Rituals of Mine evoke feelings of past wounded memories with a tender and effortless stroke. The electronic/R&B duo, which subscribe to a punk and head banging ethos, once again transmute a potent energy on their latest video for their track “Burst.” Taken off their upcoming three-track EP Sleeper Hold, due October 4 via Carpark Records, the video’s messaging is not only a declaration of newfound comfort, but a literal portrayal of demolishing past and present obstacles.
Comprised of vocalist/songwriter Terra Lopez and drummer Adam Pierce, the Los Angeles-based duo lean heavier into their R&B influences, rather than usual art-punk progression, for a haunting soundscape. Lopez’s dreamy, light vocals harness an insane amount of confidence without the need to rise in tone to get her point across – her delivery alone handles this feat. Pierce’s electronic hits are disturbed and fresh, embodying all the qualities for a trap-fused flex.
Lopez repeats the hook, “I stay on your mind,” akin to the thoughts of a restless night. It's a key audio element that sets the scene for the visual. Co-directed by Kris Esfandiari and Colette Levesque, the video (dubbed as a “Queer Space Jam” by Lopez) opens on a dim lit basketball court as the referee awaits each team. The masked opponents line-up and take on Lopez as “chance” is thrown at the tip-off. Conceptually built around a game, Lopez meets with each of her demons and roadblocks she had to endure as a queer woman of color in life, powerfully gliding across the court to make basket after basket.
Appearing as peaceful forgiveness, acceptance, and a powerful moment of victory, Lopez meets her younger self and falls into a well-awaited embrace. “With this new material, I’m confronting a lot of personal issues I haven’t addressed before,” says Lopez. “I made a promise to myself that I’m no longer going to play small or hide behind metaphors, that I’m going to really lean into self-confidence, self-reliance, and take up space.”
An anthem for the process of owning one's identity and making peace with the past to move forward, “Burst” is the adrenaline rush we all need. The duo will also embark on a fall tour to coincide with the release of Sleeper Hold.
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