49 h. ago Stereolab: Instant Holograms on Metal Film review – after 15 years, the retro

(Duophonic)Motorik grooves, Marxist critique and vintage synths – in their first album since 2010, Lætitia Sadier et al pick up where they left off yet sound more timely than everThe first sound you hear on Stereolab’s first new studio album in 15 years is a burst of arpeggiated synth tones. It sounds not unlike the once futuristic ident of a long-defunct TV channel. The first words you hear Lætita Sadier and backing vocalist Marie Merlet sing – their voices winding around each other in a sweet-but-sad melody, over the tight, mid-tempo rhythm of Aerial Troubles – are “the numbing is not working any more / An unfillable hole, an insatiable state of consumption (systemic) / assigned trajectory (extortion).”To which, of course, the seasoned Stereolab fan might break into a contented smile of recognition and sigh “mais naturellement”. A retro-futurist aesthetic; tight, hypnotic grooves derived from the motorik krautrock of Neu!; vintage synthesiser tones and vocals that entwine around e...

Politics

3 d. ago Sing when you’re winning: how karaoke in cars heralds the triumph of Chinese firms

European manufacturers of electric vehicles are scrambling to match the technology of their Chinese rivalsIf Chinese carmakers are to be believed, a lot of people really love karaoke. Those people love karaoke so much that they want it in their family car.This was not something the European mind could comprehend a few years ago, according to Volkswagen’s chief financial officer, Arno Antlitz. Yet the technology, included in electric cars sold by China’s BYD and Xpeng, is just one example of the lessons that Volkswagen and its European counterparts have had to learn as they scramble to keep up with Chinese rivals on track to dominate the global electric car market. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Brits' favourite shopping app Temu 'makes a fortune from wrecking our planet'

Experts claim Chinese firm Temu is causing a toxic carbon footprint by flying in cheap products to the UK in under a week - as well as adding to our throwaway culture

Economics

3 w. ago ‘Source of data’: are electric cars vulnerable to cyber spies and hackers?

British defence firms have reportedly warned staff not to connect their phones to Chinese-made EVsMobile phones and desktop computers are longstanding targets for cyber spies – but how vulnerable are electric cars?On Monday the i newspaper claimed that British defence firms working for the UK government have warned staff against connecting or pairing their phones with Chinese-made electric cars, due to fears that Beijing could extract sensitive data from the devices. Continue reading...

Technology

3 w. ago Don't charge your phone in a Chinese electric car, UK defence firms warn amid 'security data fears'

Bosses at two of Britain's top defence companies have said the sector is taking a 'cautious' and 'belt and braces' approach to the possibility that the Chinese state could be spying on cars.

Events

4 w. ago Celtic winning triggers horrible Rangers summers for man who wants stars to sing blues before takeover

The Celts’ champagne are set to pop for a 13th season out of the past 14

Politics