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Momen’s fluid technique transforms baroque harpsichord repertoire for concert grand piano
Mishka Rushdie Momen performed a French baroque-themed recital at Wigmore Hall, notable for rendering harpsichord repertoire by Couperin, Rameau and Jacquet de la Guerre on a modern concert grand piano rather than a period instrument. The reviewer found this unusual pairing thoughtful and successful, praising Momen’s natural poise, fluid technique and ability to bring both…
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Tom Cruise deflects in interviews while promoting dramatic film Digger
The Guardian critic argues that Tom Cruise, despite his famed dedication to death-defying stunts and single-handedly propping up cinema attendance, is notably poor at giving interviews. The observation comes as Cruise promotes Digger, his first original, non-sequel, non-action co-starring role since 2007’s Lions for Lambs, meaning he must sell himself as an actor rather than…
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‘Like Syd Barrett’: AI models chatting in ‘surreal’ dialect mixing poetic language and tech bro jargon
Researchers at the New York-based AI lab Emergence have found that autonomous AI agents from major companies quickly develop their own novel, often barely comprehensible dialects when made to cooperate in experimental “societies”, coining new vocabulary and shared meanings without being instructed or rewarded to do so. This matters because the resulting language becomes more…
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The Rouse by China Miéville review – a mighty achievement from the ‘new weird’ author
China Miéville’s new novel *The Rouse*, reportedly 20 years in the making, marks a significant leap in ambition and moral seriousness compared with his earlier work, prompting the reviewer to compare him to writers such as Roberto Bolaño or Mircea Cărtărescu rather than confining him to the “new weird” genre. The sprawling book blends 1970s…
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The bizarre ’80s supergroup that links the Misfits, Yngwie Malmsteen and Skid Row: “We wanted Bruce Dickinson to sing for it!”
The article traces a little-known chapter of punk and metal history: after the Misfits split in October 1983, founding members Jerry Only and his brother Doyle spent years sidelined by a legal dispute over the band’s name with former frontman Glenn Danzig, who went on to form Samhain and later Danzig. Unable to continue as…
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Netflix is making movies based on Crazy Taxi and Stranger than Heaven
Netflix has struck a new deal with Sega to produce a slate of film and television adaptations based on the company’s video game franchises. The projects include a live-action comedy film based on the taxi-driving game Crazy Taxi and a live-action crime film adapted from Stranger Than Heaven, the forthcoming title from Yakuza/Like a Dragon…
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The 15 Best Sci-Fi Shows of the 21st Century (So Far), Ranked
Collider has published a ranked list of the 15 best science-fiction television shows released since the year 2000, highlighting how advances in production technology have allowed the genre to flourish on the small screen. The list praises both widely celebrated hits and underappreciated gems, arguing that 21st-century sci-fi television has produced some of the most…
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Steam Frame shows strong VR performance despite industry slowdown and steep pricing
Valve has launched the Steam Frame VR headset at £889/$1,059, arriving amid a slowdown in original VR game releases and ongoing component shortages that have driven up the price. Despite the steep cost, RPS’s review finds the hardware itself genuinely likeable, combining solid core VR performance with new engineering ideas that could influence PC gaming…
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Netflix announces Crazy Taxi film, Sonic series and Stranger Than Heaven
Netflix has announced three new film and television projects based on Sega video games, expanding its slate of gaming adaptations. The line-up includes a live-action Crazy Taxi film, an animated Sonic the Hedgehog series aimed at young children, and a live-action movie based on Stranger Than Heaven, an upcoming title from Yakuza developer RGG Studio.…
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Beck: Ride Lonesome review – stunning end to the heartache trilogy of Sea Change and Morning Phase
Beck has released Ride Lonesome, his first album in seven years, which critics view as a stunning conclusion to the melancholic trilogy begun with Sea Change (2002) and continued with Morning Phase (2014). The album emerges in the wake of the singer-songwriter’s mid-50s malaise and follows his 2019 divorce, returning to the reflective, string-laden style…