diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AudioPlayer.tsx b/frontend/src/components/AudioPlayer.tsx
index 07668fa..99a372c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AudioPlayer.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AudioPlayer.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   AlertCircle
 } from 'lucide-react';
 import AlertModal from './AlertModal';
+import { useTheme } from '../context/ThemeContext';
 
 interface AudioPlayerProps {
   episode: Episode | null;
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ interface AudioPlayerProps {
 
 export default function AudioPlayer({ episode, onClose, userId }: AudioPlayerProps) {
   const { isPlaying, setIsPlaying, togglePlay } = useAudio();
+  const { theme } = useTheme();
   const audioRef = useRef<HTMLAudioElement>(null);
   const [currentTime, setCurrentTime] = useState(0);
   const [duration, setDuration] = useState(0);
@@ -120,8 +122,10 @@ export default function AudioPlayer({ episode, onClose, userId }: AudioPlayerPro
 
   const progress = duration > 0 ? (currentTime / duration) * 100 : 0;
 
+  const inverseTheme = theme === 'light' ? 'dark-theme' : 'light-theme';
+
   return (
-    <div className={`fixed z-[100] transition-all duration-500 ease-[cubic-bezier(0.2,0.8,0.2,1)] ${
+    <div className={`fixed z-[100] transition-all duration-500 ease-[cubic-bezier(0.2,0.8,0.2,1)] ${inverseTheme} ${
       isExpanded
         ? 'inset-0 rounded-none'
         : 'bottom-6 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 w-[96%] max-w-5xl rounded-[2rem] h-[88px]'
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/EpisodeCard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/EpisodeCard.tsx
index a1fa44f..282e632 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/EpisodeCard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/EpisodeCard.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export default function EpisodeCard({ episode, onPlay, onDetails }: EpisodeCardP
 
   return (
     <div 
-      className="group premium-glass rounded-[var(--radius-card)] p-4 hover:bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] transition-all duration-500 border border-[var(--border-color)] hover:border-[var(--accent-primary)]/30 flex flex-col h-full cursor-pointer relative"
+      className="group premium-card premium-glass rounded-[var(--radius-card)] p-4 hover:bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] transition-all duration-500 border border-[var(--border-color)] hover:border-[var(--accent-primary)]/30 flex flex-col h-full cursor-pointer relative"
       onClick={handleDetailsClick}
     >
       {/* Visual Header */}
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/AddPodcast.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/AddPodcast.tsx
index a4c9a08..75c3471 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/AddPodcast.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/AddPodcast.tsx
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ export default function AddPodcast() {
         ) : searchType === 'podcasts' && (searchQuery.length > 0 ? searchResults?.podcasts : trendingResults?.podcasts) ? (
           <div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-8 pb-32">
             {(searchQuery.length > 0 ? searchResults?.podcasts : trendingResults?.podcasts).map((podcast: any) => (
-              <div key={podcast.id} className="group premium-glass rounded-[var(--radius-card)] overflow-hidden flex flex-col hover:bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] transition-all duration-500 border-[var(--border-color)]">
+              <div key={podcast.id} className="group premium-card premium-glass rounded-[var(--radius-card)] overflow-hidden flex flex-col hover:bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] transition-all duration-500 border-[var(--border-color)]">
                 <div className="relative aspect-[16/10] overflow-hidden">
                    {podcast.imageUrl ? (
                      <img src={podcast.imageUrl} alt={podcast.title} className="w-full h-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 group-hover:scale-110" />
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Library.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Library.tsx
index ca9a1b3..3e24c86 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Library.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Library.tsx
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ export default function Library() {
 
