diff --git a/docs/design/liquid-0.4-card.png b/docs/design/liquid-0.4-card.png
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diff --git a/docs/design/liquid-board.png b/docs/design/liquid-board.png
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diff --git a/shell.conf b/shell.conf
index ad83052..7f105fe 100644
--- a/shell.conf
+++ b/shell.conf
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ transition_ms = 400
 
 # how opaque the shell's surfaces are, 0.05 to 1 (1 = solid). below 1 the desktop shows
 # through; to frost it, Hyprland has to blur behind the shell (README: Glass)
-glass = 1.0
+glass = 0.4
diff --git a/src/surface.rs b/src/surface.rs
index 86c6b47..3659c2b 100644
--- a/src/surface.rs
+++ b/src/surface.rs
@@ -1,28 +1,55 @@
-use amane::{Blend, Color, Rectangle, Shadow};
+use amane::{Blend, Color, Gradient, Rectangle, Shadow, Stack, children};
 
-use crate::island::{backdrop, faded};
+use crate::island::faded;
 use crate::theme;
 
 /*
  * what the island, the idle pill and the workspace pill are made of: one place, so
  * a design is this file. `shell` wraps `content` (already width x height, with its
  * own alignment and padding) in the surface. `lift` (0 to 1) is how hovered it is.
- * the default: the gradient of `colors`, a 1 px rim, a soft glow in the accent
+ *
+ * design: liquid glass. clear glass (0.4 by default) over what Hyprland blurs behind
+ * the shell, denser toward the bottom right where the equalizer's labels sit; a bright
+ * edge where light enters at the top left and leaves at the bottom right; and a soft
+ * accent glow, as if the glass took on the wallpaper's colour. hovered, it glows more
  */
 pub fn shell(width: f32, height: f32, radius: f32, colors: &[Color; 3], lift: f32, content: Rectangle) -> Rectangle {
     let theme = theme::now();
+    let glass = theme::glass();
+
+    // clearer at the top left, where nothing needs reading, denser at the bottom right
+    let fill = Gradient::linear(
+        150.0,
+        [
+            (0.0, faded(colors[0], alpha(glass * 0.55))),
+            (0.55, faded(colors[1], alpha(glass))),
+            (1.0, faded(colors[2], alpha(glass * 1.6))),
+        ],
+    );
+
+    // the light catching the edges: strong at the top left, a faint return at the bottom right
+    let light = Rectangle::new()
+        .width(width - 2.0)
+        .height(height - 2.0)
+        .radius((radius - 1.0).max(0.0))
+        .fill(Gradient::linear(135.0, [(0.0, white(60)), (0.16, white(14)), (0.4, white(0)), (0.82, white(0)), (1.0, white(26))]))
+        .translate(1.0, 1.0);
 
     Rectangle::new()
         .width(width)
         .height(height)
         .radius(radius)
-        .fill(backdrop(colors, alpha(theme::glass())))
-        .border(1.0, Color::blend(theme.outline, faded(theme.accent, 110), lift))
-        .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme.accent).opacity(0.3 + 0.4 * lift).blur(22.0))
-        .child(content)
+        .fill(fill)
+        .border(1.5, Color::blend(white(84), faded(theme.flame, 200), lift))
+        .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme.accent).opacity(0.22 + 0.3 * lift).blur(24.0))
+        .child(Stack::new(children![light, content]).width(width).height(height))
 }
 
 // an opacity, 0 to 1, as a colour's alpha
 pub fn alpha(opacity: f32) -> u8 {
     (opacity.clamp(0.0, 1.0) * 255.0).round() as u8
 }
+
+fn white(alpha: u8) -> Color {
+    Color::rgba(255, 255, 255, alpha)
+}