#Pakistani carpets

[paulpingminho]

[alicesbookshelf]

Traditional Living Room A picture of a mid-sized, elegantly enclosed living room library with a medium-tone wood floor and beige walls

[molkolsdal]

At first glance, this little Catholic church in Khanspur, Pakistan feels like other churches I've visited in the West: rows of wooden pews that always creak a biiit too loudly, a somber interior shaped like a cross, dusty arched windows punctuating thick brick walls.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Not necessarily surprising, considering British infantry were stationed in Khanspur into the 1900s.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

But if you look beyond the obvious English influences, there are clear touches of South Asia:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

A pair of tabla drums laid out to accompany the service.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

A thick floral carpet softening the floor between the front pews.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Curling wrought iron stairs from Bombay (Mumbai) winding up to the choir balcony.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

A Muslim chowkidar (caretaker) jangling keys to the church.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Islamic though this country may be, English though this building may seem, there's no denying this is a Pakistani church.⁣⁣

Alex Reynolds

[voodoochili]

My Favorite Songs of 2024

2024 is winding down, and as turbulent as it was a year in politics in the culture at large, it was another big year for tunes. It feels like I write something like that every year–I think we're finished with non-turbulent times. But one thing that I am grateful for is the sheer volume of excellent music that is instantly available at our fingertips. It's a daunting volume, but if you dig, you will find gems.

In 2024, I didn't feel like I had to dig very deep. I vibed with a lot of hits this year, whether they were chart-conquering #1s or viral favorites, and I felt more in step with the critical consensus than I have in years. In past years, I might have interrogated my taste to figure out why I was following the crowd. But as a new dad, I figure I should celebrate being "with it," before "it" becomes something else!

Below are my 100 favorite songs of the year, plus blurbs that explain why I think my top 25 are so special. There are 4000 words ahead, so I will stop talking for now, and just say: happy listening, I hope you find something you love!

Scroll down to the bottom of the blurbs to find my full playlist in Spotify form, plus a curated, sequenced 2024 sampler featuring many of the year's best songs. And now, the 25 best songs of 2024, plus 75 more.

25. El Snappo - “Back2Serve’n”: I am an absolute sucker for slinky, twangy Southern rap that borrows its groove from blaxploitation soundtracks (as filtered through UGK, Three 6, and 8Ball & MJG). PNutt’s palm-muted guitar scritches and walking bassline deliver that feeling in spades on “Back2Serve’n,” providing a red carpet for Broward County emcee El Snappo to waltz down. Wielding a sing-songy flow reminiscent of his fellow Floridian Trapland Pat, El Snappo makes the most of his moment, shouting out his heroes and establishing his hustler bonafides with a charmingly sly drawl.

24. Pa Salieu - “Dece (Heavy)”: Pa Salieu would never let something as small as a two-year prison sentence get in the way of his run as the UK’s most exciting rapper. He emerged from the pen this year on a ridiculous tear, wielding a book of lyrics he compiled while inside and retaining the lockstep timing and percussive flow that makes him special. “Dece (Heavy),” the highlight from Pa’s new album Afrikan Alien, is a virtuosic display, as he deftly navigates a tricky polyrhythm with thudding monosyllables (first verse), toe-tagging precision (hook), and, (during the song’s mind-spinning second verse) rapidfire flourishes that slice through the intricate percussion with ease.

23. Arooj Aftab - “Raat Ki Rani”: On her breakout, Grammy-nominated 2021 album Vulture Prince, Pakistani singer and composer Arooj Aftab drew from influences that ranged from Billie Holliday to Mariah Carey to Rumi, the 13th century Sufi poet. “Raat Ki Rani” adds another muse to that considerable collection: Sade Adu. Soothing as a balm, but still stinging with the pain of regret, “Raat Ki Rani” ripples like a cloudy night sky. Aftab smolders atop majestic harps, mournful pianos, and a galloping rhythm, singing of a “queen of the night” who seductively approaches, perhaps in a dream. She aches with the pain of unfulfilled expectation, longing for a love that remains just out of reach. 

22. Fabiana Palladino - “Stay With Me Through The Night”: The scion of a musical family–her father is the legendary session bassist Pino Palladino–Fabiana Palladino effortlessly compresses sounds and sensibilities from several eras and genres, filtering them into a style of her own. Unlike her mentor and frequent collaborator Jai Paul (who executive-produced her album and contributed to this track), Fabiana feels no need to hide behind cultivated mystique or lo-fi murk. She synthesizes grooves that move, imbuing them with emotions that last. “Stay With Me Through The Night,” the best song on her excellent self-titled debut album, is an impassioned attempt to forge ahead in love with a clean slate. Adorned by classy, reverbed piano chords and propelled by a halting and deeply funky drum & bass groove by Steve Ferrone and Pino himself, the song somehow triangulates the sweet spot between Silk Degrees, The Seeds of Love, and The Velvet Rope. As the song progresses, Fabiana’s breathy pleas grow more impassioned, and the question of staying the night grows more and more rhetorical.

21. BossMan Dlow - “Get In With Me”: BossMan Dlow writes rhymes designed to be shouted back at him at full volume. On “Get In With Me,” the first and best real deal viral rap hit of the year, Dlow makes use of pregnant pauses to structure each of his lines as a call-and-response: “Left wrist on froze…look like a bag of ice/I’m driving the Bentley Bentayga…like I don’t love my life.” I, for one, think that BossMan Dlow should be a bit more careful when whipping his luxury cars, but I can’t get enough of his tales of his bottomless budget for shoes and watches.

20. NLE Choppa - “Slut Me Out 2”: Since emerging onto the scene as a teenager with the “Shotta Flow” series, NLE Choppa has become one of hip-hop’s most colorful characters. He’s a vegan, chakra-pilled, “wellness” enthusiast with a winning smile, who is full of himself, but doesn’t take himself too seriously. The gleefully raunchy “Slut Me Out” series (which, along with the three main installments, includes a country remix with J.P. and the hit offshoot “Or What” featuring 41) has been his greatest accomplishment, injecting a much-needed dose of camp into the modern rap landscape. Over a beat powered by sucky-sucky synth bass and insistent club percussion, Choppa doesn’t rap as much as he sashays, his explicit come-ons echoing the sprechgesang delivery of a ballroom house diva more than standard rap machismo. Whether or not he’s aware of his auto-homoerotic undertones (“There’s nothing freaky I wouldn’t do to me, to me”), "Slut Me Out 2" is a blast, an “I’m Too Sexy” for the brainrot generation.

19. Kendrick Lamar - “Not Like Us”: Enough ink has been spilled about "Not Like Us," which we will be hearing for the rest of our lives, but here’s one of many things I appreciate about Kendrick Lamar’s 2024: he illustrated the arbitrariness of the dividing lines that fans and journalists draw between scenes, sub-genres, and artistic approaches. In 2014, it would’ve been easy to imagine Kendrick’s cerebral, hyperlocal storytelling and Mustard’s post-ratchet pop wave existing in separate universes. That was never true: they’re simply different flavors of L.A. shit, with a shared lineage that stretches back to World Class Wrecking Cru and DJ Quik. The West Coast, united, can never be defeated.

18. Nia Archives - “Crowded Roomz”: Behold, the shy DJ. In this voyeuristic Boiler Room era, being a DJ increasingly involves surrendering yourself to the watchful eyes of spectators, who scrutinize your every move. Nia Archives spends a lot of time in packed clubs, and on “Crowded Roomz,” she dramatizes the intense alienation that can come from being the center of attention. As a devoted junglist, however, she doesn’t let her self doubt stand in the way of a banger: she complements punishing drums and space-age sound effects with plaintive guitar and her own yearning vocals, creating a going out anthem for introverts.

17. Astrid Sonne - “Give my all”: Astrid Sonne is a master of building anticipation–she stacks unresolved chords to the stratosphere until her left hand descends upon her piano like the hammer of Thor. On “Give my all,” Sonne lays everything on the line, as she dramatizes her longing for a departed lover with an entrancing, haunting theme, first brought to life with new age synths (complete with strings and panpipe sounds that spring straight from the CD section of a 90s nature store), before it repeats towards the end of the song with pizzicato strings and jaunty woodwinds. As “Give my all” continues, Sonne’s narration grows more unreliable, and her romantic longing seems to curdle into a dangerous obsession. The song’s disparate elements don’t so much blend as they uneasily exist beside one another, like letters torn out of a magazine for a ransom note.

