London-based group
RITUAL write sparse, lovelorn R&B songs with subtle folk and hip-hop influences. They have helped write and produce songs by
Avicii,
Aquilo,
Dua Lipa, and many others. They were formed by producers Adam Gross and Tommy Baxter, and were soon joined by singer Gerard O'Connell, with vocalist
Mononoke eventually completing the lineup. The band have collaborated with guest vocalists such as
Denzel Curry,
6LACK, and
Skizzy Mars on releases such as 2017's
No Escape Out of Time.
RITUAL debuted in 2014 with the self-released EP The Fall. After building up interest from blogs, the band signed to Island and released second EP
From the City to the Wilderness in 2015. The remix EP
From the Wilderness to the City, which emphasized the group's hip-hop influences, followed shortly after. In 2016,
RITUAL released the "Cinnamon" single, which preceded their
Every Night Another But Not You EP. Later in the year, they released "Bottle Tops," which featured guest vocalist
Mononoke (
Katie Taylor), who subsequently became the band's fourth member. The full-length
No Escape Out of Time, featuring the singles "Exit" and "Drown the Lovers," appeared in 2017. In 2019,
RITUAL launched their rolling Dreamers Never Learn project with the single "Love Me Back," featuring
Tove Styrke. ~ Paul Simpson