Latest news with #Stairway
Daily Mirror
06-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Beautiful 'Hawaii of Europe' you can fly to with Ryanair
One travel expert's advice may just make your summer Craving a slice of Hawaii without breaking the bank? One travel enthusiast may just have an ideal budget-friendly recommendation for you. Last month, 'Jamie Travel' took to TikTok to share his admiration for what's commonly dubbed the 'Hawaii of Europe'. Boasting picturesque black sand beaches, mountain trails and vibrant cultural spots, this hidden gem has something for everyone. And Jamie said he managed to get return flights for £67 with Ryanair, too. "I always wondered why Madeira was called the 'Hawaii of Europe' and soon found out why," Jamie told his 29,000 followers. "I visited for four days earlier this year, and it definitely exceeded my expectations. If you love adventure, hiking or just spending time in nature, but also want the option to chill by a pool, I highly encourage you to visit. "We secured flights for just £67, made our way into one of the most dangerous airport landings in Europe before checking into our hotel in the city of Funchal." Madeira is a small Portuguese archipelago situated roughly 1,000 km from the European mainland and 500 km from North Africa. It consists of four scenic islands, and its capital city, Funchal, was the birthplace of legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. Although Jamie insists there are '101 things to do' in Madeira, he drew special attention to its various hiking routes, which are also known as 'PR trails'. These run alongside waterfalls and pass through tunnels while providing 'breathtaking mountain views'. He continued: "It's impossible to show you everything that we got up to in one short video, but I will show you the best of what we did there. We started day one by taking a Bolt Taxi up to the PR1 trail for what turned out to be an absolutely incredible sunrise. READ MORE: Love Islander Demi Jones says she brushed off key symptom before cancer diagnosis "We followed the trail to many of the viewpoints along the way and also walked the famous 'Stairway to Heaven'. We then took a cable car up to Monte Palace, which is one of the most unique places in Madeira before opting for a quicker way down using the famous wicker toboggan ride." In the days following, Jamie and his companions spent some time exploring the island's black sand beaches and natural pools. They also ventured through the eerily enchanting Fanal Forest, considered part of the Laurisilva Forest. You'd be forgiven for thinking this UNESCO Heritage site was pulled straight from a set of The Hobbit. It conserves the largest surviving area of primary laurel forest - a vegetation type now confined to the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. "We also hiked the PR9 trail, which is a 14km out-and-back trail that passes through waterfalls and tunnels," Jamie said. "And you end up at this huge waterfall, the Caldeirão Verde. "It is definitely a trip that went far too quick, so I hope to revisit in the near future. I hope this is your sign to book that trip to Madeira, as it's not somewhere you want to miss."
Tom's Guide
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
5 best classic rock tracks to test your new headphones
So you just got a new pair of the best wireless headphones. Lucky you! You're now unconstrained by wires, tethered by a 30-year-old connection standard, and you might even have futuristic tech that blocks out all the noise. But, as you pull them from their cardboard prison, you glance at the Led Zeppelin Fallen Angel poster on your wall; 'What's the best classic rock track that I can test these puppies out with?' Well, wonder no more — I am both an insufferable audio nerd and a fan of classic rock music. Here are the 5 best tracks that I use to test headphones, thanks to their sound quality, stereo recording, or specific strength that puts your headphones through the ringer. So get the best music streaming services running — we're going on a trip to the seventies, baby. Don't forget your corduroy. From $10.83 per month If you're looking for the best way to listen to your classic rock tracks, look no further than Qobuz. It's full of all your favorite tracks and boasts the best streaming quality that Tom's Guide has ever heard. In fact, it's what the Tom's Guide testing team uses to test all the headphones we get in for review! Led Zeppelin IV is chock full of some of the best classic rock to ever grace the ears of a headbanger — and while Stairway would normally be a go-to for most (and banned in Guitar Center), Misty Mountain Hop is my choice for testing headphones. It's all down to the rock n' roll beat, immaculate seventies stereo separation, and the expansive soundstage. Before the days of Dolby Atmos and other spatial audio formats, acts wanted to play with two-channel stereo recording to see just what it was capable of. I'm not sure many acts played with it quite like Led Zeppelin — screeching guitars that dance between left and right in the likes of Whole Lotta Love, dancing moans in Lemon Song… you get the picture. But Misty Mountain Hop uses stereo to make the music sound bigger and more layered. I want to see if my new headphones can separate the guitars at the beginning of the track, and nail the vocals directly into the center of the mix. I want to hear the drums move from ear to ear, as Bonham dances across the kit. I want the track to feel huge — and some of that is down to the headphones and their ability to widen a soundstage and replicate the stereo mix with precision. I'll admit, part of this list is just me showing my knowledge of various classic rock acts and their back catalogue. Could I have chosen Shine On You Crazy Diamond or Money as quintessential tracks to test your headphones? Yes, but they're not as fun as the final track on Atom Heart Mother. For 13 minutes, Pink Floyd make you wonder what you want for