16. Good Looks - “If It’s Gone”: A breakup song both sardonic and kind, Good Looks frontman Tyler Jordan wrote “If It’s Gone” when his longtime girlfriend left him on the first day of the pandemic (we all know exactly what day that is; for me it felt really real when they canceled the Big Ten and NCAA Basketball tournaments). Though there is plenty of venom, the lyrics betray a residual fondness that lingers even after sudden heartbreak, and showcase a good sense of humor that convinces me that there’s no hardship Jordan can’t weather (“And I don't believe in Jеsus, God, or Buddha, or beyond/Okay, a little bit in Buddha—trying to keep from hanging on,” he sings). Adorning the song with gently jangling guitars, tinged with just the right amount of melancholy, Jordan’s bandmates accompany him with a friendly, ramshackle groove that makes the song’s five-and-a-half minutes glide by. By the end of the song, Jordan has earned his revenge by living well, but he still can’t resist the urge to pen one last kiss off: “I hope you find true love and money, many orgasms, and fame/And if you're somehow still unhappy, find somebody else to blame.”

15. Mk.gee - “Alesis”: Year-end time inspires me to dig deep into the songs I’ve enjoyed most, but truth be told, I am not really a lyrics guy. I forget the words to many of my favorite songs, and I can count on my fingers and toes the number of songs with lyrics I know by heart. But the melodies…the melodies, I remember. Such is the power of a great melody: I am moved by mouth sounds, entranced by intervals, caught off guard by unusual syncopation. I’ve listened to “Alesis” a couple dozen times this year, but until now, it has never occurred to me to look up what Mk.gee is on about. Even now, after listening closely to this song for this blurb, I couldn’t recite one lyric. I’ve decided to let the mystery be. I don’t want language to disturb the reverie the artist induces with his muddy, chorus-laden bass and an organ humming in the distance. I can tell you my favorite syllable though: it recurs each chorus, probably around the third line, when the melody leaps up an octave, and it sounds something like this (bolded for emphasis): “Why beeee/Weh we wo HA too.”

14. Nourished by Time - “Hell Of A Ride”: Since releasing Erotic Probiotic 2 (my top album of 2023), Nourished By Time's bedroom symphonies have grown more ambitious and confident. Buoyed by a bigger budget courtesy of XL Recordings, Marcus Brown (who goes by they/them pronouns) is able to flesh out their soundscapes without sacrificing any DIY charm. Kicking off with a guitar riff worthy of a sports movie montage, “Hell Of A Ride” settles into a propulsive keyboard-driven groove, deepened by buzzing synth strings and wailing guitars. Over this bed of controlled chaos, Brown rages against the dying of the light, attempting to reconcile their personal triumphs and increasingly happy life with the horrors unfolding in the world around us: “Young breathin' in them toxins/Used to have a third place, now they got no options/And I don't see that shit stoppin'.” In the end, Brown takes a position of hopeful defiance: if the world is gonna end sooner rather than later, we might as well go out with a bang.

13. J.P. - “Bad Bitty”: The biggest hit of Milwaukee’s current rap wave, and the catchiest 99 seconds of 2024, came courtesy of an erstwhile small forward at UW-Stevens Point, a 20-year-old who radiates an unnatural amount of “unc energy.” “Bad Bitty” benefits from J.P.’s “aw shucks” delivery and supreme vocal talent, as he layers his harmonies like an R&B heartthrob, scats like Ella Fitzgerald, and unspools melodious syllables as easy as he breathes. He may not ever score a hit as big as this again but no matter what, he will still be J.P.

12. Cassandra Jenkins - “Delphinium Blue”: Channeling Laurie Anderson and Emily Brontë in equal measure, Cassandra Jenkins explores the thin line between the transcendent and mundane in “Delphinium Blue.” Her narrator works at a flower shop, surrounded by beauty, and performs the necessary grunt work to maintain that earthly Garden of Eden. The colors of the flowers remind her of her beloved, and like the flowers, love requires constant maintenance to preserve its vibrance. “Cut the stems,” she intones, “to make them last.”

11. Star Bandz - “Yea Yea”: I first heard Ahmad Jamal’s “Pastures” as a sample in Jay-Z’s “Feelin’ It,” which turned a two-chord loop from the jazz classic into one of the most easy-going songs on Reasonable Doubt. 28 years later, Chicago native Star Bandz (who was…negative-12 when “Feelin’ It” came out)  and producer CyrusXO! took “Pastures” in a very different direction with “Yea Yea,” turning Jamal’s rippling arpeggios into menacing reflections of Star’s chaotic energy. Easily navigating the busy instrumental, Star lives up to her name, making it very clear that she’s already lived several lives at 16. Never feeling the need to raise her voice to get her point across, she establishes herself with one of the most striking introductions in recent rap history: “What's up? How are you doing?/I'm the man, my name is Star/I'm 16 doin' shows, and I rock out like a guitar”

10. Tashi Wada - “Grand Trine” ft. Julia Holter: Titled after a rare astrological phenomenon that occurs when three planets exist in symmetrical harmony, “Grand Trine” is a product of a similarly harmonious union between experimental musicians and life partners Tashi Wada and Julia Holter, written in celebration of their daughter’s birth. It is at once a triumphant bit of chamber pop and a meditative new age dreamscape, the elements alternating seemingly at random in a manner that mimics the joy and chaos of parenting a young child. The spritely fanfare of a chorus is designed to hit you deep in your soul, while Wada’s harpsichord fantasias and Holter’s wordless incantations combine to inspire an overwhelming tidal wave of emotion, especially in new parents like yours truly.

9. Hannah Frances - “Bronwyn”: On the cover of her album Keeper of the Shepherd, Hannah Frances lays prostrate in the throes of mourning upon red clay soil, a bracing image that prepares you for the emotional power of “Bronwyn,” the album’s opening track. “Bronwyn” opens with Frances’s acoustic guitar as she picks out suspended chords, unresolved as she waits for her lover to return. It quickly becomes clear that Frances is hoping against hope–the atmosphere grows more turbulent, with distorted drums and violent electric guitar, and she sings of her incomprehensible grief: “The heart swells to loosen the ribs/Loosen the ribs.” While the rest of the album didn’t really move me, “Bronwyn,” achieves Frances’s lofty aims, reaching the celestial heights of folk classics like Joni’s Hejira and Joanna Newsom’s Ys.

8. Ka - “Borrowed Time”: When Ka passed away earlier this year at the age of 52, it came as a shock. The Brownsville, Brooklyn native and firefighter by trade was a paragon of independent integrity, existing outside the mainstream rap apparatus, working nights and weekends to perfect his grimy sound and lyrical koans. It seemed like he could keep making albums like this year’s The Thief Next To Jesus for decades to come. However, as I’ve listened back to Ka’s discography over the past two months, I realized that the person who would’ve been least surprised about his untimely fate is Ka himself: his lyrics frequently focus on the inevitability of his eventual end, and stress the importance of setting things straight with your people and your higher power before it’s too late. Built around a bluesy guitar sample and sirenic organ, “Borrowed Time” is a typically excellent Ka song, defined by the rapper’s gravelly delivery and his pearls of jagged wisdom. Ka speaks of a life lived without compromise, recounting numerous hardships but never expressing regret–it’s all part-and-parcel of escaping the circumstances of his birth: “Must admit it's some vicious pictures in this tapestry.” Ka’s two line hook was powerful at first listen, but is now almost too devastating to bear: “I hope it's borrowed time when my time come/'Cause all my time wasn't kind, son.” Ka might have viewed the last few decades of his life as borrowed time, but I wish he could’ve borrowed a bit more.

7. Vampire Weekend - “Connect”: Fifteen years after bursting onto the indie scene in a cloud of controversy, Vampire Weekend have settled into a comfortable middle age as one of the tightest and best-arranged bands around. They’ve always packed their songs with musical bits that hook just as deeply as their vocal choruses, but their 2024 album, Only God Was Above Us, establishes a new compositional frontier for the group. “Connect” is the flashiest, and proggiest, song on the album, powered by Chris Baio’s melodic bass and frontman Ezra Koenig’s (truly impressive) baroque piano. Koenig’s lyrics are as abstract as ever, but they seem to mourn his loss of his sense of childlike wonder, as he is increasingly unable to find joy in the little things that used to occupy his curiosity. His piano unspools like his inner child dancing out of frame, on the backs of ascending diminished sevenths and dancing arpeggios.

6. MCVERTT - “Hate The Real” ft. 41: Rap trio 41 (Jenn Carter, Kyle Richh, and TaTa) consistently pushes the boundaries of New York drill, avoiding the sinister sliding 808s that have gone stale and finding sounds from further afield. Their most fruitful creative partner is Newark producer MCVERTT, who redefined the sound of Jersey via his club rap collaborations with Bandmanrill, and has consistently provided 41 with his most inventive productions, including the trio’s breakout hit “Bent.” My favorite rap song of 2024, “Hate The Real” is the perfect “Bent” follow-up, complementing the trio’s speaker-knocking energy with what might be the chillest beat in Jersey club history. The most cerebral of the group, Jenn Carter, takes the mellow instrumental as an opportunity for introspection about her trauma and mollifying drug use: “Roll up a blunt, not expressin' my pain/Like fuck, this shit hurt every day.” Kyle and TaTa, on the other hand, see no reason to change up their usual steez; Kyle describes his bachelor revelries, while TaTa watches TikToks in the club. A confluence of unexpected sounds and colorful personalities bouncing off each other, “Hate The Real” is invigorating, relaxing, and endlessly replayable.

