UPFRONTBEATS

After the incredible success of last year’s ‘Brain Ticker EP’, UK duo Cousn return to their FAMLY Records imprint with Ritual. Speaking from isolation in Bristol where they have set up their studio during lockdown, cousins Alfie and Billy Goffey had the following to say about their first release of the year:

“It’s amazing how easy it is to take things for granted, until you’re not allowed to do them anymore. Our original inspiration for writing this track was the whole worldwide ritual of going out clubbing at the weekend, a ritual that until recently so many people took completely for granted.

Then suddenly out of nowhere Coronavirus came along and quite basic things like going out with your mates now feels like some distant memory, even though it’s only been a matter of weeks. Rituals that we take for granted like going out at the weekends, going to festivals, meeting mates at the pub or even commuting to work suddenly find themselves challenged: forbidden or pastimes that bring with them (quite literally) a Government Health Warning. Instead these have been replaced by new rituals: washing your hands, going outside for a daily walk (we never knew how much we liked walking), weekly Pub Quiz on Zoom, and lots of creativity in the studio. We dedicate this record to rituals old and new, and we hope that it brings some positivity at these difficult times, reminding us all that they won’t last forever and we’ll be back on the dancefloor soon.” Cousn

Beginning with a prevalent kick and clap combination, the main pull of Ritual comes once the warm arpeggiated bass-melody drops alongside warm rising melodies and pulses of acid-twinged synths that reverberate alongside dynamic keys. The end result is a standout track that showcases the pair’s diverse and ever developing analogue-heavy sound.

Showcasing the distinctive sound that the boys are becoming best known for, Ritual kicks off an exciting 2020 that will see them host a monthly residency on Rinse FM, and before Covid-19 stopped the fun, tour across England in support of Icarus in London (Village Underground 23rd April), Manchester (YES 24th April) and Bristol (Motion 25th April), as well as debut at London institution Fabric on 5th June.

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