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Angel Olsen and Sturgill Simpson Collaborate on New Version of ‘Big Time’

Angel Olsen and Sturgill Simpson have teamed up for a new version of ‘Big Time’, the title track of Olsen’s latest album. Check it out below.

“It’s crazy to write a song and then watch someone else you really admire sing your words, kinda turns the whole thing on its head,” Olsen commented in a statement. “I loved the song already but hearing Sturgill’s take on ‘Big Time’ made me smile ear to ear, he made it come alive on a different level.”

Following her Wild Hearts Tour alongside Sharon Van Etten and Julien Baker, Olsen is set to embark on a tour of Europe and the UK later this year, with support from Tomberlin.

Mallbangs Shares New Single ‘You Can Have It All’

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Mallbangs has released ‘You Can Have It All’, the latest single from their forthcoming EP Checking For Daggers. Check it out below.

“‘You Can Have It All’ is based on, and written around, the guitar riff chord progression you can hear in the bridge,” Mallbangs, aka Aidy, explained in a statement. “I just could never figure out what to do with that part for what felt like forever – It was just like a loop I would constantly play to myself all the time. The lyrics just sort of stumbled out in the first verse, and they worked so I kept them. That rushed, anxious feeling was what I was trying to capture, I suppose. Wanting to desperately get away from someone or wanting to run away from it at the same time telling myself, ‘you know how it always ends.’ The drum part was written and performed by Connor Dowd of Lunar Vacation.”

The Checking for Daggers EP arrives on October 21. The Daniel Gleeson-produced project includes the previously unveiled song ‘New Face’, which made our Best New Songs list.

Rozi Plain Announces New Album ‘Prize’, Shares New Song Featuring Alabaster dePlume

Rozi Plain has announced her new album, Prize, which will arrive on January 13, 2023 via Memphis Industries. Today, Plain has previewed the album with the new single ‘Agreeing for Two’, which features Alabaster dePlume on saxophone and This Is The Kit’s Kate Stables on backing vocals. Check out its accompanying video below, and scroll down for the LP’s cover art and tracklist.

“This song was started when I spent a week on the Isle of Eigg writing new music,” Plain explained in a press release. “Mainly it’s thinking about how easy it can be to unknowingly make decisions on behalf of other people, thinking you might know what’s best or right for a situation where as maybe it’s just what was easiest for you… I love the saxophone line that Alabaster Deplume added – brings a bit of his trademark heart and hopefulness.”

Prize will follow Plain’s 2019 record What a Boost.

Prize Cover Artwork:

Prize Tracklist:

1. Agreeing For Two
2. Complicated
3. Help
4. Prove Your Good
5. Conversation
6. Painted The Room
7. Sore
8. Spot Thirteen
9. Standing Up
10. Blink

Revered Jazz Pianist Ramsey Lewis Dies at 87

Ramsey Lewis, the renowned jazz pianist whose 1965 recording of ‘The In Crowd’ became a Top 10 hit, has died. The news was announced by Lewis’ wife Jan. No cause of death was provided. He was 87.

Lewis was born in Chicago in 1935 and first took piano lessons at age four. He joined his first jazz group, the Clefs, when he was in high school, and went on to form the Ramsey Lewis Trio with two of its band members who weren’t drafted into the military, Eldee Young and Redd Holt. After signing a deal with Chess Records, they released their first album, Ramsey Lewis & His Gentlemen of Jazz, In 1965, their version of ‘The In Crowd’ became a crossover pop hit, earning Lewis his first gold record and a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance. After Holt and Young left to form their own band, Lewis founded a new trio with Cleveland Eaton on bass and Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White on drums.

Lewis recorded a total of 80 albums over the course of his career. In 2007, he won the National Endowment for the Arts’ Jazz Master Award, and received an honorary doctorate from Loyola University Chicago the following year. Lewis’ last album was 2021’s Manha de Carnaval. His memoir is scheduled to be published next year.

“Ramsey’s passion for music was truly fueled by the love and dedication of his fans across the globe,” Jan Lewis wrote in a statement. “He loved touring and meeting music lovers from so many cultures and walks of life. It was our family’s great pleasure to share Ramsey in this special way with all those who admired his God-given talents. We are forever grateful for your support.”