5. Burial - “Dreamfear”/“Boy Sent From Above”: Still shrouded in mystery after all these years, club legend Burial made a brief return in 2024 with two of his finest ever tracks. On “Dreamfear” and “Boy Sent From Above,” released as a 2-track EP, Burial decides to stop messing around with the ambient and atmospheric textures characteristic of his recent work. Instead, he creates a pair of unrepentant bangers, as ferocious as any in his formidable discography. Opening with an ominous line reading from the Assassin’s Creed video game series, “Dreamfear” is a punishing taste of The Prodigy-esque hardstyle rave, as Burial wields “Amen” breaks like blunt force weapons, inserting vocal samples that lighten the mood with their sheer goofiness (“Back from the dead, fucked in the head”; “I am the lord of ecstasy!”). I prefer the B-Side, “Boy Sent From Above,” which hasn’t gotten nearly as much love on year-end lists, but offers a much purer pleasure. It’s a shameless take on happy house, layering major key synth fanfares over skittering Miami bass percussion. As the cherry on top, Burial makes a point to use the Euro-trashiest lead sound he can find to bash away charming melodies that echo both “Axel F” and Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin’ Bout You."

4. MJ Lenderman - “She’s Leaving You”: At first, I didn’t understand the hype behind Indie rock hero du jour MJ Lenderman. He has a way with plaintive melodies and a slacker’s sense of humor, kind of like Stephen Malkmus, combined with a ramshackle rowdiness that evokes Neil Young & Crazy Horse. Or at least he did in theory–as much as he emulated those legends, I felt there was a big piece missing: their sui generis songwriting talent. A simple, but powerful ballad, “She’s Leaving You” is the song that won me a seat on the Lenderman bandwagon. “She’s Leaving You” has it all: Economical, devastating lyrics that hint at a deep-seated sadness (“It falls apart, we all have work to do”); dueling guitar riffs that sound vaguely familiar, but only because their melodies are so instinctual and satisfying; a climactic, J Mascis-lite guitar solo that screams the chorus melody. Add it to the canon of rock’s great  self-pitying masculine tearjerkers, next to modern classics like The Hold Steady’s “Lord, I’m Discouraged,” and classic classics like Thin Lizzy’s “Fight Or Fail,” Elvis Costello’s “Alison,” and the Stones’ “Let It Loose.”

3. Tinashe - “Nasty”: Tinashe’s long-overdue mainstream comeback continues a noble pop tradition of deeply sensual songs that get the point across without using explicit language. Each line is sexually frank enough that it barely qualifies as innuendo, but there’s nothing on there that TV or radio can object to! (Another song that does this, albeit in a sillier and even filthier way: “Milkshake” by Kelis) Beyond that clever gamesmanship, “Nasty” is a brilliant bit of songwriting, mixing hearing test keyboards with ultra-crisp 808s and an inventive bassline that plays off the unusual minor key substitution in the verse (the verse’s C Minor chord leads into an A Flat Minor chord, when you would expect A Flat Major in the song’s C Minor key!) Tinashe’s tone is pure and playful, her delivery toe-tagging each handclap and bass bounce in a way that is fun to imitate, but hard to replicate. Her freak, it turns out, is not so easily matched.

2. Mabe Fratti - “Enfrente”: Experimental cellist Mabe Fratti uses her instrument as a springboard to new worlds. At times, she plucks the cello like a bass, and at others, her sweeping bow adds cinematic grandeur to her innovative compositions. Shining with a crystalline intimacy that reminds me of Bjørk’s Vespertine, “Enfrente” boasts the coolest collection of sounds I heard all year, with ice cavern synths, prominent breakbeats, and Fratti's supremely funky pizzicato cello. To Fratti's credit, she fashions an incredible, shapeshifting destroyer of a song around these elements–like so many songs on this list, “Enfrente” chronicles a search for connection in an increasingly hostile world. The conclusion sounds like an avalanche, as the love and warmth she's been searching for tumble hopelessly away.

1. Geordie Greep - “Holy, Holy!”: I first heard the band Black Midi on YouTube and didn’t think much of it. I was impressed by their musicianship at such a young age, and amused by their devotion to once-uncool influences like the aggressive prog of Van Der Graaf Generator and 1980s King Crimson, but never compelled to return to their songs after an initial listen. The lead singer, Geordie Greep, sang in an exaggerated, throaty manner that reminded me at times of the cartoonish snarl of Cameo’s Larry Blackmon. So when Greep released his debut solo single over the summer, I didn’t expect my mind to be so thoroughly blown. Exhilarating and blood-curdling, “Holy, Holy!” grabs you by the throat from its first roaring guitar riff. The opening groove is immense, with a muscular rhythm section and guitar that purrs like an unmuffled Ferrari. It sounds like 80s Earth, Wind, and Fire and Eno-era Roxy Music, if they entered the machine that turned Jeff Goldblum into The Fly. Crooning like Cronenberg Bing Crosby (or Donald Fagen from the Black Lodge), Greep knocks us off balance with his first line, accompanied by syncopated guitar stabs: “I could tell you were lonely, from the moment you walked in.” As the song progresses, the Afro-Latin and orchestral Brazilian influences grow more and more apparent, and the song’s narrator grows more and more deranged–you can practically smell the gin on his breath as he brags of his virility and his sterling reputation with the “revolutionaries” and “Jihadis” who stretch from Havana to Tokyo. The bottom falls out when the song’s driving bass is replaced by a cascading piano and a heavenly choir–Greep matches the beauty of the arrangement with skin-crawling skeeviness. He unloads his deepest desires to his object of affection, who, as it is now clear, is a sex worker whom he has bribed to reassure him of his misplaced sense of confidence: “And I want you to tell me I'm a perfect dancer/And I want you to tell me I smell great/I want you to make me look taller/Could you kneel down the whole time?/How much will that cost?” Sometimes when I choose my favorite song of the year, I consider how it deeply affected my life, and mirrored what I’ve been going through (c.f. 2020 or 2023). Other times (like in 2021), I have no choice but to pick the most undeniable banger. I’m happy to say that the grandly ambitious steamroller that is “Holy, Holy!” fits squarely in the latter category.

Find the playlist HERE

Listen to my Best of 2024 Mix HERE (for best results, set crossfade to 12 seconds)

The Full List:

Geordie Greep - "Holy, Holy!"

Mabe Fratti - "Enfrente"

Tinashe - "Nasty"

MJ Lenderman - "She's Leaving You"

Burial - "Dreamfear" / "Boy Sent From Above"

MCVERTT - "Hate The Real" ft. 41

Vampire Weekend - "Connect"

Ka - "Borrowed Time"

Hannah Frances - "Bronwyn"

Tashi Wada - "Grand Trine" ft. Julia Holter

Star Bandz - "Yea Yea" (Prod. by CYRUSXO!)

Cassandra Jenkins - "Delphinium Blue"

J.P. - "Bad Bitty" (Prod. by J.P. & P The Producer)

Nourished By Time - "Hell Of A Ride"

Mk.gee - "Alesis"

Good Looks - "If It's Gone"

Astrid Sonne - "Give my all"

Nia Archives - "Crowded Roomz"

Kendrick Lamar - "Not Like Us" (Prod. by Mustard)

NLE Choppa - "SLUT ME OUT 2" (Prod. by EMRLD BEATS & Synthetic)

BossMan Dlow - "Get In With Me" (Prod. by DonteMadeIt)

Fabiana Palladino - "Stay With Me Through The Night"

Arooj Aftab - "Raat Ki Rani"

Pa Salieu - "Dece (Heavy)" (Prod. by AoD, Felix Joseph & Tudor Monroe)

El Snappo - "Back2Serve'n" (Prod. by Pnutt)

Nilufer Yanya - “Mutations”

Jessica Pratt - “Life Is”

Anysia Kim - “#71 (Again & Again)” (Prod. by Anysia Kim)

Kelly Moran - “Butterfly Phase”

Magdalena Bay - “Cry For Me”

Rema - “OZEBA” (Prod. by Rema & ThisIzLondon)

Djrum - “Crawl”

Floating Points - “Vocoder (Club Mix)”

Cash Cobain - “Fisherrr” ft. Bay Swag (Prod. by Cash Cobain)

TitoM, Yuppe, S.N.E. & Eeque - “Tshwala Bam” (Prod. by TitoM & Yuppe)

Shawny Binladen & Baby Gates - “Crazy Day” (Prod. by Jet Stanley)

Church Chords - “Warriors of Playtime”

Loe Shimmy - “Pray For Peace” (Prod. by Bailey Sample & Jordan Michael Davis)

Helado Negro - “Best For You and Me”

Chanel Beads - “Embarrassed Dog”

Nadine Shah - “Topless Mother”

Chuck Johnson - “Broken Spectre”

FLO - “Check”

Xavi - “La Diabla”

upsammy - “Aqualizing”

Mike & Tony Seltzer - “Pinball” (Prod. by Tony Seltzer & Mikey Fleece)

WizKid - “Karamo” (Prod. by P2J)

Chief Keef - “Believe” (Prod. by Chief Keef & Bobby Raps)

Hana Vu - “Dreams”

Empress Of - “What Type of Girl Am I?”

