Today we’re talking about robots and corporate playtime, and this song is an apt soundtrack for both. Driving synths make it a handy backdrop for a montage, easy to play on loop. Structured like a love song, the lyrics express yearning— not so much for another person, but for some esoteric sense of grounding. And that’s true of the entire EP, Laughing Gas. The bandleader, Jack Tatum, says the work is “representative of a kind of manufactured bliss and loss of control. So much of people’s lives are caught up in the quest for wholeness and sometimes it feels so much easier to loosen our grip through these fabricated shortcuts, whether it’s escapism, self-medication, seeking external validation or any number of other things.” No wonder they dropped it on New Years’ Eve. Enjoy the listen and good luck with your resolutions.
It’s been a rough few years for Playmobil. When Toys R Us closed, they lost a bunch of business overnight, and they’ve been looking for ways to fill the revenue gaps since. One new direction: adults. Playmobil is selling grown-up play sets to businesses in hopes that a little creative play is just what Doctor McKinsey ordered. With a Playmobil Pro set, you can use blank-white figures (so as to not project identities onto things) to construct super-abstract solutions to super real problems: how do we approach hiring, for instance, or how does this person view her role on her team. Now, LEGO has already implemented a successful corporate program called “Serious Play.” But Playmobil thinks they can do it just as well. Is it enough to simply copy your competition? Following the LEGO Movie, Playmobil’s box office flop might give us a clue. But we’re rooting for them, we really are.
Think about how amazing it feels to ride a horse. It’s you and this giant animal, bonding as you explore the outdoors, wind blowing through your collective manes to underscore your utter liberation. Now, picture that exact moment, only on a robot, indoors. Sounds great, right? It had better, because horse-riding simulations are on the rise, offering a VR-enhanced, not-quite-horse experience at fitness studios for $100 a pop. Horse machines have been around for decades to help rehabilitate jockeys, but it’s only a matter of time before an EquiFIT studio opens in your town, with horses lined up like SoulCycle bikes under a disco ball. Finally— a relaxing activity set to Top 40.
Sometimes a glasses store is not just a glasses store. And— drumroll please— Warby Parker is making contacts now. Their daily line, Scout, promises to be comfortable, breathable, and affordable, all inside a package that uses less plastic (and space) than other contact packs. See here to order a 6-day trial for $5—and then get $5 off your next order.
