TOP NEW CHILL: RITUAL - DROWN THE LOVERS FEAT. 6LACK

Love loss and heartbreak are on display here— “Drown The Lovers” features a new relationship forming out of the sadness of the last one, drowning the memories of past lovers and starting anew.

This feels like a long last classic xx tune, with its slow mellow atmosphere and hints of R&B and drone. RITUAL’s dueling male and female vocalists even sound a bit like Romy and Oliver. In the best ways possible that is. Not aping the act, just riding on the magic they’ve given the world. The interplay between RITUAL’s two singers is only heightened by 6lack’s silky smooth flow on the first verse and chorus. He’s so essential to the craft of this tune that I feel like he’s the long lost fourth member of the mysterious London trio. Wouldn’t be so bad, would it? Bring him back for another single sometime, eh? Yet ironically he’s hardly missed on the other six tracks that don’t feature the singer/rapper from their newest No Escape Out of Time EP. Each track stands on its own— with or without another famous musician featured on it.

Sounds to me like these cats just know how to make a killer track.

RITUAL - DROWN THE LOVERS FEAT 6LACK

Let’s hope Ritual does at least one little mini tour before they officially blow up and you can’t even get in the tent to see them at their mid-day (but let’s be real, should be night) festival set. With tracks as beautiful as this one I’d seriously expect that to be the case. No two of their songs sound alike, yet they are all stunning in their own right. Make way for RITUAL. Get em before they’re hot. 'Cause they’re about to be piping.

From deep within the murky depths of the Los Angeles River emerged a creature: 50% raver, 50% comedian, 10% Robotcop. Kurt Kroeber doesn’t own a dog, operates Soundbleed (the world’s only dance party comedy talk show rave), and is down to party with you. Come up some time and say “Hey dude!” But definitely make sure to casually drop the secret Illuminati password.