We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

The Ritual

by Alto Stratus

supported by
palaeologos
palaeologos thumbnail
Bryan Colegate
Bryan Colegate thumbnail
phthalate
phthalate thumbnail
/

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £5 GBP  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Quality package, with colour inserts in standard jewel case

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Ritual via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 1 day
    4 remaining

      £7.99 GBP or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    58
    releases

    Get all 58 Alto Stratus releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Vrije: Old Woulds Vol.1, Alto Stratus: Old Wounds Vol.2, Vrije: Blitzkrieg, Vrije: Terminus, Retrospection 2, Vrije: Six, Retrospection I, Tasty Morsels, Adhara: Visions Of Alucia, Vrije: Transmission, and 50 more. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      £180.70 GBP or more (35% OFF)

     

1.
The Golden Dawn 08:33
buy track
2.
Scrying 11:00
info
buy track
3.
The Astral Dark 04:30
buy track
4.
Bardo Thodol 06:46
buy track
5.
Ceremony 18:13
info
buy track
6.
Trancemission II 04:46
buy track
7.
Mandrake (The Man Root) 05:08
buy track
8.
The Captive 15:22
buy track

about

Descriptive of man's rituals and ceremonies, the music on this album attempts sonically to reflects the calm serenity of meditation, the tense air of the ritual dance, the weird realms of occultist magic and more, with synthesizers and sound sampling, to create surreal sound paintings, taking the listener way beyond physical realms...
The Ritual was the culmination of 10 years of sonic exploration and self-training, developing our own language as non-musicians. Next to the Biomechanoid release this was our most melodic and musical endeavour and was the very last thing we recorded before putting all such activities on hold and starting up Ultima Thule. Recorded over a period of 4 days, it was one of the few recordings we made taking advantage of the multi-tracking possibilities of a 4 track Teac reel to reel, so for the first time we could play back and dub live without loss of quality. The Ritual is basically a collection of live recordings, with additional channels added later. In recording it we immersed ourselves in the concept of magic and mysticism, engaging in hypnotic and entangled patterns of sound, using synthesizers, keyboards and sequencers, plus loops and sampling. Some well-known voices can be heard imparting their wisdom in a repeated looping fashion, all adding to the ritualistic feel.

credits

released August 12, 2014

Recorded at Tachyon Studio (25-28 March 1989).
Bonus The Captive taken from A Cage Went In Search Of A Bird
(Dark Star DIS 1-2) sampler.
Digital transfer by Alan Freeman at Tachyon Studio (12 May 2002).

Alan Freeman: synths (Octave Cat, Korg MS20), Siel Orchestra 2, samples, loops.
Steve Freeman: synths (Moog Source+Moog Rogue CV linked sequencing), Casio MT68, samples, loops, Sinclair Spectrum programming.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Alto Stratus image

Alto Stratus Leicester, UK

The duo of Alan and Steve Freeman (Ultima Thule), we spent much of our spare time during the 1980's experimenting with electronics, sound collage, etc., recording some 30 odd cassettes as Alto Stratus (and other guises: Vrije, Q.S.O., Electric Junk, etc.), also as soloists, and the trio ZBB. For 30 years we've continued with a 10 further releases since, bands: Endgame, The Newt Hounds, Triax, etc. ... more

discography

contact / help

Contact Alto Stratus

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Report this album or account

Alto Stratus recommends:

If you like Alto Stratus, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier chats about his new LP and the influence of Pharoah Sanders.
listen now