Halo Maud - “Catch The Wave”

Kanii, Riovaz & Nimstarr - “Tell Me” (Prod. by Gray Toomey & Zetra)

Mach-Hommy - “Sur Le Pont d’Avignon” (Prod. by Conductor Williams & Sam Gendel)

Clairo - “Juna”

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings - “Empty Trainload of Sky”

Los and Nutty - “THE REASON” (Prod. by 28MadeThisOne & Vinxia)

Johnny Blue Skies - “If The Sun Never Rises Again”

Caxtrinho - “Vó Jura”

Elucid - “IN THE SHADOW OF IF” (Prod. by Jon Nellen)

Christopher Owens - “Beautiful Horses”

Belong - “AM / PM”

Rachel Chinouriri - “The Hills”

Erika De Casier - “Lucky”

Myaap - “Smackin” (Prod. by Azcaviar)

Mary Timony - “No Thirds”

ScHoolboy Q - “THank god 4 me” (Prod. by Kal Banx, DJ Fu & J.LBS)

Fantastic Cat - “So Glad You Made It”

Tems - “You In My Face” (Prod. by GuiltyBeatz)

BabyChiefDoit - “Doit The Best” (Prod. by DrakoMade, FoxWhyYouSoGodly & JATEK ONE)

HiTECH - “DETROIT MONEY PHONE” ft. G.T. (Prod. by HiTECH)

Maxo Kream - “Bang The Bus” (Prod. by Evilgiane)

The Cure - “And Nothing Is Forever”

oso oso - “all of my love”

MESSIAH - “burden of truth” ft. Malaya (Prod. by TwoTone)

Loidis - “Wait & See”

Chicken P - “People’s Favorite” (Remix) ft. 42 Dugg (Prod. by Niizzy)

Sexyy Red - “Get It Sexyy” (Prod. by Tay Keith & Jake Fridkis)

Future - “MJ” (Prod. by Wheezy, Romil Hemnani, Bryan Yepes & 2forwOyNE)

Tapir! - “Hallelujah Bruv!”

Eem Triplin - “stephanie” (Prod. by Sauron & Imitation Therapy)

Lupe Fiasco - “Samurai” (Prod. by Soundtrakk)

Little Simz - “Far Away” (Prod. by Jakwob)

Durand Bernarr - “GPS”

Ovrkast - “CUT UP” (Prod. by Ovrkast)

The Smile - “Eyes & Mouth”

Beyoncé - “RIIVERDANCE” (Prod. by Beyoncé & The-Dream)

Big Boogie - “Left, Right” (Prod. by Yung Dee & DMacTooBangin)

BigXThaPlug - “Meet The 6ixers” ft. Ro$ama & Yung Hood (Prod. by Tony Coles)

Rels B & Junior H - “Un Desperdicio” (Prod. by Krizous, Omar Alcaide, Andres Yuma & Cesar Posada)

Pablo Skywalkin - “Dress Shoes” (Prod. by ???)

Hiatus Kaiyote - “Cinnamon Temple”

The Narcotix - “The Lamb”

Sinkane - “Everything Is Everything” ft. Tru Osbourne

Papo 2oo4 & Subjxct 5 - “Ooo” (Prod. by Subjxct 5)

CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso - “El Único” (Prod. by Federico Vindver & Felipe “Pipe” Bernal)

Popstar Benny - “Wiz” ft. Vayda & SadBoy (Prod. by Popstar Benny)

Kareen Lomax - “Remedy”

Goat - “Ouroboros”

Kelly Lee Owens - “Time To”

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - “Challengers: Match Point”

[mattycroker1998]

If marvel won’t give Ms Marvel her Hellfire Gala debut, then I’ll do it myself 😤

Design details below the cut!

The main inspiration I took was some fits from fashion shows in Pakistan, but with a colour shceme matching Kamala more

Obvs she keeps her bangle, but i gave her some more bracelets and necklaces to match

She has the pendant Captain Marvel gave her on display, because she would definetly be the sort of person who would bring some fandom onto the green carpet

The trainers are based on ones Iman Vellani wore to the Ms Marvel red carpet

The bead mask was inspired by the one Janelle Monet wore on her cover for Dirty Computer, but beaded headresses seem to be common in Pakistani fashion

The patterning on her jump suit is an Islamic inspired pattern, obviously refrencing her religion

[kylo-wrecked]

@thecreativeforge ://

<< Yorkville, New York, New York >>

Sunlight didn't wake him; breathing did. The measure of another body's life and warmth. The shape and weight and delicate muscle of another leg resting on his leg; leaner and shorter than his; pleasantly warm. 

He'd been dreaming—Ben thought he'd been dreaming, and he sighed, and the fireworks behind his hot red eyelids left on him the impression of its pleasantries. The next gala was a year away, and he'd made it through this one; he even felt well-rested. 

Then he opened his eyes. He opened his eyes to a smooth brown shoulder, well-shaped, taught with lean muscle, and smelling of cinnamon. That was nice. 

Then he saw the tattoos, and he scrambled. He recognized the cryptic bands in an instant and, in that instant, realized the body he'd made a fetish of belonged to Rashad. 

Ben's heart leapt, as he would have if he didn't feel crushed by shame. Instead, he peeled himself from the sheets and slunk out of bed. He was naked, which could only mean one thing. 

Clutching the doorframe and his—you know—Ben backed out of the master room. His stomach lurched. 

Had he...?

He woke up and found Rashad in his Manhattan apartment, in the master bedroom, with the candlestick and the Hiroshima Mon Amour poster. 

No, he hadn't found Rashad; he'd committed a crime. How had it happened? Ben couldn't remember. He must have coerced—or been coerced—maybe it had been mutual, a double murder of sorts. 

It was true he kept Rashad sequestered from some of his friend groups—Marci, Ian, and Tihan—his peers from Edinbrough—his friend group from Columbia—but Ben kept all his friends in compartments. And he and Rashad had always been friends. Really good friends since prep. What if...

When the room started spinning, Ben decided to forgo thought. He stumbled into the guest bathroom and threw up. Not hungover, no. Sick to his stomach with discomfit, sure. Yes. Great. 

Ben then performed his supposed daily ritual as though the cleansing of his body and the particular order of each task would protect him—ward off the yips or something. He brushed his teeth in the shower. He shaved. When Ben's back was scrubbed raw, he toweled off. He ran argan oil through his hair and glowered at his reflection. He'd decided to stop thinking, but if Ben were thinking, he might have thought this was more than he'd do if he were actually going outside. 

He looked okay, though he was sweating at his temples by the time he switched off the bathroom light and trudged into the penetrating living room light illuminating thousands of dollars worth of Pakistani carpet squares, the art deco armchairs. He'd forgotten about those. 

Ben quickly pulled on whatever clothes he could find, anything that smelled all right, wandered over to the fridge, and rubbed the perspiring bulb of French-pressed coffee on his face, all over the slope of his face. 

"Mmm, gross," he muttered, pouring himself a tall glass. "You're gross." 

He poured Rashad coffee from a different carafe and added a splash of milk. A glass in each hand, he crossed the hot living room. Slowly, as if he were wading through a vast mangrove to wake a sleeping prince. What would the prince be like when he awoke? 

Morning rose twenty storeys from the Manhattan streets, blaring with yellow taxis and ripe lemon sun pouring through unadorned floor-to-ceiling windows. At the edge of his bed, Ben stopped and sat. The bed groaned on his behalf. He glanced at the sleeping Rashad and took a deep breath in. "Uhhhhhh." And a deep breath out. "Huhhhhhhh..." He licked his lips. He swallowed. He did everything but wake him.

Rashad really resembled a prince, too, his hand drawn over his brow, his long, ringed fingers looped in the melodrama of his hair. Eyes... 

