May on that year. I would drive to the beach very early, sometimes go and watch the sunset and watch people, some people trickle in with their dogs and let the dogs run around on the beach, in the water. And I’d go there and read or draw or just enjoy the water and enjoy the weather. Definitely like a meditation, just to clear my mind. I usually wouldn’t go there to work. Being by the water can be serene and peaceful and put life into perspective, when you see something that’s so grand and massive and beautiful that’s not manmade.

Was that a meditative habit you had before the pandemic?

I can’t say that I would really meditate before. I always need moments of silence to kind of gather my thoughts, but it wasn’t as consistent. It was just short spouts when things got overwhelming. And I think that time taught me a lot about consistency and just the repetitive nature of doing things. Not to do things in such extremes – I feel like I always did things to extremes, like wait for things to get so intense before I act on them. I’m still working on that, but I feel like it taught me to space things out more.

It’s weird how we see consistency as a good thing, but repetitiveness has kind of a more negative connotation.

Yeah, consistency does make it sound more spiritual. I don’t know why repetitive sounds mundane, but it’s literally the same thing – just keep doing a thing and it’ll be part of your structure.

‘Water’ by Kehlani

This ties into what you were saying before about water as something that’s inspiring to you in a grander sense, but tell me why you picked this specific song.

I was definitely obsessed with the idea of water. I’m also not a great swimmer – I can swim a bit, but I don’t trust myself to be in the water for too long without easy access to the shore. So I think there’s always a little bit of a fear in that, but my intuition is to want to be inside the water. I’m more drawn to it than I am scared of it, but the fear is always always there. And that song, I don’t know, I think it just hit me. I heard it at the right time, and I would listen to it on repeat for hours. It’s just something about the flowy piano and the background [sounds] in the chorus. That was another thing that was meditative for me. I just couldn’t stop listening to it – to this day, I can’t only play it once. I have to play it twice. It’s also only two minutes and two seconds long.

Steven Universe

You’ve cited cartoons and good TV writing in general, but I’m curious why you singled out Steven Universe.

Steven Universe is just such a beautiful show. There’s no other cartoon like that. I feel like it was the first of its kind that talked about all these issues in such a beautiful way. And Steven is always trying to be nice, but still fucks things up. It just talks about emotions and love and relationships in a way that you don’t see and in any other shows, really. I don’t think it’s just for kids to watch, I think everyone could gain from it because there’s such sweet messages. And there’s really good songs that are fun.

Were you watching it around the time you were making this album?

Some of the songs were written when I was bingeing this, I kind of went in a hole and watched a lot in a row. And then I watched the movie when I was starting to put the album together. I’d say it definitely influenced how I think about relationships all across the board, like friendships, learning to listen to people in a different way and accept people’s different nuances, but still be able to set clear boundaries. I feel like it’s a very important show for teaching people how to express yourself in new ways. It’s so sweet. It’s a very good comfort show as well.

Is the commercial jingle that’s peppered on the album inspired by TV or animation?

You know, I hadn’t thought about that, but yeah. [laughs] It 100% is inspired by early morning, old Saturday cartoons and the breaks in TV. It’s one of my least favourite things, especially if you’re watching like a streaming service and you have to pay to get rid of the ads in some of them, and they make the ads louder than the actual programming. Like [makes loud noise], “Surprise! Buy a new car!” “You need this Lexapro!” or something. It’s so bonkers. I kind of wanted to mix in the absurdity of that into album, but I definitely did it in a little more of a playful way. I don’t know, it could have just been an ad to buy the record. But then again, the whole record is an ad to buy the record.

Stand-Up Comedy

I love the idea of one person going up there by themselves and whatever happens happens. The crowd could be into it and with you one day, or they could be not ready. Having to win over a crowd by yourself, it’s just hard. I think stand-up comedy is one of the only things that you can’t get good at on your own, really. You can’t know if you’re good at it until you do it in front of other people. You can have a sense and you can be a good writer, but the actual experience of doing it is the only way to know if you’re good for real. Music, you can practice at home and become amazing and be like, “I know that I’m great,” and then you can bring that in front of other people. But I’ve always been interested in stand-up comedy. I wanted to do it when I was little, and I’ve watched a lot of very good and very, very bad stand-up. And I think it influences me putting humour in my writing. It’s very subtle in a lot of stuff, but I feel like there’s always an underlying joyful nature to things I’m doing. Also, I feel like my favourite comedians are really good storytellers – that’s what keeps you engaged.