PnB Rock Dead at 30 After Los Angeles Shooting

PnB Rock has died after being shot in Los Angeles on Monday (September 12). According to TMZ, the Philadelphia rapper suffered multiple injuries during an attempted robbery at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘N Waffles located on Main Street and Manchester Avenue in Inglewood. Rock had been at the restaurant with his girlfriend, Stephanie Sibounheuang, who had tagged the couple’s location in a since-deleted Instagram Story, and was believed to be targeted for his jewelry. He was 30 years old.

Born Rakim Hasheem Allen in Philadelphia, Rock took his stage name from the intersection of Pastorius and Baynton Streets, in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood where he grew up. He released his debut mixtape, Real N*gga Bangaz, in 2014, before signing with Atlantic Records and putting out his third record, which featured singles such as ‘Jealous’ with Fetty Wap and ‘Fleek’. His 2016 single ‘Selfish’ peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, and in 2017, he contributed to The Fate of the Furious soundtrack with two singles: ‘Gang Up’ with Young Thug, 2 Chainz and Wiz Khalifa, and ‘Horses’ with Kodak Black and A Boogie wit da Hoodie. He went on to release two solo albums, 2017’s Catch These Vibes and 2019’s TrapStar Turnt PopStar, and also featured on songs by Ed Sheeran, XXXTentacion, YFN Lucci, and more.

Rock’s most recent project, a mixtape called SoundCloud Daze, came out earlier this year. He released his most recent song, ‘Luv Me Again’, on September 2.

Sofia Coppola to Write and Direct New Film About Priscilla Presley

Sofia Coppola has written and will direct Priscilla, a new biopic about Priscilla Presley starring Cailee Spaeny (Mare of Easttown) and Jacob Elordi (Euphoria). The A24 project is based on Presley’s 1985 bestselling memoir Elvis and Me, which was previously adapted into a TV movie in 1988. It’s set to shoot in Toronto this fall.

Earlier this year, Baz Luhrmann released an Elvis biopic starring Austin Butler in the titular role and Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley. Coppola’s last film was 2020’s On the Rocks.

How Climbing Frames Are Good For Children’s Development

Children just love climbing things which is why in any playground – at home, school or in the park – the climbing frame is always the first to be approached by energetic kids excited to play. 

Fun is great, of course, but it’s also encouraging to know that children are getting extra benefits from their time on the climbing frame. These sturdy, well-designed constructions not only encourage play, but they actively help boost a child’s development. Here’s how: 

Creative Thinking

Climbing frames encourage creative thinking and imaginary play, as children will create games around them, such as imagining it being a pirate ship that needs steering, or a mountain to climb and reach the peak. They also need to think creatively to problem solve their way around the frame, to manoeuvre sideways, up and down safely and successfully. 

Self-Esteem & Confidence

Studies show that children are aware of their own boundaries and abilities, and they are unlikely to try and push themselves beyond that point when using a climbing frame. Although a well made climbing frame will be in line with safety guidelines for a child using it, ‘safe’ failure will occur, which is normal and natural and helps the child to grow and develop their skills. Children will slowly reach new goals, and achieve more every time they play on the frame, helping to boost their self-esteem and confidence. 

Healthy Lifestyle

The NHS tells us that toddlers need to be physically active for at least three hours a day, and children over the age of five should have at least sixty minutes of exercise daily. Climbing frames encourage plenty of movement to help contribute to these healthy lifestyle goals. 

Emotional Wellbeing

It is known that active children help cope with stress better than less active children. Exercise on climbing frames, and other apparatus, helps to get lots of negative energy out and encourages feel-good hormones to be released. This also helps to regulate and enhance sleep quality, further aiding children to deal with stressful situations better. 

Learning & Engaging Elsewhere

Children who use climbing frames to ‘let off steam’ are more able to be focused and engaged in learning environments, and at home. After a great play session in the playground children will benefit from all the feel good chemicals which improve their memory, mood and ability to do well in their learning. 

Social Skills

Climbing frames in a child’s playground are shared, often by lots of children at the same time. For their safety and fun, there are only a certain number of children able to get onto the frame at a time, and so active sharing has to take place. 

As a climbing frame is often an aesthetic and functional centre point for a playground, it also draws children towards it, who then congregate, socialise and make friends. 