       {/* Stats */}
       <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-4 mb-10">
-        <div className="premium-glass p-5 rounded-[var(--radius-card)] flex items-center gap-4">
+        <div className="premium-card premium-glass p-5 rounded-[var(--radius-card)] flex items-center gap-4">
           <div className="w-10 h-10 rounded-xl bg-[var(--accent-glow)] flex items-center justify-center text-[var(--accent-primary)] shrink-0">
             <BookOpen className="w-5 h-5" />
           </div>
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ export default function Library() {
             <h3 className="text-2xl font-display font-black">{podcasts.length}</h3>
           </div>
         </div>
-        <Link to="/add" className="premium-glass p-5 rounded-[var(--radius-card)] flex items-center gap-4 group hover:bg-[var(--accent-primary)]/5 transition-all">
+        <Link to="/add" className="premium-card premium-glass p-5 rounded-[var(--radius-card)] flex items-center gap-4 group hover:bg-[var(--accent-primary)]/5 transition-all">
           <div className="w-10 h-10 rounded-xl bg-[var(--accent-primary)] flex items-center justify-center text-white shadow-glow-indigo group-hover:scale-110 transition-transform shrink-0">
             <Rss className="w-5 h-5" />
           </div>
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ export default function Library() {
       ) : (
         <div className="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-2 xl:grid-cols-3 gap-8 pb-10">
           {podcasts.map((podcast) => (
-            <div key={podcast._id} className="group premium-glass rounded-[var(--radius-card)] p-6 hover:bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] transition-all duration-500 flex flex-col h-full border-[var(--border-color)]">
+            <div key={podcast._id} className="group premium-card premium-glass rounded-[var(--radius-card)] p-6 hover:bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] transition-all duration-500 flex flex-col h-full border-[var(--border-color)]">
               <div className="flex gap-6 mb-6">
                 <div className="relative shrink-0">
                   <div className="w-24 h-24 rounded-3xl overflow-hidden shadow-2xl border border-[var(--border-color)] group-hover:scale-105 transition-transform duration-500">
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Trending.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Trending.tsx
index 2d38078..22288e4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Trending.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Trending.tsx
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ export default function Trending() {
           <>
             <div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-8 mb-16">
               {podcasts.map((podcast, index) => (
-                <div key={`${skip}-${podcast.id}`} className="group premium-glass rounded-[var(--radius-card)] overflow-hidden flex flex-col hover:bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] transition-all duration-500">
+                <div key={`${skip}-${podcast.id}`} className="group premium-card premium-glass rounded-[var(--radius-card)] overflow-hidden flex flex-col hover:bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] transition-all duration-500">
                   <div className="relative aspect-[16/10] overflow-hidden">
                      {podcast.imageUrl ? (
                        <img
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/globals.css b/frontend/src/styles/globals.css
index 2de3a93..4d75e9d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/globals.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/globals.css
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@
     --accent-glow: rgba(99, 102, 241, 0.35);
     --border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.07);
     --glass-blur: blur(24px) saturate(180%);
-    --shadow-premium: 0 25px 60px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6), 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
-    --input-bg: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03);
     --radius-card: 1rem;      /* 16px - Sharper, Industrial */
     --radius-panel: 1.25rem;  /* 20px */
+    --shadow-premium: 0 20px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5), 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
+    --shadow-hover: 0 30px 70px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7), 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
   }
 
   /* ── Premium Gold (Light Theme) ── */
@@ -31,11 +31,36 @@
     --accent-glow: rgba(99, 102, 241, 0.1);
     --border-color: #e2e8f0; /* Soft slate border */
     --glass-blur: blur(12px);
-    --shadow-premium: 0 10px 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04), 0 0 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
+    --shadow-premium: 0 12px 30px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08), 0 4px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04);
+    --shadow-hover: 0 25px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12), 0 10px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
     --radius-card: 1rem;
     --radius-panel: 1.25rem;
     --input-bg: #f1f5f9;
   }
+
+  /* ── Explicit Dark Theme (for nesting/inversion) ── */
+  .dark-theme {
+    --bg-primary: #080d1a;
+    --bg-secondary: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.025);
+    --text-primary: #ffffff;
+    --text-secondary: #94a3b8;
+    --accent-primary: #6366f1;
+    --accent-secondary: #06b6d4;
+    --accent-glow: rgba(99, 102, 241, 0.35);
+    --border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.07);
+    --input-bg: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03);
+    --shadow-premium: 0 25px 60px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6), 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
+    --shadow-hover: 0 35px 80px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8), 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
+  }
+}
+
+.premium-card {
+  @apply transition-all duration-300;
+  box-shadow: var(--shadow-premium);
+}
+.premium-card:hover {
+  transform: translateY(-4px);
+  box-shadow: var(--shadow-hover);
 }
 
 * { @apply box-border; }