Nope. No. 

He had to stop himself. Ben never had that voice he imagined most people did, the Jiminy Cricket, but he knew he had to stop dreaming. Rashad was royalty. He lived in a realm of rare artifacts. There was a palace, tradition, and expectation. Then there was Ben. He knew *this* had to be stopped. Now. Before someone got hurt, roasted, canceled.

"Uh." Ben swallowed before reaching for Rashad's arm, his hand just brushing his skin. "Hey-y…"

That a simple touch had become so uncomfortable literally overnight, literally, in the strict sense of the word, was a cruel irony. 

[fkinavocado]

Guys I am old and Pakistani (so South Asian) and for me no red carpet look ever came close to Aishwarya at Cannes in mustard yellow saree getting out of a chariot.

https://images.app.goo.gl/P18LU5iKP79ebRLe6

https://images.app.goo.gl/JSriCVguYeM8sudm8

Simpler times 🥹

hun i will be honest this is the first time i'm actually looking at aishwarya in those pics 😅 like srk was smokin hot i was too busy

but yes she was iconic. better times for sure

[rockislandadultreads]

Read-Alike Friday: Moth by Melody Razak

Moth by Melody Razak

Ma and Bappu are liberal intellectuals teaching at the local university. Their fourteen year-old daughter—precocious, headstrong Alma—is soon to be married. Alma is mostly interested in the wedding shoes and in spinning wild stories for her beloved younger sister Roop, a restless child obsessed with death.

Times are bad for girls in India. The long-awaited independence from British rule is heralding a new era of hope but also of anger and distrust. Political unrest is brewing, threatening to unravel the rich tapestry of Delhi—a city where different cultures, religions and traditions have co-existed for centuries. When Partition happens and the British Raj is fractured overnight, the family is violently torn apart, and its members are forced to find increasingly desperate ways to survive.

Honor by Thrity Umrigar

Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena—a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man—Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one’s own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita’s own past. While Meena’s fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment. But the dual love stories of Honor are as different as the cultures of Meena and Smita themselves: Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her.

In this tender and evocative novel about love, hope, familial devotion, betrayal, and sacrifice, Thrity Umrigar shows us two courageous women trying to navigate how to be true to their homelands and themselves at the same time.

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness takes us on a journey of many years – the story spooling outwards from the cramped neighbourhoods of Old Delhi into the burgeoning new metropolis and beyond, to the Valley of Kashmir and the forests of Central India, where war is peace and peace is war, and where, from time to time, ‘normalcy’ is declared.

The tale begins with Anjum—who used to be Aftab—unrolling a threadbare Persian carpet in a city graveyard she calls home. We encounter the odd, unforgettable Tilo and the men who loved her—including Musa, sweetheart and ex-sweetheart, lover and ex-lover; their fates are as entwined as their arms used to be and always will be. We meet Tilo’s landlord, a former suitor, now an intelligence officer posted to Kabul. And then we meet the two Miss Jebeens: the first a child born in Srinagar and buried in its overcrowded Martyrs’ Graveyard; the second found at midnight, abandoned on a concrete sidewalk in the heart of New Delhi.

As this ravishing, deeply humane novel braids these lives together, it reinvents what a novel can do and can be. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness demonstrates on every page the miracle of Arundhati Roy’s storytelling gifts.

The Book of Everlasting Things by Aanchal Malhotra

On a January morning in 1938, Samir Vij first locks eyes with Firdaus Khan through the rows of perfume bottles in his family’s ittar shop in Lahore. Over the years that follow, the perfumer’s apprentice and calligrapher’s apprentice fall in love with their ancient crafts and with each other, dreaming of the life they will one day share. But as the struggle for Indian independence gathers force, their beloved city is ravaged by Partition. Suddenly, they find themselves on opposite sides: Samir, a Hindu, becomes Indian and Firdaus, a Muslim, becomes Pakistani, their love now forbidden. Severed from one another, Samir and Firdaus make a series of fateful decisions that will change the course of their lives forever. As their paths spiral away from each other, they must each decide how much of the past they are willing to let go, and what it will cost them.

Lush, sensuous, and deeply romantic, The Book of Everlasting Things is the story of two lovers and two nations, split apart by forces beyond their control, yet bound by love and memory. Filled with exquisite descriptions of perfume and calligraphy, spanning continents and generations, Aanchal Malhotra’s debut novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

[celebblogspot]

"Meet Mawra Hocane: The Pakistani Starlet Taking Over Screens and Hearts Alike"

Hey, Tumblr fam! Let's take a cinematic moment today to talk about a little gem from across the borders, an actress who is wooing hearts globally with her scintillating performances - meet the delightful Mawra Hocane. Brace yourselves because this is going to be a fun ride through fame, fashion, and films!

Mawra, born on September 28, 1992, began her journey amidst the hustle and bustle of Karachi, Pakistan's heart city. Spotted first on ARY Musik channel as a video jockey, this bubbly girl-next-door soon claimed stake into the luminescent world of acting. It's like she made the whole camera lenses her canvas and painted them with the colors of her versatile skills!

She has left audiences absolutely breathless with her acting prowess in Pakistani dramas like "Aahista Aahista,'' "Ik Tamanna Lahasil Si,'' and "Nikhar Gaye Gulab Sare". You've got to watch these shows, guys! There's a reason they're so popular in Pakistan, and we bet you can’t resist getting hooked.

Did I mention she's been to Bollywood? Leave it to Mawra to cross the borders and win hearts internationally too. She mesmerized audiences in "Sanam Teri Kasam," capturing the essence of a South Indian librarian so poignantly that critics and audiences alike had no choice but to applaud.

But life is more than just all work for Mawra. She's a total fashionista and an entrepreneur too. Talk about #GirlGoals! She has her own clothing line named "UXM" which she co-launched with her equally talented sister, Urwa Hocane. And you will love her style statements on runways, red carpets, and even on a casual day out!

So, to sum it up, Mawra Hocane is this bubbly package of immense talent in acting, an eye for fashion, and a knack for business. And, trust me when I say, we simply can't wait to see what more she's got in store for us! Until next time, enjoy your dramas and stay fantastic, Tumblrverse!

[onlineshopbkks-blog]

Title: The Timeless Elegance of Oriental Rugs and Persian Carpets: Discover Authenticity at OnlineShopBKK

Introduction

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Authenticity in Every Thread

At OnlineShopBKK, quality and authenticity are at the core of their offerings. The oriental carpets and Persian rugs available are meticulously handcrafted by skilled artisans who have honed their craft over generations. Using traditional techniques and tools, these master weavers painstakingly create each rug with passion and precision. This commitment to preserving age-old craftsmanship ensures that every rug tells a unique story, making it a truly one-of-a-kind treasure.

Materials that Exude Luxury

One of the defining features of oriental rugs and Persian carpets is the luxurious materials used in their construction. OnlineShopBKK offers a range of options to cater to diverse preferences and budgets. For those seeking the epitome of opulence, their collection includes rugs made with 100% silk, renowned for its lustrous sheen and exceptional softness. The silk rugs radiate an air of elegance and sophistication, elevating any space they adorn.

For those looking for a more budget-friendly option without compromising on quality, OnlineShopBKK also offers machine-made rugs made from alternative materials. Bamboo silk, cotton silk, synthetic fibers, and acrylic blends provide a cost-effective solution that still maintains a semblance of luxury and durability. These rugs retain the visual appeal of their handcrafted counterparts, allowing customers to find the perfect fit for their homes or offices without breaking the bank.

A Kaleidoscope of Styles and Designs

OnlineShopBKK takes pride in curating a vast collection of oriental rugs and Persian carpets, ensuring there is something for everyone. Whether you prefer intricate floral patterns, bold geometric motifs, or timeless medallion designs, you are certain to find a rug that resonates with your personal taste and interior style.

The selection encompasses various regional styles, each with its own distinct characteristics. From the grandeur of Persian carpets to the earthy allure of Pakistani, Afghan, and Turkish rugs, the collection showcases the diverse aesthetics and cultural influences woven into each masterpiece. For those seeking a lighter touch, Tibetan carpets and Kilims offer a more minimalistic, contemporary appeal that can effortlessly complement modern interiors.

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OnlineShopBKK understands the convenience of online shopping, and they have made it easy for customers to explore and purchase their desired rugs. Their user-friendly website provides detailed product descriptions, high-resolution images, and dimensions to ensure an accurate representation of each rug. Furthermore, their knowledgeable customer service team is readily available to assist with any inquiries, ensuring a seamless and satisfying shopping experience.