Physical Development

When children squeeze, grip, push, pull, stretch and grab on the climbing frame, their muscle tone improves, and their fine and gross motor skills are used in many different ways. They also have better spatial and directional awareness, and their cardiovascular system is worked, supporting heart health. 

Are You Ready To Help Boost Children’s Development As They Play? 

Climbing frames are exciting, aesthetically pleasing, functional centrepieces for any playground whether they are used in private, public or educational settings. . 

With a professional climbing frame manufactured and installed by a knowledgeable and experienced company, you can help kids under your care to make the most of playground time every day, every season, rain or shine.

Secrets of the World’s Cleanest Offices: What They Do That You Don’t

Have you ever been to an office where the cleanliness and freshness of the space seemed effortless? Where there was just naturally a feeling of light and air? Unfortunately, it can sometimes seem like an impossible feat to keep an office clean. With so many people using the space daily, making cups of tea, and cluttering up the place, with computers and photocopiers pumping chemicals and fumes into the air, it can make a cleaner’s job a challenge to maintain. But there are a few things those offices have in common that can make a big difference to an office’s cleanliness and presentability. 

Enthuse Employees

Did you know that in some countries, like Japan, cleanliness and cleaning one’s space, whether that’s students in a school or workers in an office, is an expected part of the culture that’s seen as showing respect to yourself and others? While that may not be something that will catch on in the same way in the UK, having employees that are enthusiastic and invested in the beauty of their workspace will go a long way to helping keep the office clean. Think washing up their own cups, not leaving any rubbish or wrappers lying around, and even ensuring any environment used is tidy and ready for the next person. If this can’t be infused into the office culture, scheduling or incentives are always available to get employees on board.

Minimise

A cluttered office is a messy office. This is another area that is considered by those running a perennially clean workspace. Perhaps it’s time for a spring clean? Or maybe storage space needs to be increased and made more efficient? Are there hard-copy files that should be electronically stored and shredded to make space? Even having an expert in to advise on reshuffling the office will make a significant impact. Considering how clutter can be reduced, planning for it and implementing it will significantly impact the overall look and feel of your office. 

Update the Decor

Does your office feel dark and dingy, or perhaps dated? Darkening on wall paint, peels in the roof or even grubby office furniture can date a place and make it look grotty. On the other hand, a fresh coat of paint, furniture replacement, or updating any obvious maintenance issues can make a difference in the overall cleanliness of your office space. It is certainly something great-looking offices do regularly.

Have a Regular Professional Deep Clean

Another great way to keep your office looking clean and bright for longer is to have a regular deep clean. This goes far beyond what you’d expect from your daily clean and cleaner and instead gets into all the hard-to-reach and neglected spaces to make it shine. 

Call On Our Professional Cleaners for More Assistance

For help or advice on your cleaning needs, contact Cleaning Express. We pride ourselves on creating clean and easy-to-manage spaces for our clients, ensuring they look professional at all times.

Top Tips for Finding the Best Art Consultancy

When purchasing art, it’s understandable that you may feel overwhelmed, especially if it’s your first time delving into this big new world. So it’s no surprise that many purchasers, especially first-timers, hire a professional art consultant to help select perfect pieces for their home, office, hotel, or anywhere else they want to fill with beautiful works of art. Before getting into buying, there are many considerations that are worth mulling over to clarify what you want before deciding who you want. A personal art consultant often requires a contract and decent financial outlay, so it’s important to be sure they are the right fit before signing on the dotted line. Peruse the questions below to get started. 

Do they have a specific philosophy for design?

Every art consultant has a particular point of view, and some will cite the personal philosophy they bring. For example, one may prefer to select pieces that match an existing space, while others primarily focus on something unique and exciting to make dramatic statements. Being aware of the prospective consultant’s style upfront gives you the opportunity to decide if your visions align and will result in a healthy and productive working relationship.

Have they worked with a similar client before with similar needs?

A certified professional art consultant should, in theory, be able to work with any purchase requirements, provide advice and insight, help with selection, guide the pieces’ placement in any space, and manage hanging the pieces on the wall, including tasteful framing and installation where required. Ensure from the start that your art consultant can handle that, and if in doubt, ask for a track record or references before commencement. This will save so many headaches that may wait further down the road. 

