diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ad6f387..ed12872 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ The installed CLI on the current desktop is older than the Amane docs: it doesn'
 ```sh
 amane ipc call island toggle           # also: open, close
 amane ipc call island next             # show the next player
+amane ipc call island play-pause       # play/pause the shown player; the icon flips at once
 amane ipc call island menu output      # open a dropdown: output | player | close
 amane ipc call island preset Rock      # apply an equalizer preset to the shown player
 amane ipc call island output <sink>    # move the shown player to a sink (pactl sink name)
diff --git a/src/art.rs b/src/art.rs
index d4218ae..9aea641 100644
--- a/src/art.rs
+++ b/src/art.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ impl Service for Art {
                 *Self::write() = Self { url, path };
             }
 
-            thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(1));
+            // 4 checks a second: after next/previous the new cover follows the title quickly
+            thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(250));
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/island.rs b/src/island.rs
index b917faf..9be1656 100644
--- a/src/island.rs
+++ b/src/island.rs
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ pub struct Island {
      */
     opened_on: Option<String>,
     pointer_on: Option<String>,
+
+    // a clicked play/pause, (player, playing), shown until the player has answered
+    playing_now: Option<(String, bool)>,
 }
 
 impl Service for Island {
@@ -166,6 +169,7 @@ impl Service for Island {
             hover: HashMap::new(),
             opened_on: None,
             pointer_on: None,
+            playing_now: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -301,7 +305,7 @@ pub fn view(monitor: &Monitor) -> LayerWindow {
 
         veiled(card(&scene), width, height, radius, reveal, &colors)
     } else if pill > 0.0 {
-        veiled(compact(player, &art.path, levels), width, height, radius, pill, &colors)
+        veiled(compact(player, playing(player, &island), &art.path, levels), width, height, radius, pill, &colors)
     } else {
         // mid-grow: the empty shape alone, the cheapest frames of the animation
         Rectangle::new().width(0.0).height(0.0)
@@ -424,7 +428,7 @@ fn toggle_menu(menu: Menu) {
 
 /*
  * `amane ipc call island ...` for keybinds (and tests):
- * open | close | toggle | next | menu output|player|close | preset <name> | output <sink name> | status
+ * open | close | toggle | next | play-pause | menu output|player|close | preset <name> | output <sink name> | status
  */
 pub fn command(arguments: &[String]) -> String {
     let words: Vec<&str> = arguments.iter().map(String::as_str).collect();
@@ -442,6 +446,18 @@ pub fn command(arguments: &[String]) -> String {
             if expanded { collapse() } else { expand() }
         }
         ["next"] => next_player(),
+        ["play-pause"] => {
+            // copied out, so both locks are let go before play_pause writes the island
+            let player = shown(&Media::read(), selected.as_deref()).cloned();
+
+            let Some(player) = player else {
+                return String::from("no player");
+            };
+
+            let before = playing(&player, &Island::read());
+
+            play_pause(&player, before);
+        }
         ["menu", which] => {
             let menu = match *which {
                 "output" => Some(Menu::Output),
@@ -474,7 +490,7 @@ pub fn command(arguments: &[String]) -> String {
 
             return format!("player={identity} expanded={} menu={}", island.expanded, island.menu.is_some());
         }
-        _ => return String::from("usage: island open|close|toggle|next|menu <output|player|close>|preset <name>|output <sink>|status"),
+        _ => return String::from("usage: island open|close|toggle|next|play-pause|menu <output|player|close>|preset <name>|output <sink>|status"),
     }
 
     String::from("ok")