Conclusion

Oriental rugs and Persian carpets hold an allure that transcends time and trends. With OnlineShopBKK as your trusted source, you can bring the magic of these timeless treasures into your home or office in Thailand. Whether you opt for the handcrafted luxury of silk and wool rugs or the affordability of machine-made alternatives, each piece from OnlineShopBKK carries the legacy of craftsmanship and beauty that will add character and sophistication to any space.

Embark on a journey through the vibrant colors, intricate designs, and rich history of oriental rugs and Persian carpets. Visit Online at

Click here -> https://s.lazada.co.th/s.Q5vGp

Shop Now: Here's my wonderful shop, come check it out! Click Here Now:

[paulpingminho]

[nightguide]

GOLDEN GLOBS: REALITRICK TV SHOW

sauce: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/photos/golden-globes-2025-red-carpet-all-the-fashion-outfits-and-looks?srsltid=AfmBOoqGcit2utgqRpIJCMV83eAzA0Awf9yKMdJyiIA3aQ-5ngXuTvpY

ZENDAYA: MRS SLUTT MU$H? moracco

SMWC: you don't look that god, but may Allah give your fanbase mother nazar

SH: i gotta say, i don't do it for you at all (you were listening to a lot of Demi Lovato that day that i don't fuggetinng anything i like or sweaar that you and Tom got it on and thts' from a stranger things perspective, like i don't care that you look good, as long as you're happy (winks at Tom)

SH8: people like you. that's your nazar *walks away*

ANYA TAYLOR JOY: granny

SMWC: afraid to be on a diss track. they got ideas

SH: i personally said u look pretty too many times with a 'don't plastic surgery' motivation commitment to the core but i stfg Cillian is not after you (i feel sorry for you too much, like your face does not need that round-house attention after what you heard that even russians hate you, like i love you (as a pakistani) and that counts (im on my own rn :), you don't need that much attention if you did not want to do it, like i got plans if you want to come (wicked premiere)

SH8: too white for my eyes (what people think of you)

EMMA STONE: gay, vintage gay

SMWC: i see you as a champagne bottle. shit choice, where the fuck were you going

SH: no compliment, who made you choose it?

SH8: you're not drunk with that silo ass haircut, my intuition is correct if you want Philomena Cunk to say the same (companion relative in dimension in time and space)

ZOE SALDANA: lee pace whorep. stop listening to him and see me irl, HEARTBROKEN PRIMARK BUST-UP

SMWC: *relax, i'm not going to hurt you* your mother gets all the nazar blame cuz i did not diss you by not looking at your head to judge your body cuz i did study fashion, never worked there

SH: you can have some encouragement to follow intuition, you're muslim now

SH8: wear anything to kill off your demons, but surrender to doll logic (you had better days than this)

ANGELINA JOLIE: new york buddha

SMWC: you're not even clothes anymore with that kind of intuition knowing i'm going to get bust up for it (i can't help that anymore with you being 'mom' of Hollywood, i could get my new beau to see you like that and forgive me, i don't need to find luck anywhere else, (you being on your own or not, i see that. shakin ya ass)

SH: why age?

SH8: your heart is rotting by age appearance, say you got a man and gtfo of here

NAOMI WATTS: *i hate the designer than you* bastard.

SMWC: *speechless*

SH: your body looks good to measure than statues, fire your stylist.

SH8: i see ethics in textiles cursing you than magicians hands making it up for you, universe gone islam now.

NICOLE KIDMAN: CORPSE-US CHRISTI CAROL

SMWC: man.... Charlie Cox was looking at the wrong Yvaine *sad expression at the time*, like i understand Claire Danes in Terminator and how, now. Matt Smith went wayward due to that decision, so that was lombasted by Chris Chibnall, it was all his fault doing you that dirty, you and Sandra Bullock worked side by side you knowing the books, so it's not your fault *i am a friend to you*

SH: i don't like the dress, it does not fit for once that i never thought that the word 'dress' has an ending, but you never had the chance to begin it, so you welcomed Mary Adler (actress reminiscent) of that world become (you as me, so i don't blame you)

SH8: ageless or primeless, *as a conspiracy theorist*, words can never be done for (you're one to talk)

ELLE FANNING: shit.

SMWC: nobody gave you that idea to work with it, not even your idea to live with it. heavensgate. bro

SH: ?????? wot is with the leopard print bewb thing you got on there,

SH8: i don't expect Hollywood regalia to have that kind of tongue if i thought your dress is easily made than you being easily made to come into my own home, so what is your offense, here? i got nothing to give you than that Primark remake that got nothing over the name or who's line from the family that God of all whites bestowed it to you that made you wear it on that.. very day. i don't like it (we're not dating, ew)

DAKOTA FANNING: used goods.

SMWC: this ain't your day, but your salaam is (at least you tried)

SH: i feel you, for having that 'say yes to the dress' moment, but nothing gave but you went for 'magazine response' than nazar fuck you at Cillian Murphy which is why you would have killed him with that glare, like he thinks you're a nobody. the mans a homo and he hates muslims, you look like you're pushing daisy away from being stoned to death by public law (at least i tried)

SH8: sharia law. that is not even there.

MIKEY MADISON: fish shit.

SMWC: there is a barrier.

SH: you cannot cross it.

SH8: i don't even know you (used goods)

CYNTHIA ERIVO: lesbian elphaba

SMWC: i don't see the functionality of the dress, so you're wearing heels and it's not even working out for you but you're okay in knowing pain is your residue in being perfect to what cost? brother, i can tell you're trying, but you're remote. you're dying. and you think you're pregnant, so does that give you anything to remember than you????? or are you impute?

SH: so many reasons, now Eminem can't even diss (Gossip Girl trauma)

SH8: you know languages... fuck off.

LEIGHTON MEESTER: *no diss*

SMWC: who did you that dirty?

SH: why????

SH8: mother. (even names cannot compare, like i know you my brother.(social shit-fire does not know that which is why you hidden)

QUINTA BRUNSON: BLM MASTECTOMINIST

SMWC: i dont care if you're black. (KKK activist)

SH: ditch the quality street wrappers avengers impersonation you got going on

SH8: at least you tried

spice: https://www.eonline.com/photos/37447/2025-golden-globes-best-dressed-on-the-red-carpet

[madarinj]

Pakistani PM Shahbaz Sharif Chaploosi with Jaishankar Red Carpet Welcome...

[newstfionline]

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Arctic Passage (gCaptain) For the first time ever a Panamax-sized vessel has transited the Arctic Ocean. The Flying Fish 1 is a 294-meter-long ship capable of carrying 4,890 TEU containers, by far the largest container ship to have pulled off the journey. Flying Fish 1 set out from St. Petersburg on September 3 and made its way through the Baltic, North and Norwegian seas, then traveled along the north coast of Russia through the Arctic Ocean, made its way down the east coast of Asia, and finally arrived in Shanghai on September 26, a three-week journey that was previously impassable because the Arctic Ocean used to have enough ice in it to render such a feat impossible. That cut two weeks off the standard voyage through the Suez Canal.

Feds charge NYC mayor with selling his influence to foreign nationals (AP) New York City Mayor Eric Adams vowed to stay in office Thursday after federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing him of letting Turkish officials and businesspeople buy his influence with illegal campaign contributions and lavish overseas trips. Adams, a Democrat, faces conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery charges in a five-count indictment outlining a decade-long trail of corruption that began when he served as an elected official in Brooklyn and continued through his mayoral administration. In exchange for the bribes, Adams took actions that appeared to benefit Turkey’s leaders, including expediting the fire safety inspection at a consulate building and not releasing a statement on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, according to the indictment.

Hurricane Helene destroyed large swaths of the Southeast (AP) Hurricane Helene caused dozens of deaths and billions of dollars of destruction across a wide swath of the southeastern U.S. as it raced through, and more than 3 million customers went into the weekend without any power and for some a continued threat of floods. Helene blew ashore in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday packing winds of 140 mph (225 kph) and then quickly moved through Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee, uprooting trees, splintering homes and sending creeks and rivers over their banks and straining dams. Western North Carolina was essentially cut off because or landslides and flooding that forced the closure of Interstate 40 and other roads. There were hundreds of water rescues, none more dramatic than in rural Unicoi County in East Tennessee, where dozens of patients and staff were plucked by helicopter from the roof of a hospital that was surrounded by water from a flooded river.

200 Clashes a Day as Russia Races to Break Ukrainian Strongholds (NYT) After months of constant pressure and grinding, bloody advances, Russian forces are pressing up against multiple strongholds along more than 100 miles of the jagged front in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine. For Ukraine, losing any of those important defensive positions could significantly alter the contours of the fight for control of the region. Despite staggering casualties, Russian forces are mounting armored assaults and sending waves of infantry on foot, motorbikes and all-terrain vehicles to attack Ukrainian positions from Chasiv Yar in the north to the southern stronghold of Vuhledar, which is at risk of being encircled, according to Ukrainian soldiers and combat footage. With attacks across cratered fields, the Russians are racing to seize territory before the fall strips the foliage they use for cover and the rains turn fertile farmland into bog. On each of two days last week, the Ukrainian military reported more than 200 clashes between the two sides—the highest such numbers in many months.