Was storytelling something you were more concerned about with this album?

Yeah, I feel like the album story is there. It’s not a concept album per se, even though there is a clear theme. But I think that every song has its particular story, and then all those stories tie into this grander theme of, like, being able to pinpoint moments in your life and kind of sit and take in where you are each step of the way. I think there’s only maybe one or two songs that are more abstract, but hopefully it’s pretty easy to follow.

Harry Nilsson’s The Point

The movie is about a kid that lives in a town, and everyone has pointy heads, but he was born with a round head. It’s kind of like a Dr. Seuss-type movie. And basically, he wears a cone cap because he’s trying to fit in, and people find out that he doesn’t have a pointy head and they ostracise him and ridicule him. And he has to go off and kind of figure out his own path. It’s a very sweet film about embracing your differences, and everyone’s differences can be a superpower in a way. The fact that we all have things that we’re good at and things we’re bad at helps us build community, and everyone is important in their own way and can contribute something that’s unique to their own life and unique to their own experiences.

And I think that’s how I approach music as well. Everyone that makes music has the opportunity to make something completely unique from their perspective. Obviously, there’s going to be overlap because there’s so much music and people and only so many chords. [laughs] But I feel like if people really embrace and look within themselves for inspiration for their music or their art, there will be a lot more unique takes on things, even if they’re very subtle. Harry Nilsson is also very inspiring, I love his music. ‘Me and My Arrow’ is one of my favourite songs – in the movie, the main kid’s dog is called Arrow. Really cute song.

Pickleball

It’s kind of like a smaller tennis with a wiffle ball and you have these plastic paddles, smaller and wider than rackets. And it’s slower-paced than tennis, but very fun. I would play with the people that I’ve lived with over the past couple of years, we got really into it. Usually, I feel like older people are really into it. [laughs] But I love it. There’s these courts that are not too far from where I live. It’s just another thing that we added to our routine to break the monotony of not doing many things. The majority of these were inspired by the isolation but have still continued after that because it was just so fun to be doing this activity with people. It’s a little bit of exercise but not too strenuous on your body.

Fresh Fruit

Julia Zolotova/Unsplash

Who doesn’t love fresh fruit?

Yeah, biting into like a mango that is perfectly ripe? I feel like there’s nothing that makes me feel that way, that type of happiness and joy and just love of earth, when I have a real good fresh fruit. It makes you appreciate the earth.

You talked about having that joyful feeling in your music, but I do wonder what made you include this in the list.

I think that’s a very important thing to me. I usually remember where I am when I have a really good fruit usually. I feel like it ties into nostalgic moments for me very importantly. I think if I was sad or depressed, and all the times where I’d have a good fruit during those times, it’s like I can pinpoint all the things around it. I don’t have a great memory in general, so to be able to tie something as, I guess, small as a good fruit to memorable moments, I feel like that’s important. And that’s what most of the album is about, being able to reflect on moments and not just be continuously moving, to have those moments where you can sit down and be like, “Oh, this is where I was at this time, this is how I was feeling. Wherever I was is where I was supposed to be.” Even if you’re working towards goals, just to appreciate the moments where it’s just, “Here I am, in my backyard, sitting on the porch, eating a kiwi.” I think those parts of life are just as important as when you’re making something or working.

Very Long Walks

I think when I’m in movement, it’s the best way to get rid of anxiety and not overthink. Sitting can be calming and pensive, but usually when I’m sitting, I start to think about something, or try to think about nothing. There’s more effort, mentally, that goes into it. When I’m in motion or moving, I don’t necessarily focus on what I am or what I’m not thinking. People go on runs, and just getting your heart rate up and running and moving is good for stress, good for anxiety and stuff. Me? I just love to walk in a direction, and walk for hours. Sometimes I would walk until I was just like, “Okay, my legs hurt.”

“Where am I?”

Yeah. And then I would turn around. So the walk back would take me three times as long as the walk to wherever I went, just because I would walk to the point of exhaustion. But whenever I would return home or to wherever I was going, it’d be such a refreshing thing just to, like, shower. It’s one of my favourite moments, is going on a long walk and then get home and just sit down and read or sit down and watch something that I love. That exhaustion, and knowing that you went on a little adventure, that energy afterwards is a very calm energy. One of the calmest points of my life is after a long walk.