breakfast, as the (presumably) titular Alan goes about his morning, intertwined with various trippy musical interludes. This is another stereo mix that I like to use. I want to make sure that when Alan is pouring his cornflakes, the left channel is completely silent, before the plucked guitar line picks itself up from the studio floor. The placement of Gilmore's restrained solo needs to be smack bang in the center of the mix, and the steady warming of the track has to build with each low note. The voice that comes in around the seventh minute needs to be just out of earshot, and crackling bacon needs to sound like it's next to me. It's a bizarre fever dream, and the weird, occasional loud voice has to be really loud. Headphones lacking in dynamics often struggle with Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast, so I use it every time. Apart from being one of the most heartfelt love songs ever written, Knights In White Satin is a great way to test how dynamic a pair of headphones is. While not the highest fidelity, it goes from calm and restrained to huge and orchestral in the blink of an eye — and I need my headphones to keep up. The drums need to move from earcup to earcup, and the strange vocal affectations need to be clear and high without being fatiguing and dominating. The bass guitare needs plenty of body, and the track needs to sound huge as the instruments layer onto each other. It's song sung and played from the heart — and I want to hear and feel every beat from my headphones. I am not immune to Geddy Lee's rock epic. Not only is it a wonderful showcase of what rock was becoming in the dawn of the eighties, but it's also a great way to test out your newest pair of wireless headphones. It's big, loud, a little bit silly, and loads and loads of prog-rock fun. From that first synth drop and the instantly catchy drum beat to the closing seconds as the music fades back to silence, there's plenty for a good pair of headphones to get their teeth into. It's detail that I'm looking for when I listen to Tom Sawyer. The cymbals of the drums need to be detailed and precise, and while Lee's almost falsetto vocals need to be high without being too piercing. Then there's the drum beat. The drums are set up tight, with a fairly sharp snare tone. It needs to sound quick — some headphones struggle with timing, and the snare often ends up feeling flabby. Finally, there's that guitar solo that, like the cymbals, needs to be just on the tolerable side of piercing. It is a high note — that is unavoidable — but it shouldn't sound like it's detracting from the rest of the track. Whenever Ann Wilson opens her mouth, brilliance emerges. Magic Man's perfect rock n' roll beat and twanging guitars are a great example, and the perfect way to test how rhythmic your headphones are — and Wilson's voice makes a great test for the vocal clarity of your cans. It also happens to be an excellent piece of seventies rock, reminding you that Robert Plant didn't have a patent on soaring rock vocals throughout the decade. The drums need to be well-timed in your headphones. They're another tight rock and roll kit, and some headphones aren't as exacting in pulling out all their resolution. Similarly, the guitar part needs to be wide and warm, while Wilson's vocals move across the frequency range. Then there's the bongo drum — it has a habit of disappearing with some headphones, overlaid and forgotten by the rest of the ensemble. This is an exacting track, and your headphones need to keep up to give you that 70s rock kick.
Express Tribune
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Zayn Malik professes love for his fans in Urdu
In a video clip circulating on social media, former One Direction member Zayn Malik playfully sang a short phrase in Urdu during a live performance on January 25. After fans chanted in encouragement, he delivered a melodic "Main tumse pyar karta hoon" (I love you) in his father's language, prompting loud cheers. The moment took place during a show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, as part of the 32-year-old singer's debut solo tour. Stairway to the Sky runs till March this year, marking stops in Europe and North America. Earlier this week, during Zayn's LA stop, former bandmate Louis Tomlinson attended his show at the Shrine Exposition Hall. As per NME, Zayn announced Louis's presence mid-show. "An old friend of mine is here. I don't want to give his location away but Louis is here tonight," said the Pillowtalk singer. With a number of covers and collaborations to his name, Zayn has tapped into his South Asian roots many times in the past. In January last year, Pakistani band AUR featured him on their track Tu Hai Kahan, taking fans by surprise with his Urdu vocals. Zayn told BBC that he was "incredibly humbled" when the band reached out to him. "I love the song and have brought some of myself to it. I hope people love what we've done," he said. The comments section under the YouTube upload of the music video brimmed with admiration. "I love Zayn's versatility and how he embraces his roots. This is a beautiful song," a user wrote. "The original version was already beautiful but with Zayn's voice it is just mesmerising," praised another. Echoing the sentiments of the One Direction singer's longtime enthusiasts, a fan gushed, "I can't even explain how I felt after listening to Zayn's verse. This is what I had always dreamt of: Zayn singing in Urdu. I never expected I would hear the high notes in Urdu. There's no way that I get to listen to this. This still feels like a dream." The intermission song, Flower, on Zayn's 2016 album, Mind of Mine, was sung in Urdu. Five years down the line, his 2021 album Nobody is Listening also incorporated Urdu lyrics. Speaking more on his music influences in an interview, he explained, "There's definitely a lot of Urdu; some nice qawwali sounds. There might even be some bhangra vibes. I have worked with [music producer] AR Rahman on one song."