@@ -567,7 +583,7 @@ fn faded(color: Color, alpha: u8) -> Color {
 }
 
 // the pill: cover, title, the player's live levels
-fn compact(player: &MediaPlayer, art: &str, levels: &[f32]) -> Rectangle {
+fn compact(player: &MediaPlayer, playing: bool, art: &str, levels: &[f32]) -> Rectangle {
     Rectangle::new()
         .width(COMPACT_W)
         .height(COMPACT_H)
@@ -580,7 +596,7 @@ fn compact(player: &MediaPlayer, art: &str, levels: &[f32]) -> Rectangle {
                     .height(COMPACT_H)
                     .align_child(Start, Center)
                     .child(Text::new(title(player)).size(12.0).color(TEXT).elide()),
-                pill_levels(player.playing(), levels),
+                pill_levels(playing, levels),
             ])
             .gap(10.0)
             .align(Center),
@@ -906,12 +922,14 @@ fn controls(player: &MediaPlayer, island: &Island) -> Row {
     let toggle = player.clone();
     let next = player.clone();
 
+    let shown = playing(player, island);
+
     // hovered, the transport icons go bold: thicker strokes, nothing else
     let lit = island.lit(Spot::PlayPause);
 
     let middle = Rectangle::new().width(CONTROLS_H).height(CONTROLS_H).align_child(Center, Center);
 
-    let middle = if player.playing() {
+    let middle = if shown {
         let bar = || Rectangle::new().width(10.0 + BOLD * lit).height(30.0 + BOLD * lit).radius(3.0).fill(PINK);
 
         middle.child(Row::new(children![bar(), bar()]).gap(7.0 - BOLD * lit))
@@ -920,9 +938,15 @@ fn controls(player: &MediaPlayer, island: &Island) -> Row {
     };
 
     Row::new(children![
-        button(Glyph::Previous, island.lit(Spot::Previous)).on_hover(hovering(Spot::Previous)).on_click(move |_| previous.previous()),
-        middle.cursor(Pointer).on_hover(hovering(Spot::PlayPause)).on_click(move |_| toggle.play_pause()),
-        button(Glyph::Next, island.lit(Spot::Next)).on_hover(hovering(Spot::Next)).on_click(move |_| next.next()),
+        button(Glyph::Previous, island.lit(Spot::Previous)).on_hover(hovering(Spot::Previous)).on_click(move |_| {
+            previous.previous();
+            refresh_soon(None);
+        }),
+        middle.cursor(Pointer).on_hover(hovering(Spot::PlayPause)).on_click(move |_| play_pause(&toggle, shown)),
+        button(Glyph::Next, island.lit(Spot::Next)).on_hover(hovering(Spot::Next)).on_click(move |_| {
+            next.next();
+            refresh_soon(None);
+        }),
     ])
     .gap(26.0)
     .align(Center)
@@ -931,6 +955,47 @@ fn controls(player: &MediaPlayer, island: &Island) -> Row {
     .height(CONTROLS_H)
 }
 
+// whether to show `player` as playing: a just-clicked play/pause wins until the player has answered
+fn playing(player: &MediaPlayer, island: &Island) -> bool {
+    match &island.playing_now {
+        Some((name, playing)) if name == player.name() => *playing,
+        _ => player.playing(),
+    }
+}
+
+// the icon flips now, the player confirms a moment later; `shown` is what the island shows before
+fn play_pause(player: &MediaPlayer, shown: bool) {
+    let flipped = (player.name().to_string(), !shown);
+
+    Island::write().playing_now = Some(flipped.clone());
+
+    player.play_pause();
+    refresh_soon(Some(flipped));
+}
+
+/*
+ * Media polls the players once a second, so a click would show up to a second late:
+ * read them again right after the player has had time to answer, then let the real
+ * state replace the clicked one (unless another click has replaced it since)
+ */
+fn refresh_soon(clicked: Option<(String, bool)>) {
+    thread::spawn(move || {
+        for wait in [150, 450] {
+            thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(wait));
+
+            let _ = Media::write().update();
+        }
+
+        if clicked.is_some() {
+            let mut island = Island::write();
+
+            if island.playing_now == clicked {
+                island.playing_now = None;
+            }
+        }
+    });
+}
+
 // a transport icon button, going bold as `lit` rises
 fn button(glyph: Glyph, lit: f32) -> Rectangle {
     Rectangle::new()