Fashion
Step Into the Future With Grimes’s AI-Powered Sleep Soundscape
Grimes collaborated with the Berlin-based tech collective Endel to help ease anxiety and insomnia with an “AI Lullaby.”…


“I think the technology-driven lack of sleep is a big problem and having widespread mental health effects,” writes C Boucher (better known as the musician Grimes) over email as we discuss her latest project. It’s called “AI Lullaby,” and it’s a scientifically engineered sleep soundscape that just launched on Endel.
It was C (the artist recently announced her new name) who approached Endel’s team of artists and developers about a collaboration after she tried their app, which boasts over two million downloads. “I just appreciated that the app isn’t addictive. It doesn’t keep you up on your phone. Instead it actually helps you sleep,” she says of its A.I.-customized sound environments with functions like Focus, Sleep, and Relaxation. Within the app, users can select a desired mode to match their current activity. Focus, for example, sounds like spacey keyboards and chimes designed to facilitate zoning in to a task. For “AI Lullaby,” C’s vocals float from soothing “aaaaaah…” ranges to an indistinguishable language that sometimes sounds like she’s saying “hi, baby” (the project was inspired, in part, by her experience as a new mom). The level of artificial intelligence that’s in play can be customized via “Real-Time Inputs,” where tracking can be turned on or off for details like current location, heart rate, and light exposure. It’s all meant to help your brain operate at effortless peak performance, something called Endel calls “tech-aided bodily function” in their manifesto.
According to Endel, the ultimate goal is improving global wellbeing. Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry shared in May that anxiety is a “prime contributor to sleep difficulty.” This direct relationship means that as anxiety rises with political uncertainty, economic unrest, and almost a year of pandemic-related distress, so does insomnia. They suggest a possible benefit from “meditation or ‘mindfulness’ exercises.” The Dalai Lama, often credited with the quote “sleep is the best meditation,” discusses incorporating technology and spiritual practice for a “great contribution for entire humanity” in a 2011 documentary short. A decade later, the concept is mainstream.
“The world really needs this right now. Not just the U.S. with the election cycle, but here we literally just got news that Germany is going into a partial lockdown,” says Endel CEO Oleg Stavitsky on a Zoom call joined by Nadya Yurinova, CMO, from their Berlin headquarters. “We practice mindfulness meditation–but we have to remember that this is a very elitist thing these days.” Beyond the expense of classes, retreats, and apps (a lifetime Endel subscription is $89.99), time is money. “You have to have the luxury to commit that time to meditate every single day. So our approach is something completely different: we create this soundscape that follows you everywhere, and it affects your cognitive state without you having to do anything,” he says. “We’re hopefully democratizing access to this sense of being present–and when you are present, you’re able to notice the beautiful things around you.”
News
Nike Zoom Hyperflight “Safari” Official Images Reveal Bold Print Ahead of Holiday Release
The Nike Zoom Hyperflight is getting a bold new look, with the “Safari” colorway coming soon. We have official photos of the unique design for a closer look. The sneaker sports bright orange accents and a translucent outsold, and is expected to arrive during the holiday season at a retail price of $190.
The new version is inspired by the Safari print that is familiar from the Air Safari. That pattern covers most of the Hyperflight’s soft, molded upper, giving the basketball shoe a unique look compared with some of the model’s other recent colorways. Together, the unusual texture and pattern make the silhouette feel especially suited to the adventurous design.
The primary contrast across the shoe is orange, used in the trim and other details. The bright color pops against the speckled base without being overwhelming. Black is also present in the design, on the glossy support structure around the midfoot and the soft leather collar. The look is topped off with a see-through outsole that adds another visual element to the overall color scheme.
The sneaker will drop with style code IZ2573-010 and is expected in men’s sizing. With a retail price tag of $190, Nike, Foot Locker, and Sheikh are among the expected retailers. As for when you can expect it, it’s likely to be the holiday season, though we don’t have a solid release date.
The “Safari” colorway comes amid a busy period for the Zoom Hyperflight. This year, Nike has revived the model in several colors, bringing a new wave of attention to the silhouette through a series of releases. Another forthcoming option is the vibrant “Green Apple” pair, also scheduled for a holiday season release.
