Trend 2026

“It’s like the exhilaration of the first summer days spent in amazing places. The energy of the hot sun gives me a boost and drives me forward.” May 24, 2026 

 Tracklist:

Flava D, Anaïs, Dread MC — Entertainer

1991 — Kabuki

Harriet Jaxxon, Jolie P — Everything But U

Makoto, Rasmus Faber — Swing Drops

Technimatic — Days That I Once Knew

Indivision — Sweet Surrender

Viridity, Acris — Golden Skies

Bcee, Charlotte Haining (Emba Remix) — Give Me a Break

Beat Merchants, Dan-I (Command Strange Remix) — Hurricane

Alexvnder — What I do I Love

Gabriella Bongo, lina lexa — Chemistry

Why do I like the EU?

  For me, this question has a rather simple answer.

Because I like the Benelux countries and continental Western Europe…

    European Union 

   

     The Benelux countries, as well as France and continental Western Europe as a whole, represent regions that have historically been very closely interconnected. Strong economic ties, intensive trade relations, and the gradual removal of barriers between states created an environment in which the idea of deeper European cooperation found natural support. Today, people primarily associate openness without border controls with the Schengen Area, but the roots of this effort to connect European countries reach much further back into history.

It is therefore not surprising that many of the fundamental pillars of European integration emerged largely within the Benelux environment. In this sense, Benelux became something of a laboratory for European unification and a model for several mechanisms that were later applied on a broader European scale. France also played an important role in shaping the early stages of European integration.

It was precisely the combination of idealism and pragmatic politics that helped bring the European project to life. Without the conviction held in the Benelux countries and much of France that European nations could cooperate more closely than ever before, the process of integration would probably never have begun. At the same time, however, it could not have succeeded without the realistic balancing of national interests and the search for compromises acceptable to all parties involved.

European integration therefore did not emerge solely as a result of lofty ideals, nor merely as an exercise in cold political calculation. It was a product of both. Benelux and France were among the regions and states that significantly shaped this historical process and gave it a form.

Of course, Italy and West Germany were also closely associated with the origins of the European project. The beginning of European integration is generally considered to be the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. Its founding members were Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, West Germany, and Italy.

The European Union itself, however, was formally established much later through the Maastricht Treaty, which was signed in 1992 and entered into force in 1993. This treaty transformed the existing European Communities into a broader political framework and introduced new areas of cooperation, including common foreign and security policies and closer coordination in matters of justice and home affairs.

For this reason, when I say that I like the European Union, I am referring not only to the institutions created by the Maastricht Treaty, but also to the longer historical process that made them possible. It is the story of neighbouring countries choosing cooperation over rivalry, compromise over confrontation, and the belief that shared interests can provide a foundation for lasting peace and prosperity. 

Another Real Statistics

 A recent survey found that Prague residents have lower levels of trust in other people than inhabitants of many other European capitals. In this respect, Prague is said to resemble cities in Turkey and the Balkans more closely.

The survey focuses on interpersonal trust – that is, the extent to which people trust those who live around them, share public spaces with them, and form the society of which they are a part.

The study also addresses people’s sense of safety. It examines the condition of public spaces, residents’ experiences, the presence of socially excluded areas, and concerns related to moving around the city at night. According to the findings, most of Prague residents do not generally feel safe in their environment.

Prague is often portrayed as a prosperous metropolis with low unemployment and a rich cultural scene. However, interpersonal trust tends to weaken in environments where people face long-term economic insecurity or intense competition and social selection. Under such circumstances, overall trust is usually lower.

In a way, I recently pointed this out in connection with another survey: low unemployment does not necessarily mean a high quality of life. It merely indicates that unemployment levels are low. Wages, living costs, and, in some cases, opportunistic behaviour provide a clearer picture of people’s actual living standards. If we look at how people genuinely experience their quality of life, some countries certainly do not feel like they belong among the world’s top twenty richest nations. 

In a way, although society is supposed to be secure and prosperous due to the high level of employment, shoplifting has indeed increased according to police statistics. In March 2026, it was reported that the number of these cases had risen by approximately 15% compared with the previous year.

Critical reflection of a myself

 I reflected on myself when I felt that this gesture was the right one. I admired Sofia Krainska’s raised clenched fist. At the same time, I recognize that people can hold complex and sometimes seemingly contradictory views.

For example, I am a fan of the New York Islanders. Isles goaltender, Ilya Sorokin, has often been the player who keeps the team in the game. I also prefer Sorokin on the Isles over the Czech goaltender David Rittich. Rittich cannot even be the number one goalie for the Isles, and I would rather see Semyon Varlamov return to the Islanders from Bridgeport, as Varlamov was also better than Rittich. 

In electronic music, there are also artists and figures whom I admire, even if others might see this as conflicting with the opinions I expressed after seeing Krainska’s gesture. 

What I value most, however, is the willingness to stand by one’s principles. This is something I saw in both Sofia Krainska and Varvara Chubarova, whose refusal to compromise their convictions earned my respect. 

These days

“When I turn, in the moment, feel the same.” 

 

    The afterparty after the Sunday by the Sea lasted until 3 a.m. I had to convince myself to finally end the unexpected Sunday event. I was planning to go to Luxembourg city and France for a while on Monday. 

For two hours, I danced on the bed. Like a silent disco, the same trance song kept looping over and over — Hot As Hades (John O’Callaghan Remix). Sometimes I imagined my own lyrics in place of the original words. These days, and the first truly summer-like days of the year. It was a huge euphoria, the feeling that I also could have been somewhere else. Looking back now, I’m almost surprised by the level of euphoria I was in — from Sunday into Monday, dancing half-naked on the bed while looking out the windows. 

I had already drunk two Dutch beers before 8 p.m. on Sunday. I laughed about the fact that I was drinking an ordinary Dutch blackcurrant lemonade — it tasted unbelievably good to me. It’s actually pretty strong. Looking back today, I can’t even remember exactly why I laughed so much about that lemonade, pretty strong. I only have a photo of myself half-naked with the drink, when I forced myself to take a picture of that amazing ordinary lemonade from Zeeland.