Straight out of Mexico City, JC Lobo’s enigmatic dark electronic music project, RITUALZ, pushes forward with FOREVER, a meticulously curated double-CD compilation releasing on July 18th via Re:Mission Entertainment. Celebrating fifteen transformative years, this ambitious anthology breathes fresh life into twenty beloved tracks, complemented by two new songs, NOTHING and TESTIFY.
Collaborating with artist Marycielo Rodríguez, RITUALZ accompanies the tracks with visually hypnotic videos saturated in surrealist imagery, gothic symbolism, and stark Catholic iconography. Infused with rapid-fire editing and vintage VHS textures, the visuals echo Lynchian dream logic, intensifying the project’s trademark darkness.
NOTHING begins with a cryptically animated sequence, capturing a deep yearning to vanish into anonymity, embracing nihilistic beauty and serene detachment from reality. Ambiguity reigns as subtitles unpredictably shift languages and orientations, further heightening the track’s otherworldly mystique.
Watch below:
In contrast, TESTIFY dives deeply into twisted Mexican Catholic symbolism, reimagining sacred imagery through grotesque distortion. The track feels ceremonial yet subversive; an unsettling digital exorcism driven by ominous synth textures and harshly distorted vocals, blurring boundaries between devotion and despair.
Watch below:
Tracing back to RITUALZ’s roots, the foundational releases CDR and Ghetto Ass Witch, first issued via DISARO, later immortalized on vinyl by Re:Mission Entertainment, established Lobo’s unmistakable auditory fingerprint. The project’s trajectory deepened with Doom and Satanico Supremo on Artoffact Records, and the hauntingly cinematic Häxan, a live reinterpretation of the iconic 1920s silent film.
FOREVER encapsulates the essence of RITUALZ’s audacious vision, revisiting formative early releases while advancing boldly into uncharted territory. It’s both a passionate acknowledgment to longtime followers and an evocative invitation for newcomers intrigued by the project’s experimental allure.
After a decade and a half, JC Lobo’s creative force remains undiminished, propelling RITUALZ into continually surprising experiments. FOREVER not only offers longtime devotees a compelling retrospective, but also serves as an ideal entryway for newcomers drawn to the darker, experimental fringes of electronic music. Last year’s RADICAL MACABRO and this year’s earlier offering, MIMIC, a daring covers collection, pushed the envelope further.
Listen to NOTHING and TESTIFY below and pre-order FOREVER here.
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