This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

NNAMDÏ’s Please Have a Seat is out October 7 via Secretly Canadian/Sooper Records.

Album Review: Loraine James, ‘Building Something Beautiful for Me’

The story goes: in 1975, the openly gay avant-garde composer-performer Julius Eastman conducted a homoerotic, pseudo-anthropological interpretation of John Cage’s ‘Solo for Voice No. 8’. During the performance, Eastman undressed a male participant on-stage and concluded with a speech ushering spectators to sexually experiment after the show. Cage, present in the audience, was enraged. Though also queer, he found his piece debased by Eastman’s upfront expression of sexuality. Eastman’s rendition of Cage’s ‘Solo for Voice No. 8’ reframed the music around his own desires and lived experience as a black, gay man. It wasn’t about embodying its composer but, rather, finding a throughline from Cage to Eastman. In this spirit, Loraine James’ latest album, Building Something Beautiful for Me, reinterprets Julius Eastman’s own music. James draws a lineage between Eastman’s compositions and her own unique, electronic sound, all the while preserving what makes both of them remarkable artists.

Eastman died in obscurity and homelessness in 1990. Most of his life’s repertoire was lost or forgotten, though new releases and performances in recent years have partially revived Eastman’s music. However, Loraine James didn’t enter this project as an archivist. Building Something sprouts from a collection of MIDI stems of Eastman’s work, interpolating and re-contextualizing his melodies into her original frameworks. While James operates in a tradition of gay, black artists which unites her and Eastman, she also reimagines Eastman’s melodies into IDM and ambient soundscapes, breathing new life into his already groundbreaking work.

The interplay between James and Eastman is plainly addressed in the song titles. Most titles synthesize an original name with Eastman’s sampled/interpolated work in parenthesis (e.g. ‘What Now? (Prelude to the Holy Presence Of Joan D’Arc’). James isn’t trying to obscure Eastman’s presence. Her titles are like citations, acknowledging a bridge between their works. In each track, Eastman’s melodies play over James’ synths, often accompanied by her percussion and occasionally James’ own vocals. On a few tracks, she sings sleepily, cycling simple yet poignant lines (“Are you saying that I chose to? Are you saying that I want?” she repeats over and over on ‘Choose To Be Gay (Femenine)’).

Repetition was fundamental to Eastman’s compositions, which often linger on phrases and motifs, slowly building upwards. These principles don’t only guide James’ vocals on Building Something, but also her song structures more broadly. Many of the tracks are long, evolving pieces that shift from ambient stretches into full-out glitch frenzies. On ‘The Perception of Me’, the album highlight, James opens with a slow ambient passage, introduces rackety, glitched-out drums halfway, and then lets the track unravel in its finale, where sustained keyboard notes combat the wild and uncontainable beat. Often, Building Something’s most ferocious and playful moments stem from the drums. However, on ‘Black Excellence (Stay On It’), James re-interprets Eastman’s ‘Stay On It’ into a throbbing, trampling synth cacophony.

The album doesn’t achieve the immediacy or excitement of James’ best work, like For You and I, Reflection, or her self-titled album from earlier this year as Whatever the Weather. Her synth textures are less original and, admittedly, the dynamic between Eastman and James doesn’t always cohere into a singular work. Their distinct stylings sometimes remain adjacent in songs that sound fractured between two origins. For instance, on ‘My Take’, drums and melody remain at odds, as James fails to inject Eastman’s re-interpreted melodies with the same vitality she gives her percussion. Eastman is never fully absorbed into James’ sound. Maybe this is the point though. James’ samples/interpolations center their source, showcasing a lineage of artistry. She doesn’t hide her influences but, rather, spotlights them. James’ own words on Eastman revel in his late genius and wrestle with the purpose of celebrating an artist only after his death. Yet Building Something suggests the longevity of a work of art isn’t its immediate influence. Perhaps it’s measured in its afterlives, the ways it inspires other artists, and lives on in their art.

Watch Phoenix Perform ‘Alpha Zulu’ on ‘Kimmel’

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Phoenix stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live last night (October 5) to perform ‘Alpha Zulu’, the title track off their upcoming album. Check it out below.

Alpha Zulu is due for release on November 4 via Loyaute/Glassnote Records. Phoenix recently previewed the LP with the Ezra Koenig-featuring ‘Tonight’, which they performed on Colbert last month.