First It Was Lynch Mobs. Now Police Kill Pakistanis Accused of Blasphemy. (NYT) The entrance to the district police headquarters in southern Pakistan was carpeted with rose petals, a grand gesture of respect. A crowd filled the air with chants of Islamic slogans. Many carried garlands and flower bouquets to laud the officers for their actions. The throngs were ecstatic because the police had killed a man. His supposed crime: “blasphemous content” on social media. The man, a 36-year-old government doctor, had been shot “unintentionally” as he resisted arrest, the authorities claimed. But human rights groups called it an extrajudicial killing, the second such one in a week. Blasphemy, a legal offense that can carry the death penalty, has long been a sensitive issue in a country that is more than 96 percent Muslim. Even a mere accusation can be deadly; mobs sometimes lynch people before their cases can go to trial. The killings of the two men this month have ignited fears that the police, pressured by the mob actions, may now be taking matters into their own hands, too.

A new class struggle is brewing in China (Economist) The term “three generations in tobacco” has become a common shorthand in China. On social media it means a privileged elite whose members hand out coveted jobs (such as managerial roles in the state’s tobacco monopoly) to their own types. Earlier this year a microblogger with more than 850,000 followers invoked the meme. “The result of this hereditary system is a closed circle of power that completely cuts off opportunities for people at the bottom to rise up!” he wrote. Hundreds expressed agreement. “The ruling class is solidifying,” one replied. Another fumed: “The children of the elite get ahead, and the children of the poor remain poor.” The economy is faltering. Opportunities for good jobs are drying up. Many Chinese now talk of shehui guhua, or social stagnation. Among the less well-off in China, resentment is growing of what is seen as a self-replicating elite. Class enmity is on the rise.

New Chinese nuclear attack submarine sank during construction, US defense official says (AP) Satellite imagery showed that China’s newest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank alongside a pier while under construction, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday. The sinking of China’s first Zhou-class submarine represents a setback for Beijing as it continues to build out the world’s largest navy. China as of last year operated six nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, six nuclear-powered attack submarines and 48 diesel-powered attack submarines, according to a U.S. military report.

Japanese man acquitted of 1966 murders after 45 years on death row (Reuters) A Japanese man said to have spent the world’s longest time on death row was acquitted of murder on Thursday, his legal team said, ending his family’s search for justice after a wrongful conviction for crimes committed nearly 60 years ago. The Shizuoka district court cleared Iwao Hakamada, 88, in a retrial of the murders of four people in the central Japanese region in 1966. It was sweet to hear the words “not guilty” in the courtroom, said Hideko Hakamada, who has battled for decades to clear her younger brother’s name. “When I heard that, I was so moved and happy, I couldn’t stop crying,” she told a televised briefing.

At the U.N., overwhelming anger at Israel (Washington Post) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak Friday at the U.N. General Assembly, and New York City cops were bracing for further protests. Dozens of antiwar activists, calling for an end to Israel’s military campaigns over Gaza and Lebanon, were already arrested on Manhattan streets on Tuesday. Netanyahu is himself fighting on other fronts. He arrived in New York as Israel stepped up its bombardments of alleged Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, an offensive that has already claimed hundreds of Lebanese lives, including women and children. “Israel is violating our sovereignty by sending their warplanes and drones to our skies,” Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati told a special session of the Security Council on Wednesday, saying that Israel had spread “terror and fear among the Lebanese citizens in full view of the world.” A legion of critics denounced the killings of more than 40,000 people in Gaza and the unfurling war over Lebanon. “Stop this crime. Stop it now. Stop killing children and women. Stop the genocide. Stop sending weapons to Israel,” Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said, adding that much of Gaza was “destroyed” and also pointing to Israel’s deadly operations in areas of the West Bank. “This madness cannot continue. The entire world is responsible for what is happening to our people in Gaza and the West Bank.” While denouncing Hamas and Hezbollah, world leaders cast Israel’s heavy-handed campaigns and the inability of the U.N. system to rein it as a danger to the institution itself.

Lebanon fears Gaza-like carnage as Israel ramps up airstrikes across the country (AP) When she first heard about the evacuation warnings Israel was sending to residents of Lebanon, Aline Naser’s thoughts immediately turned to Gaza. For the past year, the 26-year-old Beirut resident has been following with horror the reports about besieged Palestinians in the Gaza Strip ordered to move from one place to the other, fleeing to “humanitarian zones” only to be bombed and ordered to leave again. Among many in Lebanon, there is fear that Israel’s military operations in Lebanon would follow the same Gaza playbook: Evacuation orders, mass displacement and overwhelming airstrikes. On Monday, Israel struck 1,600 targets across Lebanon, killing 492 people and wounding 1,645, and causing a massive wave of displacement as thousands fled from south Lebanon north. It was by far the deadliest barrage since the monthlong 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, when an estimated 1,000 people in Lebanon were killed. / (BBC) An Israeli air strike hit Hezbollah headquarters in south Beirut with a 2,000 lb ‘bunker buster’ bomb, targeting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israel says he was killed, and the Lebanese Health Ministry says at least 6 other people were killed and 91 were injured as six apartment buildings were leveled. The attack took place shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “defeat Hezbollah” in a speech at the UN. In his own speech to the UN on Thursday, Lebanon’s caretaker PM Najib Mikati warned that hospitals were no longer capable of treating people because of the sheer number of casualties from Israel’s attacks.

As war widens and costs mount, Israel’s economy is in ‘serious danger’ (Washington Post) The human cost of Oct. 7 on Israel has been immense. Nearly everyone knew someone who was killed, injured or kidnapped that day, or deployed to the front lines in the months that followed. Often lost in the turmoil and tragedy of the past year is the toll of the conflict on the Israeli economy. The country has seen its credit score downgraded and its gross domestic product shrink sharply. Tens of thousands of businesses have closed, and a growing number of jobs are being moved offshore. Israeli reservists have put careers on hold—or struggled to juggle them with military service. While Israel’s massive high-tech industry has remained resilient, construction and agriculture—which relied heavily on Palestinians whose work permits were canceled by Israel after Oct. 7—have been hit hard. Tourism has plunged by more than 75 percent, the Central Bureau of Statistics said in June, leaving many shop fronts shuttered in the usually bustling thoroughfares of Jerusalem’s Old City. Defense spending, meanwhile, has at least doubled, with the Central Bank warning that the war could cost $67 billion through 2025—a prediction made before Israel’s recent escalation in Lebanon and the mobilization of two reserve brigades to the northern front on Wednesday. “The economy is in serious danger unless the government wakes up,” said Dan Ben-David, who heads the Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research. “Right now they are completely disconnected from anything that is not war … and there is no end in sight.”

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Embracing Tradition and Style with Ethnic Dress for Women

Ethnic dress for women encompasses a wide array of styles, each reflecting distinct cultural traditions. Common types include sarees, lehengas, salwar kameez, and anarkali suits. Each type offers its own unique charm and functionality. For instance, sarees are known for their draping elegance and versatility, making them suitable for formal events and celebrations.

Choosing the Right Fabric for Your Ethnic Dress for Women

The fabric of an ethnic dress for women plays a crucial role in determining both the look and comfort of the outfit. Common fabrics include silk, chiffon, georgette, and cotton. Silk and chiffon offer a flowing, luxurious feel ideal for formal events and special occasions. Georgette is lightweight and comfortable, making it suitable for both casual and semi-formal wear.

Accessorizing Your Ethnic Dress for Women

Accessorizing is key to enhancing the elegance of an ethnic dress for women. Traditional jewelry, such as jhumkas, bangles, and statement necklaces, can add a touch of sophistication and complete the look. The choice of accessories should complement the design and fabric of the dress. For example, a heavily embellished saree pairs well with intricate jewelry, while a simpler salwar kameez might be enhanced with minimalist accessories.

Color and Design in Ethnic Dress for Women

Color and design are vital aspects of ethnic dress for women, reflecting personal style and cultural significance. Traditional colors such as red, gold, and green are often chosen for festive and ceremonial attire, while pastels and neutrals are popular for casual or summer wear. The design of the dress, including embroidery, prints, and patterns, can also enhance its appeal. Intricate embroidery and embellishments are typically reserved for special occasions, while simpler designs are suited for everyday wear.