Will they have sufficient time for your project?

A good art consultant works closely with their client, particularly on set timelines, so it’s important to discover early on if your schedules mesh. This is of even more importance if there are multiple decision-makers involved in your project to avoid any unnecessary delays. Ideally, everyone involved in the art acquisition will meet in person with any prospective consultant so all can give input on the candidates. This approach means no one will feel surprised by the final selection, which may lead to team dysfunction later on. 

What are the service costs involved?

Art consultant pricing can vary wildly across the industry, as does the expense of each individual work of art. A consultant’s price may vary between adding to a private collection compared with an office or corporate space or larger scale commission. Understanding all costs upfront and if they align with your overall budget will be crucial when choosing a consultant. Some professionals charge hourly. Others provide packages with all the inclusions from the initial consultation to hanging and installation. Check what they are from the start so you can relax about that aspect when it comes to the fun of selecting your artwork.

6 Unique Halloween Costumes You Can Jam Out In

Halloween is now lurking around the corner, and the spookiness intensifies with every passing day. With everyone hunting for the most mind-blowing costume for the all hallows night, we are here to give you a hint or two on being absolutely bad to the bone.

Below, we have listed seven unique ideas for a one piece Halloween costume that will help you stand out – streamlined, ruthless, terrifying, and terrific. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready to misbehave!

#1 A Skeleton Two-Piece Set

For the ones who’d like to stick to the classics but upgrade them in the sexiest way possible, a friction-fit spandex costume with skeleton prints is a deal-maker. To help the good old Halloween-style vibe with the latest trends, you can choose a UV-reactive model and make everyone’s jaws drop straight to the ground.

And it gets even better – a flexible two-piece skeleton costume will give you perfect freedom of movement and ultimate comfort of experience. Because you can’t achieve optimal creepiness while constantly worrying about your outfit, can you?

#2 A Cyberpunk Costume

No one is making fun of dystopian futuristics these days. You can make your blasphemy shine out and project your worst-case scenarios in a brute cyberpunk costume, made to measure both your allure and your darkest fantasies.

Vintage cyberpunk costume or realistic paints of cutting-edge femme bots? It’s up to you, your preferences, and your personal views on having an epic Halloween night.

#3 А Voodoo Doll Costume

Cutesy and creepy go well in one sentence, especially if you wrap them up in a bodycon costume made of sleek and high-quality lycra. Add the baby pink and the pierced heart, and you have the ideal combination for owning their hearts and snatching their souls.

For bonus savageness points, you can round out the overall apparel with a crazy wig, a pair of platform boots, and realistic 3D Halloween makeup. So who’s the voodoo magician, and who’s the voodoo doll now?

#4 A Mermaid Costume

Mermaids are a mythological representation of how deadly an angelically beautiful creature can be. It sounds exactly like the effect you’d like to produce with your Halloween outfit, right? So, here it is.

A radiant, graphic, and staggeringly sensual Mermaid costume can rocket your Halloween concept straight into the deep. Because it’s always better to swim in your own waters when the world around you is going mad.

#5 An Animal Costume

Wild beasts of all worlds, are you ready to come together? This year, animalistic costumes are more appealing than ever before – just like the inbound strive to run screaming towards the horizon.

To let the animal within you reach the surface, you can choose between tens of different costume prints – a zebra, a tiger, an octopus, a giraffe, or whatever else you might feel like. This year, you won’t be needing their treats because your bag of tricks is literally blown out at the seams!

#6 A Cyber Assassin Costume

Droid princesses, cyber assassins, and badass cyborgs are taking over the streets this Halloween, and you can boastfully lead the space-age parade! With a bloodthirsty futuristic costume, you will surely steal the spotlight and keep it for a good while.

As mechanical, robot, and sci-fi costumes are a lasting trend, you can safely reuse your cyber assassin costume during every next rave gathering, EDM festival, or Comic-con in the years to come. All you need to do is wear it like a second skin and go paint the town bloody red.

Ready, Steady…

Go! Halloween outfits are all about getting a bit creative around your inner demons, so don’t hold your weirdness back this night.

Jamming out in the perfect Halloween one-piece costumes is fun, inspiring, and liberating. Just pick the one that makes you feel extraordinary, and give yourself a night to remember!