Ritualize
| Ritualize | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Lushlife and CSLSX | ||||
| Released | February 19, 2016 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 53:37 | |||
| Label | Western Vinyl | |||
| Producer |
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| Lushlife chronology | ||||
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Ritualize is a collaborative studio album by Lushlife and CSLSX.[1] It was released on Western Vinyl on February 19, 2016.[2][3]
Production[edit]
Philadelphia rapper and record producer Lushlife contacted local record production trio CSLSX to see if they wanted to perform live with him.[4] The trio did not do any live shows at that time, but instead sent demos to him.[4] After that, Lushlife and CSLSX started making the album.[4] The album featured guest appearances from I Break Horses, Ariel Pink, Deniro Farrar, RJD2, Nightlands, Yikes the Zero, Freeway, Killer Mike, and Marissa Nadler.[5][6] It took three years to finish the album.[4] The album's cover art was drawn by Eric Petersen.[7]
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Boston Globe | favorable[8] |
| Pitchfork | 5.8/10[9] |
Mehan Jayasuriya of Pitchfork stated that "While there is no shortage of interesting ideas or capable musicians on Ritualize, in the absence of a compelling vision, it doesn't add up to much."[9] Meanwhile, Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe commented that "The cerebral MC collaborates with production team CSLSX to take his indie aesthetic to another level, exploring pulsing ambient textures, psychedelic rock, and orchestral music, while never losing sight of classic head-bobbing beats."[8] Tom Breihan of Stereogum wrote, "It's a blurry, shoegaze-addled take on neck-snap East Coast rap, and I've never heard anything quite like it."[10]
Chicago Tribune chose "Body Double" as the "Song of the Day" on October 5, 2015.[11] Consequence of Sound placed "Hong Kong (Lady of Love)" at number 9 on the "Top 10 Songs of the Week" list on February 5, 2016.[12] Derek Staples described it as "a stroll through the questionably calm interiors of a dystopian metropolis."[12] He added, "Here, Lushlife represents a powerful presence cast against an otherwise desolate environment, but one where surprises lurk within the prevailing darkness."[12]
Dan DeLuca of The Philadelphia Inquirer included the album on the "Best Music of 2016" list.[13] Maria Sherman of Thrillist placed the album at number 13 on the "20 Best Albums of 2016 That Came Out of Philly" list.[14] She called it "a genre-bending and melding collection of eclectic sonic landscapes."[14]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Totally Mutual Feeling" | 3:59 |
| 2. | "The Waking World" (featuring I Break Horses) | 4:15 |
| 3. | "Hong Kong (Lady of Love)" (featuring Ariel Pink) | 4:16 |
| 4. | "Incantation" (featuring Deniro Farrar) | 4:41 |
| 5. | "Undress Me in the Temple" | 1:34 |
| 6. | "Body Double" | 4:53 |
| 7. | "Toynbee Suite" (featuring RJD2, Nightlands, and Yikes the Zero) | 7:29 |
| 8. | "Strawberry Mansion" (featuring Freeway) | 2:47 |
| 9. | "This Ecstatic Cult" (featuring Killer Mike) | 3:27 |
| 10. | "Burt Reynolds (Desert Visions)" | 6:21 |
| 11. | "Integration Loop" (featuring Marissa Nadler) | 2:48 |
| 12. | "Ritualize" | 5:17 |
| Total length: | 53:37 | |
References[edit]
- ^ Rys, Dan (February 17, 2016). "Stream Lushlife's New Album 'Ritualize': Exclusive Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (January 12, 2016). "Lushlife and Killer Mike Share "This Ecstatic Cult"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Murphy, Sarah (January 13, 2016). "Lushlife "This Ecstatic Cult" (ft. Killer Mike)". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Grossan, Ally-Jane (March 16, 2016). "Freshness from Philly: Lushlife and CSLSX Collaborate on "Ritualize"". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Hudson, Alex (October 5, 2015). "Lushlife Gets Killer Mike, Ariel Pink, Marissa Nadler for New LP". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (October 5, 2015). "Lushlife Enlists Killer Mike, Ariel Pink, Marissa Nadler, RJD2, Freeway, More for New Album Ritualize". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Gillespie, Blake. "Enlivened by Color: Unpacking the Album Art of Lushlife + CSLSX's Ritualize". Impose. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ a b Capobianco, Ken (February 18, 2016). "Album review: Lushlife, 'Ritualize'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ a b Jayasuriya, Mehan (February 17, 2016). "Lushlife: Ritualize". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (February 17, 2016). "Stream Lushlife Ritualize". Stereogum. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Terry, Josh (October 5, 2015). "Lushlife's new song 'Body Double' is an awesome head rush". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ a b c Kivel, Adam; Gwee, Karen; Staples, Derek (February 5, 2016). "Top 10 Songs of the Week (2/5)". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ DeLuca, Dan (December 9, 2016). "The Best Music of 2016: The Philly Scene". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ a b Sherman, Maria (December 19, 2016). "The 20 Best Albums of 2016 That Came Out of Philly". Thrillist. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
External links[edit]
- Ritualize at Discogs (list of releases)
- Ritualize at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