Ethnic Dress for Women for Different Occasions

Ethnic dress for women is versatile and suitable for various occasions, from weddings and festivals to casual gatherings and everyday wear. For weddings, heavily embellished lehengas or sarees are ideal, providing a regal and festive look. During festivals, brightly colored and embroidered salwar kameez can offer a vibrant and celebratory appearance. For daily wear, simpler cotton or georgette kurtas provide comfort and style.

Maintaining and Caring for Ethnic Dress for Women

Proper maintenance and care are essential to preserving the beauty and longevity of ethnic dress for women. Fabrics like silk and chiffon require delicate handling, often necessitating dry cleaning or hand washing with gentle detergents. Cotton dresses can usually be machine washed but should be handled with care to avoid damage. Storing ethnic dresses in a cool, dry place and using garment bags can prevent dust and damage.

Modern Trends into Ethnic Dress for Women

While traditional designs are timeless, incorporating modern trends into ethnic dress for women can create a unique and contemporary look. Trends such as fusion styles, where traditional garments are paired with modern accessories, or incorporating contemporary prints and cuts into traditional outfits, offer fresh and innovative ways to wear ethnic clothing.

Ethnic Dress for Women Across Cultures

Ethnic dress for women varies significantly across different cultures, each with its unique styles and significance. Indian ethnic wear includes sarees, lehengas, and salwar kameez, while Pakistani fashion features similar styles with distinct variations. Bangladeshi ethnic dresses often include jamdani sarees and salwar kameez.

The Impact of Celebrity Influences on Ethnic Dress for Women

Celebrity fashion often influences trends in ethnic dress for women, setting new styles and inspiring fashion choices. Celebrities frequently showcase ethnic wear at public appearances, red carpet events, and social media platforms, bringing attention to specific designs, colors, and fabrics. Following these influences can provide inspiration for updating your ethnic wardrobe and incorporating contemporary styles into traditional outfits.

Sustainable Choices in Ethnic Dress for Women

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in fashion, including ethnic dress for women. Choosing eco-friendly fabrics, supporting brands that prioritize ethical practices, and opting for timeless designs that offer longevity are ways to make sustainable choices. By embracing sustainable fashion, you contribute to reducing environmental impact while still enjoying the elegance and tradition of ethnic wear.

Conclusion

Ethnic dress for women offers a rich blend of tradition, style, and versatility. By exploring different types, fabrics, and designs, and understanding how to accessorize and care for these garments, you can enhance your wardrobe with timeless elegance. Embrace the charm of ethnic dress for women to celebrate cultural heritage while showcasing personal style at any occasion.

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Discovering the Best Formal Dress Brands: Elevate Your Style with Elegance

In the world of fashion, formal dress brands stand out for their timeless elegance, sophisticated designs, and attention to detail. Whether you're preparing for a corporate event, a black-tie affair, or any occasion that demands a refined look, choosing the right brand can make all the difference. This guide explores some of the top formal dress brands that have consistently delivered excellence and style, helping you make an informed choice for your next important event.

The Hallmarks of Exceptional Formal Dress Brands

Before diving into specific brands, it's important to understand what sets exceptional formal dress brands apart. These brands typically share several key characteristics:

Quality Materials: High-end formal dress brands use superior fabrics like silk, satin, velvet, and high-quality wool. These materials not only look luxurious but also feel comfortable and drape beautifully.

Craftsmanship: Attention to detail is a hallmark of great formal wear. Look for brands known for their meticulous tailoring, fine stitching, and perfect fit.

Design Innovation: While formal dresses often adhere to classic silhouettes, top brands infuse modern design elements that keep their collections fresh and relevant.

Versatility: The best brands offer a range of styles to suit various body types and preferences, ensuring every individual can find a perfect fit.

Heritage and Reputation: Established brands with a rich history often bring decades of expertise and a reputation for excellence, providing assurance of quality and style.

Leading Formal Dress Brands to Consider

1. Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta epitomizes luxury and elegance. This brand has been a staple in high fashion for decades, renowned for its opulent gowns and sophisticated evening wear. The designs often feature intricate embroidery, delicate lace, and vibrant colors, making them perfect for red-carpet events and gala dinners.

2. Armani

Giorgio Armani's formal dresses are the epitome of understated elegance. The brand's designs are known for their clean lines, impeccable tailoring, and neutral color palettes. Armani's formal wear often features luxurious fabrics and minimalistic designs, allowing the wearer's natural beauty to shine through.

3. Carolina Herrera

Carolina Herrera is synonymous with timeless sophistication. Her formal dresses are celebrated for their classic silhouettes, bold use of color, and exquisite detailing. From elegant ball gowns to chic cocktail dresses, Herrera's designs are perfect for women who want to exude grace and confidence.

4. Vera Wang

Vera Wang is a name that instantly evoke formal dresses pakistani brands  of stunning bridal wear, but her evening gowns and formal dresses are equally breathtaking. Known for her innovative designs and romantic aesthetic, Wang's formal dresses often feature dramatic shapes, luxurious fabrics, and unexpected details that make a bold statement.

5. Elie Saab

Elie Saab's creations are nothing short of magical. The Lebanese designer is renowned for his ethereal gowns that often feature intricate beading, lacework, and flowing fabrics. Saab's formal dresses are perfect for women who want to feel like royalty at any event.

6. Zac Posen

Zac Posen is known for his glamorous and dramatic designs. His formal dresses often feature structured silhouettes, bold colors, and intricate detailing. Posen's creations are ideal for women who want to make a powerful and stylish statement at any formal event.

7. Marchesa

Marchesa is a brand that specializes in feminine and romantic formal wear. The brand's designs often feature delicate lace, tulle, and intricate embroidery. Marchesa's dresses are perfect for women who want to feel like they are walking straight out of a fairy tale.

Emerging Formal Dress Brands to Watch

While formal dress brands  established brands have their charm, emerging formal dress brands bring fresh perspectives and innovative designs to the table. Here are a few up-and-coming brands worth noting:

1. Reem Acra

Reem Acra has quickly gained recognition for her glamorous and intricately detailed gowns. Her designs often feature luxurious fabrics, elaborate beadwork, and a modern twist on classic silhouettes.

2. Jenny Packham

Jenny Packham's designs are perfect for those who love a touch of sparkle. Her formal dresses often feature sequins, crystals, and delicate embellishments that catch the light beautifully.

3. Naeem Khan

Naeem Khan's designs are bold and vibrant. His formal dresses often feature intricate embroidery, bright colors, and unique patterns. Khan's creations are perfect for those who want to stand out from the crowd.

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Formal Dress

Now that you know some of the top formal dress brands, here are a few tips to help you choose the perfect dress for your next event:

1. Consider the Event

The type of event you're attending should significantly influence your choice of dress. For black-tie events, opt for floor-length gowns and sophisticated designs. For cocktail parties, shorter dresses with elegant detailing are more appropriate.

2. Know Your Body Type

Different dress styles flatter different body types. formal dress for men for wedding For example, A-line dresses are great for pear-shaped figures, while mermaid dresses highlight an hourglass shape. Knowing your body type can help you choose a dress that enhances your best features.

3. Choose the Right Color

While classic colors like black, navy, and red are always safe choices, don't be afraid to experiment with other shades that complement your skin tone. Jewel tones like emerald green, sapphire blue, and ruby red can make a striking impact.

4. Pay Attention to Fit

A well-fitted dress can make all the difference. Ensure the dress hugs your body in all the right places without being too tight or too loose. Tailoring can often be the key to achieving that perfect fit.

5. Accessorize Wisely

Your choice of accessories can enhance your overall look. Pair your formal dress with elegant jewelry, a stylish clutch, and the right shoes. However, avoid over-accessorizing; let the dress be the star of your ensemble.

Maintaining Your Formal Dresses

Investing in high-quality formal dresses means you should also take proper care of them to ensure they last for years. Here are some tips for maintaining your formal wear:

1. Follow Care Instructions

Always adhere to the care instructions provided by the brand. Some fabrics require dry cleaning, while others can be hand-washed. Following these instructions can help maintain the integrity of the dress.

2. Proper Storage

Store your formal dresses in a cool, dry place. Use garment bags to protect them from dust and potential damage. Avoid hanging heavy dresses for long periods as this can distort their shape.

3. Handle with Care

Be gentle when handling your dresses. Avoid contact with sharp objects that could cause snags or tears. When wearing, be mindful of makeup, perfume, and food that could stain the fabric.

Conclusion

Choosing the right formal dress formal dresses for weddings brand can elevate your style and confidence for any special occasion. Whether you prefer the timeless elegance of Oscar de la Renta, the modern sophistication of Armani, or the romantic allure of Marchesa, there is a brand out there that perfectly matches your taste and needs. Remember to consider the event, know your body type, and pay attention to fit and color when selecting your dress. By investing in quality brands and maintaining your dresses properly, you can enjoy the luxury and elegance of formal wear for many years to come.