The Hyperflight’s history also provides context for the latest return. Jason Williams wore the model in the early 2000s, linking it to a memorable era for the sneaker. That association also helps explain why new colorways can generate excitement beyond the shoe’s look, especially for those who remember it from its previous run.
The Safari design is a definitive statement that does not change the characteristic shape of the Hyperflight. Instead, it uses the familiar silhouette as a canvas for a pattern that has already become recognizable through another Nike model. The orange accents provide a bright contrast, while the black midfoot structure and collar balance it out.
Now that official images have surfaced, sneaker fans have a clearer idea of what to expect from the holiday release. The $190 price, style code, and expected retail partners have also been identified, but a specific launch date has not been confirmed.
For Nike, the “Safari” is another way to bring attention back to the Zoom Hyperflight. One of its more distinctive new looks is this returning model, featuring speckled print, orange trim, black support details, and an icy-looking translucent outsole.
News
Lil Yachty Previews Another Nike Air Force 1 Mid, This Time With Blue and Orange Stitching
Lil Yachty has added another eye-catching design to his ever-growing collection of Nike US Force 1 Mids, this time going for a cleaner white look accented by blue and orange stitching. The rapper’s latest take on the shoe keeps the familiar silhouette. Still, it uses contrasting details to give the shoe its own identity, something the artist is known for, showing off a steady run of variations on the silhouette.
Dubbed the “White Contrast Stitch,” the pair features white leather across most of the upper. Rather than altering the classic Air Force 1 Mid profile or incorporating a strange material, the design uses stitching to separate the design visually. Blue stitching embellishes the leather panels, and each side of the shoe’s Swoosh is lined with orange.
The combo adds a subtle but noticeable splash of color to the mostly white sneaker. It’s a more muted take than some of the more adventurous pairs Yachty has shown recently, so this version feels like the more no-nonsense option in his growing collection.
The new design adds to the long list of Air Force 1 Mid looks associated with the rapper this year. Earlier previews have featured a stars-and-stripes pair, an orange version with black stars, and a yellow colorway tied to ComplexCon. Each has put a different spin on the familiar silhouette, helping make Yachty’s run of designs a continuing talking point among sneaker watchers.
Earlier this year, another pair of the shoes, this time with blue and red detailing and thick white stitching, was also teased. That version is expected to launch around the holidays, but the details provided don’t confirm whether it will launch alongside the recently unveiled white one.
Some questions remain unanswered about the “White Contrast Stitch” design. Nike has not confirmed any price, style code, or even whether the sneaker will be released to the public. The design has drawn attention through its online appearance and Yachty’s preview, but neither sets a launch date nor guarantees consumers can buy it.
That anticipation makes the latest reveal more of a first look than a proper release announcement. The white leather upper and blue-and-orange stitching are on display, but key retail details remain unknown. For now, there is no confirmed timeline for when the pair might hit stores, or if it will be offered beyond the preview.
Still, the design adds another variation to a collection that has featured a wide variety of colors and details. The white base makes this one more subtle, while the contrast stitching keeps it from being a straight-up all-white release.
Yachty’s latest preview continues his ongoing relationship with the silhouette, with several other Air Force 1 Mid designs already shown this year. It’s not clear if the “White Contrast Stitch” pair will ever make it to the light of day, but it’s definitely added another distinct look to his growing collection.
-
Album Review3 days agoLegends of the Seven Golden Vampires explore healing and personal growth on “The Pumphouse of Broken Dreams” [album]
-
Artist Spotlight3 days agoRicky’s Rebel Rabble honor family and remembrance through “Molly”
-
Artist Spotlight4 days agoT1M1 featuring Keybeaux confront artificial creativity with latest release “Hip Slop”
-
Artist Spotlight3 days agofor KING & COUNTRY celebrate faith and everyday joy on “the most beautiful colours”
-
Album Review3 days agoBrynja Rán finds clarity in complicated relationships on “Unblurred” [album]
-
Artist Spotlight4 days agoLil Bales unveils a love bomb on latest release “Rust”
-
Artist Spotlight1 day agoBoy Sim explores heartbreak and self-deception on “Cloud Nine”
-
Artist Spotlight4 days agoTerry Ennison examines faith, illusion, death, and transformation on latest release “Testimonial”

